Expense tracking on iPhone and Android, account required, local-by-default data, no bank connection. Statement import is PRO and is reviewed before saving.
COMPARISON
Tally vs Actual Budget: mobile app or self-hosted?
They are two different products and this page helps you choose, without crowning a winner. Tally is a mobile app for logging and understanding spending without connecting a bank, with data on your device by default. Actual Budget is open-source envelope budgeting designed for you to host yourself. The real question is whether you want fast logging or envelope planning.
Data reviewed on September 4, 2026 · Juan Carlos Rodicio
Open-source (MIT) envelope budgeting, designed for self-hosting, with desktop and web clients.
COMPARISON
Tally and Actual Budget, side by side
| Criterion | Tally | Actual Budget |
|---|---|---|
| First step | Log an expense on your phone after creating an account | Install or self-host Actual and assign money to envelopes |
| Platform | Native iOS and Android apps | Desktop Windows/Mac/Linux, a web client, and mobile as an installed web app; a native store app is not planned |
| Code and price | Free app with paid Tally PRO | Free and open-source software (MIT); optional third-party hosting is paid separately, with no single price |
| Bank connection | Does not connect to banks | Optional bank sync via actual-server and the user's API keys; on demand, not automatic; bank tokens are not covered by E2E encryption |
| Import | PRO: CSV, Excel (.xlsx), or Spanish Norma 43, with review before saving. Tally's own CSV is a different flow | CSV, QIF, OFX, QFX, and CAMT, plus manual entry |
| Budget | Daily clarity by accounts, categories, goals, and recurring items; it is not an envelope method | Envelope budgeting: you assign the money you have |
| Data and sync | Local ledger by default; sharing an account (PRO) encrypts the content on the device before upload. Not zero-knowledge for the whole app | Local-first; the server stores sync messages, not the live database. Multi-device sync via your own server; optional E2E encryption for budget data. More than one person can edit the same file; conflicts are possible |
| Approach | Fast logging on your phone, local receipts, and sharing specific accounts without running a server | Control the budget in a system you host and can audit |
Who each one fits
Choose the flow you will keep
Tally may fit you better if…
- You want a native iPhone or Android app and to log expenses in seconds.
- You do not want to connect a bank or run a server.
- You need receipt photos on the device and, if anything, AI analysis that only runs when you ask.
- You want to share a specific account without self-hosting anything.
- You have Spanish Norma 43 statements and accept that this import is PRO.
Actual Budget may fit you better if…
- You want envelope budgeting and to assign every amount before you spend it.
- You prefer free/open software (MIT) that you can read, host, and audit.
- Desktop or web fits you, or using the installed web client on a phone.
- You want multi-device sync with your own server and, if you turn it on, E2E encryption of budget data.
- You want optional bank sync and accept keeping the keys yourself, and that those tokens are not covered by E2E.
Bottom line
The difference is not “who is more private” in the abstract. Tally is a mobile app for logging and understanding expenses without connecting a bank. Actual Budget is an envelope budgeting system you can host. Choose the workflow you will keep using.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Which one is more private?
It depends on what worries you. Actual Budget can be self-hosted and its code audited, a level of control Tally does not offer. Tally keeps functional data on the device by default and requires an account; sharing and receipt analysis are explicit actions. There is no abstract winner.
Do I need a server to use Tally?
No. Tally works on your phone from the start, with nothing to install or maintain. Actual Budget is designed for self-hosting if you want to sync across devices.
Does Tally do envelope budgeting?
No. Tally has no category budgets and no money assignment. If the envelope method is what you want, Actual Budget does it and Tally does not.
Can I move my data between them?
With Tally PRO you can import a CSV or Excel (.xlsx) exported from Actual Budget, reviewing the rows before saving. The other way round, Tally exports a CSV with your accounts, categories, movements, goals, and recurring items.
Official sources consulted
- Actual Budget: vision
- Actual Budget on GitHub
- Actual Budget: install
- Actual Budget: bank sync
- Actual Budget: import transactions
- Actual Budget: sync
- Actual Budget
Keep exploring
Try Tally
Try Tally for free and decide with your own expenses
Log an expense, attach a receipt, and see if the flow fits you. No bank connection.
Free · Account required · No ads