A budgeting app is least useful on day one, when it is empty. In The Smart Budget on iOS 27, you can import a statement you download from your bank and see months of history, categorized, within minutes. Statement import is free.
What you need
- iOS 27 on an iPhone with Apple Intelligence turned on, and an internet connection. Statements are read in Apple's Private Cloud Compute.
- A statement file from your bank's website or app: a PDF (downloaded, not a scan of a printout), a CSV file, or an OFX or QFX file.
Import a statement, step by step
- Open the import. In the Transactions tab, tap the document icon next to +. You can also use Settings → Capture → Bank statements.
- Pick the account. Choose the account the statement belongs to. A card statement and a bank statement read differently, so this comes first.
- Choose the file. Tap Choose statement file and pick the PDF, CSV or OFX file. The app reads the file's layout; for a PDF it shows its progress page by page.
- Check the preview. The app shows how many rows are in the file, how many are already in the app and how many are new, with the money out and money in. When the statement has a running balance, it shows whether the rows reconcile.
- Import. Tap Import. The new rows are added straight away, and categorizing continues in the background.
How duplicates are skipped
If you already capture bank texts or notifications, many statement rows are already in the app. A statement row counts as already there when an existing transaction has the same amount and a date within three days, because a card's transaction date and the day the alert arrived often differ. Matching is one to one: two identical coffees on the same day need two existing transactions to both be skipped.
How the statement is read
Apple Intelligence reads the statement in Apple's Private Cloud Compute. A PDF is read page by page, as images, the way a person reads it. Every amount it returns is checked against the file on your iPhone, and a row whose amount isn't on the page is left out rather than guessed.
Apple states that data sent to Private Cloud Compute is used only for the request and is not stored. Your statement never reaches ZaatarLABS. If you don't want statement pages to go to Private Cloud Compute, don't use statement import.
How long it takes
A CSV or OFX file takes seconds. A PDF is read page by page, so a long statement can take a minute or two.
If the import doesn't work
- “This PDF has no readable text.” The file is a scan. Download the statement from your bank's website or app instead.
- “We couldn't make sense of this file's columns.” Try your bank's CSV export.
- Asked to turn on Apple Intelligence. Turn it on, make sure you're online, and try again.
- No import button. Statement import needs iOS 27. On iOS 26 the button isn't shown.
Free and Pro
Statement import is free. On the free plan, the app shows the last 45 days of history; older imported transactions are kept and appear when you upgrade to Pro.
Try it
The Smart Budget is free on the App Store for iPhone with iOS 26.4 or later. iOS 27 adds one-tap capture setup, bank notifications, statement import and the Money Advisor.
Download The Smart Budget on the App Store or explore The Smart Budget.
Questions
Can I import a bank statement into a budget app on iPhone?
Yes. In The Smart Budget on iOS 27, import a PDF, CSV or OFX statement from the Transactions tab. Rows already in the app are skipped, and the rest are added and categorized.
Which statement formats work?
PDF statements downloaded from your bank (not scans), CSV files (TSV and TXT exports work too) and OFX or QFX files.
Is statement import free?
Yes. The free plan shows the last 45 days of history; older imported transactions are kept and appear with Pro.
Where is my statement processed?
Apple Intelligence reads it in Apple's Private Cloud Compute, which Apple states uses the data only for the request and does not store it. Your statement never reaches ZaatarLABS.