Cake Budget
how-to beginner 2 minutes

Install Cake Budget as an App

Get faster access and offline support by installing Cake Budget on your phone or desktop

Last updated: October 11, 2025

Cake Budget works great in your browser, but installing it as an app gives you faster access, offline support, and a native app experience—without downloading from an app store.

What is PWA Installation?

PWA = Progressive Web App

Cake Budget is a Progressive Web App, which means you can install it like a native app directly from your browser.

Benefits of installing:

  • 🚀 Faster loading - Cached for instant startup
  • 📱 Home screen icon - Launch like any other app
  • 💨 Offline support - View cached data without internet
  • 🪟 Standalone window - Opens in its own window (desktop)
  • 🔔 Better performance - Optimized app experience
  • 📲 No app store - Install directly from the web

How to Install (iPhone/iPad)

iOS Installation via Safari

Steps:

  1. Open Cake Budget in Safari browser (https://trycakebudget.com)
  2. Log in to your account
  3. Tap the Share button (square with arrow pointing up) at the bottom of the screen
  4. Scroll down and tap “Add to Home Screen”
  5. Edit the name if you want (default: “Cake Budget”)
  6. Tap “Add” in the top right

✅ Done! Cake Budget icon appears on your home screen.

To open:

  • Tap the Cake Budget icon on your home screen
  • Opens in full-screen (no browser UI)
  • Looks and feels like a native app

iOS Notes:

  • Must use Safari (Chrome/Firefox on iOS don’t support installation)
  • Icon uses default “CB” placeholder (professional icon coming soon)
  • Full-screen experience with no browser toolbar

How to Install (Android)

Android Installation via Chrome

Steps:

  1. Open Cake Budget in Chrome browser (https://trycakebudget.com)
  2. Log in to your account
  3. Tap the three dots menu (⋮) in the top right
  4. Tap “Add to Home screen” or “Install app”
  5. Confirm installation in the popup
  6. Tap “Install”

✅ Done! Cake Budget appears on your home screen and in your app drawer.

Alternative method:

If you see an install banner:

  • After using Cake Budget for 30 seconds, an install prompt may appear at the bottom
  • Tap “Install” in the banner
  • Confirm installation

To open:

  • Tap the Cake Budget icon on your home screen or app drawer
  • Opens in standalone mode
  • Looks identical to a native Android app

Android Notes:

  • Works in Chrome, Edge, Samsung Internet
  • Icon uses default “CB” placeholder
  • Uninstall like any Android app (long-press → Remove)

How to Install (Desktop)

Desktop Installation (Chrome, Edge, Brave)

Steps:

  1. Open Cake Budget in Chrome, Edge, or Brave (https://trycakebudget.com)
  2. Log in to your account
  3. Look for the install icon in the address bar (➕ or computer icon)
  4. Click the install icon
  5. Click “Install” in the popup

Alternative method:

  • Click the three dots menu (⋮) in the top right
  • Select “Install Cake Budget” or “Create shortcut”
  • Confirm installation

✅ Done! Cake Budget opens in its own window and appears in your:

  • Desktop (shortcut)
  • Start Menu / Applications folder
  • Taskbar/Dock (when opened)

To open:

  • Double-click desktop shortcut
  • Search “Cake Budget” in Start Menu / Spotlight
  • Pin to taskbar/dock for quick access

Desktop Installation (Safari on Mac)

Steps:

  1. Open Cake Budget in Safari (https://trycakebudget.com)
  2. Log in to your account
  3. Click File menu → “Add to Dock”
  4. Cake Budget is added to your Dock

To open:

  • Click Cake Budget icon in Dock
  • Opens in its own window (no browser tabs)

Safari Notes:

  • Limited PWA support compared to Chrome
  • May not have full offline capabilities
  • Chrome/Edge recommended for best desktop experience

The Install Prompt

Automatic prompt appears when:

  • You’ve visited Cake Budget 3+ times
  • You’ve been on the app for 30+ seconds
  • You haven’t installed yet or dismissed recently

What it looks like:

  • Small banner in bottom-right corner (desktop) or bottom (mobile)
  • “Install Cake Budget” message
  • “Install” and “Not now” buttons
  • Instructions for iOS users (can’t auto-install)

If you dismiss:

  • Won’t show again for 7 days
  • Can still manually install anytime via browser menu

What You Get When Installed

Faster Loading

First time opening (after install):

  • App files cached on your device
  • Images and styles pre-loaded
  • Instant startup (no loading spinner)

Subsequent opens:

  • Near-instant launch
  • Feels like a native app
  • Network-first for latest data, cache fallback

Offline Support

What works offline:

  • View cached transaction data
  • Browse your slices
  • See last-synced balances
  • View insights (if generated while online)

What doesn’t work offline:

  • Syncing new transactions (requires internet)
  • Generating AI insights (requires API)
  • Editing settings (requires server)

Offline indicator:

  • You’ll see a notice if you try to do something requiring internet
  • Data is read-only until you reconnect

Standalone Experience

Desktop:

  • Own window (separate from browser tabs)
  • Clean interface (no address bar)
  • Pin to taskbar for quick access
  • Alt+Tab between Cake Budget and other apps

Mobile:

  • Full-screen (no browser UI)
  • Swipe gestures work like native apps
  • Background updates (future feature)
  • Push notifications (future feature)

Automatic Updates

When we release updates:

  1. New version detected automatically
  2. Toast notification appears: “A new version is available!”
  3. Click notification or refresh to update
  4. App updates in seconds
  5. No app store approval delays

Update frequency:

  • Updates deploy instantly to web
  • PWA detects and prompts to update
  • Always on the latest version

Uninstalling the App

iOS

  1. Long-press the Cake Budget icon on your home screen
  2. Tap “Remove App”
  3. Tap “Delete App”
  4. Confirm deletion

Data: Deleted from your device, but your account data remains safe on our servers. Just log in again from browser or reinstall.

Android

  1. Long-press the Cake Budget icon
  2. Drag to “Uninstall” or tap “App info” → “Uninstall”
  3. Confirm uninstallation

Data: Removed from device, account data safe on servers.

Desktop (Chrome/Edge)

  1. Open the installed Cake Budget app
  2. Click the three dots menu (⋮) in the app window
  3. Select “Uninstall Cake Budget”
  4. Confirm uninstallation

Alternative:

  • Chrome: Settings → Apps → Manage apps → Find Cake Budget → Uninstall
  • Edge: edge://apps → Find Cake Budget → Uninstall

Data: Removed from computer, account data safe.

Troubleshooting

Issue: No install option appearing

Possible causes:

  • Using unsupported browser (Firefox doesn’t support PWA install on desktop)
  • Already installed (check home screen / app list)
  • HTTPS requirement not met (shouldn’t happen with trycakebudget.com)

Solution:

  • Use Chrome, Edge, or Safari
  • Check if already installed
  • Try the manual menu method (browser menu → Install)

Issue: iOS install prompt not showing

This is normal. iOS doesn’t support automatic install prompts. Use the Share button → Add to Home Screen method.

Issue: Installed app won’t open

Solution:

  • Uninstall and reinstall
  • Clear browser cache
  • Update your browser to latest version

Issue: App looks outdated after update

Solution:

  • Force refresh: Cmd+Shift+R (Mac) or Ctrl+Shift+R (Windows)
  • Or uninstall and reinstall
  • Updates should be automatic, but this forces it

Issue: Can’t find the installed app

Desktop:

  • Check desktop, Start Menu, or Applications folder
  • Search “Cake Budget” in system search

Mobile:

  • Swipe through home screens
  • Check app drawer (Android)
  • Search “Cake Budget” in phone search

Common Questions

Q: Is the installed app different from the website? A: No. Same app, just installed for faster access and offline support.

Q: Do I need to install on every device? A: Yes, if you want the benefits on each device. Your account syncs across all installations.

Q: Does installing use phone storage? A: Minimal (~5-10 MB for cached files). Much smaller than native apps.

Q: Can I use Cake Budget without installing? A: Absolutely! The browser version works perfectly. Installation is optional.

Q: Will the installed app update automatically? A: Yes. Updates deploy automatically and you’ll see a notification to refresh when ready.

Q: Does the installed app need internet? A: For full functionality, yes. Offline mode lets you view cached data but can’t sync new transactions.

Q: Can I install on multiple devices? A: Yes! Install on phone, tablet, and desktop. Everything syncs via your account.

Q: Is there a native app instead? A: Not currently. The PWA provides 90% of native app benefits without app store friction.

Install today: Visit trycakebudget.com and click the install button in your browser!

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