Allowance lets iPhone users approve AI purchases with temporary card credentials

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Allowance is an iPhone finance app for people who want AI agents to help with shopping and other purchases without exposing a real card number. It is listed as “Allowance — Agent Wallet” on the App Store, where the developer says you approve every payment, keep earning rewards on your card, and let the app create a one-time payment credential for each purchase. The product is presented as part of the Spring 2026 YC batch. (apps.apple.com; ycombinator.com)

On its website, Allowance describes itself as an agent wallet with rules. Users can set spending limits, lock permissions to a specific merchant, let allowances auto-expire, see every transaction logged, and revoke access instantly. The company also says your AI never sees your card number, because Allowance creates a temporary credential for each purchase. The site frames this as a way to let AI agents complete tasks such as shopping while humans stay in control of approvals. (useallowance.com)

The app is built for people who want to delegate buying decisions to an AI agent but still review the final checkout step. Allowance says you can use it in iMessage or WhatsApp, connect it to ChatGPT, Claude, or other MCP-compatible agents, or chat directly in the Allowance app. The website also says it works with supported merchants and that the app lets you manage permissions and see receipts in one place. (useallowance.com; apps.apple.com)

For setup and requirements, the App Store listing says Allowance is only for iPhone, is free, and requires iOS 18.0 or later. Apple also notes that the developer has not yet indicated accessibility features, and that the listed privacy information has not been verified by Apple. The app description says it is intended for safe AI payments, but its practical scope depends on supported merchants and on the permissions the user chooses to grant. (apps.apple.com; useallowance.com)