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Actual Budget vs Investopedia Stock Simulator

Actual Budget logo

Actual Budget

Personal Finance

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

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Investopedia Stock Simulator logo

Investopedia Stock Simulator

Personal Finance

Paper trading without risk

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.; Investopedia Stock Simulator market data is delayed by 15-20 minutes, inadequate for real-time trading education
  • They diverge on capability: Actual Budget covers Envelope budgeting, Investopedia Stock Simulator covers Virtual stock trading.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Actual Budget and Investopedia Stock Simulator actually diverge.

Attributes where Actual Budget and Investopedia Stock Simulator differ
AttributeActual BudgetInvestopedia Stock Simulator
Pricing modelOpen source, no licence fee; optional paid hosted sync and subscription tierUnknown
PlatformsWeb, macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS, AndroidWeb
FoundedUnknown2009

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 Investopedia Stock Simulator

  • Virtual stock trading
  • Real-time market data
  • Portfolio management
  • Educational resources
  • Market data
  • Web 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 Investopedia Stock Simulator
  • Someone who wants their financial data to stay on hardware they control, using a home server for syncnot Investopedia Stock Simulator
  • A technically comfortable household running a small self-hosted stack who wants budgeting alongside itnot Investopedia Stock Simulator
  • A user who is fine paying a small hosted fee for sync convenience without wanting a full YNAB-style subscriptionnot Investopedia Stock Simulator

Investopedia Stock Simulator

  • Budget Managementnot Actual Budget
  • Expense Trackingnot Actual Budget
  • Investment Trackingnot 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.

Investopedia Stock Simulator

  • Market data is delayed by 15-20 minutes, inadequate for real-time trading education
  • Limited order type support compared to modern trading platforms
  • Simplified fill simulation does not replicate real trading execution
  • Platform has not received significant updates in many years

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

Investopedia Stock Simulator

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Investopedia Stock Simulator 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 Investopedia Stock Simulator if

  • You need virtual stock trading.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want real-time market data.
Investopedia Stock Simulator review

Questions people ask

Is Actual Budget or Investopedia Stock Simulator better?
Neither clearly leads. Actual Budget starts at Free and Investopedia Stock Simulator at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Actual Budget or Investopedia Stock Simulator?
Actual Budget starts at Free and Investopedia Stock Simulator at Free.
Does Actual Budget or Investopedia Stock Simulator run on more platforms?
Actual Budget runs on Web, macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android. Investopedia Stock Simulator runs on Web.
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 Investopedia Stock Simulator is typically brought in for.
What can Actual Budget do that Investopedia Stock Simulator cannot?
Actual Budget covers Envelope budgeting, Local-first data, Self-hosted sync, Bank sync via SimpleFIN or GoCardless. Investopedia Stock Simulator covers Virtual stock trading, Real-time market data, Portfolio management, Educational resources.

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.

Investopedia Stock Simulator: Is the Investopedia Stock Simulator free?

Yes, the Investopedia Stock Simulator is completely free to use after creating an account. No real funds are required for simulated trading.

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.

Investopedia Stock Simulator: What is included in the simulator?

Users receive a $100,000 virtual portfolio to trade stocks, with integrated educational content including articles, tutorials, and a financial dictionary for learning investing.

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.

Investopedia Stock Simulator: What are the limitations of the Investopedia Simulator?

The simulator uses delayed market data (typically 15-20 minutes), has limited order type support, simplified fill simulation, and has not received proper updates in many years.

Source
Investopedia Stock Simulator: Can you compete with other traders?

Yes, you can join existing games or create custom games with configurable rules including options, margin trading, and adjustable commission rates, competing with thousands of Investopedia traders.

Source
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