Actual Budget

Actual Budget originated as a commercial product created by developer James Long, who pioneered local-first architecture for personal finance applications. When James decided to sunset the commercial service in 2021, he made the extraordinary decision to open-source the entire codebase, ensuring users wouldn't lose access to their financial management tool. The community embraced the project enthusiastically, transforming it into one of the most respected open-source personal finance applications available today. Actual Budget's envelope budgeting methodology is based on proven financial principles that help users gain clarity and control over their money. By allocating every dollar to specific purposes before spending, users develop intentional spending habits that align with their financial goals. The application's modern architecture delivers desktop-app-like performance in the browser while maintaining privacy through self-hosting and optional encryption.

SharedArrayBuffer Notice: Actual Budget uses SharedArrayBuffer for its SQLite database engine, which modern browsers restrict to HTTPS connections for security reasons. When accessing over HTTP, you'll encounter a "Fatal Error: Actual requires access to SharedArrayBuffer" warning with an "Advanced options" button. Clicking this button bypasses the restriction, storing your preference in the browser and allowing the application to function. While the HTTP fallback mode works, deploying behind a reverse proxy with SSL/TLS certificates (such as Nginx Proxy Manager, Traefik, or Caddy) provides optimal performance and security. The bypass is necessary only for HTTP access—HTTPS connections work immediately without any warnings.

Common Use Cases

Individuals and families use Actual Budget to gain complete visibility into their spending patterns and build sustainable budgets based on real income. Recent college graduates leverage it to establish healthy financial habits early, tracking student loan payments alongside building emergency funds. Freelancers and gig workers appreciate the envelope system for managing irregular income streams and planning for taxes. Couples utilize it for joint financial planning with transparent budget discussions and shared accountability. YNAB (You Need A Budget) users migrate to it for familiar envelope budgeting without subscription fees or cloud dependency. Privacy-conscious users choose it specifically for self-hosting capabilities ensuring financial data never leaves their infrastructure.

Key Features

• Envelope budgeting methodology with zero-based budgeting
• Local-first architecture with complete data ownership
• Multi-device synchronization with optional end-to-end encryption
• Bank account integration via SimpleFIN and GoCardless
• Fast, responsive interface with offline capability
• Detailed financial reports including net worth and cash flow
• Custom report builder for tailored financial analysis
• Budget templates and recurring transactions
• Split transactions and transfers
• Undo/redo functionality for easy error correction
• Import from YNAB4, nYNAB, and standard formats (QIF, OFX, CSV)
• Goals and tracking for savings objectives
• Mobile-responsive design
• Open source with active community development

Why deploy Actual Budget on Hostinger VPS

Deploying Actual Budget on Hostinger VPS provides centralized synchronization for household members accessing budgets from multiple devices, ensuring everyone sees up-to-date financial information. The VPS environment offers always-available access to your budget from anywhere enabling financial decisions on the go, automated backup capabilities protecting years of financial history and transaction data, and sufficient resources for responsive performance even with extensive transaction histories. You benefit from complete data privacy with financial information never touching third-party servers, the ability to grant family members access without sharing credentials, and independence from commercial budgeting services with subscription fees and data retention policies. The professional hosting ensures your financial management tool remains accessible and reliable while maintaining the privacy and control that makes Actual Budget unique among personal finance applications. For enhanced security and performance, consider pairing Actual Budget with a reverse proxy application from the catalog (such as Nginx Proxy Manager, Traefik, or Caddy) to provide HTTPS access with automatic SSL certificate management, eliminating browser warnings while securing financial data in transit.