Help
Help & FAQ
How Frichie captures your bank texts and coaches you on them, how to set it up in a couple of minutes, and answers to the questions we hear most. Still stuck? Email support@frichie.com.
How SMS capture works
Your bank already texts you every time you spend. Frichie uses those texts — nothing more. There is no bank login, no account linking, and no access to your money. Here’s the flow:
- A one-time Apple Shortcut watches for messages from your bank’s sender ID.
- When a bank text arrives, the Shortcut hands it to Frichie, which parses it on your iPhone — merchant, amount, and type.
- The transaction is filed under the right category and added to your month. The raw text never leaves your device.
For shops Frichie already recognizes, even the categorization happens entirely on your phone. Only when a purchase is genuinely hard to place does a tiny, redacted note — the merchant, a coarse amount band, and the type — leave the device to be sorted. Never your raw message, your card, or your name. See the privacy policy for the exact detail.
Set up the Shortcut
Setup takes about two minutes and lives inside the app under Finish setup. It’s a four-step checklist, not a bank login:
- Install the helper. One tap adds the Log to Frichie Shortcut. iOS asks “Add Shortcut?” — confirm it.
- Copy your bank’s sender code. Tap your bank in the list and Frichie copies its SMS sender ID for you.
- Set up the automation. This is the only real work. In Apple’s Shortcuts app, create one personal automation: When a message arrives from your bank, run Log to Frichie. Paste the sender code into Sender contains, and choose Run Immediately so it’s silent.
- Confirm it works. Paste one of your own old bank texts into the test box. Frichie reads it on the spot, with no network call, and shows what it found. When the bar reads 4 of 4, you’re all set.
Two things to expect from iOS, neither of which we can hide: the very first text asks permission once (tap Allow), and every text afterward shows a brief “Running your automation” banner while it logs. That banner is iOS, not Frichie — it’s the unavoidable cost of capturing your spending without a bank login.
Frequently asked questions
What does Frichie do beyond tracking my spending?
Frichie is a money coach, not just a tracker. Once your transactions are flowing in, it works out what’s safe to spend until payday (after your bills, commitments, and savings goals are set aside), flags recurring subscriptions you might want to cancel, and keeps any savings goals — like a trip — on pace. All of it runs on your iPhone.
Does Frichie see my raw bank messages?
No. Your raw bank SMS is read and parsed entirely on your iPhone and is never transmitted to us or anyone else. The only thing that can ever leave your device is a tiny, redacted note — the merchant, a coarse amount band, and the transaction type — and only for purchases Frichie can’t confidently categorize on its own.
Do I need to connect my bank account?
No. Frichie never asks for your bank login and has no access to your accounts. It works purely from the transaction SMS your bank already sends you. It’s read-only and cannot move money.
Which banks does it work with?
Frichie is built for UAE banks and reads standard transaction-alert SMS. As long as your bank texts you when you spend, you can point the Shortcut at its sender ID. If a particular message isn’t parsing well, email support@frichie.com and we’ll improve the parser — we fix the pattern, so every user benefits.
Where is my data stored?
On your device, and in your own iCloud, tied to your Apple ID, so it syncs across your own devices. Frichie has no copy of your transactions, budgets, or history. Deleting the app removes its on-device data; to also remove the synced copy, delete Frichie’s data from iPhone Settings → iCloud.
What currency does it use?
Every total is stated in your home currency — AED by default. Foreign-currency purchases are converted into your home total using a bundled, offline rate table, so nothing about your spending needs to go online to add up. The original amount and currency stay on the row as the source of truth.
Can I add a transaction manually?
Yes. While the Shortcut handles automatic capture, you can always add a transaction by hand — useful for cash, or for a purchase your bank doesn’t text you about.
Is there a free version?
Frichie is in free TestFlight beta today. A wider free launch is on the way, with an optional paid plan after that — billed through the App Store, with terms shown at purchase. Beta testers will be looked after.
How do I delete my account or data?
Open Settings → Delete account in the app to remove your Frichie account record. Your on-device and iCloud data is separate — delete the app and, if you wish, remove Frichie’s data from iPhone Settings → iCloud. See the privacy policy for the full rundown.
Contact support
Can’t find your answer, or a transaction isn’t parsing the way it should? Email support@frichie.com with the details and we’ll help. If it’s a parsing issue, a redacted example of the message (with any personal numbers removed) helps us fix the rule for everyone.