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Actual vs Firefly III

Learn how Actual and Firefly III differ in their key features, development activity, technology stack and community adoption, so you can decide which of these budgeting apps is best for you.

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Favicon of Actual

Actual

Privacy-focused personal finance app using envelope budgeting, multi-device sync, optional end-to-end encryption, and bank sync for US, EU, and UK users.
  • Stars


    26,884
  • Forks


    2,522
  • Last commit


    11 hours ago
  • Repository age


    4 years
  • License


    MIT
  • Self-hosted


    Yes
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Screenshot of Actual
Favicon of Firefly III

Firefly III

Track transactions, budgets, and accounts with a double-entry system, multi-currency support, rule engine, and REST API. Fully self-hostable.
  • Stars


    23,637
  • Forks


    2,190
  • Last commit


    20 hours ago
  • Repository age


    12 years
  • License


    AGPL-3.0
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Screenshot of Firefly III

Detailed Comparison

Both Actual and Firefly III have their unique strengths and serve similar purposes effectively. Consider your specific needs regarding popularity, activity, technology, maturity, licensing and features when making your decision.

Comparable
Community & Popularity

Both tools have similar popularity levels, with Actual having 26,884 stars and Firefly III having 23,637 stars on GitHub. In terms of developer contributions, Actual has 2,522 forks, indicating strong developer engagement.

Comparable
Development Activity

Both projects show recent activity, with Actual last updated 11 hours ago and Firefly III 20 hours ago.

Comparable
Technology Stack

Both tools share common technology foundations, being built with JavaScript, SCSS. However, they differ in their additional technology choices: Actual uses Typescript, JSX while Firefly III leverages CSS, Bash, Vue, PHP, Laravel.

Firefly III wins
Project Maturity

Firefly III has been in development longer, starting 12 years ago, compared to Actual which began 4 years ago. This 7.9-year head start suggests Firefly III may have more mature features and established processes.

Actual wins
Licensing

Actual uses the MIT license, which is more permissive than Firefly III's AGPL-3.0 license, potentially offering greater flexibility for commercial use and integration.

Comparable
Use Cases & Features

Both tools serve similar use cases in Budgeting Apps. However, they also have distinct specializations: Firefly III extends into Personal Finance Management.

Actual wins
Hosting & Deployment

Actual provides self-hosting options for complete data control and customization, while Firefly III may be primarily cloud-based or require different deployment approaches.