Questions, answered.
If you don't see yours below, just email us. A real person reads every message, usually within a day.
Is LazeeFish actually free? What's the catch?
Yes. The free plan covers everything: unlimited envelopes, bank sync, multi-device, search, exports. Forever.
We don't sell your data and we don't show you ads. See the pricing page for the full breakdown.
How does bank sync work, and is it safe?
We use Plaid (the same service most banking apps use) to read transactions, in read-only mode. We can't move money. We can't see your login credentials. Your bank handles auth.
If you'd rather not sync, you can use LazeeFish entirely manually — paste a CSV, type things in, whatever. The envelope method works either way.
I'm coming from YNAB / Mint / Monarch. Can I import?
Yes. Export a CSV from your old app and use Setup → Import CSV in LazeeFish. You map the date, amount, and description columns to LazeeFish fields, pick a destination envelope and transaction type, then preview the first rows before committing. Most bank and app CSV exports work without any modification.
Can LazeeFish find my subscriptions automatically?
Yes — connect your bank via Plaid and LazeeFish scans the last 8 months of history for recurring patterns. Anything that repeats at a regular interval (monthly, weekly, annually) with a consistent payee and amount gets surfaced as a detected subscription. You review each one and either track it or dismiss it. Once tracked, it shows up in the Subscription Tracker with total monthly cost and next renewal date. Rocket Money charges up to $144/yr for subscription detection; LazeeFish is free.
What happens when an envelope runs out?
Nothing automatic. We don't block your card or send aggressive notifications. The envelope just turns coral, and you decide whether to top it up, take from another envelope, or accept a pantry-meals kind of week.
Boundaries you choose to respect work better than ones imposed on you.
Can I set savings goals or sinking funds?
Yes. Any envelope can be turned into a savings goal — add a target amount, an optional deadline, and a reset cadence (one-time, monthly, quarterly, or annually). The dashboard shows progress and flags goals as Met or Overdue.
Recurring goals roll the deadline forward automatically when the target date passes — your "Christmas" goal resets every year without you doing anything. There's also a Skip if goal met option that redirects monthly-budget allocations back to your clearing envelope once a one-time goal is funded.
Savings goals are part of the free plan. Read more or check out our guide to sinking funds.
How do I budget on irregular income?
The two-month rule: when income lands, fill next month's envelopes first, not this month's. This decouples your spending from your most recent paycheck and creates a one-month buffer over time.
We have a full post on this — written by someone who freelanced for 8 years.
Can I share envelopes with a partner?
Yes — joint budgeting is live. You can invite a partner from Settings → Household. They create their own login and join your household with one click.
Each envelope has three visibility levels: Shared (both of you can add transactions and edit), Read-only (partner can see but not change), and Private (invisible to everyone else — good for gifts or personal spending).
There's no per-user fee. Both logins are covered under the same free plan.
How do I invite my partner?
Go to Settings → Household and click "Invite a partner." You'll get a unique invite link you can text or email directly. Your partner follows the link, creates a free account, and is immediately added to your household. The whole thing takes about 60 seconds.
Do we both pay?
No. LazeeFish is free for the whole household — no per-user fees, no "household plan" upgrade. YNAB charges $109/year for joint budgeting; Monarch charges $99.99/year. LazeeFish: free for as many people as you invite.
Do you support multi-currency?
Yes. You can set a base currency per envelope and convert at transaction time using daily rates.
I forgot to track for a month. Did I break it?
No. Just open the app. Bank sync filled in the transactions while you were gone; rules categorized the obvious ones. There's no streak to lose, no penalty.
How do I delete my account and data?
Settings → Account → Delete. Everything is purged within 30 days. We'll email you a CSV of your full history first so you don't lose your records.
Is there a desktop app?
The web app is the desktop app. It works offline (PWA), installs from the browser, and shows up in your dock just like a native app.
Does LazeeFish track recurring bills?
Yes — recurring bill tracking is built in and free. You create a bill template (name, expected amount, cadence, due date) and LazeeFish tracks each occurrence as Expected, Fulfilled, or Skipped. When Plaid imports a matching transaction the bill auto-fulfills — no manual check-in needed. LazeeFish can also scan your last 8 months of history to detect recurring patterns and suggest templates. YNAB and Monarch offer similar features but charge $109/yr and $99.99/yr respectively; LazeeFish is free.
Does LazeeFish track debt?
Yes. LazeeFish treats debt as a first-class envelope — each loan or credit card gets its own balance that reflects current outstanding principal. When a payment posts via Plaid, it auto-splits into principal and interest portions. You get a live snowball/avalanche projection showing your exact payoff date, all for free.
Can LazeeFish track my mortgage with escrow?
Yes. Set up a mortgage debt envelope with your balance, APR, monthly payment, and escrow amount. Every payment auto-splits into principal paydown, interest charge, and escrow — three separate transactions grouped as one. Your mortgage balance reflects actual remaining principal at all times.
Does the debt tracker cost extra?
No. Debt tracking is included in LazeeFish's free plan. There is no premium tier — everything is free.
Why is your fish so tired?
He's not tired. He's at peace. There's a difference.