THE IDEA
No bank connection does not mean “all by hand”
In Tally, every movement gets in through the path you choose and passes your review before it is saved. The difference from a bank-connected app is not how much you type, but who decides what gets in and when.
A bank-connected app downloads movements on its own because you gave it access to your account. Tally does not ask for bank credentials or use aggregators: data arrives because you type it, photograph a receipt, choose a file exported from online banking, or enable a Wallet automation that presents each payment as a draft.
The four paths coexist. Most people log day-to-day spending by hand, use the receipt photo when they want to keep proof, and turn to import when they need to bring in a whole period.
AT A GLANCE
The four ways compared
| Way | When it helps | Free or PRO | What you review |
|---|---|---|---|
| By hand | Everyday spending: a coffee, groceries, income. | Free | What you type is what gets saved. |
| Receipt photo | When you want to keep the proof next to the expense. | Free. AI analysis: 1 included, unlimited with PRO | The proposed amount, date, and category before accepting. |
| Statement import | To bring in a whole period from CSV, Excel, or Norma 43. | PRO | Each proposed row: amount, date, concept, category, and duplicates. |
| Wallet (Apple Pay / Google Wallet) | So you do not forget card payments made with your phone. | PRO, optional, off by default | Each draft before it becomes a movement. |
WAY 1
By hand, in seconds
Tap +, choose expense or income, and enter amount, account, category, date, and concept. It is Tally's main flow and it does not require PRO.
- Accounts: up to 3 active in the free version; unlimited with PRO. Each in its own currency, chosen when you create it.
- Categories: the built-in ones cover everyday life; custom categories are PRO.
- Full editing: you can correct, move between accounts, or delete any movement later.
- Recurring items: save periodic payments or income (1 on free, unlimited with PRO) and Tally shows what is coming.
WAY 2
From a receipt photo
Take the photo (or pick it from the gallery) and Tally stores it as a private file on your phone, next to the movement. Only if you tap “Analyze receipt” is it sent to extract a proposal.
Photo or galleryFree
The image is copied into the app's private storage. Attaching, opening, or replacing it does not upload it anywhere.
Analyze receipt (optional)1 free analysis · unlimited with PRO
When you tap the action, the compressed image travels to a secure function that asks an AI model for a proposal of amount, date, merchant, and category. Nothing is saved automatically.
Review and save
The proposal fills the form. Fix whatever is needed and save. The receipt stays linked to the movement for later.
WAY 3
By importing your statement
Download a CSV, an Excel (.xlsx) file, or a Spanish Norma 43 file from online banking, choose it in Tally, and review every proposed row before saving. It is a Tally PRO feature.
Importing a file is not connecting your bank: you generate and choose the file, whenever you decide, and you never give Tally bank credentials. The app detects duplicates against what the account already holds and leaves them unchecked for you to decide.
WAY 4
With Wallet, as drafts
An optional automation, off by default, so you do not forget phone payments. Each payment reaches Tally as a draft you review; it is never saved on its own.
- On iPhone: you create a personal “Wallet” automation in the Shortcuts app and connect it to Tally's “Save pending payment” action. Tally does not read Apple Wallet or Apple Pay by itself.
- On Android: you grant Tally notification access and it only processes Google Wallet notifications; everything else is discarded immediately. Tally does not read Google Wallet directly.
- Drafts are stored on your device and appear under “Detected payments” when you open the app. You complete them, save them as movements, or discard them.
- It is a PRO feature. Your card issuer may not provide every field; in that case the draft stays editable rather than being lost.
TO BE CLEAR
What Tally does not do
- It does not connect to your bank or to aggregators: movements do not appear by themselves.
- It does not import PDF or legacy Excel (.xls); it does import CSV, .xlsx, and Norma 43.
- It does not use real-time or historical exchange rates, or convert when saving: each account keeps its currency and only the total is converted to your main one.
- It does not read Wallet or your notifications unless you enable the automation and grant the permission.
- It never saves a movement without your confirmation, whether it comes from a receipt, a file, or Wallet.
TALLY FREE AND PRO
What each version includes
Manual entry and receipts
Expenses and income by hand, up to 3 active accounts, built-in categories, receipt photos stored locally, and 1 AI receipt analysis.
Import, Wallet, and more
CSV, Excel, and Norma 43 import with review, unlimited AI analyses, Wallet automations, unlimited accounts, custom categories, and encrypted shared accounts.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to type every expense by hand?
No. Manual entry is the main flow, but you can also log from a receipt photo, import a CSV, Excel, or Norma 43 statement (PRO), or receive Wallet payments as drafts (PRO). In every case you review before saving.
What is free and what is PRO?
Free: manual entry, 3 active accounts, built-in categories, receipt photos, and 1 AI analysis. PRO: statement import, unlimited AI analyses, Wallet, unlimited accounts and categories, and shared accounts.
Is the receipt photo uploaded to the internet?
Only if you tap “Analyze receipt”. Attaching, opening, editing, or replacing the photo does not send it anywhere; it is stored in the app's private storage.
Does Tally read my Apple Wallet or Google Wallet?
Not directly. On iOS you create a Shortcuts automation that calls Tally; on Android you grant notification access and Tally only processes Google Wallet notifications. Everything arrives as a draft for review.
Is importing a statement the same as connecting my bank?
No. You import a file you downloaded and chose yourself, whenever you want, without handing over bank credentials. Tally shows the proposed rows and only saves the ones you confirm.
Keep reading
Keep going
If you already know how you want to log, these pages explain each path in more detail.
Start with Tally
Choose how to log your first expense
Download Tally, create your first account, and try the way that fits you best. You can combine all four.
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