Help & FAQ

Getting started

The whole loop takes under a minute once you've done it twice:

1. Add your properties. Go to Settings → Manage properties and add each rental (or just your home), so each bill can be filed under the right one.
2. Scan your first bill. From the Home tab, tap Scan & Create, then take a photo or pick a PDF or image from your library.
3. Confirm the autofill. The app fills in the vendor, amount and dates it found. Check the flagged fields, adjust if needed, and tap Save.
4. Check reminders are on. Due-date reminders are on by default — pick how many days' notice you want in Settings, and allow notifications when iOS asks.
5. Mark bills paid as you go. Open a bill and tap Mark as paid. Filters (All · Paid · Due soon · Overdue) keep the list honest.

Scanning & autofill

How does bill scanning work?

Snap a photo or pick a PDF — the app reads the vendor, amount, issue date and due date using Apple's on-device text recognition and fills in the bill form for you. Your bill image and extracted text are not uploaded; recognition happens entirely on your iPhone.

What if a field is read incorrectly?

You always review before saving. Fields the app is less confident about are flagged with a "Please double-check" hint, and every field stays editable. If the scan is too uncertain overall, the app opens a blank form instead of guessing. Tap any extracted field to see where it was read on the original bill.

Can I scan PDFs or multi-page bills?

Yes. Pick a PDF straight from the file picker — bills that contain real text are read directly, and scanned-image PDFs are recognized the same way photos are. Multi-page paper bills can be photographed page by page in one capture session.

What does the Apple Intelligence toggle do?

On devices that support Apple Intelligence, Snap a Bill can use Apple's on-device foundation model to improve field extraction. It's optional, runs entirely on your device, and the app automatically falls back to its built-in rule-based extraction whenever the model is unavailable or slow.

Do I have to scan at all?

No. Enter manually gives you a blank form whenever a photo isn't worth the trouble — the reminders, filters and exports work the same either way.

Reminders

How do reminders work?

Turn on due-date reminders and choose how many days ahead you want to be notified — anywhere from 1 to 90. You can also enable separate overdue alerts. Reminders are local notifications scheduled on your device; no server is involved.

I'm not getting notifications. What should I check?

Two switches matter: the Due-date reminders toggle inside the app's Settings, and notification permission for Snap a Bill in iOS Settings → Notifications. If you declined the permission prompt originally, iOS Settings is where to re-enable it.

Organizing bills

Can I organize bills by property?

Yes. Add your rentals under Settings → Manage properties, then assign each bill to one. Combined with categories, this keeps each property's expenses separated — handy for form T776 at tax time.

What categories are available?

Eight built-in categories cover the usual landlord expenses: Mortgage, Property tax, Utilities, Maintenance, Insurance, Management, Internet, and Other. You can also create your own categories — rename or remove them any time under Settings → Manage categories.

How do I mark a bill as paid?

Open the bill and tap Mark as paid — the paid date is recorded automatically. The list filters (All · Paid · Due soon · Overdue) then reflect where everything stands.

Export & backup

How do I export my bills?

Go to Settings → Export data and choose CSV (for Excel and other spreadsheet apps) or PDF (for printing or sending to your accountant). The file is offered through the iOS share sheet, so you can mail it, AirDrop it or save it anywhere you like.

What's in the export?

Each bill's status, vendor, property, category, amount, dates and notes. The CSV is spreadsheet-ready; the PDF is formatted for reading and printing.

How do I back up my data?

If your device backs up with Apple's iCloud Backup, the app's local data may be included in that Apple-managed backup through your own Apple Account. We have no access to it. You can also export your records as CSV or PDF from Settings → Export data. Neither format includes bill images or can be restored into the app.

Privacy & your data

Is my data private?

Yes. Your bills, photos and records stay on your device — no account, no sign-in, and we never receive your bill images or their contents. If your device backs up with Apple's iCloud Backup, they're included in that backup through your own Apple Account. The only data the app sends is limited diagnostics — crash reports plus the answers to the onboarding setup questionnaire — with no bill data and no personal info, not linked to your identity. This is on by default; turning off Crash Reports in Settings stops both types of data beginning with your next launch.

How do I delete my data?

Delete individual bills at any time. A property can be deleted once no bills are filed under it; when you delete a category you created, the app asks you to move its bills to another category first. Deleting the app removes all of its data from your device permanently — we keep no copy, so make sure you have a backup first if you need one. If iCloud Backup is on, a copy may remain in your own iCloud backup until iOS updates that backup, or you can delete it in iOS Settings.

Requirements & pricing

Which devices and languages are supported?

Snap a Bill runs on iPhone with iOS 16.4 or later. The interface is available in English and Simplified Chinese, and amounts can be tracked in CAD or USD. The optional Apple Intelligence enhancement requires a device that supports Apple Intelligence.

What's the difference between Free and Pro?

Free is built for one home: snap the bill, confirm the due date the app reads, and get reminded before it's due — up to 10 active bills, one property, and 30 days of paid history. Pro is built for landlords: unlimited bills and properties, bills grouped by rental, smart reminders, payment records, reporting charts, CSV and PDF export, and paid history that never expires. While Snap a Bill is in TestFlight beta, everything is free.

How much does Snap a Bill cost?

Snap a Bill is free to download, and everything is free while it's in TestFlight beta. Pro pricing has not been announced yet.

Contact

Stuck, found a bug, or want a TestFlight invite? Email support@snapabill.org — a real person reads every message.