Actual vs InvoicePlane
| Tagline | Local-first zero-sum budgeting app with optional cross-device sync | Self-hosted invoicing, quoting, and payment tracking for small businesses |
| Category | Finance & Budgeting | Finance & Budgeting |
| Replaces | YNAB, Mint | QuickBooks |
| GitHub stars | 27k | 3.1k |
| Language | Nodejs | PHP |
| License | MIT | MIT |
| Self-host difficulty | 2/5 Easy | 3/5 Moderate |
| Deploy options | Docker Docker Compose Manual | Docker Manual |
| Managed hosting | ||
| Last updated | today | 4 days ago |
| View repo | View repo |
Where each falls short
The honest trade-offs — what you give up with each, versus the proprietary tools they replace.
Actual
- Bank sync coverage is narrower than YNAB's direct connections, especially outside the US/EU
- No mobile native app; the web app is mobile-responsive but not fully optimised for touch
- Investment tracking and net-worth projections are basic compared to Mint/Quicken
- Multi-currency support is limited and requires manual workarounds
InvoicePlane
- No double-entry accounting or general ledger
- Client portal for online payment acceptance is not built-in
- Limited financial reporting; no P&L or balance sheet
- Development pace has slowed; some modern UX polish is lacking
Bottom line
Choose Actual if you want the lower-effort setup; choose Actual for the larger community and ecosystem. Actual has seen more recent development. Open each guide below for deploy steps and the full feature gap.
InvoicePlane
Self-hosted invoicing, quoting, and payment tracking for small businesses