Frequently Asked Questions

Account & Login

How do I create an account?

Sign up with your email address and a password. You receive a verification email to confirm your address before your first login. Once verified, you are ready to go. See the Create Your Account guide for full details.

I forgot my password. How do I reset it?

Tap Forgot Password on the login screen and enter your email address. You receive a reset link within a few minutes. Check your spam folder if it does not appear in your inbox. The link expires after 1 hour.

How do I change my email address?

Go to Settings > Profile and update your email. You need to verify the new address before the change takes effect. Your old email stays active until verification is complete. See Profile Settings for details.

Can I use biometric login (Face ID, fingerprint)?

Yes. After your first login, you can enable biometric unlock from Settings > Security > Biometric Unlock. This uses your device's built-in biometric hardware for fast, secure access. See Biometric Unlock for setup instructions.

How do I delete my account?

Go to Settings > Profile and scroll to Delete Account. You are asked to confirm by entering your password. Account deletion is permanent and removes all your data. Export your data first if you want to keep a copy. See Data Export.

Can I be logged in on multiple devices?

Yes. You can use Forbidden Finance on multiple devices simultaneously. Your data syncs across all devices. Manage your active sessions from Settings > Security > Session Management. See Session Management.

What are passkeys and should I set one up?

Passkeys are a passwordless authentication method that uses your device's biometric sensor or PIN instead of a password. They are more secure and convenient than passwords. We recommend setting one up from Settings > Security > Passkeys. See Passkeys.

Banking & Sync

How do I connect my bank account?

Go to Accounts > Connect Bank and search for your bank. Forbidden Finance uses Plaid to securely connect to your bank. You log in through your bank's own authentication flow. See Connect Your Bank for the full walkthrough.

How often does my bank data sync?

Sync frequency depends on your plan: Starter syncs daily, Pro syncs hourly, and Premium syncs in real time. You can also trigger a manual sync at any time from the account detail screen. See Sync Schedules.

Which banks are supported?

Forbidden Finance supports thousands of banks and credit unions across the United States through Plaid. Search for your bank in the connection flow to check availability. Most major banks and many regional institutions are supported.

My bank connection stopped working. What do I do?

Banks occasionally require re-authentication. Go to Accounts, tap the affected connection, and follow the prompts to re-authenticate. If the issue persists, try removing and reconnecting the bank. See Reconnect a Bank.

Can I remove a bank connection?

Yes. Go to Accounts, tap the connection you want to remove, and select Remove Connection. This removes the link to your bank but preserves the transactions already imported. See Remove a Connection.

Can I use Forbidden Finance without connecting a bank?

Absolutely. The Free plan includes up to 10 manual accounts with no bank connection required. You can add transactions manually, import CSV or JSON files, and use all budgeting features available on your plan.

How many bank connections can I have?

Connection limits depend on your plan: Free has none, Starter allows 2, Pro allows 5, and Premium allows 10. Each bank connection can include multiple accounts (checking, savings, credit card) under one slot.

Transactions

How do I add a transaction manually?

Tap the + button on the transactions screen or dashboard. Enter the date, amount, merchant, category, and account. Manual transactions work on all plans, including Free. See Add a Transaction.

Can I edit or delete a transaction?

Yes. Tap any transaction to open its details, then tap Edit to change the amount, category, date, or notes. Tap Delete to remove it entirely. Imported transactions from bank sync can be edited but not deleted.

How do I split a transaction?

Open the transaction and tap Split. You can divide it into multiple parts with different amounts and categories. For example, split a grocery store purchase into groceries and household items. See Split a Transaction.

Can I import transactions from another app?

Yes. Forbidden Finance supports CSV and JSON imports from YNAB, Mint, Monarch, and generic CSV or JSON files. Go to Transactions > Import and choose your source. See the CSV and JSON Import guide for format details.

How do I record a transfer between my own accounts?

Use the Transfer transaction type when adding a transaction. Select the source and destination accounts. Transfers do not count toward spending in your budget. See Transfers.

Can I customize transaction categories?

Yes. Go to Settings > Categories to add, rename, reorder, or delete categories. You can also create subcategories for more detailed tracking. Custom categories work across all features including budgets and reports.

Budgeting

Which budgeting method should I choose?

It depends on your style. If you want simplicity, try 50/30/20 or Pay Yourself First. If you want detailed control, try Zero-Based or Envelope. If mindfulness appeals to you, try Kakeibo. See Choosing a Method for a side-by-side comparison of all 9 methods.

Can I switch budgeting methods?

Yes. You can switch methods at any time without losing your history. Go to Budget > Change Method and the wizard walks you through the transition. Your past budget data is preserved. See Switching Methods.

How does rollover work?

Rollover carries unspent budget amounts into the next month. If you allocated $500 for groceries and spent $450, the remaining $50 carries forward. You can enable or disable rollover per category or globally in your budget settings.

Can I have multiple budgets at the same time?

No. Forbidden Finance supports one active budget at a time to keep your finances focused. You can switch methods whenever you like, and your previous budgets remain in your history.

How are transactions assigned to budget categories?

Transactions are assigned based on their spending category. When you categorize a transaction (or it is auto-categorized from bank data), it automatically counts against the matching budget category. You can recategorize transactions at any time.

What budgeting methods are available on the Free plan?

The Free plan includes 50/30/20 and Pay Yourself First. All 9 methods (including Zero-Based, Envelope, Kakeibo, FIRE, Values-Based, and Custom) are available on Starter and above. See Subscription Plans.

Why does my budget show spending from a connected account I did not assign?

All transactions in connected accounts are categorized and count against your budget by default. If you do not want certain accounts to affect your budget, exclude them from budget tracking in your budget settings.

Goals & Savings

How do I create a savings goal?

Go to Goals > Create Goal. Set a name, target amount, and optional target date. You can link the goal to a budget category or account to track contributions automatically. See Create a Goal.

What types of goals can I create?

You can create goals for anything: emergency fund, vacation, new car, home down payment, debt payoff, or any custom target. Goals track a target amount and your progress toward it. See Goal Types.

Can I link a goal to my budget?

Yes. When creating or editing a goal, you can link it to a budget category. Amounts allocated to that category count as contributions toward the goal. See Linking Budgets and Accounts.

How is goal progress tracked?

Progress is tracked by contributions, which can come from budget allocations, linked account deposits, or manual contributions you record. The goal screen shows a progress bar, percentage complete, and estimated completion date. See Tracking Progress.

Is there a limit on how many goals I can have?

No. You can create unlimited goals on any plan. Prioritize them and track progress on each one independently.

Billing & Plans

What is included in the Free plan?

The Free plan includes up to 10 manual accounts (checking and savings), 2 budgeting methods, 1 currency, 6 months of history, goal tracking, CSV and JSON import, and a fully customizable dashboard. It is free forever with no trial period. See Subscription Plans.

How do I upgrade my plan?

Go to Settings > Subscription > Upgrade. Select the plan you want and follow the payment prompts. Your upgrade takes effect immediately and new features are available right away. See Subscription Plans.

How do I downgrade my plan?

Go to Settings > Subscription > Change Plan and select a lower tier. The downgrade takes effect at the end of your current billing period. You keep full access until then. See Subscription Plans for details on what happens to your data.

What happens to my data if I cancel?

Canceling reverts you to the Free plan. Your data is preserved but features above the Free tier are no longer accessible. No data is deleted. If you upgrade again later, everything is restored. See Subscription Plans.

Can I get a refund?

For refund requests, contact us at support@403fin.io with your account email and a description of the issue. We review refund requests on a case-by-case basis.

Where can I see pricing?

Current pricing is displayed in the app on the plan comparison screen (Settings > Subscription) and on the Forbidden Finance website at 403fin.io. Prices may vary by region.

Do I need a paid plan to use Forbidden Finance?

No. The Free plan is full-featured for manual financial tracking. Paid plans add bank connections, advanced budgeting methods, multi-currency, net worth tracking, and household sharing. Many users stay on Free indefinitely.

Security & Privacy

How is my financial data protected?

Forbidden Finance uses industry-standard encryption for data in transit. Bank connections are handled through Plaid, which means Forbidden Finance never sees or stores your bank login credentials. Your data is isolated and accessible only to your account. See Security Overview.

What are passkeys?

Passkeys are a modern, phishing-resistant authentication method. Instead of typing a password, you authenticate using your device's biometric sensor (fingerprint or face) or PIN. Passkeys are more secure than passwords because they cannot be phished or reused. See Passkeys.

How do I set up multi-factor authentication (MFA)?

Go to Settings > Security and choose Authenticator App or Passkey. Follow the setup instructions to add a second factor. Once enabled, you need both your password and the second factor to log in. See TOTP MFA.

What is Privacy Mode?

Privacy Mode blurs sensitive financial information on screen so people nearby cannot see your balances and transactions. Toggle it on from the dashboard or Settings > Security > Privacy Mode. Tap to reveal any blurred value temporarily. See Privacy Mode.

Does Forbidden Finance sell my data?

No. Forbidden Finance does not sell, share, or monetize your financial data. Your data is used solely to provide the app's features to you.

How do I manage my active sessions?

Go to Settings > Security > Session Management to see all devices where you are logged in. You can end any session remotely with a single tap. See Session Management.

Can someone take a screenshot of my financial data?

On mobile devices, Forbidden Finance enables screenshot protection by default, which prevents screenshots and screen recordings of sensitive screens. You can adjust this setting in Settings > Security. This protection is not available on web browsers.

Data & Export

Can I export my data?

Yes. Go to Settings > Data Export to download your financial data in CSV or JSON format. You can filter by date range, category, and account. See Data Export.

What export formats are available?

CSV for spreadsheet use (Excel, Google Sheets) and JSON for structured data with full metadata. CSV is best for quick analysis; JSON is best for complete archives. See Data Export.

Can I import data from another finance app?

Yes. Forbidden Finance supports CSV and JSON imports from YNAB, Mint, Monarch, and generic CSV or JSON files. Go to Transactions > Import and select your source. Each import type has specific instructions for exporting from the original app. See CSV and JSON Import.

Can I transfer my data to another service?

You can export all your data at any time in CSV or JSON format and use it however you like. Forbidden Finance does not lock you in. Your data is always portable.

How much transaction history is stored?

History depth depends on your plan: Free stores 6 months, Starter stores 12 months, Pro stores 24 months, and Premium stores unlimited history. Older data beyond your plan's limit is preserved but not visible until you upgrade.

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Need more help? Contact us at support@403fin.io.