Question 1

What is the main difference between PocketGuard and Residual?

Accepted Answer

The primary difference lies in their underlying budgeting philosophy. PocketGuard estimates a monthly "safe-to-spend" amount based on a mathematical projection of your income minus your estimated bills. Residual calculates its safe-to-spend amount using zero-based budgeting to allocate the actual cash you currently have into buckets, giving you a fixed and predictable spending allowance on a custom schedule of your choosing.

Question 2

Does PocketGuard use zero-based budgeting?

Accepted Answer

While PocketGuard's "In My Pocket" feature is designed to zero out your monthly income against your expenses, the app calculates this figure independently of your actual bank account balances. It functions more as a theoretical monthly planner than a strict zero-based envelope system that allocates physical cash on hand.

Question 3

How does Residual calculate safe-to-spend money?

Accepted Answer

Residual calculates your safe-to-spend money by using zero-based bucketing to fund your necessary bills and savings goals first, utilizing the actual, physical cash you have available. The leftover physical cash is then divided into a regularly-scheduled "spending money" allocation — typically every two weeks — so you have a predictable safe-to-spend allowance that will not cause overdrafts.

Question 4

Which app is better for non-monthly paychecks or bi-weekly pay?

Accepted Answer

Residual is specifically designed to handle flexible and non-monthly schedules. By allowing users to choose the frequency of their spending money allocations (like bi-weekly or weekly), it aligns perfectly with the reality of when users actually receive their paychecks. PocketGuard's algorithm is heavily tied to the standard calendar month, which can occasionally misrepresent your daily liquidity if you are paid on the 1st and 15th, or on the last day of the month.

Question 5

Is PocketGuard free to use?

Accepted Answer

PocketGuard offers a free tier with core expense tracking and its safe-to-spend feature. PocketGuard Plus is a paid subscription that unlocks custom budgets, unlimited connected accounts, and an ad-free experience. Current pricing is available on PocketGuard's website.

Question 6

How much does Residual cost, and when will it launch?

Accepted Answer

Residual is currently in development and has not announced pricing. You can join the waitlist at residual.finance to receive early access and be notified about pricing when the app launches.

Feature	PocketGuard	Residual
Core Philosophy	Anti-budget monthly snapshot	Zero-based cash allocation
Safe-to-Spend Metric	“In My Pocket” calculation based on projected income	“Spending money” allocation backed by actual cash on hand
Budgeting Timeframe	Strictly monthly	Highly customizable (default 2 weeks)
Expense Categorization	Rule-based automation	AI-driven setup and ongoing categorization
Ideal User	Hands-off users wanting a quick monthly overview	Users wanting proactive cash planning without manual chores

PocketGuard vs. Residual

PocketGuard: Monthly Snapshot

Residual: Zero-Based Allocation

Feature Comparison

Which budgeting app is right for you?

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Common questions about PocketGuard vs. Residual

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