SaaP: The 8 Levels of Subscription Tracking (SubHound as a Process)
We all learn to track our spending. The journey is universal.
As the founder of SubHound, I find the process of how people manage recurring payments fascinating. Nobody is ever formally taught how to do it. We all teach ourselves, creating a system that evolves as our needs and frustrations grow.
I call it "Subscription as a Process" (SaaP). It's a ladder we all climb, one rung at a time, in a quest for control. I know this journey well because I climbed it myself. See if you recognise what level you're on.
Level 1: The Memory Bank
The first and riskiest level. You rely on your own brain to remember that your car insurance is due in July and that free trial ends next week. It's a state of constant, low-level anxiety, punctuated by moments of "Oh no, did I forget to cancel that?"
Level 2: The Paper Trail
This is how our parents did it. A list of bills and due dates in a notebook or pinned to a corkboard. It’s tangible and feels safe, until the notebook gets lost in a drawer or you're away from home and can't check it.
Level 3: The Digital Note
The start of independence. A simple list in your iPhone Notes or Google Keep. It feels modern, but it’s fragile. You can accidentally delete it, it has no structure, and it gets lost in a sea of shopping lists and meeting notes.
Level 4: The Spreadsheet
The great leap forward and the home of the true "DIY Optimizer." A Google Sheet or Excel file is powerful. You can have columns, totals, and dates. But soon, it gets messy. Formulas break, you can't easily view it on your phone, and most importantly: a spreadsheet can't send you a WhatsApp alert.
Level 5: The Calendar
The next logical step is adding alerts. You start plugging renewal dates into your Google or Apple Calendar. As we've discussed before, this is only half a solution. It tells you when a bill is due, but it gives you no financial big picture.
Level 6: The Reminder App
You try a dedicated reminder or to-do list app. But this just adds to the noise. These apps are often battery drains, and their generic push notifications get lost in the hundreds of other pings you get all day. It adds to the chaos, it doesn't create calm.
Level 7: The Work Tool
You're a power user, so you try a Notion template or another project management tool. The functionality is there, but the context is wrong. Your personal finances are now living next to your Q3 work projects. It blurs the line between work and life, and it's often far more complex than you need.
Level 8: The Dedicated Hub - SubHound
This is the final destination. The top of the ladder. It's not just another tool; it is the synthesis of all the levels before it, designed to keep the good parts and fix the bad.
It has the structure of a spreadsheet, without the mess.
It has the alerts of a calendar, but with the power of Email, SMS, and WhatsApp.
It has the focus of a dedicated app, without the battery drain or notification spam.
It provides a clear separation between your finances and the rest of your digital life.
This journey from memory to mastery is about slowly building a system you can trust. We built SubHound to be the last system you'll ever need.
The Upgrade Your System Deserves
When you're ready to move to the final level, the difference is clear.
Ready to Climb to Level 8?
Stop maintaining a fragile system and get the peace of mind of a dedicated, reliable tool. Start your free, no-card-required 30-day trial of SubHound today.
[CTA Button] Start My Free Trial