What do you expect from a personal finance app?
I’m building Controol, a minimalist app to help people spend without guilt by knowing exactly how much they can afford — not just tracking what they already spent.
Most finance apps focus on graphs and past activity. My vision with Controol is different:
✅ You enter your income, and it’s automatically split into “boxes” based on percentages you define (like the 50/30/20 method).
✅ You register your expenses, and the app tells you if that expense fits the available amount in the right box.
✅ You don’t micromanage categories — you manage limits, clearly.
But what I’m most excited about:
🧠 AI chat built into the app. You can ask things like:
"Can I spend $80 on dinner today?"
"How much have I spent on non-essentials this week?"
"Are my percentages balanced based on my income?"
It gives quick, human-style answers. No dashboards. No friction.
🗣️ So I’m curious:
- If you were to use a finance app, what would you really want from it?
- What’s something that’s always frustrated you with others?
Whether you’re a builder or a user — I’d love to hear your honest thoughts.
Replies
This is super promising. You’re clearly differentiating Controol from the usual “budgeting apps with pie charts” space and leaning into simplicity, real-time clarity, and AI. That’s a strong foundation. A few thoughts from a messaging/positioning lens:
1. Your Differentiator Is Emotional Relief, Not Just Utility
“Spend without guilt” is a killer hook. But make that emotional transformation the center of your messaging. People don’t want budgeting, they want freedom. They want to feel smart with money, not stressed by it.
Maybe try a value prop like: "Know exactly what you can afford — before you spend. No guilt. No guesswork."
2. Lean Into the Anti-Budget Angle
Most budgeting tools = rearview mirror. Controol = GPS.
Highlight this on the homepage. A “Before vs. After” section could work well:
Before: I tracked everything, but I still felt unsure.
After Controol: I know exactly what I can spend. I’m in control.
3. Homepage Must-Haves for a Tool Like This
A live example of how the “box” method works (with visual clarity).
A few killer AI prompts and the type of human-like responses it gives.
Testimonials around peace of mind, not just “helped me budget.”
Answering your original questions as a user:
I’d want a finance app that tells me what I can afford right now based on my system, without making me feel dumb or overwhelmed.
What frustrates me most: Overcomplicated dashboards, unclear category rules, and apps that feel like work.
Controol App
@notthilfiger Thanks so much — this is one of the most thoughtful and actionable pieces of feedback I’ve received 🙌
I love the way you framed the emotional side of it — you’re 100% right. People aren’t looking for budgeting tools, they’re looking for clarity, relief, and control.
“GPS, not rearview mirror” is such a strong metaphor. I’m definitely going to rework some messaging on the homepage with this lens — especially the Before/After section and that emotional transformation.
Also taking note on adding better visuals of the box system + real AI examples. This gave me a ton to improve. Grateful for the perspective 🙏
@maxi_carreras Thanks for the kind words! Glad the feedback resonated. The emotional shift from "budgeting" to "clarity and control" is key, and I’m excited to see how it transforms the messaging. The AI examples and visual improvements will definitely make it more tangible. Looking forward to seeing the next iteration! Keep up the great work!
Controol App
@johnsonjohnson Totally understand — that’s a very real concern and a huge reason why Controol is manual (for now). No bank connection needed, no sensitive permissions.
That said, you don’t have to log every single expense. Even just entering your daily total works — the goal is to know how much you can spend, not track where every cent went.
Still thinking of ways to reduce friction even more, so feedback like this helps a lot. Thanks for sharing!