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Last updated 14 October 2026.
Write to dmaulikr@gmail.com with a question, a bug or an idea. A screenshot helps — just check it doesn't show anything you'd rather keep private.
The two shapes
The River is your month — everything you spend or receive, seen by time. A Pool is a project you pour into (a home build, a trip, a wedding), tracked separately and cumulatively. A pool entry is part of your month too, but the pool keeps its own running total.
Logging
- + → amount → category → Add entry. The date defaults to today; a pool, a note and how you paid are optional.
- Quick log (✦ on Now): type or say "1,200 groceries yesterday" or "cement 24000 for the house". Ledger shows you what it read before saving.
- Tap any entry to edit it. Delete with a long-press — Undo brings it back for a few seconds.
Bank messages and bills
Paste a bank SMS into Quick log and Ledger reads the amount, merchant and date. To log them as they arrive, open Settings → Logging → Bank messages and follow the Shortcuts steps. Entries logged this way wait in To review on Now. To read a bill, tap Attach receipt in the entry screen and take or choose a photo.
Pools: plans, payments, the Lock Screen
In a pool, tap Plan beside "Where it went" to set an amount per category. Add Upcoming payments so the next one is never a surprise — tap Paid to pour it in. From the pool's ⋯ menu, Show on Lock Screen keeps it on your Lock Screen and Dynamic Island. Close a pool when the project is done; it seals into a chapter you can reopen.
Budgets
Set monthly budgets by category in Settings → Money → Monthly budgets, or tap Set budgets on the River. Ledger shows what's left — never a warning.
Widgets, Siri and Control Center
Long-press your Home Screen → + → Ledger. The medium widget offers your regular spends as one-tap buttons. Ask Siri "Log an expense in Ledger" or "How much has The House cost in Ledger". On iOS 18 and later, add Log expense to Control Center.
Importing from a bank statement or another app
Settings → Data → Import from a spreadsheet or statement reads a CSV file. Check the columns and dates in the preview, then Import. Entries already in Ledger are skipped, and Undo this import removes the whole batch.
Backups and moving to a new iPhone
Everything stays on your iPhone, so keep your own backup: Settings → Data → Export JSON. On the new iPhone, Import a Ledger backup brings back entries, pools, plans, payments, budgets and learned merchants. Attached photos stay on the original phone.
Face ID lock
Turn on Lock with Face ID in Settings → Privacy. Ledger hides your numbers in the app switcher and on Lock Screen widgets until you unlock. If Face ID fails, your iPhone passcode works too.
Contact
dmaulikr@gmail.com — we read everything.