Barnacle

Barnacle Support

Last updated: 16 August 2026

Barnacle adds every subscription you pay for into one monthly total and warns you before the next charge lands. Everything stays on your phone. This page covers the common questions.

Getting started

1. Open your App Store subscriptions from Barnacle's last onboarding screen or from Settings, so you can see what you already pay for.
2. Tap the plus button and type a service name. Barnacle fills in its usual price.
3. Set the renewal date and how often it bills.
4. The home screen then shows your monthly total and what is due next.

Frequently asked questions

Why can't Barnacle find my subscriptions automatically?

Because no app can. The App Store and Google Play only report subscriptions bought inside that same app, so nothing can read your Netflix or Spotify billing. Barnacle links you straight to the store's own list and fills in prices as you type, which is the closest honest substitute.

What is free, and what costs money?

The free version tracks 5 subscriptions. Unlocking Barnacle is a single payment, not a subscription, and it adds unlimited subscriptions, insights, encrypted export and import, and the biometric app lock. The store shows the final price in your currency before you pay.

How do I restore my unlock on a new phone?

Open the unlock screen and choose Restore purchases. The unlock is tied to your Apple ID. It does not carry across to Android, because neither store honours the other's receipts.

How do I get a refund?

Purchases are handled by Apple. Request a refund at reportaproblem.apple.com.

My reminders are not arriving.

Check that notifications are allowed for Barnacle in the iOS Settings app. In Barnacle's own Settings you can choose how many days before a charge to be reminded and at what time, and "Show what is armed" lists every reminder currently scheduled.

How do I move my data to a new phone?

In Settings, choose Export a backup file and pick a passphrase. On the new phone, choose Import a backup file and enter the same passphrase. Import adds to what is there; it never replaces it. Encrypting and decrypting can take a minute or two, deliberately, so leave the screen open while it works.

I lost my backup passphrase.

The file cannot be opened. The passphrase is the only key and Barnacle keeps no copy, which is what stops anyone else opening a stolen backup. Write it down somewhere safe before you export.

What is in the CSV export?

A plain spreadsheet of your subscriptions, including the last four digits of any card you recorded. It is not encrypted. The encrypted backup is the format to use for moving between devices.

How do I cancel or delete a subscription in Barnacle?

Swipe a row on the home screen to mark it cancelled, or swipe in search to delete it. Marking it cancelled records it in Barnacle only. The company keeps charging until you cancel with them directly, which the Cancel button on the detail screen links to.

Can I lock the app?

Yes. Settings has an app lock that requires Face ID, Touch ID, or your passcode before Barnacle opens.

Why do totals in another currency show a tilde?

The tilde marks an approximate figure. Rates are bundled into the app rather than fetched, because Barnacle makes no network requests, so a converted total is close rather than live.

Which devices are supported?

iPhone and iPad on a current version of iOS.

Where is my data?

In a database on your device, and nowhere else. See the Privacy Policy.