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Personal Finance · head to head

Actual Budget vs Copilot Money

Actual Budget logo

Actual Budget

Personal Finance

Free, open source, local-first envelope budgeting with optional self-hosted sync

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Copilot Money logo

Copilot Money

Personal Finance

AI-powered personal finance assistant

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Actual Budget self-hosting the sync server requires basic comfort with running and updating a small application, which is a real barrier for non-technical users.; Copilot Money apple only: web, iPhone, iPad and Mac, with no Android app
  • They diverge on capability: Actual Budget covers Envelope budgeting, Copilot Money covers AI-powered insights.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Actual Budget and Copilot Money actually diverge.

Attributes where Actual Budget and Copilot Money differ
AttributeActual BudgetCopilot Money
Pricing modelOpen source, no licence fee; optional paid hosted sync and subscription tiersubscription
PlatformsWeb, macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS, AndroidWeb, IOS, Android
FoundedUnknown2020

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Personal Finance).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Actual Budget

  • Envelope budgeting
  • Local-first data
  • Self-hosted sync
  • Bank sync via SimpleFIN or GoCardless
  • Rules engine
  • Reports

Only in Copilot Money

  • AI-powered insights
  • Spending analysis
  • Budget optimization
  • Financial planning
  • Bank accounts
  • Credit cards
  • Web support
  • IOS support

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Actual Budget

  • A former YNAB user who wants the same envelope method without an ongoing subscriptionnot Copilot Money
  • Someone who wants their financial data to stay on hardware they control, using a home server for syncnot Copilot Money
  • A technically comfortable household running a small self-hosted stack who wants budgeting alongside itnot Copilot Money
  • A user who is fine paying a small hosted fee for sync convenience without wanting a full YNAB-style subscriptionnot Copilot Money

Copilot Money

  • Tracking spending across connected accountsnot Actual Budget
  • Budgeting by category with automatic transaction taggingnot Actual Budget
  • Investment and net worth trackingnot Actual Budget
  • Reviewing recurring subscriptionsnot Actual Budget

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Actual Budget

  • Self-hosting the sync server requires basic comfort with running and updating a small application, which is a real barrier for non-technical users.
  • Bank sync depends on SimpleFIN or GoCardless connectors rather than a broad built-in aggregator network, so coverage of smaller banks varies by region.
  • There is no dedicated customer support line, only community Discord and GitHub issues, which suits technical users but frustrates people expecting vendor support.
  • The mobile apps are less mature than the web and desktop experience, and some budgeting workflows are easier on desktop.
  • Because it is a smaller open source project, feature development depends on maintainer time and community contribution rather than a funded product roadmap.

Copilot Money

  • Apple only: web, iPhone, iPad and Mac, with no Android app
  • No free tier; $95 a year billed annually, which works out at $7.92 a month
  • The trial only starts once accounts are connected

Pricing, plan by plan

Actual Budget

Free
  • Actual BudgetFree
    • Full budgeting features
    • Self-hosted sync server
    • Community support only
  • Actual Budget$7.99/month
    • Managed hosted sync
    • Mobile app access
    • No server to maintain

Copilot Money

Free
  • Free TrialFree
    • No credit card required
    • Limited access to test the app
  • Paid Subscription$95/year
    • No ads
    • No hidden fees
    • Private data handling

Which should you pick?

Choose Actual Budget if

  • You need envelope budgeting.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android.
  • You also want local-first data.
Actual Budget review

Choose Copilot Money if

  • You need ai-powered insights.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, IOS, Android.
  • You also want spending analysis.
Copilot Money review

Questions people ask

Is Actual Budget or Copilot Money better?
Neither clearly leads. Actual Budget starts at Free and Copilot Money at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Actual Budget or Copilot Money?
Actual Budget starts at Free and Copilot Money at Free.
Does Actual Budget or Copilot Money run on more platforms?
Actual Budget runs on Web, macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android. Copilot Money runs on Web, IOS, Android.
Can I use Actual Budget for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Actual Budget best used for?
Actual Budget is most often used for a former ynab user who wants the same envelope method without an ongoing subscription, someone who wants their financial data to stay on hardware they control, using a home server for sync, a technically comfortable household running a small self-hosted stack who wants budgeting alongside it, a user who is fine paying a small hosted fee for sync convenience without wanting a full ynab-style subscription. Of those, a former ynab user who wants the same envelope method without an ongoing subscription and someone who wants their financial data to stay on hardware they control, using a home server for sync are not what Copilot Money is typically brought in for.
What can Actual Budget do that Copilot Money cannot?
Actual Budget covers Envelope budgeting, Local-first data, Self-hosted sync, Bank sync via SimpleFIN or GoCardless. Copilot Money covers AI-powered insights, Spending analysis, Budget optimization, Financial planning.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Actual Budget: Is Actual Budget really free?

The core app and self-hosted sync are free and open source; there is also an optional paid hosted sync subscription if you do not want to run a server.

Copilot Money: How much does Copilot Money cost?

Copilot Money costs $95 per year when billed annually, which equals $7.92 per month. A free trial is available with no credit card required. A monthly subscription option exists but the specific monthly price is not listed on the website.

Source
Actual Budget: Do I need a server to use it?

Only if you want to sync a budget across multiple devices; a single-device budget works without any server at all.

Copilot Money: Does Copilot Money have any hidden fees?

No, Copilot Money explicitly states there are no ads, no hidden fees, and your data stays private with the company focused on building the product.

Source
Actual Budget: Does it connect to my bank automatically?

Yes, through SimpleFIN or GoCardless connectors, though coverage is narrower than commercial aggregators used by YNAB or Lunch Money.

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