How to Install Actual Budget on Ubuntu 24.04

Install Node.js

The Actual Budget app is a Node.js application and requires it. NPM will also be installed and used to install yarn.

Run the command below to install Node and NPM.

sudo apt update
sudo apt install nodejs npm git

More about installing Node.js and Yarn is below.

Install Node and npm on Ubuntu

After installing Node and NPM, run the command below to install Yarn.

sudo npm install --global yarn

At this stage, Node.js, npm, and Yarn should be successfully installed on Ubuntu.

Download Actual Budget files

After setting up your Ubuntu system, run the command below to clone the Actual Budget file. You may choose to save it to your home directory if you prefer.

git clone https://github.com/actualbudget/actual-server.git

Next, change into the clone file and install.

cd actual-server
yarn install

Configure Actual Budget.

To begin using Actual Budget, open its configuration file by executing the command below.

nano config.json

Next, specify the IP address of the machine and the port number you want to use for listening.

{
 "hostname": "127.0.0.1",
 "port": 5006
}

Save and exit.

Finally, run the command below to start the app.

yarn start

You can access the app using the IP address and port number specified in the configuration file.

http://localhost:5006

Create an admin password on the welcome screen.

Login and start using the app.

To easily manage the app start-up and shutdown, create a systemd service.

sudo nano /etc/systemd/system/actual.service

Copy and paste the content below into the file. Replace the username highlighted with your own.

[Unit]
Description=Actual-Server (https://actualbudget.org)
After=network.target

[Service]
User=richard
Group=richard
WorkingDirectory=/home/richard/actual-server/
ExecStart=/usr/local/bin/yarn start
Restart=on-watchdog

[Install]
WantedBy=multi-user.target

Save and exit.

Reload the systemd services and start the app.

sudo systemctl daemon-reload
sudo systemctl enable --now actual.service

When you run the service status, you should see the app running.

sudo systemctl status actual.service

The app should be running now.

actual.service - Actual-Server (https://actualbudget.org)
     Loaded: loaded (/etc/systemd/system/actual.service; enabled; preset: enabled)
     Active: active (running) since Sun 2025-03-23 14:52:21 CDT; 2s ago
   Main PID: 6204 (node)
      Tasks: 29 (limit: 4551)
     Memory: 189.6M (peak: 189.9M)
        CPU: 1.036s
     CGroup: /system.slice/actual.service
             ├─6204 node /usr/local/bin/yarn start
             ├─6211 /usr/local/lib/node_modules/node/bin/node /home/richard/actual-server/.yarn/releases/ya>
             └─6222 /usr/local/lib/node_modules/node/bin/node app

That should do it!

Conclusion:

Installing the Actual Budget app on Ubuntu 24.04 allows users to manage their finances efficiently. Here are the key takeaways:

• Simple Installation: The process involves 💿 installing Node.js, npm, and Yarn before ⬇️ downloading the Actual Budget app.
• Custom Configuration: Users can easily configure the app by modifying the config.json file to suit their preferences.
• Systemd Service: Creating a systemd service facilitates more straightforward management of the app’s start-up and shutdown processes.
• Local Data Control: Actual Budget provides enhanced control over personal financial data compared to cloud-based options as a locally hosted solution.
• User-Friendly Interface: The app’s intuitive design makes it accessible for users with all levels of financial knowledge.

Following the outlined steps, users can successfully set up and utilize Actual Budget for their financial management.