Actual Budget — Local-First Personal Finance App

What it is

Actual is an open-source personal finance application built on a local-first architecture. It provides envelope budgeting, bank synchronization, and multi-device sync while keeping your financial data under your control. It positions itself as a privacy-focused alternative to YNAB.

The tool is aimed at individuals who want full ownership of their financial data. If you track spending, manage budgets, or need bank sync without trusting a third-party cloud, Actual fits that use case.

How it saves time or tokens

Actual eliminates manual data entry by syncing directly with bank accounts. The local-first design means the app works offline and syncs when connectivity returns, so you never lose work. Envelope budgeting enforces discipline without requiring spreadsheet gymnastics.

How to use

1. Clone the Actual repository or pull the Docker image from the official docs.
2. Run the server locally or on a VPS for multi-device sync.
3. Connect your bank accounts through the integrated sync feature.
4. Create budget categories and assign envelope allocations.

# Self-host Actual with Docker
docker pull actualbudget/actual-server:latest
docker run -p 5006:5006 -v actual-data:/data actualbudget/actual-server:latest

Example

After launching the server, open http://localhost:5006 in your browser. Create a new budget file, add accounts, and start categorizing transactions. The interface supports importing from YNAB, CSV, and OFX files.

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Common pitfalls

• Bank sync availability varies by region; check supported institutions before committing.
• The local-first model means you must manage your own backups. No cloud provider does it for you.
• Multi-device sync requires running the server component; the desktop app alone does not sync.