Choose Your Theme
Find your perfect visual vibe with Cake Budget's carefully crafted themes and dark mode support
Your budget app should feel like you. Cake Budget offers 4 carefully crafted themes, each with light and dark modes—because your money deserves to look good while you manage it.
How to Change Your Theme
Step 1: Navigate to Settings
Click Settings in the main navigation menu.
Step 2: Find the Appearance Card
Scroll down to the Appearance card (below Notification Preferences and AI Features).
Step 3: Choose Your Mode
In the Theme Mode section:
- Click one of three buttons: Light, Dark, or System
- Light: Bright, clean backgrounds (great for daytime)
- Dark: Easy on the eyes (perfect for night owls)
- System: Matches your device’s preference (auto-switches!)
Step 4: Pick Your Theme
Below the Theme Mode section, you’ll see the theme picker with 4 theme cards:
- Each shows the theme name, description, and color preview circles
- Click any theme card to apply it instantly
- Changes happen in real-time (no page refresh!)
- Currently selected theme is highlighted
Your preferences save automatically to your account and sync across all your devices.
The Four Themes
Default
Clean black and white theme
Light Mode
Dark Mode
Amethyst
Elegant purple theme with soft accents
Light Mode
Dark Mode
Caffeine
Energizing coffee-inspired theme
Light Mode
Dark Mode
Claude
Warm amber theme inspired by Claude AI
Light Mode
Dark Mode
Default - The Classic
”Clean, crisp, and gets out of your way.”
Personality: Minimalist. No-nonsense. Financial clarity above all else.
Colors:
- Pure black and white
- Green for income and positive money movement
- Red for expenses and negative balances
- No distractions, just data
Perfect for:
- People who want zero visual noise
- Accountants (we see you)
- Anyone who thinks “less is more”
- Spreadsheet enthusiasts
Vibe Check:
- Light mode: Crisp paper, clean slate
- Dark mode: Midnight focus session
Why you’ll love it: When your budget is this clear, good decisions are easy.
Claude - The Friendly One
”Warm, inviting, and makes budgeting feel less scary.”
Personality: Your encouraging friend who’s good with money and genuinely wants you to succeed.
Colors:
- Warm ambers and soft oranges
- Creamy backgrounds
- Cozy, approachable vibes
- Like a hug for your budget
Perfect for:
- People who find traditional budgeting stressful
- Anyone who needs financial encouragement
- Fans of warm, earthy aesthetics
- The friend group’s “mom friend”
Vibe Check:
- Light mode: Sunrise coffee chat about your goals
- Dark mode: Candlelit evening planning session
Why you’ll love it: Budgeting shouldn’t feel cold. This theme gets it.
Fun fact: Named after Claude AI—warm, helpful, and always has your back.
Amethyst - The Elegant One
”Sophisticated, calming, and low-key luxurious.”
Personality: The friend with impeccable taste who makes everything look effortless.
Colors:
- Soft purples and lavender accents
- Muted, sophisticated palette
- Elegant without being stuffy
- Subtle pink touches for warmth
Perfect for:
- People who appreciate aesthetics
- Anyone seeking calm financial vibes
- Purple lovers (obviously)
- The “I have a capsule wardrobe” crowd
Vibe Check:
- Light mode: Lavender latte in a trendy café
- Dark mode: Midnight amethyst crystal energy
Why you’ll love it: Your budget can be both functional and beautiful. Why choose?
Design note: Every shade was chosen to reduce financial anxiety while maintaining clarity.
Caffeine - The Energizer
”Bold, focused, and ready to tackle your financial goals.”
Personality: Your high-energy friend who drinks espresso and conquers to-do lists before 9 AM.
Colors:
- Rich coffee browns
- Creamy latte accents
- Energizing golden highlights
- Dark roast sophistication
Perfect for:
- Coffee addicts (guilty as charged)
- Morning budgeters
- People who need that “let’s DO this” energy
- Anyone who color-codes with earth tones
Vibe Check:
- Light mode: Fresh brew, fresh budget, fresh start
- Dark mode: Cold brew concentrate meets midnight productivity
Why you’ll love it: Budgeting with the same energy as your morning coffee routine.
Inspiration: For everyone who’s made their best financial decisions caffeinated.
Light vs. Dark Mode
Light Mode
When to use:
- ☀️ Daytime budgeting
- ☀️ Bright environments
- ☀️ You prefer high contrast
- ☀️ Sharing your screen with others
Benefits:
- Maximum readability in bright light
- Traditional, familiar feel
- Better for printing reports
- Easier on eyes in well-lit spaces
Dark Mode
When to use:
- 🌙 Night budgeting sessions
- 🌙 Dim environments
- 🌙 Reducing eye strain
- 🌙 OLED screen battery savings (mobile)
Benefits:
- Easier on eyes in low light
- Modern, sleek aesthetic
- Reduces blue light exposure
- Looks incredible (let’s be honest)
System Mode (Recommended!)
What it does:
- Automatically switches based on your device’s preference
- Light during the day
- Dark at night
- One less thing to think about
Perfect for:
- People who change their OS theme seasonally
- Auto-dark mode enthusiasts
- Anyone who wants “set it and forget it”
Pro tip: Set your phone to auto dark mode at sunset. System mode in Cake Budget follows along automatically.
Theme Switching Tips
Try Them All
Each theme feels different:
- Spend 5 minutes in each
- Check your most-used pages (Overview, Transactions, Slices)
- See which one makes you want to open the app more
You’ll know your theme when:
- It just “feels right”
- You stop noticing it (good design is invisible)
- You actually enjoy looking at your budget
Seasonal Switching
Some users rotate themes:
- Spring/Summer: Amethyst (light, energizing)
- Fall: Caffeine (cozy, focused)
- Winter: Claude (warm, comforting)
- Year-round minimalists: Default (timeless)
There’s no rule. Switch whenever you want a refresh.
Match Your Mood
Feeling stressed about money? → Claude theme (encouragement + warmth)
Need serious focus? → Default theme (zero distractions)
Want elegant calm? → Amethyst theme (soothing vibes)
Ready to ATTACK your budget? → Caffeine theme (let’s GOOO)
Design Philosophy
Why Only 4 Themes?
Quality over quantity.
We could have made 20 themes. Instead, we made 4 really good ones:
- Each fully tested in light and dark
- Each meets accessibility standards
- Each has a distinct personality
- Each works across ALL components
Result: Every theme is launch-ready, not half-baked.
Accessibility First
All themes meet WCAG 2.1 AA standards:
- Proper text contrast ratios
- Clear focus indicators
- Readable in all lighting conditions
- Usable by people with color vision deficiencies
We tested:
- Color contrast analyzers
- Real users with various vision needs
- Different screen types and brightness levels
Your budget should be accessible, not just pretty.
Theme-Aware Components
Every major component supports themes:
- Navigation and menus
- Cards and data displays
- Forms and inputs
- Charts and graphs
- Modals and dialogs
- Buttons and badges
- Tables and lists
~85% of components use theme colors. The remaining 15% (data tables, onboarding) coming soon!
Common Questions
Q: Can I create my own custom theme? A: Not yet, but we’re considering it for the future! For now, choose from the 4 curated themes.
Q: Do themes affect performance? A: Nope! Theme switching is instant (under 100ms) and uses CSS variables for efficiency.
Q: Can I use different themes on mobile vs desktop? A: Themes sync across devices via your account, so they’re consistent everywhere.
Q: Will more themes be added? A: Possibly! We focused on quality for launch. Let us know which themes you’d like to see at support@trycakebudget.com.
Q: What if I just want plain light or dark mode? A: Use the Default theme! It’s pure black and white with no color personality.
Q: Do themes change my data or settings? A: No. Themes only change visual appearance. Your budget, slices, and transactions are completely unaffected.
Q: Can I preview themes before applying? A: Yes! Each theme card shows a color preview. Click to apply and see it instantly throughout the app.
Pro Tips
💡 Try Dark Mode First: If you haven’t tried dark mode yet, give it a week. Many users never go back.
💡 System Mode is Magic: Set it once, forget it exists. It just works.
💡 Themes Don’t Judge: Your theme choice says nothing about your financial skills. Pick what makes you happy.
💡 Switch on Vibes: Bad budget day? Try a different theme. Sometimes a visual refresh helps reset your mindset.
💡 Screenshot Friendly: Sharing your budget wins? All themes look great in screenshots (we tested).
💡 Mobile Matters: Themes were designed mobile-first. They look just as good on your phone as on desktop.
Theme Recommendations by Personality
The Minimalist: → Default (black and white, pure function)
The Optimist: → Claude (warm encouragement, friendly vibes)
The Aesthete: → Amethyst (elegant, refined, calming)
The Go-Getter: → Caffeine (energizing, focused, productive)
The Indecisive: → Try each for a week. Report back.
The “I Don’t Care About Themes” Person: → Default. You’ll literally never think about it again.
Related Guides
- Reference: Security & Privacy - Theme preferences stored securely in your account
Find your vibe: Change your theme today in Settings → Appearance at trycakebudget.com