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Personal Finance · head to head

Actual Budget vs Simplifi

Actual Budget logo

Actual Budget

Personal Finance

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

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Simplifi logo

Simplifi

Personal Finance

Smart budgeting and spending tracker

From
$3.99/month
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.; Simplifi there is no free tier at all
  • They diverge on capability: Actual Budget covers Envelope budgeting, Simplifi covers Budget tracking.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Actual Budget and Simplifi differ
AttributeActual BudgetSimplifi
Starting priceFree$3.99/month
Pricing modelOpen source, no licence fee; optional paid hosted sync and subscription tiersubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS, AndroidWeb, IOS, Android
FoundedUnknown2020

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 Simplifi

  • Budget tracking
  • Spending analysis
  • Goal tracking
  • Cash flow insights
  • 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 Simplifi
  • Someone who wants their financial data to stay on hardware they control, using a home server for syncnot Simplifi
  • A technically comfortable household running a small self-hosted stack who wants budgeting alongside itnot Simplifi
  • A user who is fine paying a small hosted fee for sync convenience without wanting a full YNAB-style subscriptionnot Simplifi

Simplifi

  • Personal budgeting with automatic bank transaction importnot Actual Budget
  • Tracking spending, savings goals and net worth in one placenot 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.

Simplifi

  • There is no free tier at all
  • The advertised $3.99 a month requires annual billing, against $6.99 paying monthly
  • The subscription auto renews yearly at the then current price, which the terms state is subject to change rather than fixed

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

Simplifi

$3.99/month
  • Annual$3.99/month
    • Financial aggregation across 14,000+ institutions
    • Spending plan and budgeting tools
    • Savings goals tracking
  • Monthly$6.99/month
    • Financial aggregation across 14,000+ institutions
    • Spending plan and budgeting tools
    • Savings goals tracking

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 Simplifi if

  • You need budget tracking.
  • You work on Web, IOS, Android.
  • You also want spending analysis.
Simplifi review

Questions people ask

Is Actual Budget or Simplifi better?
Neither clearly leads. Actual Budget starts at Free and Simplifi at $3.99/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Actual Budget or Simplifi?
Actual Budget has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Actual Budget and $3.99/month for Simplifi.
Does Actual Budget or Simplifi run on more platforms?
Actual Budget runs on Web, macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android. Simplifi 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. Simplifi starts at $3.99/month.
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 Simplifi is typically brought in for.
What can Actual Budget do that Simplifi cannot?
Actual Budget covers Envelope budgeting, Local-first data, Self-hosted sync, Bank sync via SimpleFIN or GoCardless. Simplifi covers Budget tracking, Spending analysis, Goal tracking, Cash flow 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.

Simplifi: How much does Quicken Simplifi cost?

Quicken Simplifi costs $3.99 per month when billed annually, or $6.99 per month if billed monthly. The annual plan provides a 43% discount compared to monthly billing.

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.

Simplifi: Does Quicken Simplifi offer a free trial?

No free trial is mentioned on the Quicken Simplifi pricing page. The service operates as a cloud-based subscription requiring payment to access personal finance management features including budgeting, spending tracking, and investment portfolio management.

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.

Simplifi: What payment options are available for Simplifi?

Simplifi requires annual or monthly billing at checkout with automatic renewal. Cancellation is permitted before renewal without penalty.

Source
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