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Actual Budget

Free, open-source, local-first envelope budgeting you host yourself

Visit Actual Budget

Research-based review, not hands-on testing. Last researched .

Overview

Actual Budget is a free, MIT-licensed envelope budgeting app that keeps your data on your own devices and syncs through a server you run (or rent for a couple of dollars a month). It began as a commercial product by James Long, was open-sourced in 2022, and is now maintained by volunteers. Expect strong budgeting and reports, optional bank sync, and a bit of setup work.

Best for: Budgeters who want real envelope budgeting, full control of their data, and are fine with (or willing to pay a few dollars a month for) self-hosting

Pros and cons

Pros

  • Free and MIT-licensed; you can self-host, run the desktop app, or rent hosting
  • Real envelope budgeting: you only budget money you actually have, with clear rollover rules and Hold for Next Month
  • Local-first: works offline and syncs in the background, with optional end-to-end encryption
  • Imports QIF, OFX, QFX, CAMT.053 and CSV, plus YNAB4 and nYNAB importers
  • Custom reports, schedules, rules and an npm API package for developers
  • Active monthly release cadence and a large volunteer community

Cons

  • Needs a server for browser, phone and multi-device use, so there is a setup step
  • No official native mobile apps (deprecated); the installable web app (PWA) is the mobile route
  • Bank sync requires your own provider account and server; automatic syncing can be enabled, but runs only while Actual is open. Provider coverage varies by region.
  • Bank sync tokens sit on the server and are not covered by end-to-end encryption
  • Support comes from volunteers via Discord and GitHub; no paid support
  • No investment tracking beyond balances in off-budget accounts; no confirmed true multi-currency support

Features

  • Envelope budgeting included
  • Automatic bank sync included
  • Manual transaction entry included
  • Goal tracking included
  • Debt payoff tools included
  • Investment tracking not included
  • Bill reminders not included
  • Reports & charts included
  • Multi-currency not included
  • Shared / household budgets included
  • Separate logins for shared budgets not confirmed not confirmed

Envelope budgeting with rollover and hold-for-next-month, schedules and rules, custom reports (net worth, cash flow), split transactions, transfers, undo/redo, dark mode and themes, OpenID login for multi-user servers, experimental Monte Carlo retirement report

Our review

The short version

Actual Budget is a free, open-source envelope budgeting app that stores data locally and syncs through a server you control (or rent). The budgeting tools are substantial; the trade-off is setup and maintenance. Its latest stable release I verified is 26.10.0, dated October 2, 2026.

This is a research-based profile from public docs, release notes and the project site—not hands-on testing. I did not create an account or connect a bank.

How it works

Actual follows envelope budgeting: assign available money to categories and track spending against those balances. The docs describe rollover, schedules and reports. It also supports file imports, split transactions and multiple budgets. Desktop apps can run without a server, but browser/mobile access, multi-device sync and bank sync require one.

Cost

The software is free and MIT-licensed. Self-hosting is free aside from your own infrastructure. Managed hosting and bank sync are separate services with separate charges; listed hosting estimates vary by provider and source. Actual's docs state SimpleFIN is about $15/year. Check the providers' current prices before subscribing.

Bank sync and privacy

Bank sync is optional and requires a server plus your own provider credentials. Supported providers cover North America, Europe, New Zealand and Brazil; GoCardless is not accepting new accounts. The docs now describe configurable automatic syncing, but syncing occurs only while Actual is open; manual sync remains available. This corrects older descriptions that characterized it as manual-only.

Bank-sync credentials are stored on the server and are not protected by Actual's end-to-end encryption. Budget data can use optional E2EE. Review the hosting and provider arrangements that fit your privacy needs.

Mobile and support

Official native mobile apps are deprecated. Actual's responsive, installable web app is the supported phone route; community-built clients are unofficial. The project is maintained by volunteers, with community support and no paid support desk confirmed in the listing.

Who it suits

A good fit for people who want envelope budgeting, open-source software and control over where their data lives, and who are comfortable setting up or paying for a server. Less suitable for people who expect a turnkey hosted service with native mobile apps and staffed support.

Recent development

Release 26.10.0 (October 2, 2026) improved transaction editing and imports, made version-mismatch syncing more resilient, added an in-app notifications page, and introduced experimental account grouping in a redesigned sidebar.

Bottom line

Actual pairs a capable envelope-budgeting system with a genuinely free, self-hostable core. Its costs show up in hosting and optional bank-data providers; its main practical hurdle is operating the server. The documentation and release history indicate active ongoing development.

Sources

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