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Personal Finance · head to head

Actual Budget vs Monarch 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
Monarch Money logo

Monarch Money

Personal Finance

All-in-one wealth management platform

From
$99/year
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Actual Budget has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • 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.; Monarch Money the free trial is one week, after which a paid subscription is required to keep using the app
  • They diverge on capability: Actual Budget covers Envelope budgeting, Monarch Money covers Budget management.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Actual Budget and Monarch Money differ
AttributeActual BudgetMonarch Money
Starting priceFree$99/year
Pricing modelOpen source, no licence fee; optional paid hosted sync and subscription tiersubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS, AndroidWeb, IOS, Android
FoundedUnknown2022

Identical on both: 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 Monarch Money

  • Budget management
  • Investment tracking
  • Tax planning
  • Financial insights
  • Bank accounts
  • Investment accounts
  • Cryptocurrency
  • 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 Monarch Money
  • Someone who wants their financial data to stay on hardware they control, using a home server for syncnot Monarch Money
  • A technically comfortable household running a small self-hosted stack who wants budgeting alongside itnot Monarch Money
  • A user who is fine paying a small hosted fee for sync convenience without wanting a full YNAB-style subscriptionnot Monarch Money

Monarch Money

  • Tracking household budgets and spending across linked bank accountsnot Actual Budget
  • Shared budgeting between partners in one accountnot Actual Budget
  • Monitoring net worth and investment balances alongside cash accountsnot 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.

Monarch Money

  • The free trial is one week, after which a paid subscription is required to keep using the app
  • The advertised 30 percent discount with code WELCOME applies to the first year only and is restricted to new users
  • There is no free tier, and a Plus tier gates features above the base subscription

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

Monarch Money

$99/year
  • Core Plan$99/year
    • 7-day free trial
  • Plus$null/year
    • Premium features

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 Monarch Money if

  • You need budget management.
  • You work on Web, IOS, Android.
  • You also want investment tracking.
Monarch Money review

Questions people ask

Is Actual Budget or Monarch Money better?
Neither clearly leads. Actual Budget starts at Free and Monarch Money at $99/year, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Actual Budget or Monarch Money?
Actual Budget has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Actual Budget and $99/year for Monarch Money.
Does Actual Budget or Monarch Money run on more platforms?
Actual Budget runs on Web, macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android. Monarch Money runs on Web, IOS, Android.
Can I use Actual Budget for free?
Yes. Actual Budget has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Monarch Money starts at $99/year.
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 Monarch Money is typically brought in for.
What can Actual Budget do that Monarch Money cannot?
Actual Budget covers Envelope budgeting, Local-first data, Self-hosted sync, Bank sync via SimpleFIN or GoCardless. Monarch Money covers Budget management, Investment tracking, Tax planning, Financial insights.

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.

Monarch Money: How much does Monarch Money cost?

Monarch Money Core plan costs 99 USD/year, referenced in customer testimonials and promo code terms. Additional Plus tier exists but specific pricing is not disclosed on the main page.

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.

Monarch Money: Is there a free trial?

Yes, Monarch Money offers a 7-day free trial for new users with no credit card required.

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.

Monarch Money: Are there discounts available?

Monarch Money offers 30% off the first year with promo code WELCOME for new members on annual Core plan subscriptions. Cannot be combined with other offers.

Source
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