Copilot Money vs Actual Budget
Which is better in 2026? Five scores, side by side.
It's close: Copilot Money edges it 8.9 to 8.9, so the right pick depends on what you need. Copilot Money wins on 3 of the 5 scores, Actual Budget on 2.
iPhone and Mac users who want a polished, low-effort spending tracker
Hands-on budgeters who want YNAB-style envelopes without a subscription
Score by score
The details
| Feature | Copilot Money | Actual Budget |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Money & Investing | Money & Investing |
| Category rank | #3 of 12 | #4 of 12 |
| Developer | Copilot Money, Inc. | Actual Budget community |
| Pricing | Subscription | Free |
| Usable for free | No | Yes |
| iPhone & iPad | ✓ | — |
| Mac | ✓ | ✓ |
| Windows | — | ✓ |
| Linux | — | ✓ |
| Web | ✓ | ✓ |
Common questions
Is Copilot Money better than Actual Budget?
It's close: Copilot Money edges it 8.9 to 8.9, so the right pick depends on what you need. Copilot Money wins on 3 of the 5 scores, Actual Budget on 2.
Which is cheaper, Copilot Money or Actual Budget?
Copilot Money: 1-month free trial, then $13/month or $95/year. Actual Budget: Free and open source; syncing needs a server you host or rent, such as PikaPods. On value for money, Actual Budget scores higher.
Do Copilot Money and Actual Budget work on the same devices?
Only Copilot Money runs on iPhone & iPad. Only Actual Budget runs on Windows, Linux.
Which is more private, Copilot Money or Actual Budget?
Actual Budget scores higher on privacy (9.6/10). Local-first: your budget lives on your device and syncs through a server you control, with optional end-to-end encryption. Bank sync is optional and uses API keys you set up yourself.
Strengths and weaknesses
Copilot Money
- Best-in-class design that makes reviewing spending pleasant
- Categorization improves as you correct it
- Cheaper than Monarch or YNAB at $95 a year
- No Android app, and the web app lacks some native features
- Subscription only, with no free plan
Copilot Money is the best-looking finance app on Apple devices, and now it works in any browser too. It sorts transactions with categorization that learns from your corrections, tracks investments, crypto and recurring bills, and shows where your month is heading at a glance. A beta money assistant suggests fixes that you approve. The catch: there is still no Android app, and no free plan once the trial ends.
Full Copilot Money review
Actual Budget
- Free and open source, with no ads
- Data stays on your device unless you sync it
- Monthly releases keep adding features
- Sync needs a server you host or rent
- No app in the App Store or Google Play
- Bank sync means setting up your own provider keys
Actual Budget is envelope budgeting built by people who love it, then given away. You assign real income to categories, move money between them quickly, and lean on rules, split transactions and custom reports to keep things tidy. It's local-first and open source, with optional end-to-end encrypted sync and monthly releases. The catch is setup: syncing across devices means running a small server, and there's no app in the phone stores.
Full Actual Budget review
