We think budgeting has the psychology backwards.

Most budgeting tools are built on subtraction. You start the month with a number and watch it shrink with every purchase, until the "win" is a small, anxious balance and the lesson is that spending equals loss. For a lot of people, that framing is exactly why budgeting never sticks.

BuoyAI is built on the opposite idea — count-up budgeting. Each spending category earns a small allowance every day, and the number you watch grows when you underspend. Saving becomes a visible, rewarding action instead of an act of restraint. We pair it with streaks, badges, and levels so good decisions feel like progress, because they are.

What we believe

• Saving should feel good. Motivation beats guilt every time.
• Your data is yours. Bank connections are read-only, encrypted, and never sold. See our approach to security.
• Clarity over complexity. A simple daily number you actually understand beats a spreadsheet you dread.

How Buoy works

Link your accounts in under a minute through Plaid, and Buoy categorizes transactions automatically, surfaces subscriptions, and turns each category into a daily count-up allowance. An AI advisor is on hand for the "can I afford this?" moments. It’s personal finance that runs itself — and roots for you.

Questions or feedback? Email hello@buoy-ai.com.