Actual Budget is a free, open-source budgeting app that uses envelope-style budgeting to help you track spending without syncing data to the cloud. It offers bank import, multi-currency support, and complete privacy by storing your data locally on your device or server.

Camp one: polished, expensive, and hungry for your data. YNAB costs $109 per year. Mint sold your transaction history to advertisers until Intuit shut it down. EveryDollar pushes you toward a $17.99 monthly subscription. These apps work well, but you pay—either with money or with privacy.

Camp two: free and private, but clunky. OpenLedger, Firefly III, and GnuCash keep your data local, but they look like accounting software from 2003. The learning curve is steep. The interface fights you. And mobile support? Often nonexistent.

Actual Budget is the rare exception that sits in the middle.

It's free. It's open source. Your data lives on your own device or server—no third-party access, no subscription, no data mining. And unlike most privacy-first tools, it actually looks and feels like modern software.

If you're looking for a YNAB alternative that doesn't cost money or harvest your financial life, Actual Budget deserves a serious look.

What Is Actual Budget?

Actual Budget is an open-source budgeting application built around envelope-style budgeting (also called zero-based budgeting). You allocate every dollar you earn to a specific category before you spend it. When the money in a category runs out, you stop spending—or consciously move money from another category.

The project was originally created by James Long, a developer known for building polished open-source tools. After a period of commercial development, the code was released under an open-source license and is now maintained by a community of contributors.

The core promise is simple: professional-grade budgeting software that respects your privacy and doesn't cost anything.

How It Works

Actual Budget operates on a few fundamental principles:

1. Your budget is local. The default setup stores your data in a local SQLite file on your computer. Nobody else has access to it—not a corporation, not a cloud provider, not a data broker.

2. Envelope budgeting is mandatory. Every dollar gets a job. Categories hold your allocated funds, and spending deducts from those categories in real time.

3. Sync is optional but available. If you want to access your budget from multiple devices, you can self-host a sync server or use the official hosted sync service (which is also free for basic use).

4. Bank import is flexible. You can import transactions via OFX/QFX files, CSV uploads, or direct bank connections through SimpleFIN or GoCardless (depending on your region and technical setup).

Key Features

Envelope Budgeting That Works

Actual Budget implements the envelope method faithfully:

• Category allocation: Assign every incoming dollar to a category at the start of the month
• Real-time tracking: See exactly how much remains in each category as you spend
• Overspending handling: When a category goes negative, the shortfall is clearly visible and can be covered from another category
• Rollover flexibility: Choose whether unspent category balances roll over to the next month or reset to zero

The interface shows your category balances prominently. There's no guessing whether you can afford something—you look at the category and the number tells you.

Local-First Data Storage

By default, your budget file lives on your hard drive in an encrypted SQLite database. This means:

• No internet connection required to use the app
• No risk of a cloud service shutting down and taking your data with it
• No terms of service changes that lock you out of your own financial records
• Complete control over backups and data retention

If you've ever been burned by Mint's shutdown, YNAB's price hikes, or a cloud service losing your data, this architecture feels like a breath of fresh air.

Multi-Device Sync

Local storage doesn't mean you're stuck on one device. Actual Budget offers several sync options:

Self-hosted sync server: Run the open-source sync server on your own hardware or a cheap VPS. Your devices sync through your infrastructure, not someone else's.

Official hosted sync: The Actual Budget project offers a free hosted sync service for users who don't want to run their own server. Your data is encrypted before transmission, and the service cost is covered by donations and sponsorships.

End-to-end encryption: Sync data is encrypted on your device before it leaves. The sync server stores encrypted blobs—it cannot read your budget data.

Mobile Apps

Actual Budget has native mobile apps for iOS and Android. They support:

• Viewing category balances and account balances
• Adding transactions on the go
• Splitting transactions across multiple categories
• Attaching notes and receipts to transactions
• Full sync with your desktop budget

The mobile experience is noticeably more polished than most open-source financial tools. It's not quite YNAB-level polish, but it's genuinely usable for daily transaction entry.

Bank Import Options

Actual Budget supports several ways to get transactions into the app:

Method	Setup Complexity	Automation Level	Privacy
Manual entry	None	None	Maximum
CSV import	Low	Manual file uploads	High
OFX/QFX import	Low	Manual file downloads from bank	High
SimpleFIN	Medium	Automatic sync	Medium
GoCardless	Medium	Automatic sync	Medium

The CSV import is particularly well-implemented. Actual Budget learns your payees and categories over time, so recurring transactions auto-categorize after you've trained the system with a few examples.

Reporting and Insights

The app includes built-in reports for:

• Net worth over time: Track your total assets minus liabilities
• Cash flow: See income vs. spending trends by month
• Category breakdown: Visualize where your money goes
• Spending trends: Identify categories that are growing or shrinking

These reports are simpler than what you'd build in a custom spreadsheet, but they're generated automatically from your data—no formula writing required.

Actual Budget vs. YNAB

YNAB is the obvious comparison. Both apps use envelope budgeting. Both encourage intentional spending. But the differences matter:

Feature	Actual Budget	YNAB
Cost	Free	$109/year
Open source	Yes	No
Data location	Your device/server	YNAB's cloud
Bank sync	File import, SimpleFIN, GoCardless	Direct bank sync (via Plaid)
Mobile apps	iOS, Android	iOS, Android
Reports	Basic built-in	More extensive
Educational content	Community docs	Extensive courses and workshops
Customer support	Community forums	Email and chat support
Customization	Limited (themes, some config)	Minimal

The verdict: YNAB is the better product if you want hand-holding, extensive educational resources, and polished bank sync. Actual Budget is the better choice if you want zero cost, data privacy, and the ability to self-host.

If you've already internalized the YNAB methodology and just need a tool to execute it, Actual Budget does 90% of what YNAB does at 0% of the cost.

Actual Budget vs. Google Sheets

This site is built around Google Sheets budgeting, so let's be honest about when Actual Budget makes sense and when a spreadsheet wins.

Choose Actual Budget if:

• You want a dedicated app with a focused budgeting interface
• You prefer envelope budgeting as a rigid system
• You want mobile transaction entry without building a custom solution
• You value data privacy but don't want to build your own system

Choose Google Sheets if:

• You want unlimited customization (custom formulas, dashboards, integrations)
• You need to combine budgeting with investment tracking, net worth calculation, or FIRE planning
• You want to automate data import from multiple sources using Apps Script
• You prefer a single spreadsheet that shows your complete financial picture

The reality: Many users start with Actual Budget (or YNAB) to learn disciplined budgeting, then migrate to a custom Google Sheets system once their needs outgrow what an app can offer.

Our Google Sheets budget templates can replicate most of Actual Budget's functionality while adding features no app provides—like custom investment tracking, automated CSV imports, and complete control over your data structure.

Who Should Use Actual Budget?

Actual Budget is ideal for specific types of users:

Privacy-focused budgeters. If you're uncomfortable giving Plaid your bank credentials or storing your financial data on a company's servers, Actual Budget solves this completely.

Technical users who want polish. Unlike GnuCash or Firefly III, Actual Budget doesn't require you to tolerate a bad interface. It's genuinely pleasant to use.

Former YNAB users priced out by subscription increases. If you learned envelope budgeting through YNAB but can't justify $109/year anymore, Actual Budget is the closest free equivalent.

Self-hosters. If you already run a home server or VPS, hosting your own sync server is trivial. Your budget syncs across devices through infrastructure you control.

People recovering from app shutdowns. If Mint's closure left you scrambling for alternatives, Actual Budget's local-first architecture means that scenario can never happen again.

Who Should Skip It?

Spreadsheet power users. If you live in pivot tables and custom formulas, Actual Budget will feel restrictive.

People who need extensive support. There's no phone support line. No chat with guaranteed response times. The community is helpful, but you're ultimately responsible for troubleshooting.

Users who want everything automated. While bank import exists, it's not as seamless as YNAB's direct sync. You'll still do some manual work.

How to Set Up Actual Budget

Getting started takes about 15 minutes:

Step 1: Download the App

Visit actualbudget.org and download the desktop app for your operating system (Windows, macOS, or Linux). The app is also available as a web interface if you prefer browser-based access.

Step 2: Create Your Budget File

On first launch, the app creates a local budget file. Choose a save location you'll remember—this file contains all your data.

Step 3: Set Up Accounts

Add your financial accounts:

• Checking accounts
• Savings accounts
• Credit cards (track them as liability accounts or spending accounts)
• Investment accounts (for net worth tracking)

Step 4: Create Categories

Build your category structure. Start simple:

Fixed expenses:

• Rent/Mortgage
• Insurance
• Utilities
• Loan payments

Variable expenses:

• Groceries
• Dining out
• Transportation
• Entertainment

Savings goals:

• Emergency fund
• Vacation
• Annual subscriptions

Step 5: Allocate Your First Month

Enter your expected income for the month, then allocate every dollar to a category. The goal is "zero-based:" income minus allocations equals exactly zero.

Step 6: Import Historical Transactions (Optional)

Download a CSV or OFX file from your bank and import it. Categorize the first 20-30 transactions manually. The app will start suggesting categories for future imports based on payee names.

Step 7: Set Up Sync (Optional)

If you want mobile access, configure sync:

• For simple setup: Use the official hosted sync service (free tier available)
• For maximum privacy: Self-host the sync server using Docker

Actual Budget vs. Other Privacy-First Tools

Actual Budget isn't the only privacy-focused option. Here's how it stacks up against alternatives:

vs. GnuCash: GnuCash is a powerful double-entry accounting system with investment tracking and report generation. It's more capable than Actual Budget for complex finances, but the interface is dated and the learning curve is steep. Actual Budget is the better choice if you want modern envelope budgeting without studying accounting principles.

vs. Firefly III: Firefly III is a self-hosted personal finance manager with extensive categorization, budgeting, and reporting features. It requires more technical setup (Docker, database configuration) and lacks mobile apps. Actual Budget wins on ease of use and mobile accessibility.

vs. Google Sheets: A custom spreadsheet offers unlimited flexibility—custom formulas, dashboards, and integrations. Our privacy-first expense tracking guide shows how to build a complete system without linking bank accounts. Actual Budget is better if you want a dedicated app with focused budgeting features and no formula maintenance.

vs. Sinking Fund Trackers: If your primary goal is goal-based savings, a dedicated sinking fund tracker might be simpler. Actual Budget handles sinking funds through category balances, but a specialized template can offer clearer goal visualization.

The Downsides Nobody Talks About

Actual Budget is impressive, but it's not perfect.

Bank sync is limited. In the United States, direct bank connections are spotty compared to YNAB or Monarch. You may end up doing more manual CSV imports than you'd like.

Self-hosting has a learning curve. Running your own sync server requires basic familiarity with Docker or command-line tools. It's not hard if you're technical, but it's not "download and go."

The ecosystem is smaller. YNAB has a massive community, extensive tutorials, and third-party integrations. Actual Budget's community is growing but much smaller. If you hit an edge case, you may need to figure it out yourself.

No joint budgeting features. Unlike our Google Sheets budget template for couples, Actual Budget doesn't have built-in support for shared budgets between partners. You can share a budget file, but there's no granular permission system or separate views for individual vs. joint spending.

Reporting is basic. The built-in reports cover essentials but lack the depth of a custom spreadsheet. You can't easily build a "time to FIRE" calculation or model hypothetical scenarios without exporting data.

The Verdict

Actual Budget is the best free, privacy-first budgeting app available today. It successfully bridges the gap between polished commercial software and open-source idealism. The envelope budgeting implementation is solid, the interface is genuinely pleasant, and the local-first architecture means your financial data stays yours forever.

Use it if: You want YNAB-style budgeting without the subscription cost, or you refuse to store your financial data on someone else's servers.

Skip it if: You need extensive support, seamless automatic bank sync, or the customization power of a spreadsheet.

For most people learning to budget intentionally, Actual Budget is more than enough. For power users who want to build custom financial dashboards and automate everything, a Google Sheets budget system still offers more flexibility.

If you're managing household finances with a partner, our family budget template provides collaborative features that Actual Budget lacks. And if subscription creep is a concern, learn how to use budget controls to manage recurring spending alongside your envelope categories.

The best budget is the one you'll actually use. Actual Budget removes two of the biggest friction points—cost and privacy concerns—so you can focus on what matters: telling your money where to go instead of wondering where it went.

Google Sheets budget template

privacy-focused Mint alternative

Expertise: I've tested Actual Budget for three months alongside YNAB and Google Sheets to see how it performs in real-world budgeting scenarios.