Actual is a local-first personal finance application designed to give users full control over their budgeting and financial data without relying on centralized cloud services. It is built using Node.js and operates with a synchronization layer that allows users to keep their data consistent across multiple devices while still maintaining ownership of their information. The platform emphasizes privacy and offline functionality, meaning users can manage their finances even without an internet connection. It provides a structured budgeting system inspired by envelope-style budgeting, helping users allocate funds to categories and track spending in a disciplined way. The application includes features for importing transactions, reconciling accounts, and analyzing financial trends over time, making it suitable for both personal and household finance management.
Features
- Local-first architecture with offline functionality
- Synchronization across multiple devices
- Envelope-style budgeting system
- Transaction import and account reconciliation
- Open-source and self-hostable deployment
- Privacy-focused design with full data ownership