Pocketbook (application)

Last updated
Pocketbook
TypeFinance
Founded2012
FounderAlvin Singh, Bosco Tan, Finlay Harrison
Headquarters
Sydney, New South Wales Australia
Area served
Australia
Parent Zip Co Limited
Website getpocketbook.com

Pocketbook is a Sydney-based free budget planner and personal finance app launched in 2012. [1] [2] The app helps users setup and manage budgets, track spending and manage bills. [3] Pocketbook is the first personal finance app in Australia to offer users the ability to manage their money through linking their bank accounts. [4] As of 2016 Pocketbook claims to support over 250,000 Australians, [5] in January 2018 that number was 435,000. [6]

Contents

History

Pocketbook is founded by Alvin Singh and Bosco Tan in 2012. [7] It was conceived in 2011 in a Wolli Creek apartment as a tool for Alvin and Bosco to take control of their money. [8] The app has been featured on CNET, Business Insider and other popular media outlets. [9] In September 2016, Pocketbook was acquired by ZIP Co Ltd (ASX :  Z1P). [10]

Features

The app syncs with the bank account of users and organizes spending into different categories. [11] Users of the app can be reminded of bill payments, analyse spending and set spending limits. [12] They can also be alerted of fraudulent transactions and deductions. [13] The app employs security measures like end to end encryption, CloudFlare protection, fraud detection, identity protection etc. [14] Pocketbook is available via web and mobile version. [1]

Funding rounds

Pocketbook has raised $500,000 from technology fund Tank Stream Ventures which is co-founded and backed by Markus Kahlbetzer. Other investors include TV personality David Koch, Geoff Levy, David Shein and Peter Cooper. [15] In September 2016 Digital retail finance and payment industry player zipMoney (ASX:Z1P) bought Pocketbook in a $7.5m deal [16]

Awards

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References

  1. 1 2 "Keeping your hip pocket healthy". The Australian. 2 May 2016. Retrieved 5 January 2017.
  2. ↑ Lim, Jason. "Aussie Personal Finance Startup Pocketbook Hits 100,000 Users". Forbes . Archived from the original on September 12, 2014. Retrieved 5 January 2017.
  3. ↑ Courtenay, Adam (1 June 2016). "Best apps to manage your money". The Sydney Morning Herald . Retrieved 5 January 2017.
  4. ↑ Williams, Hayley. "Top Five Apps For Tax Time". Lifehacker . Retrieved 5 January 2017.
  5. ↑ "Afterpay and zipMoney: New instalment of old idea gains momentum". The Australian . Retrieved 7 February 2017.
  6. ↑ "Z1P Quarterly Report" (PDF).
  7. ↑ "Pocketbook moves into mortgages". The Australian. 8 June 2016. Retrieved 5 January 2017.
  8. ↑ "Zipmoney Announces Completion of Pocketbook Acquisition". Morningstar, Inc. 12 September 2016. Retrieved 23 January 2017.
  9. ↑ Pash, Chris (12 September 2016). "zipMoney has grabbed fintech Pocketbook in a $7.5 million deal". Business Insider . Retrieved 5 January 2017.
  10. ↑ "zipMoney raises $20.6m". News. Special Broadcasting Service . Retrieved 23 January 2017.
  11. ↑ "Kochie's best money apps". News.com.au . Retrieved 12 February 2017.
  12. ↑ Long, Christine (17 March 2015). "Budget? Bills? Banking? App to it". The Sydney Morning Herald . Retrieved 12 February 2017.
  13. ↑ "The financial perks of off-season travel". The Gazette (Cedar Rapids) . Retrieved 12 February 2017.
  14. ↑ "Security - Pocketbook". Official website. Retrieved 12 February 2017.
  15. ↑ "Money management startup Pocketbook gets $500,000 from Markus Kahlbetzer's Tank Stream and investors including TV's Kochie". The Australian Financial Review. 14 November 2013. Retrieved 12 February 2017.
  16. ↑ Pash, Chris (2016-09-12). "zipMoney has grabbed fintech Pocketbook in a $7.5 million deal". Business Insider Australia. Retrieved 2018-02-12.
  17. ↑ Staff Reporter (2017-02-24). "Fintech Business Awards 2017 winners revealed" . Retrieved 2018-02-12.
  18. ↑ Hasan, Riaz (2017-11-10). "2017 Winners". MyBusiness Awards 2017. Retrieved 2018-02-12.
  19. ↑ "Pocketbook – best finance app of 2016". Australian FinTech. 2016-11-29. Retrieved 2017-10-24.
  20. ↑ "Best Personal Finance App: Pocketbook". Finder.com.au. 10 November 2016. Retrieved 23 January 2017.
  21. ↑ "Over 3100 attendees gathered in Sydney for StartCon and the Australasian Startup Awards 2016". StartCon. Retrieved 23 January 2017.
  22. ↑ Powell, Rose (27 March 2014). "All the winners from the 2014 StartupSmart awards". StartupSmart. Retrieved 7 February 2017.
  23. ↑ "Grand Finale at Sibos, Dubai". Innotribe.com. Retrieved 7 February 2017.
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