Pelican — the budgeting app for people who hate budgeting
Pelican is a voice-first, ADHD-friendly budgeting app for iPhone, built for people who
have downloaded and quit every other one. Log a spend just by talking — two seconds,
before you forget. No bank login to set up, no spreadsheets, and no guilt. Gentle nudges,
gamified goals, and friendly competition give you the accountability and quick wins that
make a money habit actually stick. Every purchase is shown in the hours of work it cost you.
Download Pelican on the App Store — free 7-day trial.
Why people who hate budgeting choose Pelican
- Log spending by voice in two seconds — before your brain drops it.
- No bank login required — nothing to set up, and your data stays private.
- Nudges, milestones, and friendly Showdowns keep you accountable without shame.
- Every purchase priced in the hours of work it really cost you.
- Apple Wallet sync and an Apple Watch companion.
How the budget works
Pelican gives you one weekly number instead of a dozen category envelopes. It works out
what you earn each month, subtracts your recurring bills, splits the remainder across four
weeks, and then hands you 70% of that — holding the rest back as a cushion so a single
unexpected cost doesn't end the plan. The app shows that arithmetic in full rather than
asking you to trust a figure, and it tells you when the number has drifted because your
bills or income changed.
Underspend rolls forward; overspend is carried, not forgotten. Because income is modelled
per paycheck rather than as a flat monthly salary, Pelican works for hourly, biweekly and
freelance earners, and it can tell you exactly what is due before your next payday.
What's in the app
- Recurring bill tracking with a calendar showing bills and paydays side by side
- A bill-balancing engine that suggests moving a charge when one week is overloaded
- Savings goals with per-goal weekly funding, and a trip mode that pauses the normal budget
- A tax vault for self-employed users setting money aside
- Home-screen widget, Apple Watch app, streaks, and daily and weekly challenges
- Adjustable nudge personality — from gentle to blunt, or off entirely
- English, Spanish (Latin America), Portuguese (Brazil) and British English
Who Pelican is not for
Pelican is deliberately manual-first. If you want every transaction imported from your bank
automatically, or you need multi-account net-worth and investment portfolio tracking, a
different app will suit you better. Pelican covers day-to-day spending, bills and savings
goals. It is an iPhone app; there is no web or Android version yet, though there is an
Android waitlist.
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