Two free zero-based budgeting tools, two different philosophies. One lives in Google Sheets. The other is a self-hosted app. Here's how to choose.
Try Aspire freeNo sign-up. No server required. Copy to your Drive and start.
Actual Budget is a self-hosted web application — you run it on your own server (or pay for their cloud hosting). It's a full-featured budgeting app with bank sync, reports, and rule-based automation. Aspire is a Google Sheets template — no servers, no installation, no accounts. Just a spreadsheet in your Drive that implements the same budgeting methodology.
| Feature | Aspire Budgeting | Actual Budget |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free (self-host) or $5.84/month (cloud) |
| Setup required | Copy a Google Sheet (2 min) | Docker/server setup or sign up for cloud |
| Budgeting method | Zero-based envelope | Zero-based envelope |
| Platform | Google Sheets (web, iOS, Android) | Web app (self-hosted or cloud) |
| Bank sync | No (CSV import with Turbo) | Yes (GoCardless, SimpleFIN) |
| Open source | No (but it's a visible spreadsheet) | Yes (MIT license) |
| Customizability | Full (it's a spreadsheet) | Source code modifiable (requires dev skills) |
| Partner sharing | Free (Google Sheets sharing) | Share login or multi-user (cloud) |
| Reports | Spending, trends, income vs. expense | Net worth, cash flow, spending, custom |
| Transaction rules | Auto-categorization (Turbo) | Rule-based automation |
| Technical skill needed | None | Some (for self-hosting) |
| Works offline | Google Sheets offline mode | Yes (local-first architecture) |
Actual is an impressive project. Choose it if:
You want bank sync and automatic transaction importing without paying $109/year (YNAB).
You're comfortable with Docker or running a small server (or willing to pay $5.84/month for their cloud).
You value open source and want to inspect (or modify) the code yourself.
You want advanced reporting like net worth tracking and custom date-range analysis.
You prefer a dedicated budgeting app UI over a spreadsheet.
You don't want to set up or maintain a server. Aspire is a Google Sheet. Copy it and you're done. No Docker, no ports, no updates to manage.
You want instant partner sharing. Share the Sheet with your partner — both edit in real time. Actual requires sharing credentials or setting up multi-user.
You want spreadsheet customizability. Add columns, build formulas, create custom views — no coding required. Actual's customization requires modifying source code.
You trust Google's infrastructure. Your data syncs across devices via Google Drive without managing backups. Self-hosted Actual means you're responsible for backups.
You're not technical. If "Docker" and "self-host" mean nothing to you, Aspire is the obvious choice. Zero technical barriers.
You like spreadsheets. Some people genuinely prefer the spreadsheet experience. If that's you, Aspire is purpose-built for it.
Zero-based envelope budgeting in Google Sheets. Free. No server required.