Support & FAQ
Tjatjie
Help with your lists, recipes, receipts and budget.
Here are answers to the questions we hear most about Tjatjie. Can't find what you're looking for? Scroll to the bottom and send us an email — we're happy to help.
Getting started
Do I need an account to use Tjatjie?
No. You can open Tjatjie and start building a shopping list right away — no sign-up, no password. You only need to sign in to iCloud if you want to share a list with your family or keep it in sync across your own devices.
Does Tjatjie work offline?
Yes. Your lists work without a connection, so you can keep checking off items in a store with bad signal. Shared lists catch up and sync again automatically once you're back online.
Which devices does Tjatjie run on?
Tjatjie is an app for iPhone and iPad. It isn't available on Android or the web at the moment.
How much does Tjatjie cost?
Tjatjie is launching soon and we'll share full pricing at launch. The core list and budget features are designed to be usable without any paid service of your own — receipt scanning includes a limited number of free AI uses, after which you can add your own OpenAI key or simply enter items by hand.
Shopping lists
How do I create a shopping list?
Add a new list, give it a name, and start adding items. You can keep several lists side by side — for example a weekly groceries list and a separate one for a party or a DIY run.
What can I add to an item?
Each item can have a quantity, a note, and a photo. The quantity helps you grab the right amount, the note is handy for details like a brand or size, and the photo makes the exact product easy to spot on the shelf.
Can I order the list the way I walk through the store?
Yes. You can organise items by route — your aisles or categories — so the list follows your path through the shop instead of making you backtrack.
Why would I add a photo to an item?
A photo takes the guesswork out of shopping. When someone else added the item, or there are ten similar products on the shelf, you just glance at the picture to grab exactly the right one — or show it to a staff member if you can't find it.
Sharing with family
How do I share a list with my family?
Share a list and everyone you invite can add to it from their own iPhone or iPad. Your partner adds the milk, the kids add the snacks, and it all lands on one list before anyone leaves the house.
Do I need iCloud to share?
Yes. Sharing and syncing run on iCloud, so you'll need to be signed in to iCloud on your device to invite others or sync across your own devices. You can still use Tjatjie on a single device without iCloud.
How fast do shared changes show up?
Changes sync across iPhone and iPad over iCloud, so when someone ticks off the bread you see it update on your side. If a device is offline, it syncs the moment it reconnects.
Can everyone on a shared list make changes?
Yes. A shared list is meant to be worked on together — everyone you've shared it with can add items, edit them, and check them off.
Scanning receipts
How does receipt scanning work?
Take a photo of your receipt and Tjatjie can pull the items and prices off it, so you don't have to type everything in by hand to keep track of your spending.
Does scanning use AI?
It can. Tjatjie can use AI (OpenAI / ChatGPT) to read the receipt and pull out items and prices for you. Using AI is optional, and you can always review and correct the items afterwards.
Do I need my own OpenAI API key?
Not to get started. There's a limited number of free AI scans included. After that you can add your own OpenAI API key in Settings to keep using automatic scanning, or simply enter items manually instead.
Can I track prices without scanning at all?
Absolutely. Scanning is just a shortcut. You can type items and prices in by hand at any time, and your budget charts work exactly the same.
Recipes
How do I add a recipe?
You can type a recipe in by hand, or let Tjatjie pull one in for you from a website link or a photo.
Can I import a recipe from a website?
Yes. Paste a recipe's web link and Tjatjie brings in the ingredients for you, so you don't have to retype the whole list.
Can I import a recipe from a photo?
Yes. Take a photo of a recipe — from a cookbook or a card — and Tjatjie can read the ingredients from the picture.
What if the recipe is in another language?
Tjatjie can translate an imported recipe automatically, so a recipe you found abroad lands in a language you can read.
How do recipes turn into a shopping list?
One tap adds a recipe's ingredients straight to your shopping list. Pick what you're cooking and the things you need to buy are ready to go.
Budget & spending
How do I set a budget?
Set a budget and the period it covers, and Tjatjie keeps a running total of what you've spent against it so you always know where you stand.
How does Tjatjie know what I've spent?
Spending comes from the prices on your items — whether you scanned them off a receipt or typed them in. Tjatjie adds them up and compares the total to your budget.
Can I compare spending over time?
Yes. Tjatjie builds monthly and yearly comparison charts so you can see where your grocery money goes — and spot where the same shop costs more one month than another.
Is there a home-screen widget?
Yes. A home-screen widget shows your budget at a glance, so you can keep an eye on spending without even opening the app.
Bonus cards & photos
Can I store my loyalty cards?
Yes. Save photos of your bonus and loyalty cards right next to your list, so they're one tap away at the register instead of buried in your wallet.
Where are my item photos kept?
Item photos live with the item on your list, and if the list is shared they sync to everyone on it — so the photo you added shows up for whoever does the shopping.
Settings & permissions
Can I use a dark theme?
Yes. In Settings you can choose light, dark, or automatic, so Tjatjie can follow your device's appearance through the day.
What else can I set up?
Settings let you set a default budget, choose how your lists are sorted, add your OpenAI API key for receipt scanning, and toggle Apple's translation for recipes.
Why does Tjatjie ask for camera and photo access?
Camera and photo library access are used for scanning receipts, importing recipes from a photo, and adding pictures to your items and cards. iCloud access is optional and only needed for sharing and syncing. You decide on each one.
What does the translation setting do?
It lets you turn Apple's on-device translation on or off for recipes, so an imported recipe can be translated into a language you read.
Still need help?
Can't find your answer here? Send us an email and we'll get back to you. Tell us which device you're on and what you were trying to do — it helps us help you faster.
Email Tjatjie support