Question 1

How do I budget without linking my bank account?

Accepted Answer

Export a PDF bank or credit card statement, review the transactions by category, then set a simple monthly plan from what you actually spent. You never need to share login credentials with a budgeting app. RetroBudget uploads that PDF, AI-categorizes every line, and deletes the statement after processing—no bank linking.

Question 2

How do I analyze a bank statement to see where my money goes?

Accepted Answer

Open your statement, list every debit, then group charges by category and merchant so totals stand out. Look for repeats, spikes, and fees you forgot about. RetroBudget is a bank statement analyzer that reads a PDF, AI-categorizes every transaction, and shows the spending breakdown without account linking.

Question 3

How do I categorize credit card transactions automatically?

Accepted Answer

Manual tagging works for a few charges; for a full month you need rules or AI that reads merchant names and amounts. Export your card statement as a PDF and feed it to a tool that assigns categories for you. RetroBudget AI categorizes every transaction from that PDF into a clear spending breakdown—no bank linking.

Question 4

How do I turn a PDF bank statement into a spending breakdown?

Accepted Answer

Download your statement as a PDF from your bank or card issuer, then parse every transaction into categories and merchants with totals. That spending breakdown is the input for a realistic budget. RetroBudget uploads the PDF, AI categorizes each line, and deletes the file after processing—no bank login.

Question 5

Is it safe to link your bank account to a budgeting app?

Accepted Answer

Most apps use services like Plaid with encrypted, token-based connections rather than storing your password in the clear. Even so, transaction data goes to a third party, and some banks warn that sharing credentials can affect fraud protection. RetroBudget skips linking entirely: upload a PDF statement, AI categorizes it, then the file is deleted.

Question 6

Where does my money go every month?

Accepted Answer

Your last bank or credit card statement already has the answer—every merchant and amount is there. Group those lines by category and merchant to see the real monthly picture in minutes. RetroBudget uploads a PDF, AI categorizes every transaction, and shows the spending breakdown without linking your bank.

Question 7

What replaced Mint for people who won't link their bank?

Accepted Answer

Mint shut down in 2024, and most popular replacements reconnect accounts through Plaid-style bank linking. If you will not share a bank login, look for tools that work from exported statements instead. RetroBudget is a free AI expense tracker: upload a PDF, get a categorized spending breakdown, and never link an account.

Question 8

How do I track spending across multiple credit cards?

Accepted Answer

Export each card's statement, then combine the transactions so categories and merchants roll up in one view instead of four separate PDFs. That single spending breakdown is what makes multi-card budgets usable. RetroBudget accepts statement PDFs for credit and debit cards, AI-categorizes every charge, and never asks for bank linking.

Question 9

Is RetroBudget free?

Accepted Answer

Yes. RetroBudget is free to download on the App Store and works with statements from any bank that provides PDF statements.

Question 10

Which statements does RetroBudget support?

Accepted Answer

Any PDF bank or credit card statement you can download from your bank. Upload the file and AI reads and categorizes each transaction.

Upload a statement. See where your money actually went.

Three steps. No bank credentials.

Upload a PDF statement

AI categorizes every transaction

See your spending breakdown

From upload to breakdown

A private money manager, not another bank connection

AI categorization from PDFs

Category, merchant & card breakdowns

Multi-card tracking

Charts & spending patterns

Live Activity + notifications

Face ID + Sign in with Apple

Your statements are processed, then deleted.

Questions, answered

See where your money actually went.