How to prevent overspending an envelope

What happens by default?

With standard envelopes, an empty envelope doesn’t automatically stop a purchase. Your card pays from your Envelope account, and you assign the transaction to an envelope afterward. If that envelope needs more money, you can top it off while assigning.

This Food delivery envelope has $48.93. A $50 transaction could still succeed if the overall account had enough funds.

Choose your spending control

Auto-lock: choose before each purchase

Enable Auto-lock on your physical card. Before buying, open the app, select an envelope, and unlock the card.

If the purchase exceeds the selected envelope’s available balance, it declines, even if you have money elsewhere in your account. After a successful purchase, the card locks again automatically.

Envelope virtual card: always use one envelope

Create a virtual card connected to a specific envelope. Purchases are assigned there automatically, and the card’s spending limit follows that envelope’s available balance. You don’t need to unlock it before each purchase.

With either option, $20 in Dining Out means a $30 purchase declines.

Does Auto-lock work with Apple Pay?

Yes—use your physical card’s details in Apple Wallet. Auto-lock follows the card you added, even when you pay with your phone.

The general virtual card does not use Auto-lock.

What about Amazon and important bills?

Amazon may charge when an order ships, after your physical card has locked again. Use the general virtual card to avoid Auto-lock declines for delayed purchases or important bills.

An envelope virtual card also avoids the unlock requirement, but its envelope must have enough money when the charge arrives.

Set it up

Follow the Auto-lock guide or Virtual cards guide.