Actual Budget coworking evaluation stub

This is an incomplete evaluation stub, not an implementation guide.

Verified snapshot

Actual Budget is a local-first budgeting app with desktop and self-hosted sync options. The catalog positions it for a solo operator’s envelope budgeting, not full multi-entity or statutory accounting. It is OSI-approved MIT; software is free, while hosting and maintenance remain operator costs. It may hold accounts, transactions, and budgets as personal data.

Sources reviewed 2026-07-17: homepage, repository, and documentation.

Evaluation questions

Can the accountant accept its role as a budget aid rather than the official ledger?
Do exports preserve the categories and transaction detail needed for exit?
Who protects financial data, sync access, backups, and retention?
Is desktop-only or self-hosted sync the smaller operational burden?

Smallest experiment

Track one month of coworking-space expenses with envelope budgets using non-production or safely copied data. Compare totals to the official accounting source and test an export; do not change the authoritative books.

Risks

Scope confusion with accounting or tax systems
Sensitive transaction data and self-host maintenance
Export/API completeness and restore quality remain unverified

TODO before a full guide

Verify current sync, export, backup, and restore documentation
Document accountant-approved boundaries and reconciliation
Test access controls and a clean restore
Re-check hosted options and current costs without inferring prices