How to share a budget with your partner, without bank linking
If you keep a budget as a couple, sharing one ledger helps you see your household spending in one place.
This guide walks through sharing a budget in the free Kakei Pocket app, with real screenshots. No bank account or credit card is connected.
What you need
- An iPhone or iPad for each of you (iOS / iPadOS 26 or later)
- The Kakei Pocket app (free, sharing included)
- Both of you signed in to iCloud
Steps
1. Invite your partner
Open Sharing in Settings and tap “Invite partner”. Send the link it creates through Messages or LINE.
Your partner installs Kakei Pocket and then opens the link. If it doesn't open inside a messaging app, open it again in Safari.
Each link works once. If it doesn't arrive, create a new one.
When your partner joins, the ledger on their device is replaced by the shared one. If they want to keep their entries, export them to CSV first.
2. Record each entry as Shared or personal
Tap + at the bottom right, choose an amount and a category, then tap “Add entry”.
Next to the date you can switch between Shared and each of you. Put rent and groceries under Shared and hobbies or personal shopping under your own name, so living costs and pocket money don't get mixed up.
3. Snap your receipts
On a big shopping day, photograph the receipt or pick it from Photos. The date, amount and items are filled in, so you just check and save.
Text is read on your device. Receipt scanning is designed for Japanese receipts.
4. Record fixed costs with one tap
Add rent and subscriptions under Recurring payments. When one is paid, tap its record button for that month.
Nothing is recorded automatically, so months you didn't pay never fill up with entries.
5. See both of you on Home
Home shows this month's balance plus Shared and each partner's spending.
In Settings, the month can start on any day from the 1st to the 28th. Matching it to payday makes “how much is left this month” easier to read.
6. Compare with last month
Report compares your spending with the same day last month, and shows which categories went up or down.
Looking at this screen together once a month is enough.
Moving from another budget
A budget you kept in a spreadsheet can be imported from a CSV file in Settings. You can check the number of entries and the date range before importing.
If something does not work
An invitation link will not open
Check that you both have Kakei Pocket installed and are signed in to iCloud. If the link does not open inside a messaging app, try Safari. Each link works once; the owner can create a new one if needed.
Your partner’s entries are missing
Open the latest app on both devices and check your iCloud sign-in and internet connection. Syncing may take time. If entries have not synced, contact support before deleting the app or switching ledgers.
A receipt total was read incorrectly
Compare the date, amount and items with the original receipt, and correct them before saving. Scanning is designed for Japanese receipts. Automatically filled details still need a check.
See Kakei Pocket help and support for more details.
Pricing
Recording, fixed costs, export and sharing are all free. The free version shows ads and allows 10 receipt scans a month per device.
When the ledger owner buys Pro once, both of you get no ads and unlimited receipt scans. There is no monthly fee.
Kakei Pocket is for iPhone and iPad only, and all amounts are in Japanese yen.
