Head-to-head · Personal Finance Software
Actual Budget vs Banktivity
Actual Budget leads on 1 check, Banktivity on 0, and 4 are even. Who comes out ahead on the 5 yes/no, price and count checks where we have data for both products. The editor score weighs everything else too.
Our verdict
- Highest scoreActual Budget · 7.7/10
- Free planonly Actual Budget
- Free trialonly Banktivity
Actual Budget scores higher on our rubric for personal finance software: 7.7 against 3.7 out of 10; our editors rank them #16 and #55.
Actual Budget offers free plan; Banktivity doesn't.
Actual Budget is the better fit for free, private, customizable budgeting. Banktivity is the better fit for apple-focused finance and investing.
- Actual Budget fits best
Free, private, customizable budgeting
- Banktivity fits best
Apple-focused finance and investing
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Side by side
| Feature | Actual Budget 7.7/10 Visit ↗ | Banktivity 3.7/10 Visit ↗ |
|---|---|---|
| At a glance | ||
| Editor score | 7.7 | 3.7 |
| Ranking | #16 in Personal Finance Software | #55 in Personal Finance Software |
| Best for | Free, private, customizable budgeting | Apple-focused finance and investing |
| Pricing model | Free | Paid |
| Starting price | Free | — |
| Free plan | ✓ (best) | — |
| Free trial | — | 30 days |
| Deployment | Cloud, Desktop, Self-hosted | Desktop, Mobile |
| Platforms | Web, Windows, macOS, Linux | macOS, iOS |
| Integrations | 5 integrations | 6 integrations |
| Features Actual Budget 4/4 · Banktivity 4/4 | ||
| Budgeting tools | ✓ | ✓ |
| Bill tracking | ✓ | ✓ |
| Net-worth tracking | ✓ | ✓ |
| Report export | ✓ | ✓ |
| Specs | ||
| Account sync | Both | Both |
| Mobile apps | Not checked yet | Ios |
| Our review | ||
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| Our verdict | Actual Budget is a free, open-source personal finance application for individuals who want envelope-style budgeting with control over how their data is stored. It supports account management, transaction categorization and imports,… Read the review → |
Banktivity is personal finance software for individuals and families using Apple devices. It brings budgeting, bill scheduling, account tracking, investment portfolio management, net-worth reporting, financial goals, and retirement… Read the review → |
Strengths and trade-offs
Actual Budget — where it wins
- Free MIT-licensed software with envelope-style budgeting
- Local-first storage with optional synchronization and encryption
- Supports broad file imports, reports, exports, and an API
Where it doesn't
- Official mobile applications are deprecated
- Bank synchronization must be triggered manually
- Multi-device synchronization requires an Actual server
Banktivity — where it wins
- Combines category and envelope budgeting with bill reminders
- Tracks investments, net worth, goals, and retirement planning
- Supports encrypted Apple-device sync and multiple export formats
Where it doesn't
- Runs only on macOS and iOS
- No free plan is available
- Annual pricing starts at $59.99
- Actual Budget7.7/10 · Free plan
Free, open-source budgeting with local storage, imports, reports, and optional self-hosting.
Visit Actual BudgetFull verdict → - Banktivity3.7/10 · 30-day trial
A deep personal finance tool for Apple users who want budgeting, investing, and planning.
Visit BanktivityFull verdict →
All personal finance software comparisons → · Full ranking →
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
Last updated · How we research and update