Tiller alternatives: 2 open-source picks
Tiller costs $8.25/mo — $99 a year. These 2 alternatives replace it for $0, led by Actual Budget and Firefly III. All 2 are open source. License, stars and last commit checked by hand on 2026-08-29. No trials, no crippled tiers.
Local-first envelope budgeting with multi-device sync and bank import.
licenseMIT
runsyour server
setupnot verified by us yet — check the repo README
facts verified 2026-08-29
Personal finance manager with budgets, rules, and reports — your money data stays home.
licenseAGPL-3.0
runsyour server
setupnot verified by us yet — check the repo README
facts verified 2026-08-29
What each one is, in full: Actual Budget · Firefly III
last updated 2026-08-29 · no votes, no pay-to-list · just what's real
the usual suspects · recommended everywhere, rejected here
Actual BudgetExcellent budgeting software, but not a transparent spreadsheet model with reusable sheet templates.
Aspire BudgetingThe spreadsheet is free, but CSV import and auto-categorization live in the $5/month Turbo add-on.
how to choose a Tiller alternative
Easiest to get running
Actual Budget — a one-click install, no server to maintain.
Most proven
Actual Budget, with 28,752 GitHub stars — the largest community of the 2, which usually means more answers when something breaks.
what you give up by leaving Tiller
- automated bank feeds, spreadsheet connectors, templates, and support
- direct bank feeds
- tax filing guarantees
- payroll and payments
- accountant ecosystem and support
None of the picks above covers all of it. The full verdict says which gaps matter.
Tiller alternatives at a glance
| tool | license | running it | platforms | stars | active |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Actual Budget | MIT | one-click install | self-hosted, web | 28,752 | 2026-09 |
| Firefly III | AGPL-3.0 | one-click install | self-hosted, web | 24,601 | 2026-09 |
why people still pay for Tiller
People still pay for Tiller because people pay because accurate money records and dependable institution connections are worth more than the visible charts. The recurring cost buys import normalization, reconciliation, rule drift, exchange rates, backups, audit trails, tax changes, bank APIs, and support, not just the visible interface. If none of that applies to you, any pick above saves $99 a year.
questions about switching from Tiller
Is there an open-source alternative to Tiller?
Yes: Actual Budget, Firefly III. Every tool on this page is open source: no trials, no crippled tiers.
Can open source really replace Tiller?
Our verdict is YES. Actual Budget (29k stars), Firefly III (25k stars) are mature open-source replacements for Tiller — self-host in one command and stop paying $8.25/mo. The full verdict, and what you give up by switching, is at caniopensourceit.online/tiller-money.
What is the easiest open-source Tiller alternative to set up?
Actual Budget — a one-click install, no server to maintain.
What is the most popular open-source Tiller alternative?
By GitHub stars, Actual Budget (28,752). Firefly III is next with 24,601.
