How do I know how much I really spend on subscriptions?

Open the last two months of statements, list every recurring charge (Netflix, Spotify, gym, cloud, software, phone), multiply by twelve. Balance Helper does the same work automatically once you enter them, and shows the annual weight next to the monthly figure.

Do I need to connect my bank?

No. Balance Helper works without account access. You enter the items manually and the app aggregates them into fixed, variable, and recurring.

How many subscriptions are too many?

There's no universal threshold. A pragmatic rule: if the annual total is over 1–2% of net income and includes services you use less than once a month, it's time to review.

Tracking subscriptions — what they really cost per year

The subscription problem

Subscriptions have an unpleasant property: they're designed to be invisible. Small amounts, auto-debits, renewals notified at the legal minimum. It's the payment mode where a human is worst at evaluating cost: you see €9.99, you don't see €119.88 on the year-end board.

The first step isn't to cancel anything, it's just to see the total. The rule of 12 works: every monthly line equals twelve times that in a year. Once you see 9.99 × 12 = 119.88 you can decide; until then you're voting blind.

The mental model: fixed, variable, recurring

In Balance Helper items split into three classes. Fixed: rent, utilities, loans — same amount each month. Variable: groceries, transport, restaurants. Recurring: subscriptions — stable amount, auto-debit, annual cost easy to underestimate. Keeping them separate changes how you read a month.

Fixed costs are hard to reduce short-term. Variable is often the target of ineffective "austerity months". Recurring is the best leverage point: one decision (cancel, downgrade, share) produces savings every subsequent month without requiring discipline.

Quick math

Below is a simplified version of the main calculator. Enter monthly subscription spend and click "Continue in the app": the figures land pre-filled in the main screen.

How to use Balance Helper for subscriptions

1. Open the app at balancehelper.it/app. No sign-up required.

2. Add each subscription from the Expenses screen, setting cost kind to "Subscription". The system also heuristically recognises items repeating with the same amount for at least three months.

3. Open the dashboard. The "Subscriptions" card shows monthly total and annualised total. The number worth looking at twice a year.

What to review first

Three questions for each line:

Real usage frequency: did I use it in the last 30 days? If not, usually I won't in the next 30 either.
Overlap: is it duplicated? Spotify + Apple Music + YouTube Premium = three plans for one need.
Annual discount: monthly billing typically costs 15–20% more than annual. Switching payment cadence is "free" savings.

Privacy and local data

Items you enter stay in IndexedDB on your device. No cloud calls, no mandatory account, no tracking of amounts. With Pro, sync between devices is end-to-end encrypted with a key that stays in your browser — only ciphertext reaches the server. See the full explanation.

An honest disclaimer

Balance Helper is not a bank and not financial advice. It's a reporting tool that organises the numbers you enter. Decisions about cancelling, reducing, or keeping a subscription are yours. The 30-day Pro refund applies, no questions asked.

Track subscriptions without giving up bank access.