PERSONAL FINANCE, REIMAGINED
Your budget counts up,
so saving feels like winning.
Stop watching your budget countdown to zero. With Buoy, your spending categories count up daily, making saving feel like winning. Plus, get instant AI advice on every financial decision.
No card required · Read-only bank access via Plaid
THE PHILOSOPHY
Most budgeting apps run on restriction and guilt. Buoy runs on momentum.
Traditional tools make you feel bad when you spend. We engineered Buoy to make you feel good when you save. By shifting the psychology from “running out of money” to “earning more daily bandwidth”, your financial life stops being a chore and starts being a game you can actually win.
THE PROTOCOL
How Buoy works.
Three steps from “I have no idea where my money goes” to a system that runs itself.
- Step 1
Connect
Link your bank in under a minute through Plaid — the same read-only encryption your bank already trusts. Transactions stream in automatically, so you never type one in.
- Step 2
Understand
Every charge is categorized the moment it lands. Recurring payments surface as subscriptions you can cancel with one tap, and Buoy’s AI advisor is always a question away.
- Step 3
Grow
Each budget category earns a small allowance every day. Skip a coffee, watch the number grow. Underspending finally feels like winning — and most users save more in their first month than the app costs all year.
MOMENTUM
Saving that rewards you
Count-up budgeting isn’t just a number going up — it’s a system that celebrates every good decision, so the habit sticks.
Build streaks
Stay under budget and your streak grows. Reach Week Warrior at 7 days, Month Master at 30, and the Century Club at 100.
Earn badges
27 achievements for milestones that actually matter — your first $100 saved, a goal reached, a full month with every category under budget.
Level up
Every smart decision earns points and moves you up seven levels — from Beginner all the way to Legend.
- Beginner
- Saver
- Budgeter
- Expert
- Master
- Champion
- Legend
Plus a fresh set of daily challenges — like a No-Spend Day — to keep the momentum going.
PRICING
Simple plans. No surprises.
Start with a free trial. Pay annually and get two months free.
Standard
$100 /year
$8.33/mo Save $20 (17%)
$10 /month
Billed monthly
- Complete count-up budgeting
- Subscription tracking
- AI budgeting tips
- Achievements, streaks & challenges
Premium
$150 /year
$12.50/mo Save $30 (17%)
$15 /month
Billed monthly
- Everything in Standard
- AI chat advisor
- The latest AI models
- Family sharing
Every plan starts with a free trial. Cancel anytime — no lock-in.
QUESTIONS
Good to know
-
Is it safe to connect my bank?
Yes. Buoy links your accounts through Plaid — the same secure, read-only connection thousands of finance apps and banks already trust. The access is read-only (Buoy can never move your money), your bank credentials are never seen or stored by us, and everything is encrypted in transit and at rest.
-
How does “count-up” budgeting actually work?
Instead of a balance that ticks down to zero, each spending category earns a small allowance every day. Underspend and the number grows — so saving feels like progress you can watch, not a restriction you have to endure.
-
Do I need a credit card to start?
No. You can start your free trial without entering a card. Link a bank when you’re ready to see Buoy work with your real spending.
-
Can I cancel anytime?
Anytime, with no lock-in. Choose monthly or annual billing and change or cancel whenever you like.
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What’s the difference between Standard and Premium?
Standard gives you the full count-up budgeting toolkit — complete budgeting, subscription tracking, AI budgeting tips, and the achievements, streaks, and challenges that make saving a game. Premium adds an interactive AI chat advisor, the latest AI models, and family sharing so your whole household can budget together.
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Does Buoy reward me for saving?
Yes — that’s the whole idea. Staying under budget builds daily streaks, unlocks achievement badges for real milestones (your first $100 saved, a goal reached, a month under budget), and levels you up from Beginner to Legend. Saving stops being a chore and starts feeling like progress.
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Which banks are supported?
Most major U.S. banks and credit unions connect through Plaid. If your institution is supported by Plaid, it works with Buoy.
Founding members
Buoy is early — and that's the invitation.
Join as a founding member and help shape what we build next: the badges, the categories, the count-up mechanics. Your bank connects read-only through Plaid, so Buoy can never move your money and never sees your login. Early on features. Serious on safety.