Developer builds offline, encrypted app to track subscriptions without bank access
Frustrated with trackers requiring bank account access through services like Plaid, a developer built an alternative. The app runs entirely on the device with no internet connection needed, storing data locally using a database called Hive and encrypting it with keys held in the device's secure hardware via flutter_secure_storage. Its key feature projects each 's cost over 5 or 10 years, so a $15 monthly service is shown as an $1,800 long-term commitment; seeing this led the developer to cancel three immediately.
The app also includes a gamified 'savings vault' that tracks how much money has been reclaimed by canceling unwanted services. It's designed to handle split family plans and multiple currencies, which standard trackers often handle poorly.
Key points
- Mainstream trackers require bank account linking via services like Plaid, raising privacy concerns
- The new app works 100% offline, storing data locally (Hive database + flutter_secure_storage)
- It projects costs over 5-10 years to prompt real cancellations
- Includes a gamified 'savings vault' tracking money reclaimed from cancellations
- Built to support split family plan billing and multiple currencies