Actual is a free open-source personal finance app that implements envelope budgeting, assigning money already held to category envelopes before it is spent. It serves individuals and households who budget by giving every dollar a job, running on their own devices and working offline, with an optional self-hosted server keeping clients in sync.[1][2]
Quick verdict
Individuals and households who budget by giving every dollar a job will get the most from Actual. Its envelope budgets live on your own devices and keep working offline, with an optional self-hosted server keeping desktop and browser clients in sync. The price of that independence is operational responsibility, so anyone who wants automatic bank connections and polished mobile apps with zero maintenance should stay with a SaaS budget tool instead. If you can deploy a small server or pay a few dollars a month for managed hosting, choose Actual; if you need hands-off sync and bank feeds, choose a hosted service.[1][2][3]
Key features
Envelope budgets built from cash on hand: every dollar is assigned to an envelope before spending, which enforces the give-every-dollar-a-job discipline rather than forecasting income.[1]
Local-first data that works offline: the budget file lives on each device, so budgeting, reports, and edits keep working without a connection.[1]
Self-hosted sync across clients: the Actual server on Docker, Fly.io, PikaPods, or a source build keeps desktop and browser clients aligned in the background.[1]
Optional end-to-end encryption: budget data can be encrypted so the sync host cannot read it, with the password entered on each device.[1]
Bank sync through regional providers: GoCardless covers the EU and UK, SimpleFIN covers the US and Canada, Pluggy.ai covers Latin America, with Enable Banking and Akahu in the mix; credentials are arranged and held by the user.[1]
File import plus YNAB migration paths: QIF, OFX, QFX, CAMT.053, and CSV imports cover manual history, and YNAB4 and nYNAB importers preserve history for switchers.[1]
Schedules, splits, rules, and undo: recurring schedules, split transactions, linked two-sided transfers, automation rules, and full undo and redo cover daily bookkeeping.[1][2]
Reports and programmatic access: net worth, cash flow, and custom reports summarize the budget, and the @actual-app/api Node.js client opens the same data to custom importers and scripts.[1]
Who will love it
YNAB-style envelope budgeters avoiding subscriptions: the envelope method survives intact with no per-month software fee, and YNAB importers carry history across.[1][2]
Privacy-minded households keeping finance data local: budgets live on owned devices with optional end-to-end encryption, and there are no ads or cloud accounts in the loop.[1]
Self-hosters already running small services: anyone comfortable with Docker, Fly.io, or PikaPods gets multi-device sync without handing data to a finance SaaS.[1]
Who should avoid it
People who want automatic bank feeds with zero effort: bank sync is manual to arrange per provider, credentials sit with the user, and coverage varies by region.[1]
Non-technical users needing multi-device sync: sync requires deploying and maintaining a server or renting managed hosting, which is real operational work.[1]
Mobile-first budgeters: the mobile app is still in development with testers wanted, so a phone-centered workflow has no finished client yet.[1]
Alternatives and compatibility
A hosted envelope SaaS remains the right choice when automatic bank connections, finished mobile apps, and zero maintenance carry the workflow.[1]
No published catalogue relationship edges exist for Actual, so no canonical alternatives links are proposed in this revision.[1]
Migration in is supported through YNAB4, nYNAB, and file importers, while bank-sync tokens on the server sit outside end-to-end encryption, so hosting choice matters for credential exposure.[1]
Questions worth asking
What is the best Actual alternative for non-technical users?
A hosted budgeting service is the safer pick when you need automatic bank connections, finished mobile apps, and zero server maintenance. Actual needs no code for daily budgeting, but syncing across devices assumes server skills or paid managed hosting.[1]
Is Actual really no-code?
How much does Actual cost per month?
Can you self-host Actual?
Yes. The Actual server deploys via Docker, Fly.io, PikaPods, or a source build, and the official docs recommend the hosted or PikaPods paths for simplicity. Self-hosting means owning updates and backups, and bank-sync tokens on the server sit outside end-to-end encryption, so choose the host with credential exposure in mind.[1]
Sources and editorial review
Source research. Reviewed on October 7, 2026. Written by Sanjib Sah. AI assisted; reviewed by a human editor.
We have not run or tested this product.
- Actual Budget Documentation
official · Observed October 7, 2026
Official docs index; envelope method, monthly cycle, schedules, mobile workstream
- Installation - Actual Budget Documentation
official · Observed October 7, 2026
Official install guide; server options, hosting responsibility, bank providers
- Actual Budget
official · Observed October 7, 2026
Official homepage; free/MIT stance, feature list, E2EE, importers
Compared with these products
No explicit proprietary baseline is recorded.