3 indie YNAB alternatives.
YNAB costs $180 a year paid monthly. The cheapest pick here costs $0 in its first year, $180 less. Here is what each one costs and what you give up.
| YNAB | Actual Budget | Buckets | Goodbudget | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price | $14.99/mo · $109/yr | Free | $64 once | Free plan · $10/mo · $80/yr |
| First year | $180 | $0 | $64 | $80 |
| Plan | YNAB | Free (MIT) | Buckets license | Premium |
| Made by | You Need A Budget LLC | Open source | Small team | Independent company |
| Platforms | web, iOS, Android | web, Windows, Mac, Linux | Mac, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android | web, iOS, Android |
| You give up | — | Syncing devices needs a server you host or pay a host for. | No web app, and the iOS app ships through TestFlight. | Free tier is 20 envelopes and manual entry; bank sync is Premium-only. |
| Price source | checked 2026-10-25 | checked 2026-10-24 | checked 2026-10-24 | checked 2026-10-24 |
US prices for one person, read on each vendor's own pricing page. Tax not included. Spot a wrong price? Tell us.
The picks
Actual Budget
Local-first envelope budgeting app, free and open source.
−$180vs YNAB
Buckets
Private envelope budgeting app you pay for once.
−$116vs YNAB
Goodbudget
Envelope budgeting you can share with a partner.
−$100vs YNAB