How to
How to track your UPI expenses
UPI's speed is exactly why it's easy to lose track of. The fix is to capture every payment the moment it happens, either automatically from your bank's SMS alerts or from the payment screenshot.
Here's a simple, private routine.
Free · No ads · 140+ currencies · Android (iOS coming soon)
Balance - Expense Tracker by Clarzen on Google Play
- 01
Turn on automatic capture
Use a tracker that turns your bank's UPI debit SMS into expenses, ideally one that reads them on your phone and ignores personal messages and OTPs.
- 02
Scan what SMS misses
For payments without an alert, scan the UPI confirmation screenshot to pull out the merchant, amount and date.
- 03
Add cash and card spends too
UPI isn't everything. Log cash and card spends the same way so your picture is complete.
- 04
Review by category monthly
Group UPI and other spends by category to see where the fast, frictionless payments really went.
What to check before letting an app read your SMS
SMS-based tracking is the most convenient way to catch UPI spends, so it's worth checking how an app handles it. Look for three things: messages are read on your phone rather than uploaded, only bank transaction alerts are used, and OTPs and personal messages are ignored. Balance does all three, and the feature is off until you turn it on.
Doing it with Balance
Balance turns your bank's UPI debit SMS into expenses automatically, reading them on your phone, and scans UPI screenshots too. There's no bank login, and you can skip SMS access entirely if you prefer. It captures cash too, so your UPI habit and everything else land in one clear view.
Frequently asked questions
How do I track UPI spending without sharing my SMS?
Scan your UPI payment screenshots instead. Balance reads the merchant, amount and date from the screenshot, so you can track UPI without granting SMS access at all.
Does Balance read my SMS?
Only if you turn on automatic capture (Android). Balance then reads bank transaction alerts on your phone and ignores personal messages, OTPs and promotions. The full message text never leaves your device; only the amount, merchant, date and account are saved. You can turn it off anytime, and the app works fully without it.
Does Balance connect to my bank?
No. Balance never asks for a bank login or net-banking credentials, and it never links to your bank account. You add transactions by scanning a receipt or payment screenshot, entering them manually, or, on Android, letting Balance pick them up from bank SMS alerts if you turn that on.
Keep exploring
Track every expense. Ask anything.
Free to download, no ads, no bank login. Get Balance on Google Play and start tracking in minutes.
