Expense tracker apps with a one-time payment (no subscription)

What is the difference between a one-time payment and a subscription?

Both cost money. The difference is who starts the next payment.

• One-time payment: You pay once. Some purchases last forever, others cover a set period such as one year. After that, nothing else is charged. Whether you continue is your decision.
• Auto-renewing subscription: The app store charges you again every month or every year using your saved payment method. The charges only stop when you cancel.

Subscriptions are not always bad. The problem is that a small charge that runs by itself is easy to forget. Ironically, the app you use to control spending can become one of the expenses you never check.

What should you check before you pay?

A plan's name does not tell you how it is billed. Check these four things first:

1. What you get: Read the feature list for each plan. Make sure the feature you want is in the plan you are buying, not in the one above it.
2. What changes when the period ends: For a plan that runs for a set time, find out which features lock again once the period is over, and what happens to the records you already made.
3. Whether it renews automatically: Look at the Google Play or App Store payment screen. A subscription always states its billing period, such as per month or per year, and that the charge repeats. If that wording is missing, it is usually a one-time purchase.
4. How refunds work: In-app purchases are processed by Google Play or the App Store. Refunds are requested from that store and follow its own policy.

After you buy, check once more in the Subscriptions menu. If the app is listed there as an active subscription, another charge is coming.

What about free trials?

Many subscriptions start with a trial. If you do not cancel before it ends, the first charge goes through automatically. Write down the end date the day you start, so you still have time to decide.

How paying works in Catatku

How you pay is only one part of the choice. What matters more is an app that is easy to use every day and complete enough that you never need to switch. In Catatku, recording a transaction takes a few seconds, reports build themselves, and Budget, Bills, Savings, Debt and Receivables live in one app.

• Free account: No cost, forever, no ads, with unlimited transactions. Transaction history shows 2 months (this month and last month), custom categories are not included, and other features have quantity limits, such as 3 accounts and 3 Budgets. PDF or Excel export covers only the first 15 transactions. The daily safety backup on a Free account cannot be restored. Restoring needs a Premium account or Pro account.
• Premium account: A single payment covering 1 year. Every quantity limit is removed except separate Books. It adds Cloud Backup, Attachments and App Lock, for 1 device. Nothing is charged next year. Buying again extends the active period.
• Pro account: A single payment, forever. Everything in the Premium account, plus unlimited separate Books and real-time sync on up to 5 devices. While your Premium account is active, you can upgrade to Pro with one more single payment.
• AI Assistant: A paid add-on for the Pro account only, for recording by chat on WhatsApp or Telegram. Paid once for 1 month or 1 year, never renewed automatically, and it needs internet. The 14-day trial can be activated once per account.

Current prices for Indonesia are on the pricing page. The final price appears on the app store's payment screen.

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Questions about this

Is a one-time payment app always cheaper?

Not always. Compare the total cost over the same stretch of time, such as two or three years. What is certain is that a one-time payment will never charge you again without you noticing.

How do I cancel an app subscription on my phone?

On Android, open Google Play, tap your profile picture, choose Payments & subscriptions, then Subscriptions. On iPhone, open Settings, tap your name, then Subscriptions. Pick the app and cancel. Deleting the app alone does not stop a subscription.

Does Catatku use a subscription?

No. The Premium account is a single payment for 1 year and the Pro account is a single payment forever. Nothing renews automatically, including the AI Assistant add-on.