Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Bucket List app?

Bucket List is a mobile and web app (iOS, Android, Web) for capturing life goals, turning them into actionable plans, tracking progress, and reflecting on completions. It bridges the gap between vague aspiration ("someday I want to...") and real action — with sub-tasks, budgets, target dates, and a reflection journal for when you finish something.

Do I need to create an account?

No. An anonymous session is created automatically on first launch — no sign-in screen, no account required. You can create items, organize with tags, add sub-tasks and budgets, and complete goals entirely on-device without any account. An account is only needed at purchase moments (removing ads or subscribing for sync), and account creation is part of those flows.

How do I add my first bucket list item?

On first launch, you'll see a prompt to "Add your first bucket list item." Type a title and tap add. Just a title is enough to get started — you can add description, tags, target date, sub-tasks, and a budget any time by opening the item's detail view. If you prefer to explore first, tap "Skip" and you'll land directly on your list.

What are tags and how do I use them?

Tags are user-created labels for organizing your items. There are no predefined tags — create the ones that make sense to you, like #travel, #career, #just-for-me, or #family. Assign multiple tags to an item from its detail view. On the main list screen, tap the filter icon to show only items with a specific tag. You can rename or delete tags from the tag management screen (changes apply to all items using that tag).

What are sub-tasks?

Sub-tasks let you break a bucket list item into specific, actionable steps. Open an item and tap "Add Sub-Task." Each sub-task has a title and optional notes. Check them off as you complete them — the item shows a progress indicator ("3 of 7 steps") and a progress bar in the list view. Sub-tasks can be reordered via drag-and-drop, edited inline, or deleted with a confirmation dialog.

How does budget and cost tracking work?

Open an item and go to the budget section. Set an estimated budget (a target cost amount), then add individual cost line items with a label and amount — for example, "Flights: $800" or "Hotel: $500." The app shows a summary of estimated budget vs. total actual spending, and how much remains or is over budget. Currency formatting follows your device locale. You can sort your main list by estimated budget to see the most or least expensive goals.

How do I mark an item as complete?

Open the item and change its status to "Completed." A confetti celebration animation plays. After the celebration, a reflection prompt appears where you can write about the experience, give it a 1–5 star rating, set the completion date, and attach photos. All reflection fields are optional — tap Skip if you prefer. Once complete, the item moves to the Completed tab and stays there as a permanent record.

Can I edit my reflection after saving it?

Yes. Open any completed item from the Completed tab and tap the edit button on the reflection. You can update the text, change the star rating, add or remove photos, and modify the completion date. Changes save immediately.

What does the Upcoming tab show?

The Upcoming tab shows all items that have a target date set in the future. It's useful for planning ahead — you can see which goals are on the horizon and prioritize your focus. Items with past target dates no longer appear in Upcoming but remain in the All tab and their respective status tab.

How does search work?

A search bar at the top of the My List screen searches across item titles, descriptions, tags, sub-task titles, and reflection text. Results update in real-time as you type (debounced at 300ms). Matched text is highlighted in results. Search works fully offline — it queries your local database. Tap the clear button to reset.

What is cloud sync and which tier provides it?

Cloud sync (Tier C subscription) keeps your bucket list synchronized across all your devices automatically. Changes sync when your device reconnects to the internet or when the app comes to the foreground. Sync status shows as "synced," "syncing," "pending changes," or "sync error" so you always know the state of your data. Tier A (Free) and Tier B (Ad-Free) users have local storage only — data does not sync across devices and is not recoverable after reinstalling without an account and sync enabled.

What push notifications does the app send?

Tier C subscribers can receive three types of notifications: (1) target date reminders as a goal's date approaches (configurable lead time: 1, 3, 7, 14, or 30 days in advance), (2) a weekly digest of In Progress items as a sub-task reminder, and (3) a weekly engagement nudge to review or add items. Each notification type can be toggled on or off in Settings → Notifications. Tapping a notification deep-links directly to the relevant item.

What is the difference between Free, Ad-Free, and Subscription tiers?

• Free (Tier A): Full on-device functionality — CRUD, sub-tasks, budgets, reflections, search, offline storage — all included with no account required. Banner and interstitial ads are shown.
• Ad-Free (Tier B): A one-time purchase that removes all ads permanently. No additional features beyond ad removal. Requires account creation at purchase.
• Subscription (Tier C): Monthly or annual subscription that removes ads, adds cloud sync across devices, and adds push notification reminders for upcoming goals. Account required.

What happens to my data if I lose my phone?

If you were on the Free or Ad-Free tier with no account and no sync, your data is stored locally only and cannot be recovered after a reinstall. This is the primary reason to subscribe to Tier C — cloud sync ensures your data survives device loss, reinstalls, and device switches. If you had Tier C active and an account linked, your data will sync down to a fresh install after you sign in.