Pricing and Plans
Cake Budget pricing explained: Starter, Budget Pro, and Family tiers, what each includes, bank connection limits, annual discounts, and the 14-day free trial.
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 - $9/month or $72/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 $36/year (4 months free)
Budget Pro - $15/month or $120/year
Perfect for: Individuals and couples managing personal finances across multiple banks
Everything in Starter, plus:
Expanded Bank Connections:
- 4 bank connections (4× more than Starter)
- Syncing via Plaid
Additional Features:
- ✅ Priority support
- ✅ All core Cake Budget features
Connection Limits Explained:
- 4 bank connections: Your main bank plus three more (e.g., Chase + Ally + a credit card issuer + a credit union)
Annual Savings: Pay annually and save $60/year (4 months free)
Family - $25/month or $200/year
Perfect for: Families budgeting together or power users with multiple banks
Everything in Budget Pro, plus:
Expanded Bank Connections:
- 7 bank connections (vs. 4 in Pro, 1 in Starter)
- Syncing via Plaid
Family Features:
- ✅ Shared slices with family members
- ✅ Add up to 4 additional family members (5 users total)
- ✅ Collaborative budgeting
- ✅ Shared transaction visibility
- ✅ Viewer or contributor access per person, changeable anytime
- ✅ Per-person contribution tracking on shared slices
Connection Limits Explained:
- 7 bank connections: Multiple banks, credit unions, credit cards
Annual Savings: Pay annually and save $100/year (4 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 ($9/month), Budget Pro ($15/month), or Family ($25/month)
- Or let subscription lapse (features stop syncing)
Trial Limitations:
- Same connection limits as Budget Pro (4 bank connections)
- Upgrade to Family during trial for expanded limits
SimpleFIN Connections (Not Counted)
The connection limits above apply to banks connected through Plaid. If a US or Canadian bank won’t connect through Plaid, or keeps disconnecting, you can connect it through SimpleFIN on any plan, including the trial. SimpleFIN connections don’t count toward your plan’s limit.
SimpleFIN is a separate service: you pay them $1.50 a month or $15 a year, and it syncs once a day rather than in real time. Cake Budget doesn’t charge anything extra for it.
Feature Comparison
| Feature | Free Trial | Starter | Budget Pro | Family |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price | $0 (14 days) | $9/mo or $72/yr | $15/mo or $120/yr | $25/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 2-4 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 5+ 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 4 months (33% discount)
- Starter: $72/year (vs. $108 monthly)
- Budget Pro: $120/year (vs. $180 monthly)
- Family: $200/year (vs. $300 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 (2 connections to spare)
Scenario 2: Over Limit
Institution 1: Chase
Institution 2: Ally
Institution 3: Capital One
Institution 4: Discover
Institution 5: Local Credit Union
Total: 5 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 (2 connections to spare)
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