Questions, answered plainly

Can I still pay somewhere else?

Yes. We'd rather say it plainly.

Steady only covers purchases paid with PayPal through Steady. Today that means our demo shop. Real shops can join our pilot. Your other cards, other shops, and your own PayPal account outside Steady are not covered.

So Steady also helps you close other doors, if you want to. Guided setup walks you through protections you may already have, for example:

• PayPal's Gambling Block, in the UK
• gambling and online spending blocks in your banking app
• card alerts, sent to you or your partner
• purchase approval in app stores
• turning off one click buying at big stores

What we hope PayPal builds next: a second look inside every PayPal wallet, next to its Gambling Block. That block already waits 3 days before it can be switched off. With a second look built in, a pact would reach every shop that takes PayPal.

Is this a lock?

No. You keep paying for normal things yourself. Only purchases that match your own rules wait for a second look, and you can always let one go.

You can loosen the rules or end the pact early. The change takes effect 72 hours after you ask, and your partner can't block it. The wait is there so a choice made at 2 a.m. gets a night's sleep too.

What does "on hold, not taken" mean?

When a purchase is on hold, PayPal has placed a hold on the amount, but the shop hasn't been paid.

• If you keep it, or your partner approves it, PayPal takes the payment and the shop ships it.
• If it's let go, PayPal releases the hold and nothing is taken.

While it's on hold, the amount may show as pending in your PayPal account or at your bank. PayPal releases a hold at once, but your bank may take a few days to show it.

What happens if nobody answers a hold?

It's released, and nothing is taken. A purchase never goes through by default.

Each pact has a hold limit: 48 hours unless you choose otherwise, anywhere from 24 to 72 hours. Each hold shows the date and time it ends. There's no countdown.

What does my partner see?

You choose, in a setting called "What your partner sees."

• By default: purchases sent to them for a second look, plus weekly totals. Totals show how many purchases and how much, and how many night buys were kept or let go. No item details from your own morning reviews or everyday purchases.
• Or: everything.

You see everything your partner sees, including any questions they put to Ask Steady. Showing more takes effect at once. Showing less takes 72 hours.

What if I change my mind about the rules?

You can change them. How fast depends on which way the change goes.

• Stricter takes effect at once: tighter rules, lower limits, more for your partner to see, extra protections.
• Looser takes effect 72 hours after you ask: loosening a rule, raising a limit, shorter night hours, showing your partner less, changing or removing your partner, or ending early. You both see the date it takes effect. You can cancel the request before then. Your partner is told, but can't block it.
• Removing your partner without a new partner who accepts counts as ending early.
• Making the pact longer needs both of you.
• Your partner can suggest a stricter rule. It only applies if you agree.

Does the AI decide?

No. Your pact's rules decide, in plain code.

The AI can do one thing to a decision: if it sees a collection building, it can send a purchase for a closer look. It can never let through a purchase your rules would hold.

It never moves money. Only a person's press and hold, or a fixed rule like "release the hold after 48 hours," does that.

On the $8 plan, AI writes the reasons, the notes and the answers. For your summary, the AI chooses what to highlight, and Steady writes the words. Without the plan, or if the AI is down, the rules still work and the notes come from written templates.

Is my medicine data private?

Your medicine, doses and dates are yours.

• You and your partner can see them. Your care team sees them only if you share a summary link or a printout. Links stop working after 30 days, and you can delete one sooner.
• The AI sees medicine, dose and dates only to choose what your summary highlights, and Steady writes the words. The AI never sees your name, email, address or PayPal details.
• We don't sell your data, and we don't show ads.
• You can download everything, or delete everything, any time in Settings.

Read our privacy page

Do I need a partner?

Yes. A pact is made by two people: you, and someone you trust, like a spouse, an adult child or a close friend. Your pact starts when you've both signed. For now, every pact needs a partner.

Who is this not for?

• Someone whose memory or thinking makes a pact unfair to them. A pact relies on agreeing to it on a good day, and on being able to change your mind. If that's hard now, talk to the care team about other kinds of support, such as a power of attorney.
• Someone who doesn't want it. A pact only works with consent. It isn't a way to watch someone.
• Anyone who needs every card and every shop covered. Steady only covers purchases paid through Steady.
• Anyone looking for medical advice. Steady shows patterns. It doesn't diagnose. If you notice new urges to buy or gamble, talk to your care team, and talk to them before changing any medicine.