How to Use PayCycle
Step-by-step guides to help you master your money, paycheck by paycheck.
Primary income is what generates your pay periods. Without it, the home screen stays empty.
Open PayCycle to the Home screen
Tap "Add Primary Income"
The form opens with Primary already switched on
Enter your income amount
Select your pay schedule
Weekly, biweekly, semi-monthly, monthly, or custom
Choose a category and add a name (optional)
Tap Save
Tips
- Mark your main paycheck as Primary to mirror your real pay periods
- Add multiple Primary sources for smaller, more granular periods
Bring in side gigs, freelance work, tips, and other variable earnings.
Tap the Items tab, then Income
Tap the + button
Fill in the income details
Decide whether to mark it Primary
Only Primary income defines pay periods
Set up alerts (optional)
Choose up to two reminder times
Enable Auto Receipt for predictable income
Tap Save
Tips
- Turn on variable amounts for income that changes, like tips or bonuses
- Swipe left on any income item for quick edit and delete actions
Track bills, subscriptions, and recurring costs.
Tap the Items tab, then Expenses
Tap the + button
Enter the amount and a name
Set the due date
Choose a recurrence schedule
Once, weekly, monthly, quarterly, yearly, or custom
Select a category
Set up alerts (optional)
Day of, day before, 2-3 days before, a week before, two weeks before
Enable AutoPay for bills that pay themselves
Tips
- Use variable amounts for utilities that change month to month
- Expenses file themselves into the correct pay period based on due date
Keep your cash flow accurate as money actually moves.
Find the transaction on the Home screen
Swipe left on the item
Tap Mark as Paid, or Mark as Received for income
The item turns green and your cash flow updates immediately
Tips
- You can also tap into an item and mark it from the summary view
- Green means paid, red means overdue, blue means a partial payment is in progress
Split large bills across multiple paychecks when money is tight.
Tap Mark as Paid on the expense
Switch on Partial Payment
Fill in the required fields and save
When you are ready to pay more, tap the item
Tap Add Payment
Enter the amount you are paying now
Track what is left on the progress bar
Tips
- Ideal for rent, car payments, or any large expense
- Each payment is tracked in the period it occurred
- Unpaid balances that are upcoming or overdue stay in the current period
Save toward a target with contributions that follow your pay schedule.
Tap the Goals tab
Tap the + button
Name the goal and set a target amount
Add a starting balance if you already have one saved
Set a contribution amount and frequency
Including once each pay period
Choose a target date
Tap Save and watch the progress fill in
Tips
- Goals work for large one-off expenses too, not just savings
- Contributions can recur each pay period so they scale with your income
- The progress ring shows both the percentage and the amount remaining
Change anything, anytime, without rebuilding your budget.
Swipe left or long press any item for quick actions
Tap Edit to open the form
Change the amount, schedule, alerts, or anything else
Tap Save
Tips
- Editing a single occurrence leaves the recurring schedule intact
- You can also tap an item, then use the pencil icon in the summary view
- Delete is available in the same swipe menu
Stay ahead of due dates with reminders you control per item.
Open Settings and enable system notifications
Or do this during onboarding
Edit any income or expense item
Scroll to the Alerts section
Choose up to two reminder times
Day of, day before, 2-3 days before, a week before, two weeks before
Save your changes
Tips
- In-app notifications are always on and collect in the notification center
- System notifications can be switched off in iOS Settings
- Alerts are configured per item, not globally
Shape the category list around how you actually think about money.
Go to Settings
Tap Manage Categories
Create a new category with the + button
Choose an icon and a color
Tap any existing category to edit it
Swipe left to delete one you do not need
Tips
- Income and expense categories are managed separately
- Categories drive the breakdown in Insights
- There is no limit on how many you can create
See where the money went and where it is heading.
Tap the Insights tab
Review the spending breakdown by category
Switch between pay period, month, and year
Tap a category to drill into its detail
Open the cash flow view for the two-year forecast
Tips
- Charts update as soon as you mark items paid
- The forecast shows income against expenses over time
- Use it to spot a shortfall before it arrives
Your finances stay yours. There is no PayCycle server holding your data.
iCloud sync is on by default
Your data syncs across devices on your own iCloud account
To turn it off, go to Settings and switch off iCloud Sync
Either way, everything works fully offline
Tips
- Disable iCloud sync to keep data on a single device
- No sign-up is required to use the app at all
Need More Help?
Browse the Q&A for common questions, or reach our support team at support@paycycle.info.
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