Tavala vs Actual Budget
Actual is free, open-source, local-first envelope budgeting: your data on your device, synced through a server you run or rent, in one currency, with an installed web page on phones. Tavala is also local-first and works offline, but syncs without a server of your own, has native phone apps and holds every currency, free to start and $39.99 a year for Plus. Choose Actual if you want open source and are happy to run a server; choose Tavala if you want the same privacy without the server.
What Tavala is
Tavala is a private, offline-first personal finance app for budgets and expenses in any currency, on iPhone, iPad, Android, Mac and the web. It starts with no account and no bank: you type what you paid in one line, in any of 155 currencies and 96 cryptocurrencies, and every entry keeps the exchange rate of its day. Budgets show what is left, bills feed a safe-to-spend figure, and debts get a snowball or avalanche plan. It is free to start; Tavala Plus is $39.99 a year on the web for every device, every currency and spaces shared with up to six people. A read-only bank connection is an optional add-on for banks in the United States and Canada.
What Actual Budget is
Actual Budget is an open-source (MIT) personal finance app with a desktop app for Mac, Windows and Linux and a web version. Data is stored on your device; syncing between devices needs the optional Actual server, which you host yourself or rent (PikaPods from about $2 a month), with optional end-to-end encryption. Bank sync is optional and set up with your own provider (SimpleFIN in North America at $15 a year, Enable Banking in Europe). The official mobile apps are deprecated; phones use the web version installed to the home screen.
Local-first, and the server question
Both keep your data on your device and work offline. The difference is syncing: Actual syncs through a server you run or rent, which is exactly what many privacy-minded people want and what many others do not have time for. Tavala syncs through its own database in Ireland once you create an account, and before that sends nothing at all.
Phones
Actual's official mobile apps are deprecated; on a phone it is a web page installed to the home screen. Tavala has native apps for iPhone, iPad and Android, with Face ID or a fingerprint lock, and a native Mac app, plus the web.
Currencies and method
Actual's documentation says it is currency agnostic and does not support multi-currency; the workaround is tagging accounts. Tavala holds every currency in one space with the rate of each day. Actual uses envelope (zero-based) budgeting by default; Tavala uses budgets that count down with a safe-to-spend figure.
Openness and price
Actual is open source and free, plus hosting if you sync. Tavala is not open source; its privacy policy lists every provider that touches your data. It is free to start, and Tavala Plus is $39.99 a year on the web.
| What | Tavala | Actual Budget |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free; Plus $39.99 a yearor $6.99 a month on the web | Free softwareHosting from $2 a month (PikaPods) |
| Free plan | Free forever1 synced device, 2 currencies per space, 2 private spaces | FreeOpen source (MIT); you run it |
| Where your data lives | On your deviceWith an account, synced through Ireland (EU) | On your deviceOr on a sync server you run |
| Works offline | Every screenChanges sync when you are back online | Yes"works regardless of your network connection" |
| Platforms | iPhone, iPad, Android, Mac, webA native Mac app; the web at app.tavala.io | Mac, Windows, Linux, webDesktop app; mobile is an installed web page |
| Currencies | Every currency in one space155 currencies and 96 cryptocurrencies; 2 per space on the free plan | One"does not support multi-currency" |
| Bank connections | Optional add-onBanks in the United States and Canada, through Plaid, $3.99 a month per bank | Optional, set up yourselfNeeds your server; SimpleFIN ($15 a year) or Enable Banking |
| Budgeting method | What is left, per budgetPlus safe to spend before payday | Envelopes (zero-based)A tracking budget is optional |
| Export and import | CSV, PDF and full JSON exportNo import from other apps yet | Export any timeA zip with a SQLite file; imports YNAB4 and YNAB (JSON) |
Choose Tavala if
- You want local-first privacy without running or renting a server.
- You want native phone apps, with an app lock, for you and a partner.
- Your money is in more than one currency.
- You want quick capture in one line and a safe-to-spend figure rather than envelopes.
Choose Actual Budget if
- You want open-source, local-first envelope budgeting with no tracking at all.
- You are comfortable running a server, or paying a host, to sync between devices.
- You want to import bank files (CSV, OFX, QIF, CAMT) from any country.
- You want the whole budget in a file you own: the export is a zip with a SQLite database.
Switching from Actual
Actual exports your data from Settings at any time. Tavala cannot import it yet, so start with today's balances, your recurring bills and the budgets you use. Tavala exports everything as a JSON file whenever you want, with money in exact minor units beside its currency code, so leaving is as easy as arriving should be.
Tavala publishes this page and is one of the apps on it. Facts about Actual Budget are from its own pages, checked on 25 October 2026. Corrections are welcome at the address on the about page.
- Actual Budget home page
- Actual Budget: install
- Actual Budget: pikapods
- Actual Budget: vision
- Actual Budget: faq
- Actual Budget: multi currency
- Actual Budget: bank sync
- Actual Budget: simplefin
- Actual Budget: sync
- Actual Budget: multi user
- Actual Budget: importing
- Actual Budget: backup
- Actual Budget: restore
- Actual Budget: migration
- Actual Budget: nynab
- Actual Budget: privacy policy
Questions
- Is Tavala open source?
- No. Tavala is made by Tavala LLC. Its privacy policy lists every provider that receives anything, and without an account nothing about your money leaves the device.
- Can I self-host Tavala?
- No. Syncing goes through Tavala's database in Ireland. If you never create an account, nothing is stored anywhere but your device.
Go further
- Private by designEvery provider, and what each receives.
- Offline-firstThe device is the source of truth.
- No bank linkingBudgets from what you type.
- What Tavala stores and who can see itWithout an account your records never leave your device. With one, they sync to Tavala's servers. What is stored, who sees it, and the controls you have.
- Export all your dataSave everything you entered in Tavala as one JSON file - wallets, transactions, budgets, recurring rules, bank connections and trips. It is not encrypted.
- How sync and offline workTavala keeps a full copy of your data on every device, so it works offline. With an account, changes upload when you are online and reach your other devices.
Start with what you spent today.
There is no account to create and no card to enter. Pick your currency, add what you paid, and Home shows what is left.