Comparison
Budgey vs Actual Budget
The open-source, local-first envelope app Reddit names as the cheaper YNAB.
Actual Budget is the YNAB-shaped app people recommend when they do not want to pay YNAB prices: envelope budgeting, cash you already have, a file you own, and an optional self-hosted server so every device stays in sync. The software is free. Multi-device sync means Docker or a host such as PikaPods (~$1–2/month). US and Canadian bank sync is SimpleFIN on top of that ($1.50/month or $15/year); EU/UK uses GoCardless.
Budgey is the hosted, paycheck-shaped version of the same job. You do not run a server. Budgets follow weekly, biweekly, or monthly pay instead of a calendar envelope month. Bank sync is Plaid inside Budgey Unlimited, with a Review Inbox so imports do not land unapproved. BaoBot and MCP are there if you want a conversation instead of a register.
Pick Actual if privacy, owning the file, and YNAB-style envelopes are the point, and you are willing to host. Pick Budgey if you want that leftover number on your phone and the web without ops, a free plan that does not require Docker, and periods that match payday.
Budgey vs Actual Budget, feature by feature
| Feature |  Budgey | Actual Budget |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $10/mo or $100/yr (2 months free) | Free (self-host); ~$1–2/mo hosted + SimpleFIN if you sync banks |
| Free plan | Yes — a real budget, free forever | Yes — open source; hosting and bank sync are optional extras |
| Platforms | iOS, Android & Web | Desktop, self-hosted web, iOS & Android (mobile is secondary) |
| Bank syncNew transactions land in a Review Inbox with AI-suggested categories — you approve each one. | Unlimited account syncing via Plaid | Optional — SimpleFIN (US/Canada, paid separately) or GoCardless (EU/UK) |
| AI assistant you can chat with | BaoBot — ask questions, add transactions, get insights | ✗ |
| AI receipt scanning | ✓ | ✗ |
| Pay-period budgeting (weekly / biweekly / monthly)Budget by paycheck instead of forcing calendar months. | ✓ | Envelope / monthly — you budget cash on hand, not pay-period leftovers |
| Shared budgets | Yes (Unlimited) | Yes — anyone with access to your Actual server |
| Works with Claude, ChatGPT & other AI agents (MCP) | Yes — 70+ tools at budgeyapp.com/mcp | Local developer API; not a hosted MCP server |
| CSV / spreadsheet import | Yes — upload a file and BaoBot imports it (Unlimited) | Yes — CSV, QIF, OFX, QFX, plus YNAB importers |
Actual Budget pricing and features verified August 2026 and may have changed — check their site for current details.
Which one should you pick?
Choose Budgey if…
- ✓You want iOS, Android, and web without running Docker, PikaPods, or a home server
- ✓You get paid weekly or biweekly and want periods that match payday, not envelope months
- ✓You want Plaid bank sync with an approval inbox, not a separate SimpleFIN subscription
- ✓You want BaoBot or Claude/ChatGPT on the budget, not a local-only API
Choose Actual Budget if…
- ✓You want YNAB-style envelopes and “only budget money you have” without paying YNAB
- ✓Local-first privacy and a budget file you can copy, back up, and read matter more than polish
- ✓You are comfortable self-hosting, or paying a few dollars a month for PikaPods
- ✓You want the Actual community, custom reports, and a local API for your own scripts
Budgey vs Actual Budget: your questions
Is Actual Budget or Budgey the better cheap YNAB alternative?+
Actual is the closer YNAB clone: envelopes, cash on hand, a file you own. Budgey is cheaper in time, not in method — hosted on iOS, Android, and web, budgets by paycheck, free to start, Unlimited at $10/month or $100/year. If the method is the product, Actual (or YNAB). If the leftover number this payday is the product, Budgey.
Is Actual Budget actually free?+
The app is free and open source. Syncing across devices means you host it (or pay a host like PikaPods, often around $1–2/month). US/Canada bank sync is SimpleFIN at $1.50/month or $15/year. Many people still spend under $40 a year all-in. Budgey’s free plan needs no server; bank sync is part of Unlimited.
Does Budgey work offline and keep data on my computer like Actual?+
No. Budgey is a cloud app with a phone and web client. Actual is local-first with optional end-to-end encryption. If “the file never leaves my machine” is a hard requirement, Actual is the fit.
Can I import Actual Budget data into Budgey?+
Yes. Export each account as CSV from Actual, then upload the files to BaoBot in Budgey. See budgeyapp.com/switch/from-actual-budget. Actual’s native budget-file backup is for Actual, not for Budgey.
Try the app Actual Budget switchers are landing on
Start free in about two minutes — no credit card, no trial clock. BaoBot will build your first budget with you.
No credit card required · Free plan forever · One budget on every device