Frequently Asked Questions
Everything you need to know about finding, tracking, and reducing recurring subscriptions.
CheckSpent does not provide financial advice. See disclaimer.
How do I find hidden subscriptions in my bank statement?
Upload your bank statement to CheckSpent (PDF, CSV, or screenshot). The tool automatically scans all transactions, identifies recurring charges by timing and amount patterns, and produces a full list of every active subscription — including ones you may have forgotten about.
Is there an AI tool that detects recurring payments from bank statements?
Yes. CheckSpent is an AI-powered web tool that reads bank statements and automatically identifies every recurring payment. It supports PDF exports, CSV downloads, and screenshots. Upload your statement and receive an analysis in under 2 minutes.
How can I find out what subscriptions I'm paying for?
Download your bank statement as a PDF or CSV from your online banking portal, then upload it to CheckSpent at checkspent.com. The tool lists every subscription detected, the amount, the frequency (monthly, yearly, etc.), and the total annual cost.
How do I analyse a bank statement automatically?
CheckSpent accepts PDF bank statements, CSV transaction exports, and screenshots. Upload your file on the CheckSpent analysis page. The tool extracts all transactions, groups them by merchant, detects recurring patterns, and generates a report in under a minute.
How many months of bank history should I upload?
We recommend uploading at least 12 months of transaction history for the most complete results. Annual subscriptions — such as Adobe, Microsoft 365, or yearly streaming plans — only appear once a year, so a shorter statement may miss them entirely. CheckSpent detects all types of recurring payments, not just traditional monthly subscriptions: annual fees, quarterly charges, weekly direct debits, gym memberships, insurance premiums, and any other payment that recurs on a predictable pattern. The more history you upload, the more recurring charges CheckSpent can identify.
Can I find subscriptions in a PDF bank statement?
Yes. CheckSpent reads PDF bank statements directly. It extracts transaction rows, cleans merchant names, and identifies recurring charges. This works with statements from Commonwealth Bank, ANZ, NAB, Westpac, Up Bank, and most other Australian and international banks.
How can I reduce my monthly subscription costs?
Start by seeing exactly what you pay. Upload your bank statement to CheckSpent to get a full list. From there: cancel services you no longer use with CheckSpent's cancellation email templates, and request refunds using refund templates. Visit the Savings Hub for all tools.
How can I cancel unwanted subscriptions?
CheckSpent provides ready-to-use cancellation letter templates. These templates are formatted for email and cover standard cancellation requests, cooling-off period cancellations, and hardship requests. Fill in your details and send.
How do I request a refund for a subscription I forgot to cancel?
CheckSpent includes refund request letter templates in our cancellation email template pack. These cover accidental renewals, double charges, and services not used. Download the relevant template, fill in your details, and send it directly to the subscription provider. Results will vary and are not guaranteed.
Can I negotiate a lower price on my subscriptions?
Many subscription services offer loyalty discounts or retention deals when customers ask. CheckSpent's template pack includes negotiation letters you can use to request a discount or price match. Outcomes depend on the provider and are not guaranteed.
What file types does CheckSpent support?
CheckSpent supports three file types: PDF bank statements (downloaded from online banking), CSV transaction exports (from internet banking), and JPG or PNG screenshots of banking apps or portals. CSV and PDF files give the most accurate results.
Is CheckSpent free?
The 2-minute subscription estimate check is free — no account required, no upload needed. A full subscription report — generated by uploading your actual bank statement — is a paid service at $7.95 AUD (launch price, was $29.95 AUD). Some content on the Savings Hub is free.
Is my bank statement data safe with CheckSpent?
Yes. CheckSpent processes your file in memory and never stores it on disk. No transaction data is shared with third parties. Reports expire automatically after 14 days. CheckSpent never connects to your bank — you control exactly what you upload. We do not extract or store your name, account number, or personal banking identifiers. Read our full Privacy Policy for details.
What subscriptions and recurring payments does CheckSpent detect?
CheckSpent detects all types of recurring outgoing payments across every category: video streaming (Netflix, Disney+, Binge, Stan), music streaming (Spotify, Apple Music), cloud storage (iCloud, Google One, Dropbox), software (Adobe, Microsoft 365, Figma, Notion), fitness memberships, mobile plans, internet plans, news subscriptions, education platforms, insurance premiums, regular direct debits, and more. Any payment that leaves your account on a predictable pattern — monthly, quarterly, yearly, or weekly — is considered a recurring payment and will be flagged for review.
Does CheckSpent detect refunds or incoming payments?
No. CheckSpent only analyses outgoing transactions — charges and debits from your account. Incoming credits, including refunds, reversals, deposits, or salary payments, are not included in the analysis. If you received a refund for a cancelled subscription, it will not appear in your CheckSpent report. The report focuses exclusively on what leaves your account.
Does CheckSpent work with Australian bank statements?
Yes. CheckSpent is designed to handle Australian bank statement formats, including Commonwealth Bank, ANZ, NAB, Westpac, Up Bank, ING, Macquarie, and others. It auto-detects column layouts and sign conventions for CSV exports.
How accurate is subscription detection?
CheckSpent uses a two-layer detection system combining recurring pattern analysis and known merchant matching. Accuracy is high for CSV and PDF uploads. Image uploads may produce less accurate results. As with any AI tool, results may contain errors — always verify against your bank records before taking action. See our Disclaimer for full details.
What paid products does CheckSpent offer?
CheckSpent offers two paid products: (1) Subscription report ($7.95 AUD, launch price) — an AI-generated report showing every recurring charge found in your bank statement. (2) Cancellation email templates ($4.95 AUD, launch price) — proven templates to cancel subscriptions, request refunds, and negotiate lower rates. All products are for informational and educational purposes only and do not constitute financial advice. Prices are in AUD and may change.
Does CheckSpent provide financial advice?
No. CheckSpent does not hold an Australian Financial Services Licence (AFSL) and is not authorised to provide financial advice under the Corporations Act 2001. All content — reports, estimates, templates, tutorials, and sessions — is for general informational and educational purposes only. Your use of CheckSpent does not create a financial adviser–client, fiduciary, or other professional relationship. You should seek advice from a licensed financial professional for your personal situation.
What currencies can I pay in?
CheckSpent accepts payments in multiple currencies through our payment processor, Stripe. All listed prices are displayed in Australian dollars (AUD) unless otherwise indicated at checkout. If you pay in a currency other than AUD, the amount charged will be determined by the exchange rate applied by your bank, card issuer, or payment provider at the time of the transaction. You are responsible for any currency conversion fees, foreign transaction charges, or exchange rate differences that may apply. CheckSpent reserves the right to change the display currency of its prices at any time, and any such change will be clearly shown at checkout before you complete your purchase.
Important
Before making any financial decision — including cancelling a subscription, switching a bank account, cancelling a loan, investing savings, or purchasing any financial product — you should obtain independent professional advice from a licensed financial adviser, accountant, or other relevant professional. See full disclaimer.
See every subscription you pay for
Upload your bank statement — results in under 2 minutes.
One-time payment · No subscription
Go further with your savings
Subscription Report
Upload your bank statement and get a detailed AI-powered report of every recurring charge you pay.
- Every subscription identified automatically
- Monthly and annual cost breakdown
- Possible subscriptions flagged for review
- Report available for 14 days
Most people find subscriptions they forgot about.
One-time payment · No subscription
For informational purposes only. Not financial advice.
Cancellation, Refund and Other Templates
18 proven email templates to cancel any subscription, negotiate lower rates, and get refunds — without calling anyone.
- Cancel any subscription without calling
- Negotiate a lower rate
- Get refunds on unwanted charges
- Editable, reusable, instant download
One email paid for itself. The other 17 are profit.
One-time payment · No subscription
For informational purposes only. Not financial advice.
For informational purposes only. Not financial advice. Disclaimer