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Actual Budget
Open-source, local-first envelope budgeting app you can run as a desktop app or self-host with a sync server.
Release v26.10.0 on 2026-10-02; last push 2026-10-25 (gh api repos/actualbudget/actual). (checked 2026-10-25)
In Budgeting apps
Where it stands apart
- How is the main thing licensed? permissive open source (MIT/Apache/BSD) (5% of 21 others)
- How is it mainly sustained? community, foundation, or research (0% of 21 others)
- Who is it for? both (10% of 21 others)
- What is the main way it helps you budget? envelope or zero-based (every dollar gets a job) (10% of 21 others)
What it shares with most of the community
- Is it actively maintained? active (90% of 21 others)
- Does it have built-in AI features, and where does the AI run? no built-in AI (55% of 20 others)
- Can two or more people (a couple or household) work on the same finances in it? yes (53% of 15 others)
Nearest neighbors
- Firefly III 69% of 16 shared answers match
- Coinvane 65% of 17 shared answers match
- TallyMint 50% of 16 shared answers match
Every answer
| Question | Answer | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Is it actively maintained? | active | source 2026-10-26 |
| How is the main thing licensed? | stands apart permissive open source (MIT/Apache/BSD) | source 2026-10-26 |
| How is it mainly sustained? | stands apart community, foundation, or research Volunteer open-source project funded by donations (Donate link on the docs site). | source 2026-10-26 |
| Can it run entirely on your own device or infrastructure, without the maker's servers? | yes Desktop app works alone; the optional sync server is self-hosted. | source 2026-10-26 |
| Do you need an account to use it? | no account No account with any maker; multi-user on a server needs an OpenID provider. | source 2026-10-26 |
| Who is it for? | stands apart both Usable by non-developers, but sync and bank connections need a self-hosted server. | source 2026-10-26 |
| Which shared standard or format does it mainly build on? | bank statement and export files (CSV, OFX/QFX, QIF, PDF) File import (QIF, OFX, QFX, CAMT.053, CSV) is core; bank sync is optional via six separate providers. | source 2026-10-26 |
| How do transactions mainly get in? | automatic bank sync through an aggregator (Plaid, SimpleFIN, Enable Banking, GoCardless) Bank sync via Akahu, Enable Banking, GoCardless (closed to new accounts), SimpleFIN, Pluggy; file import is also common. | source 2026-10-26 |
| Can it sync with your bank automatically, and does that cost more than the app itself? | yes, for an extra cost (a higher tier or a separately paid sync service) Provider-dependent: SimpleFIN (North America) is a separately paid service; some European providers have free personal tiers. | source 2026-10-26 |
| What is the main way it helps you budget? | stands apart envelope or zero-based (every dollar gets a job) Docs: envelope / zero-sum budgeting. | source 2026-10-26 |
| In the default setup, where is your financial data mainly stored? | on your own device only Local-first: data on your device, optionally synced through a server you run. | source 2026-10-26 |
| Does it have built-in AI features, and where does the AI run? | no built-in AI No AI features in the docs. | source 2026-10-26 |
| Can you point your own AI assistant at your data (MCP server, agent skill, or open API)? | yes Official @actual-app/api Node package gives full programmatic access. | source 2026-10-26 |
| How do people pay for it? | free, no paid option Free; donations accepted. | source 2026-10-26 |
| Where do you mainly use it? | web browser Runs in the browser from the sync server; desktop app also available. | source 2026-10-26 |
| Can two or more people (a couple or household) work on the same finances in it? | yes Multi-user support on a self-hosted server. | source 2026-10-26 |
| Is privacy the headline of how it presents itself? | mentioned, but not the headline Tagline is 'local-first personal finance app' rather than a privacy pitch. | source 2026-10-26 |
Sources
This page was derived from:
- GitHub · github.com/actualbudget/actual · read 2026-10-25
- Web page · actualbudget.org/docs/advanced/bank-sync · collected 2026-10-26
- Web page · actualbudget.org/docs/api/ · collected 2026-10-26
- Web page · actualbudget.org/docs/config/multi-user · collected 2026-10-26
- Web page · actualbudget.org/docs/getting-started/envelope-budgeting · collected 2026-10-26
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