How do my card transactions get in?
Import the CSV files you already download from your bank or card account.
Direct bank integration is not live today.
Buyer Questions
Get clear answers to the practical questions that matter before you buy.
Use this page to confirm how the workflow fits your household, what setup is required, and what to expect from Amazon reconciliation, AI costs, outputs, and platform availability.
Windows available now. macOS coming soon.
How much AI usually costs in practice?
Most households should start with managed credits for the simplest setup.
Use the example ranges below to budget in credits and approximate dollars.
Where do I log into Amazon?
If Amazon asks you to log in, you sign in directly there in your own local browser window.
Your Amazon username and password are not entered into an UnboxedSpend form.
How much setup does this take?
No AI training is required from you.
UnboxedSpend uses AI to generate categorization rules for you.
What do I get out at the end?
Local CSV files you can review and import into your existing budgeting workflow.
That includes categorized output plus Amazon clearing outputs.
Windows or Mac?
Windows is available now. macOS is coming soon.
Current target: within 2 weeks.
How transactions get into the app
UnboxedSpend starts from manual CSV imports today. You download the bank or credit-card CSV files you already use, import them into the app, and then use those files as the baseline for categorization and reconciliation.
Direct bank integration is not live today. It may be added later if enough households want it, but the current product promise is CSV-in and CSV-out.
1. Download your bank or card CSVs
Today the workflow starts from the CSV files you already download from your bank or credit-card account.
2. Import them into UnboxedSpend
Build a categorized baseline from those files while keeping your transaction history on your own machine.
3. Reconcile Amazon activity
Match orders, split shipments, refunds, and gift-card activity against the categorized baseline.
4. Export local CSV outputs
Review the resulting local CSV files and move them into the household budgeting workflow you already use.
What each paid tier actually solves
Basic
For fast categorized CSV output from your imported card files.
Instant Reconciler
For order-level Amazon clearing built from your categorized baseline and Amazon transaction history.
Line-Item Allocator
For item-level Amazon allocation once you have Amazon's order-history personal-data export.
How much setup or AI training is required
No AI training is required from you. UnboxedSpend uses AI to generate categorization rules, so your role is to import files, review the output, and keep the workflow moving rather than teaching a model from scratch.
Where you log into Amazon
When you click Extract Amazon Transactions, UnboxedSpend opens a new browser window on your machine and works through that local session instead of asking you to type Amazon credentials into an UnboxedSpend form.
Usually already signed in
Amazon often keeps you signed in already, even after a restart, so extraction can begin without extra setup.
If Amazon asks, you log in there
If Amazon shows a login page, you sign in directly with Amazon in that browser window, then the automated extraction continues normally.
Credentials stay out of UnboxedSpend forms
Your Amazon username and password are not entered into an UnboxedSpend form.
What happens if Amazon changes the page structure
If Amazon changes the page structure and normal extraction breaks, UnboxedSpend first falls back to AI parsing. If that also fails, we develop an update fix and charge a small update fee for that repair.
AI cost expectations
Managed credits are the simplest default for most households. Bring your own API key stays available if you prefer direct provider billing and more control.
Light month
10 to 25 credits
About $1 to $3
Managed credits or direct provider billing
A smaller month with a few CSV imports or a short catch-up session.
Typical month
30 to 75 credits
About $3 to $9
Managed credits are usually the easiest fit
A normal household reconciliation rhythm with regular categorization and occasional cleanup.
Heavy catch-up month
80 to 200 credits
About $8 to $20
Use managed credits or your own API key for higher-volume months
A backlog-clearing month with more imports, retries, and extra categorization passes.
Windows and macOS timing
Windows available now. macOS coming soon. Targeting macOS availability within 2 weeks.
What files you get out at the end
The finished outputs stay on your machine as CSV files, so you can inspect them locally and move them into your household budgeting workflow without waiting on a cloud export.
Categorized baseline
~/UnboxedSpend/output/Categorized/all_categorized_normalized.CSV
Your main categorized aggregate output, including the prized `ai_category` result that speeds up downstream budgeting work.
Amazon clearing output
~/UnboxedSpend/output/ClearingAccount/Amazon_Clearing_Account.CSV
Order-level Amazon clearing output built from the categorized baseline plus transaction-history reconciliation.
Itemized clearing output
~/UnboxedSpend/output/ClearingAccount/Itemized_Amazon_Clearing_Account.CSV
The deeper item-level clearing file for households that want product-by-product Amazon detail.
Frequently asked questions
Do I connect UnboxedSpend to my bank?
Not today. UnboxedSpend currently starts from manual CSV imports that you download from your bank or credit-card account yourself. Direct bank integration may be added later if demand is strong enough.
What exactly do I import each month?
Start with the bank or credit-card CSV files you already download. If you are using the Amazon workflows, you then add the Amazon-side history or order-history files that match the tier you are using.
What exactly can I test with the Free License?
The Free License is meant for evaluation. You can test up to 5 CSVs per run, up to 3 Amazon Transaction History pages, and up to 1 Gift Card Activity page before you move into the paid unlimited tiers.
Do I need a dashboard account before I download the app?
No. You can download first, but dashboard access becomes useful as soon as you want to manage licenses, set your password, or top up managed AI credits.
Which desktop operating systems are available right now?
The public website currently supports the Windows desktop installer first. macOS coming soon. Targeting macOS availability within 2 weeks.
Do I give UnboxedSpend my Amazon username and password?
No. When you use Amazon extraction, UnboxedSpend opens a local browser window on your machine. If Amazon shows a login page, you sign in directly there with Amazon, and the automation continues after that local session is ready.
Is Amazon extraction safe to use?
The normal flow keeps the login inside your own local browser session instead of an UnboxedSpend credential form. If Amazon changes the page structure and normal extraction breaks, UnboxedSpend first falls back to AI parsing. If that also fails, we develop an update fix and charge a small update fee for that repair.
What files do I actually get out at the end?
UnboxedSpend writes local CSV outputs on your machine, including the categorized baseline file, the Amazon clearing-account file, and the itemized clearing-account file when you use the deeper Itemize workflow.
How much AI usage usually costs in practice?
The public site now frames this as example household budgeting ranges in both credits and approximate dollars. Those examples are meant to help you plan, not to act as fixed quotes, because actual spend varies with provider, model, file size, and how many categorization requests you run.
When should I use Managed AI versus my own API key?
Use Managed AI for the fastest setup and tracked credits. Use your own API key if you want billing to stay directly with your provider.
How much setup or AI training should I expect?
No AI training is required from you. UnboxedSpend uses AI to generate categorization rules, so your job is to import files and review the results instead of teaching a model from scratch.
What is the difference between Instant Reconciler and Line-Item Allocator?
Instant Reconciler is for order-level Amazon clearing built from your categorized baseline. Line-Item Allocator goes deeper to the item level once you have Amazon's order-history personal-data export ready.
Where do I go if I lose track of setup emails?
Open the password setup page or dashboard recovery path. If you still need help, use the feedback page and include the email tied to your license.
Why is Itemize sometimes not available right away?
Itemize depends on Amazon order-history personal data exports. Most users need to request that file from Amazon first, and it commonly arrives a couple of days later.