Expense tracker for iOS/Mac using Shortcuts app

[conscious_matter]

Hello all,

I created an automatic expense tracker for iOS/Mac using the native Shortcuts app. It's a bit clumsy, but it works. Made it because I couldn't find any reliable apps that will automatically track spending in India. Made it for myself, thought I'd share. It's a first attempt, do let me know if it works for you. All credit to ChatGPT for making the regex for parsing SMSes.

• Uses transaction SMSes to add spends to a Notes file.
• Uses Automations to forward SMSes using some keywords to the Shortcut.
• The Shortcut parses the message and adds it to the Notes file.
• Follows a CSV format so that you can later export it to a spreadsheet application to analyse if you'd like. Format is: date, expense amount, account/card, merchant/recipient, month. The final 'month' entry is to make things easier with a spreadsheet (eg. using charts or a pivot table to understand expenses better).
• Each time it tracks an expenditure, it will show a notification showing what it tracked. This can be disabled by deleting that block in the Shortcuts app.
• Currently works for:
  • Credit cards*: HDFC, ICICI, Axis, IndusInd, IDFC
  • Accounts/UPI*: SBI, HDFC, IndusInd, IDFC

Pros:

• Privacy-preserving. All data stays safely encrypted on your device (and iCloud if enabled). No communication with any third-party app or website.
• Automatic. Tracks SMSes and adds spends automatically. Even if it stops tracking/cannot track merchant name, it will still track amount, date, and which card/account was used.
• Entirely native. Uses Shortcuts and Notes app present natively on Apple devices. No extra apps to install.
• Easily analysable. Since it saves in CSV, you can export the Notes file to a spreadsheet to understand your expenses. You can keep it as simple as summing up columns to as fancy as using pivot tables. For eg. see this tutorial.

Cons:

• While it might work for other banks and cards, it currently works only for the banks and cards given above. Not tested on debit cards. If it works for other banks/cards, it will most probably only extract the date, account/card, and amount spend, and not the merchant name.*
• Often, it may not extract the merchant name, just extracts the date, expense amount, account/card, and month.
• It is based on how transaction SMSes look right now. If that format changes, this will not work. But again, it will most probably extract everything except the merchant name.
• I'm not a coder, it's rather clumsy right now. It uses multiple nested if-then statements to rule out the kind of bank/card (mostly to identify the merchant). It may not be practical to include every single UPI and card-issuing bank.
• Might require some manual interventions when the merchant is not tracked or not clear. The notification should alert you to what has been automatically tracked.
• Does not track income, money sent to you, refunds etc. Only tracks expenses.
• This not a budgeting solution, only an expense tracker. That said, feel free to use it to create your own Shortcuts or spreadsheet to do more advanced budgetting.

Instructions:

1. Create a note in the native Notes app titled "Expense tracker" before you import the file. First line of the notes file should be: Date, Amount, From, To, Month
2. Import the Shortcut using the icloud link below.
3. Go through the Shortcut to make sure that it is linked to the Notes file. If it appears in red, click on it, and link it to your note file.
4. (Please go through the Shortcut if you can to ensure you understand how it works, even if you don't understand the regex.)
5. Set up 2 Automations on the Shortcuts app (use the Automation tab):
   1. When: Message > Leave sender blank | add Message Contains: spent | Select Run Immediately > My Shortcuts > select Expense tracker
   2. When: Message > Leave sender blank | add Message Contains: debited | Select Run Immediately > My Shortcuts > select Expense tracker
      This is what is should look like
6. You should be ready to go! Check to see if you get a notification when you spend something the next time saying "Tracked...". If not, please report here and send a copy of the transaction message (without personal details)?

You can find and import the Shortcut here: https://www.icloud.com/shortcuts/b1667c3d112046fba155f9101c5b7759
(v. 1.0 | last updated 16 May, 2025)


Looking ahead:

• I plan to keep this updated as transaction SMS formats change and as I crowdsource other formats.
• * If you send me (DM or paste here) your transaction SMSes from other cards/banks, I will try to add them to this Shortcut. Needless to say, please randomise your account/card number, amount, and date, but try to keep the merchant as-is if you are okay with it.

This is what the Notes file would look like:
28 Apr 25, 1000.50, Card XX1234, IND*Amazon, Apr
28 Apr 25, 2000.00, A/c **5678, Unkown, May
(first is a card transaction, second is a UPI transaction but could not track merchant)