Pricing and Plans
Complete breakdown of Cake Budget subscription tiers and features
Cake Budget offers three subscription tiers designed for different budgeting needs, plus a generous 14-day free trial to try everything risk-free.
Subscription Tiers
Starter - $5/month or $50/year
Perfect for: Single-account budgeters just getting started
What’s Included:
Bank Connections:
- 1 bank connection
- Syncing via Plaid
Core Features:
- ✅ Unlimited slices (budget categories)
- ✅ Unlimited automation rules for transaction categorization
- ✅ Unlimited funding schedules for paycheck allocation
- ✅ Auto-contributions for savings goals
- ✅ Recurring slices with automatic advancement
- ✅ Transaction splitting
- ✅ AI-powered financial insights
- ✅ Traffic light spending system
- ✅ Smart paycheck detection
- ✅ Safe-to-Spend calculation
- ✅ On Track status for goals
- ✅ Email notifications
- ✅ Mobile-responsive web app
- ✅ Secure Plaid integration
Connection Limits Explained:
- 1 bank connection: Perfect if you keep everything at one bank (e.g., just Chase or just Ally)
Annual Savings: Pay annually and save $10/year (2 months free!)
Budget Pro - $10/month or $100/year
Perfect for: Individuals and couples managing personal finances across multiple banks
Everything in Starter, plus:
Expanded Bank Connections:
- 2 bank connections (2× more than Starter)
- Syncing via Plaid
Additional Features:
- ✅ Priority support
- ✅ All core Cake Budget features
Connection Limits Explained:
- 2 bank connections: Your main bank + one more (e.g., Chase + Ally)
Annual Savings: Pay annually and save $20/year (2 months free!)
Family - $20/month or $200/year
Perfect for: Families budgeting together or power users with multiple banks
Everything in Budget Pro, plus:
Expanded Bank Connections:
- 5 bank connections (5× more than Starter, 2.5× more than Pro)
- Syncing via Plaid
Family Features:
- ✅ Shared slices with family members
- ✅ Add up to 2 additional family members (3 users total)
- ✅ Collaborative budgeting
- ✅ Shared transaction visibility
- ✅ Individual permissions and access control
- ✅ Family financial dashboard
Connection Limits Explained:
- 5 bank connections: Multiple banks, credit unions, credit cards
Annual Savings: Pay annually and save $40/year (2 months free!)
Free 14-Day Trial
For: All new users
What’s Included:
- ✅ Full access to Budget Pro features
- ✅ Transaction syncing via Plaid
- ✅ All automation features (unlimited rules, funding schedules)
- ✅ AI insights
- ✅ No credit card required to start
- ✅ Cancel anytime during trial
After Trial:
- Choose Starter ($5/month), Budget Pro ($10/month), or Family ($20/month)
- Or let subscription lapse (features stop syncing)
Trial Limitations:
- Same connection limits as Budget Pro (2 bank connections)
- Upgrade to Family during trial for expanded limits
Feature Comparison
| Feature | Free Trial | Starter | Budget Pro | Family |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price | $0 (14 days) | $5/mo or $50/yr | $10/mo or $100/yr | $20/mo or $200/yr |
| Bank Connections | 2 | 1 | 2 | 5 |
| Unlimited Slices | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Plaid Sync | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Unlimited Rules | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Unlimited Funding Schedules | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Auto-Contributions | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Recurring Slices | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Transaction Splitting | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| AI Insights | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Traffic Light System | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Smart Paycheck Detection | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Priority Support | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Family Members | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ (up to 2) |
| Shared Slices | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ |
| Collaborative Budgeting | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ |
What Happens Without a Subscription
If your trial ends or subscription lapses:
Bank Connections:
- ❌ Stop syncing new transactions
- ❌ Can’t add new connections
- ❌ Existing connections remain but inactive
Automation Features:
- ❌ Rules stop processing
- ❌ Funding schedules deactivate
- ❌ Auto-contributions pause
- ❌ AI insights unavailable
Your Data:
- ✅ Historical transactions preserved
- ✅ Existing slices remain
- ✅ Can view past data
- ✅ Safe-to-Spend still calculates (based on last synced balances)
Basically: Everything stops syncing. You keep your historical data but can’t add new transactions automatically.
To Restore: Resubscribe anytime to reactivate all features and resume syncing.
Choosing the Right Plan
Choose Starter If:
- ✅ You keep all your money at one bank
- ✅ You want to try Cake Budget at the lowest price
- ✅ You’re new to budgeting and want to start simple
- ✅ You have a simple financial setup
Perfect For:
- First-time budgeters
- Students
- Single bank users
- Those wanting to try budgeting affordably
Choose Budget Pro If:
- ✅ You’re budgeting individually or as a couple
- ✅ You have accounts at 2 different banks
- ✅ You want powerful automation without complexity
- ✅ You need priority support
- ✅ You don’t need to share budget access with others
Perfect For:
- Young professionals
- Single-income households
- Dual-bank setups
- Solo budgeters
Choose Family If:
- ✅ You’re budgeting with a spouse, partner, or family
- ✅ You have accounts at 3+ different banks
- ✅ You need shared budget visibility
- ✅ You want collaborative financial planning
Perfect For:
- Dual-income households
- Families with kids
- Power users with complex finances
- Shared financial responsibility
Billing & Payment
Payment Methods
- Credit cards (Visa, Mastercard, Amex, Discover)
- Debit cards
- Processed securely via Stripe
Billing Cycles
Monthly:
- Billed on the same day each month
- Cancel anytime, no long-term commitment
Annual:
- Billed once per year
- Save 2 months (17% discount)
- Starter: $50/year (vs. $60 monthly)
- Budget Pro: $100/year (vs. $120 monthly)
- Family: $200/year (vs. $240 monthly)
Trial to Paid Transition
During Trial:
- Day 1-13: Full access, no charges
- Day 14: Trial ends
What Happens on Day 14:
- You’re prompted to choose a plan
- Enter payment method
- First charge occurs
- Subscription begins
If You Don’t Subscribe:
- Features stop syncing
- Bank connections go inactive
- Historical data preserved
- Can reactivate anytime by subscribing
Upgrading & Downgrading
Upgrade (Starter → Pro or Pro → Family):
- Processed immediately
- Prorated credit applied
- Expanded limits available instantly
- Pay difference for current billing period
Downgrade (Family → Pro or Pro → Starter):
- Takes effect at end of current billing period
- Keep access to current tier features until then
- Connection limits enforced after downgrade
- If over limits: Prompted to remove excess connections
Cancellation
How to Cancel:
- Navigate to Settings → Subscription
- Click “Manage Subscription”
- Click “Cancel Subscription”
- Confirm cancellation
What Happens:
- Access continues until end of billing period
- No refunds for partial months
- Features deactivate after period ends
- Can resubscribe anytime
Data Retention:
- All historical data preserved for 90 days
- Resubscribe within 90 days: Full restore
- After 90 days: Data may be archived
Connection Limit Examples
Starter Scenarios
Scenario 1: Everything at One Bank
Institution 1: Chase
- Checking account
- Savings account
- Credit card
- Multiple accounts OK!
Total: 1 bank connection
Result: ✅ Within limits (perfect for Starter)
Scenario 2: Over Limit
Institution 1: Chase
Institution 2: Ally Bank
Total: 2 bank connections
Result: ❌ Over limit (need Budget Pro)
Budget Pro Scenarios
Scenario 1: Two Banks
Institution 1: Chase
- Checking
- Savings
- Credit Card
Institution 2: Ally Bank
- High-Yield Savings
- Money Market
Total: 2 bank connections
Result: ✅ Within limits (exactly at maximum)
Scenario 2: Over Limit
Institution 1: Chase
Institution 2: Ally
Institution 3: Capital One
Total: 3 bank connections
Result: ❌ Over limit (need Family tier)
Family Scenarios
Scenario 1: Complex Finances
Institution 1: Chase
Institution 2: Ally
Institution 3: Capital One
Institution 4: Discover
Institution 5: Local Credit Union
Total: 5 bank connections
Result: ✅ Within limits (exactly at maximum)
Special Offers
Student Discount
Who Qualifies:
- Currently enrolled students (.edu email or verification)
How to Get It:
- Email support@trycakebudget.com with proof of enrollment
- Student ID or .edu email accepted
Discount Amount:
- Contact support for current student pricing
Custom Pricing
For organizations or unique situations:
- Email support@trycakebudget.com
- We’ll work with you on custom pricing
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What happens if I hit my connection limit? A: You’ll be prompted to either remove a bank connection or upgrade to a higher tier (Starter → Pro or Pro → Family).
Q: Can I try Family features during the trial? A: Yes! Upgrade to Family during your trial. The 14-day trial still applies.
Q: Are there setup fees or hidden costs? A: No. The monthly/annual price is all you pay. No setup fees, no per-transaction costs, no hidden charges.
Q: Can I switch between monthly and annual billing? A: Yes! Change anytime in Settings → Subscription.
Q: Do you offer refunds? A: No refunds for partial months, but you keep access until the end of your billing period after cancellation.
Q: What if I need more connections than Family allows? A: Contact us at support@trycakebudget.com for custom pricing.
Related Guides
- How to Connect Your Bank Account - Understand connection limits
- Reference: Security & Privacy - How we protect your payment information
- FAQ - More common questions
Ready to get started? Try Cake Budget free for 14 days at trycakebudget.com