FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Common questions about using Chamber.
Table of Contents
General
What is Chamber?
Chamber is an AI-powered financial tracker that helps you manage expenses, track accounts, monitor loans, and manage subscriptions - all in one place.
Is Chamber free to use?
Yes, Chamber is open-source and free to use. You can self-host it or use a hosted version.
Do I need technical knowledge to use Chamber?
No. While self-hosting requires some technical setup, using Chamber is designed to be simple and intuitive for everyone.
What currencies are supported?
Chamber supports:
- INR (₹) - Indian Rupees
- USD ($) - US Dollars
- EUR (€) - Euros
- GBP (£) - British Pounds
Can I access Chamber on mobile?
Yes! Chamber is a web app that works on any device with a browser. Additionally, you can use the Telegram bot to add expenses from your phone.
Is there a mobile app?
Currently, there's no native mobile app, but the web app is fully responsive and works great on mobile browsers. The Telegram bot also provides mobile access.
Expenses
Can I add an expense without a receipt?
Yes, receipts are optional. Only amount, category, and description are required.
What receipt formats are supported?
- Images: JPG, JPEG, PNG, WEBP
- Documents: PDF
How do I change an expense's category?
- Go to Expenses
- Find the expense
- Click "Edit"
- Change the category
- Save
Can I export my expenses?
Yes! Go to Settings → Export Data → Export Expenses. You'll get a CSV file with all your expense data including receipt URLs.
Why isn't my expense showing in the dashboard?
Check that:
- The expense date is within the current month (for monthly views)
- You're not filtering by category that excludes it
- The expense was successfully saved
How do I delete multiple expenses at once?
Currently, expenses must be deleted one at a time. Bulk deletion is on the roadmap.
Can I split an expense into multiple categories?
Not directly. For now, create separate expenses for each category.
What happens to my receipts if I delete an expense?
Receipts are deleted along with the expense. Download them first if you need to keep them.
Accounts
Do I need to add accounts to use Chamber?
No, accounts are optional but recommended. They help track your net worth and allow you to assign payment methods to expenses.
How often should I update account balances?
- Bank accounts: Weekly or after major transactions
- Investments: Monthly or when significant changes occur
- Cash: As needed
What happens if I delete an account?
- All balance history is deleted
- The account disappears from net worth calculations
- Expenses using that account remain but lose the payment method reference
Can I track debts/liabilities?
Currently, Chamber tracks money you've lent (loans) and your assets (accounts). Tracking money you owe (debts) is not yet supported.
Why doesn't my net worth match my bank balance?
Net worth includes:
- All bank accounts
- Investments
- Digital wallets
- Cash
- Minus outstanding loans you've given
It may differ from any single account balance.
Can I have accounts in different currencies?
Yes! Each account can have its own currency, and Chamber will convert them for net worth calculations.
What account type should I choose?
| Type | Use For |
|---|---|
| Bank | Savings, checking, fixed deposits |
| Investment | Stocks, mutual funds, ETFs, crypto |
| Wallet | PayPal, Venmo, Apple Pay, digital wallets |
| Cash | Physical cash, petty cash |
| Other | Gift cards, credits, anything else |
Loans
What's the difference between loans and expenses?
- Expenses: Money spent (gone from your accounts)
- Loans: Money lent (will be repaid)
Loans track money others owe you; expenses track money you've spent.
Can I track loans I've borrowed (money I owe)?
Currently, Chamber only tracks money you've lent to others. Tracking your own debts is on the roadmap.
What happens when I mark a loan as completed?
Loans automatically become "COMPLETED" when repayments equal the loan amount. You don't mark them manually.
Can I add partial repayments?
Yes! Add multiple repayments. The loan status updates automatically:
- PENDING → PARTIAL → COMPLETED
What if someone overpays?
The system accepts overpayments and shows a negative remaining balance. You can record the excess as a new expense or loan.
Do loans affect my net worth?
Outstanding loans (not yet repaid) are not included in net worth calculations. Repaid amounts return to your accounts.
Can I add interest to a loan?
Not automatically. You can:
- Add the total (principal + interest) as the loan amount
- Or create a separate expense for interest
Subscriptions
What's the difference between subscriptions and expenses?
- Subscriptions: Recurring payments that automatically create expenses
- Expenses: One-time or manually added spending
Subscriptions help you remember and plan for recurring bills.
When are subscription expenses created?
On the billing date, Chamber automatically creates an expense for that subscription.
Can I pause a subscription?
Currently, you need to delete and re-add paused subscriptions. A pause feature is planned.
How do subscription alerts work?
If you link Telegram, Chamber sends you a message before the billing date (default: 7 days before).
Can I change the alert days?
Yes! When adding or editing a subscription, set "Alert Days" to your preference (e.g., 3, 7, 14 days).
What if I cancel a subscription?
Delete it from Chamber to stop future expenses and alerts.
Do subscriptions include free trials?
Add them when the paid period starts. You can add notes about trial periods in the description.
Why didn't I get an alert?
Check:
- Is your Telegram account linked?
- Are alert days set?
- Is the subscription active?
- Check your Telegram notification settings
Telegram Bot
Is the Telegram bot free?
Yes, using the Telegram bot is free. You just need a Telegram account.
Do I need to keep Telegram open?
No, the bot works even when Telegram is closed. You'll receive notifications when you open it.
Can I use Telegram on desktop?
Yes, Telegram works on mobile, desktop, and web. You can send expenses from any device.
What if the AI parses my message wrong?
You can:
- Edit the expense in the web app
- Be more specific in your next message
- Use the web app for complex expenses
Does the AI store my messages?
Messages are processed to extract expense details and then discarded. Receipts are stored securely for your records.
Can I add expenses via Telegram without linking?
No, you must link your Telegram account to Chamber first.
What happens if I unlink Telegram?
- You can no longer add expenses via Telegram
- Past expenses remain
- You can relink anytime
Can multiple people use the same Telegram bot?
Yes, but each person must link their own Chamber account. Expenses go to the linked account only.
Does Telegram work offline?
Messages queue when offline and send when you reconnect. However, the bot requires internet to process expenses.
Security & Privacy
Is my financial data secure?
Yes:
- Authentication via Clerk (industry standard)
- Data encrypted in transit and at rest
- Receipts stored in Cloudflare R2 with secure access
- Each user's data is isolated
Who can see my expenses?
Only you. Each user's data is private and isolated. No other user can see your expenses, accounts, or loans.
Are my receipts secure?
Yes:
- Stored in secure cloud storage (Cloudflare R2)
- Each receipt URL is unique and private
- Only you can access your receipts
- Links expire after a period of inactivity
Can I delete all my data?
Yes! Go to Settings → Delete Data. This permanently removes:
- All expenses
- All accounts
- All loans
- All subscriptions
- All receipts
- All settings
Warning: This cannot be undone.
Is my data backed up?
If you're self-hosting, you should set up your own backups. If using a hosted version, ask your provider about backup policies.
What happens to my data if I stop using Chamber?
Your data remains until you delete it or your account is removed. Export your data before leaving if you want to keep it.
Does Chamber sell my data?
No. Chamber is open-source and doesn't monetize user data.
Can I export my data?
Yes! Go to Settings → Export Data to download your expenses and subscriptions as CSV files.
Still Have Questions?
- Check the Troubleshooting Guide
- Review feature-specific documentation
- Open an issue on GitHub: Sukhendu2002/Chamber
Last Updated: April 2026