Your first budget
Start on web or iPhone with the same Alto account. Start with 14 days of Pro. No credit card required.
Set up your income
Add your income sources, repeat schedules, and pay dates. Choose a main income to set the rhythm of your pay-period view. Other income can follow its own schedule.
Use received income to fund your budget. Expected income helps you plan ahead, but it is not money available to assign yet.
Add your accounts
Enter your accounts manually or connect supported banks through Plaid during your Pro trial. Review each starting balance. For credit cards and loans, enter the amount owed.
A new linked account starts from the bank’s current balance. Linking an existing manual account preserves its opening balance and recorded history.
Plan bills, spending, and savings
Add bills with due dates and flexible spending categories with the windows you want to budget for. Create savings goals if you want to reserve money for something later.
Targets describe what you want to fund. Assignments are money you actually set aside. A monthly spending category keeps one monthly window even when you plan across several paychecks.
Assign your first paycheck
Open Budget and review Ready to Assign. Set aside money for priorities, then other spending and savings. You can fund part of an upcoming bill now and add more later.
Assigning money organizes your budget; it does not transfer funds at your bank. Future Assigned is already reserved and reduces what remains to assign elsewhere.
Review activity regularly
Enter or sync transactions and check their categories. Confirm suggestions and possible matches. Compare account activity before using Reconcile to correct a difference.
At the next payday, review your plan and top up what needs funding. Do not assume every category resets: each one follows its own schedule.