Notifications

Notifications are configured at Settings → Account → Notifications, and they work in two layers: channels control how you're reached, topics control what about.

Both have to be on for a notification to arrive.

Channels

Push Notifications — alerts from the app on your device.

Email Notifications — updates about features, content, and marketing.

Phone Notifications — SMS text messages.

Turning a channel off silences every topic on that channel.

Topics

Budget — bill reminders, payday alerts, and budget updates.

General — absence alerts, milestones, and hotstreaks.

Social — updates from the BetterBudgets community.

Saving

Changes take effect when you tap Save Changes. Leaving the screen without saving discards them — a common reason settings appear not to have applied.

What to actually turn on

Budget is the one that matters. Payday alerts arrive exactly when you need to open the app, and the entire routine depends on that habit. If you keep one topic, keep this one.

General is motivational. Milestones and streaks, plus a nudge if you've been away. Some people find these genuinely helpful for maintaining the habit; others find them irritating. Try them for a month.

Social is optional and unrelated to your own budget.

If you're finding notifications intrusive, turn off topics rather than the whole push channel. Losing payday alerts entirely tends to be the point where tracking quietly stops.

The in-app feed

Separately from push notifications, the app has a notification feed reachable from the home screen. Notifications land there whether or not you have push enabled, and they're marked read as you view them.

This is a useful middle ground: turn push off if you don't want to be interrupted, and check the feed when you open the app anyway.

If push notifications aren't arriving

Work through these in order:

1. ›Save Changes was tapped after enabling them
2. ›The Push Notifications channel is on
3. ›The relevant topic is on
4. ›Notifications are permitted for BetterBudgets in your device settings — an app can't override a system-level block
   • ›iOS — Settings → BetterBudgets → Notifications
   • ›Android — Settings → Apps → BetterBudgets → Notifications
5. ›Do Not Disturb or a focus mode isn't suppressing them

If email notifications aren't arriving, check your spam folder and confirm the address on your account is current.

Frequency

BetterBudgets is deliberately restrained about notifications. The intent is a useful nudge on payday, not a stream of alerts — a budgeting app that pesters you is one you delete.

If it still feels like too much, turn off General and keep Budget.