explaingit

actualbudget/actual

📈 Trending★ 26,535TypeScriptAudience · generalComplexity · 2/5ActiveLicenseSetup · moderate

TLDR

Free, open-source personal finance app that runs locally on your computer. Manage budgets with envelope budgeting, sync across devices, and keep your financial data private.

Mindmap

mindmap
  root((repo))
    What it does
      Envelope budgeting
      Device sync
      Bank data import
      Spending tracking
    How to use
      One-click hosting
      Desktop apps
      Docker self-host
      Local only
    Use cases
      Replace YNAB
      Private budgeting
      Family finances
      Expense tracking
    Tech stack
      TypeScript
      React
      Docker
    Community
      Discord support
      Documentation
      Migration guides

Things people build with this

USE CASE 1

Replace a paid budgeting app like YNAB or Mint while keeping full control of your financial data.

USE CASE 2

Track household spending and manage a shared family budget across multiple devices without a subscription.

USE CASE 3

Import bank transactions and categorize expenses using envelope budgeting to plan monthly spending.

USE CASE 4

Self-host your budgeting app on your own server for complete privacy and no reliance on third-party services.

Tech stack

TypeScriptReactNode.jsDockerSQLite

Getting it running

Difficulty · moderate Time to first run · 30min

Docker required to run the full stack; alternatively Node.js + npm setup needed for local development.

Free and open-source; you can use, modify, and distribute it freely as long as you follow the license terms (typically permissive for personal and commercial use).

In plain English

Actual is a free, open-source personal finance and budgeting app that runs locally on your own computer or server, meaning your financial data never goes to a company's servers unless you choose to host it yourself. It's built for people who want the power of apps like YNAB (You Need A Budget) without the monthly subscription fee or the privacy concerns of handing your bank data to a third party. The app uses "envelope budgeting", a method where you assign every dollar you have to a specific spending category (like groceries, rent, or savings) at the start of each month, helping you be intentional about money rather than just tracking what you've already spent. It syncs across your devices so your phone and computer stay in sync without needing a central service. For a non-technical user, the easiest way to get started is a one-click hosted deployment through PikaPods for about $1.40/month, this sets it up on a server for you without any technical work. You can also download desktop apps for Windows, Mac, and Linux if you want to keep everything local. For developers or technically-minded users, there's also a Docker self-hosting option. Actual has an active community on Discord and comprehensive documentation covering getting started, migrating from other apps like YNAB or Mint, and all the budgeting features. It's a serious, well-maintained project with strong community support, a genuinely capable alternative to paid budgeting tools.

Copy-paste prompts

Prompt 1
How do I set up Actual Budget on my computer and start importing my bank transactions?
Prompt 2
I'm switching from YNAB to Actual Budget, what's the process to migrate my budget and transaction history?
Prompt 3
Show me how to use envelope budgeting in Actual to plan my monthly spending across categories like groceries, rent, and savings.
Prompt 4
What are the steps to self-host Actual Budget using Docker on my own server?
Prompt 5
How do I sync my Actual Budget across my phone and computer without using a central cloud service?
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Generated 2026-05-18 · Model: sonnet-4-6 · Verify against the repo before relying on details.