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Personal Finance · head to head

Actual Budget vs Crypto.com

Actual Budget logo

Actual Budget

Personal Finance

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

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Crypto.com logo

Crypto.com

Personal Finance

The best place to buy, sell, and pay with crypto

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.; Crypto.com trading fees are significantly higher than industry average at 0.25%/0.5% versus 0.15%/0.194%
  • They diverge on capability: Actual Budget covers Envelope budgeting, Crypto.com covers Cryptocurrency Trading.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Actual Budget and Crypto.com actually diverge.

Attributes where Actual Budget and Crypto.com differ
AttributeActual BudgetCrypto.com
Pricing modelOpen source, no licence fee; optional paid hosted sync and subscription tierUnknown
PlatformsWeb, macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS, AndroidWeb, iOS, Android
FoundedUnknown2016

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 Crypto.com

  • Cryptocurrency Trading
  • Visa Card
  • Crypto Earn
  • DeFi Wallet
  • NFT
  • Visa
  • Apple Pay
  • Google Pay

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 Crypto.com
  • Someone who wants their financial data to stay on hardware they control, using a home server for syncnot Crypto.com
  • A technically comfortable household running a small self-hosted stack who wants budgeting alongside itnot Crypto.com
  • A user who is fine paying a small hosted fee for sync convenience without wanting a full YNAB-style subscriptionnot Crypto.com

Crypto.com

  • Exchangesnot Actual Budget
  • Walletsnot Actual Budget
  • Paymentsnot 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.

Crypto.com

  • Trading fees are significantly higher than industry average at 0.25%/0.5% versus 0.15%/0.194%
  • Bitcoin withdrawal fees are excessive at 0.0004 BTC (approximately $47) versus actual blockchain mining fees
  • Customer support experiences significant delays up to months, with Trustpilot rating of 2.0/5
  • CRO token dependency for fee reductions and card rewards exposes users to token price volatility
  • Account freezes, card blocks, and verification delays reported by users

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

Crypto.com

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Crypto.com review.

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 Crypto.com if

  • You need cryptocurrency trading.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want visa card.
Crypto.com review

Questions people ask

Is Actual Budget or Crypto.com better?
Neither clearly leads. Actual Budget starts at Free and Crypto.com at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Actual Budget or Crypto.com?
Actual Budget starts at Free and Crypto.com at Free.
Does Actual Budget or Crypto.com run on more platforms?
Actual Budget runs on Web, macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android. Crypto.com 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 Crypto.com is typically brought in for.
What can Actual Budget do that Crypto.com cannot?
Actual Budget covers Envelope budgeting, Local-first data, Self-hosted sync, Bank sync via SimpleFIN or GoCardless. Crypto.com covers Cryptocurrency Trading, Visa Card, Crypto Earn, DeFi Wallet.

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.

Crypto.com: What are Crypto.com's trading fees?

Base spot trading fees are 0.25% for makers and 0.5% for takers. Fees decrease with higher 30-day trading volume and CRO staking, with volume-based discounts reaching 0.065% maker and 0.1% taker fees at $5M volume.

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.

Crypto.com: What is the difference between Crypto.com App and Exchange?

The App is designed for beginners with embedded spreads reaching 0.5-1%, while the Exchange platform shows transparent maker/taker fees starting from 0.25%/0.50%, with costs decreasing with CRO staking and VIP levels.

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.

Crypto.com: What are the total costs of trading on Crypto.com?

Estimated total costs are approximately 1.30% per trade, composed of 0.75% trading fees and an approximate spread of 0.55%.

Source
Crypto.com: What integrations does Crypto.com have?

Crypto.com integrates with Coinbase and Kraken for cryptocurrency trading and account activity, enabling multi-exchange portfolio management.

Source
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