Frequently Asked Questions

Tip Bucket is a free tip tracking app designed for the service industry. It lets servers, bartenders, delivery drivers, and other tipped workers log their daily earnings, track trends over time, manage multiple jobs, and generate reports — all from their phone or web browser.

Yes, Tip Bucket is 100% free. There are no subscriptions, no ads, no paywalls, and no feature restrictions. Every user gets access to every feature at no cost. An optional "Tip Jar" lets you support development, but it unlocks nothing — everything is already available.

Tip Bucket is available on iOS (iPhone and iPad) via the App Store and as a web app at tipbucket.aka0.net. An Android version is coming soon. Your data syncs across all platforms via the cloud.

Visit tipbucket.aka0.net/register or download the iOS app and tap "Create Account." You'll need an email address and a password. Account creation takes about 30 seconds.

Yes, you need a free account to use Tip Bucket on the web. This allows your data to sync securely across devices and ensures your information is backed up in the cloud.

Yes. You can add as many jobs as you need, each with their own pay rates, schedules, and default settings. Your dashboard aggregates all earnings, and analytics can be filtered by individual job.

Yes. Each job can have its own pay period start day (any day of the week) and pay frequency (weekly, bi-weekly, semi-monthly, or monthly). Dashboard comparisons and reports automatically align to your pay periods.

Tip Bucket provides a comprehensive analytics dashboard including: monthly earnings totals, shift averages, 6-month trending charts, bi-weekly and bi-monthly comparisons, quarterly performance tracking, and your top earning day for the current and previous year.

Yes. You can generate reports by date range and job, then export your data. This is especially useful for tax preparation or sharing records with your accountant.

Tags are custom labels you can add to any tip entry to categorize shifts. For example, you might tag entries with "patio," "holiday," "CES," or "double." You can then filter your analytics by tag to see which types of shifts earn you the most.

Yes. Tip Bucket has full dark mode support on both iOS and web. Dark mode is the default and features an elegant emerald-themed design that looks great and reduces eye strain.

Yes. Tip Bucket has separate fields for cash tips and credit card tips on every entry. You can also track tip outs, sales, covers, mileage, and clock in/out times.

Yes. Tip Bucket creates a date-by-date record of your tip income that aligns with IRS requirements (Publication 1244). You can generate reports by date range and job to simplify tax preparation. Read our complete guide on tracking tips for taxes.

Yes. The Reports section lets you select a date range and job to generate detailed earnings summaries. Reports include total tips, shift count, averages, and breakdowns that are useful for tax filing.

No. Tip Bucket does not report any data to the IRS or any government agency. It is a personal tracking tool. You are responsible for reporting your tip income to your employer and the IRS as required by law.

Yes. All data is encrypted in transit using HTTPS/TLS and backed up daily. We never sell, share, or monetize your personal information. See our privacy policy for complete details.

Yes. Your Tip Bucket account syncs across all your devices via the cloud. Log tips on your iPhone and view analytics on your laptop — everything stays in sync automatically.

Your data is safe. Because Tip Bucket stores your data in the cloud, you can log into your account from any device or web browser and all your tip history will be there.

Visit tipbucket.aka0.net/forgot-password and enter your email address. You'll receive a password reset link. If you don't see it, check your spam folder or contact [email protected].

Spreadsheets can track numbers, but Tip Bucket offers automatic analytics, trend charts, pay period comparisons, mobile-first data entry, cloud sync, and tagging — features that would take hours to build and maintain in a spreadsheet. Tip Bucket is purpose-built for tip tracking.

Tip Bucket is the only major tip tracking app that offers its complete feature set for free with no ads. Competitors like TipSee and Tip Tracker lock key features (multiple jobs, exports, custom pay periods) behind paid subscriptions and show ads in free tiers. Tip Bucket also uniquely offers web access and cloud sync.