Trout vs Actual Budget
Two open-source envelope budgeting apps built by people who think you should own your financial data. Both offer self-hosting. Trout also offers a free hosted tier. Different tech stacks, different trade-offs.
Feature comparison
| Feature | Trout | Actual Budget |
|---|---|---|
| Envelope Budgeting | ||
| Pricing | Free / Pro from $5/mo | Free (self-host) / $6.99/mo (hosted) |
| Hosted Option | Paid sync only ($6.99/mo) | |
| Open Source | FSL-1.1-MIT | MIT |
| Self-Hosted | ||
| AI Assistant | Pro | |
| Bank Sync | Pro (GoCardless Open Banking) | GoCardless / SimpleFIN |
| Crypto Tracking | ||
| Multi-Currency | ||
| Transaction Rules | Advanced (AND/OR groups) | Basic |
| Goal Types | 5 types | Basic |
| E2E Encryption | ||
| Offline Mode | ||
| Database | PostgreSQL | SQLite |
| Backend | Elysia (Bun) | Node.js |
| Frontend | Next.js 15 + React 19 | React |
| Deployment | Docker Compose | Docker / Single binary |
What Actual Budget does better
Actual Budget has been around longer and has matured in ways Trout has not.
Offline-first architecture
Actual stores data locally and syncs to the server. You can budget without internet access and it catches up later. Trout needs a live connection to your server at all times.
End-to-end encryption
Actual can encrypt your data client-side so the server only stores ciphertext. Even if your server is compromised, your financial data stays private. Trout does not have this yet.
Simpler self-hosted deployment
Actual runs as a single binary with SQLite -- no external database needed. Trout requires Docker Compose with PostgreSQL for self-hosting, though both now offer hosted options if you prefer to skip server management entirely.
Maturity and community
Actual has years of development, more contributors, and a larger user base. More bugs have been found and fixed. Trout is a newer project with a growing community and fewer third-party integrations.
What Trout offers differently
AI assistant that reads your budget
Ask questions in plain English about your spending, move money between categories, or get a summary of your month. The AI has access to your actual budget data -- it is not a generic chatbot. Actual Budget has no AI features.
Advanced transaction rules
Create rules with multiple conditions combined with AND/OR logic. Match on payee, amount ranges, memo text, and more. Actual's rules are more basic -- they get the job done for simple cases but cannot express complex conditions.
Crypto portfolio tracking
Track cryptocurrency holdings with real-time prices alongside your regular budget. See your complete net worth including crypto. Actual Budget does not support cryptocurrency.
PostgreSQL for power users
Trout uses PostgreSQL, which means you can write custom SQL queries against your own financial data, set up backups with standard pg_dump, and use any PostgreSQL tooling. Actual uses SQLite, which is simpler but less flexible for advanced use cases.
Modern TypeScript stack
Next.js 15, React 19, Elysia on Bun, Drizzle ORM, and Turborepo. If you are a developer looking to contribute, the codebase uses current tools with full type safety from database to frontend.
Frequently asked questions
Are both apps really free?
Both are open source and free to self-host. Actual Budget offers a paid hosted sync option ($6.99/month). Trout offers a free hosted tier with all core budgeting features, plus a Pro plan ($5/month) that adds bank sync and AI.
Which one is easier to set up?
Both offer hosted options so you can skip self-hosting entirely. For self-hosting, Actual Budget can run as a single binary with SQLite -- no external database needed. Trout requires Docker Compose with PostgreSQL. Actual's self-hosted setup is simpler for beginners.
Can I use both for multi-currency?
Yes. Both support multi-currency budgeting. Trout includes automatic exchange rate updates. Actual Budget also supports multiple currencies.
Which should I pick if I care about privacy?
Both keep your data on your server. Actual Budget adds optional end-to-end encryption, meaning even if someone accesses your server, they cannot read your financial data without the key. Trout does not have E2E encryption yet.
Try Trout
Both are great choices. Try Trout for free or self-host it alongside Actual and see which fits.