Actual Budget vs Mercury
Detailed comparison to help you choose the right tool for your needs
A
Actual Budget
Open-source envelope budgeting app
4.4
Editorial RatingQuick Comparison
Rating
4.4
vs4.5
Starting Price
Free
vsFree
Pricing Model
free
vsfree
Feature
Actual Budget
Mercury
Envelope budgeting
Bank sync (SimpleFIN)
End-to-end encryption
Multi-device sync
Transaction import (QIF/OFX/CSV)
Self-hosted sync server
Business Checking
Savings Accounts
Corporate Cards
Treasury Management
Team Permissions
API Access
Actual Budget Pros
- Completely free with all features
- Local-first — fast and responsive
- End-to-end encrypted sync
- Dead simple self-hosting (single container)
- Active community development (MIT license)
- 70% cheaper than YNAB even with add-ons
Actual Budget Cons
- Mobile apps deprecated (web app only)
- Bank sync US/Canada only
- No investment tracking
- No REST API for automation
- Credit card handling assumes full payoff
- Plugin system not yet shipped
Mercury Pros
- Beautiful and intuitive banking interface
- No fees on the free tier for most operations
- Strong API for programmatic banking
- FDIC insured up to $5M through sweep networks
- Fast domestic and international transfers
- Great startup ecosystem integrations
Mercury Cons
- Not a chartered bank - uses partner banks
- No physical branch locations
- Cash deposits are not straightforward
- International features are limited
- Customer support can be slow during high volume
- Some account restrictions for certain industries