# Actual Budget (/docs/guides/destinations/actual-budget)



# Actual Budget [#actual-budget]

[Actual Budget](https://actualbudget.org/) is a privacy-focused, local-first app for managing your finances using the envelope budgeting methodology.

## Prerequisites [#prerequisites]

* An operational Actual Budget instance (self-hosted or provider-hosted)
* At least one bank account connected in Lunch Flow
* Node.js installed on your machine

<Callout type="info">
  Currently, the integration requires running a sync script called **actual-flow** locally. A direct API integration is planned for a future release.
</Callout>

## Setup [#setup]

<Steps>
  <Step>
    **Get your Lunch Flow API token**

    In Lunch Flow, go to **Destinations → Add Destination → API** and save the generated token securely.
  </Step>

  <Step>
    **Gather your Actual Budget details**

    You'll need:

    * Your Actual Budget server URL
    * Your instance password
    * Your Sync ID (found in **Settings → Advanced Settings**)
  </Step>

  <Step>
    **Run the installation script**

    ```bash
    npx @lunchflow/actual-flow
    ```

    The script will prompt for your API token, server URL, password, and Sync ID, then run the first sync automatically.
  </Step>

  <Step>
    **Optional: automate daily syncing**

    Set up a cron job or scheduled task to run the script daily.
  </Step>
</Steps>

## FAQ [#faq]

<Accordions>
  <Accordion title="Does it work with existing Actual Budget accounts?">
    Yes - the script matches and merges with existing accounts by name, and tracks imported transactions to avoid duplicates.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Which hosting platforms are supported?">
    Works with Fly.io, Railway, Render, DigitalOcean, and local machines. Not compatible with PikaPods due to server access restrictions.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="What if I get API errors?">
    For errors related to `@actual-app/api`, the Actual Budget Discord community is the best place for debugging help.
  </Accordion>
</Accordions>