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Personal Finance · head to head

Actual Budget vs Remitly

Actual Budget logo

Actual Budget

Personal Finance

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

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Remitly logo

Remitly

Personal Finance

Send money faster to loved ones abroad

From
On request
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.; Remitly specific transfer fees and exchange rates not published on website; users must check rates page
  • They diverge on capability: Actual Budget covers Envelope budgeting, Remitly covers International remittances.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Actual Budget and Remitly actually diverge.

Attributes where Actual Budget and Remitly differ
AttributeActual BudgetRemitly
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelOpen source, no licence fee; optional paid hosted sync and subscription tiertransaction
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS, AndroidWeb, IOS, Android
FoundedUnknown2011

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 Remitly

  • International remittances
  • Multiple delivery methods
  • Send money to 200+ countries
  • Currency conversion
  • Bank accounts
  • Web support
  • IOS support
  • Android 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 Remitly
  • Someone who wants their financial data to stay on hardware they control, using a home server for syncnot Remitly
  • A technically comfortable household running a small self-hosted stack who wants budgeting alongside itnot Remitly
  • A user who is fine paying a small hosted fee for sync convenience without wanting a full YNAB-style subscriptionnot Remitly

Remitly

  • International money transfer and remittance servicenot Actual Budget
  • Cross-border payments for personal financial needsnot 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.

Remitly

  • Specific transfer fees and exchange rates not published on website; users must check rates page
  • Costs vary by destination country, transfer amount, and delivery method
  • No standardized fee schedule available for pricing comparison

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

Remitly

On request
  • Express$undefined/month
    • Fast transfers
    • Multiple delivery methods
  • Economy$undefined/month
    • Lower cost option
    • 3-4 day delivery

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 Remitly if

  • You need international remittances.
  • You work on Web, IOS, Android.
  • You also want multiple delivery methods.
Remitly review

Questions people ask

Is Actual Budget or Remitly better?
Neither clearly leads. Actual Budget starts at Free and Remitly at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Actual Budget or Remitly?
Actual Budget has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Actual Budget and On request for Remitly.
Does Actual Budget or Remitly run on more platforms?
Actual Budget runs on Web, macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android. Remitly 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. Remitly starts at On request.
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 Remitly is typically brought in for.
What can Actual Budget do that Remitly cannot?
Actual Budget covers Envelope budgeting, Local-first data, Self-hosted sync, Bank sync via SimpleFIN or GoCardless. Remitly covers International remittances, Multiple delivery methods, Send money to 200+ countries, Currency conversion.

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.

Remitly: How much does Remitly charge for transfers?

Remitly fees vary by destination country, transfer amount, and delivery speed. The company emphasizes no hidden fees but does not publish a standardized rate table on their main site. Users must visit the Rates and Fees page or enter transfer details in the app for specific pricing.

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.

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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