Where to keep expenses: Telegram, an app or a sheet
Galka does not have to beat a spreadsheet. She must say honestly where she is weaker.
Galka does not have to beat Excel. She has to not lie where she is weaker.
Who the chat is for
You already live in Telegram, you are willing to confirm a parse, and you do not want another app. Voice and a free phrase matter more than arbitrary columns.
Who a separate app is for
You need offline, your own charts, work without Telegram, another notification channel. Galka does not promise that.
Who a spreadsheet is for
You need your own formulas, exports into bookkeeping, columns like “project / VAT / accountant note.” The bot does not bend that way.
Galka’s limits without polish
No offline. Immutable journal: cancel is a reversal. Money without a neural net. In a group she stays quiet without a call-out or a clear spend. She does not parse a paper receipt from a photo. Not a bank.
| Job | Galka in Telegram | Separate app | Spreadsheet |
|---|---|---|---|
| Speed of entry | A phrase or voice, then “yes”; clear “coffee 80” saves at once | Depends on screens | Cell by hand |
| Manual fill | No form fields | Usually yes | You do it |
| Voice | Telegram voice, not the site mic | If built in | No |
| Free speech | Rules, not a money neural net | Varies | No |
| Categories | From a hook in the phrase, else “other” | Often a menu | As you set it |
| Shared access | One chat — one ledger | Invites into an account | File and permissions |
| Analytics | Total, shelves, search, PDF | Often charts | Pivot tables |
| Export | Detail PDF from balance | Often CSV | Already a sheet |
| Offline | No: Telegram required | Sometimes an offline draft | File on disk |
| Privacy | Visible to who is in the chat; “forget me” wipes the chat journal | Service account | Whoever has the file |
| Dependency | Telegram | Its own app | Excel / Sheets |
| Column flexibility | No arbitrary fields | As the vendor designed | Any columns |
| Start | Add the bot, name a purchase | Sign-up, onboarding | Sheet template |
Without crowning a winner
Is Galka always faster than a sheet?
For one phrase in chat — yes. For a pivot with ten columns — a sheet is more flexible.
Can I use it without Telegram?
No. The journal lives in the bot. The site does not run a mic or postings.
Is data only on my phone?
No. Telegram network is required. You can wipe the chat journal with “forget me” after a warning.
Why no app names?
We do not compare unchecked features of other products. We compare types: chat, app, spreadsheet.
