Side by side
Actual Budget vs Buddy
Both stand on personal finance software. Which one you can start free with, which one lets you read the code, and what each costs once you pay.
Free plan APILinuxMac+3
Actual Budget pairs envelope budgeting with bill tracking, net-worth tracking and report export at no listed cost. Its supported platforms and optional self-hosted synchronization are central considerations for choosing it.
Visit Actual Budget
Free plan iPhoneMac
Buddy brings budgeting, transaction tracking, shared finances, account connections, and net-worth views together. Its free download provides an entry point, with Premium subscriptions adding the paid functionality.
Visit BuddyThe facts
| Actual Budget | Buddy | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Open source | Not published | Not published |
| Runs on | API, Linux, Mac, Self-hosted, Web, Windows | iPhone, Mac |
| Lowest paid plan | Free or on request | Buddy Premium: $49.99 a year |
| Plans published | 1 | 5 |
| Maker | Not published | Buddy |
| Website | actualbudget.org | buddy.download |
| On personal finance software | #5 of 181 | #81 of 181 |
Actual Budget: what it does well
- Free plan includes desktop and web access.
- Supports envelope budgeting.
- Includes bill and net-worth tracking.
- Available on Windows, macOS and Linux.
- Optional self-hosted synchronization is included.
What to know first
- No paid tier is listed in the provided plan details.
- Self-hosted synchronization is optional rather than required.
Buddy: what it does well
- Creates budgets and shows remaining spending room
- Supports shared budgets with synchronized transactions
- Tracks spending, savings, and debt accounts
- Connects bank accounts through Open Banking
- Offers monthly and yearly Premium plans
What to know first
- Free download includes in-app purchases
- Mac requires macOS 15 and Apple M1 or later
- Premium pricing applies to additional functionality
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