# Getting Started Welcome to FreeBudget. This guide walks you through the basics so you can start tracking your money quickly and confidently. FreeBudget is designed to be simple, flexible, and transparent. It is free to use, with optional pass-through fees for those who choose to link their bank accounts. This guide provides a practical overview to help you get started. For deeper explanations of how FreeBudget works, see the other help center articles. *** ### How FreeBudget Is Organized FreeBudget is made up of a few core areas that work together: * [`Accounts`](https://freebudget.gitbook.io/help-center/accounts) are where your transactions come from * [`Categories`](https://freebudget.gitbook.io/help-center/transactions-and-categories/categories-overview) determine how you track your transactions * [`Transactions`](https://freebudget.gitbook.io/help-center/transactions-and-categories) record activity inside accounts * [`Budget`](https://freebudget.gitbook.io/help-center/budget) help you plan and set goals on your income & spending * [`Dashboard`](https://freebudget.gitbook.io/help-center/dashboard-and-reports/dashboard-overview) & [`Reports`](https://freebudget.gitbook.io/help-center/dashboard-and-reports/reports-overview) show the big picture and help spot trends * [`Profile & Billing`](https://freebudget.gitbook.io/help-center/profile-and-billing) control profile information, security, and billing details Each section of this help center explains one of these concepts in detail. *** ### Where to Start If you are new to FreeBudget, we recommend this simple flow: 1. **Add your accounts**\ Connect your bank accounts using [Plaid](#link-accounts-via-plaid) or create manual accounts. 2. **Add transactions**\ Enter transactions manually, import them with CSV files, or let linked accounts sync automatically. 3. **Explore the dashboard and reports**\ Review balances, activity, and trends. 4. **Set up a budget**\ Add monthly budget amounts to compare planned versus actual spending. *** ## Create Your Account [Create an account](https://app.freebudget.org/auth/register) to begin. Once logged in, you will land on your `Dashboard`. From there, you can start adding accounts, importing transactions, and setting up your budget.
## Add Your Accounts You can add accounts in the `Accounts` tab. FreeBudget supports two types of accounts.
### Manual Accounts You can manually add accounts such as: * Checking and savings * Credit cards * Investments * Loans This option is ideal if you prefer to manually enter transactions or want to use CSV imports. *** ### Link Accounts via Plaid You can connect bank accounts using Plaid, our third party service, for automatic transaction syncing.
Plaid charges us a per account fee that is passed through to the user to offset our cost. You can always see pricing in the `Why is there a fee?` link before connecting an account. You can connect a bank account from the `Accounts` page by using the Link Account button. {% hint style="info" %} You will need to add a credit card on file before you are able to link any accounts. Once a valid credit card is added you will see the Link Account button appear. {% endhint %} *** ## Add Transactions You have three ways to add transactions. ### Manually From the `Transactions` page, select `+` to add a transaction manually.
*** ### [CSV Import](https://freebudget.gitbook.io/help-center/transactions-and-categories/how-csv-imports-work) Upload transactions from: * Your bank * Your credit card provider * Another budgeting app * A spreadsheet you created yourself You can start an import from the `Transactions` page using the Import CSV Icon.
*** ### Automatic Sync (Plaid) If you connect a bank account, transactions will sync automatically. You can still categorize or delete any transaction manually. *** ## Categorize Your Spending Transactions can be categorized to help you understand where your money is going.
FreeBudget supports auto-categorization with clear indicators showing what was categorized automatically versus manually reviewed.
You can update how your transactions are categorized directly from the `Transactions` page. If you choose to modify a Category or add new Categories you can do so in the `Categories` page. {% hint style="info" %} There is an expansive list of default categories set up for you already. Feel free to use them as is or add new ones if you want a truly custom experience. {% endhint %} *** ## Set Up Your Budget The `Budget` page works like a spreadsheet. You can: * Enter monthly budget amounts by category * Copy values across months * Copy values from previous months/years * Adjust multiple months and categories at once Your budget is designed to be flexible, not restrictive. You can change them at any time.
*** ## Dashboard & Reports FreeBudget includes a dashboard and a set of built-in reports that help you understand your data at different levels. * The `Dashboard` provides a high-level snapshot of balances, recent activity, and trends. * `Reports` let you explore your data in more detail, including Income & Expenses and Net Worth. Both the dashboard and reports update automatically based on your: * Accounts * Transactions * Categories * Filters and date ranges
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Budget vs Actual

Compare planned spending to what actually happened.

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Income & Expenses Breakdown

Understand where your money comes from and where it goes.

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Net Income Trends


Track how your cash flow changes over time.

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Account Balances

Monitor balances across your accounts.

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Income & Spending by Month

Explore income and spending in detail.

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Net Worth

Track what you own minus what you owe.

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*** ## A Few Important Things to Know * FreeBudget does not sell your data to third parties * FreeBudget does not have ads * Manual transactions and CSV imports are free * Bank linking is optional but does include a per account pass through fee from Plaid * You can export your data at any time Transparency and simplicity are core principles of FreeBudget. *** ## Need Help? If something does not look right: * Check the relevant help center article * Review your filters and date range * Contact support if needed at Most issues come down to filters, account or category types, or how transactions were categorized. *** You are now ready to use FreeBudget. Start simple. You can always add more later.