Self-hosted privacy, no server
Self-hosting promises privacy but ships a server you have to babysit. Budgie gives you the same data ownership with zero ops. Your phone is the server.
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- Free, no account
- Works offline
- Source-available
Where the backup file replaces the server
One settings screen, and the two rows that stand in for everything a hosted server would do.
Every transaction, account and category lives in a database on your phone, encrypted the moment you set a PIN — there is no backend to deploy.
Export Database writes one compressed file with everything, PIN-locked if you have a PIN set. Import Database restores it on a new phone after you pick the file and enter that PIN if the backup was PIN-locked. A restore replaces the data on that phone; it is not sync.
No server to patch, renew certificates for, or pay for — just a file only you hold.
- Restore from a backup file
- Write your backup file here
A server to run, or just your phone
Self-hosting keeps data yours but hands you the ops work. Budgie skips the server.
A self-hosted finance app
- Data lives on a server you run
- You patch it and renew certificates
- Mobile is often a web app, or none
- Setup can take hours
Budgie
- Data lives on your phone
- No server to maintain
- Native iOS and Android app
- Install and open
Your backup is just a file
Two rows in Settings save and restore everything. Keep the file wherever you like.
Export Database writes one file with all your data
Import Database restores it on a new phone
Read the sourceWhat you get
No server to maintain
No server to patch, renew certificates for, or pay for — just a file only you hold.
Your data on your phone
On your phone, encrypted when a PIN is set
A real mobile app
Native iOS + Android
The details
For when you want to know exactly how it behaves.
Why this matters
Self-hosting promises privacy but ships a server you have to babysit. Budgie gives you the same data ownership with zero ops — your phone is the server.
Questions
Why not just self-host an existing finance app?
If you enjoy ops work, do that. Most people don't, and a forgotten server with stale TLS is worse than a vendor's cloud. Budgie keeps the data ownership story without the ops cost.
Can I use Budgie on a phone and a tablet at once?
Budgie does not sync between devices. You can move your data by copying the backup file through your own iCloud Drive, Google Drive, or Dropbox and restoring it on the second device — but a restore replaces everything on that device, and later changes stay on the device where you made them. If the backup was PIN-locked, enter that PIN when you restore.
What if I want to migrate to a real self-hosted app later?
Export your data as CSV anytime. Budgie doesn't lock you in.
Can I keep my data backed up to my own server?
Yes — the backup is just a file, encrypted if you had a PIN set when you made it. Save it anywhere you control: NAS, your own server, your own cloud.
Ready to take Budgie for a spin?
Join the waitlist — be first to try the offline-first expense tracker.