Multi-device sync, bank sync and API integrations add server-side network/state work, though Actual remains lightweight compared with database, media or AI workloads.
Households or integrations using several budgets and devices.Configuration matérielle requise pour Actual Budget : processeur, RAM, HTTPS et sauvegardes
Découvrez les exigences d’Actual Budget en matière de processeur, de mémoire vive, de Docker, de HTTPS, de sauvegarde et de chiffrement, puis choisissez le matériel ZimaOS adapté.
Actual Budget requirements at a glance
Actual Budget does not publish a numerical server CPU or RAM minimum. It is a local-first personal-finance application: self-hosting adds web access, multi-device sync, bank sync and API features, while core budgeting can function without a server.
- CPU
- No numerical official minimum. The self-hosted service is primarily a web/sync/API server rather than a compute-heavy analytics backend.
- RAM
- No numerical official minimum. Actual publishes a tiny Alpine Docker image intended for low-powered devices.
- HTTPS
- Actual requires SharedArrayBuffer for normal operation. Non-localhost browser access must use HTTPS plus the required COOP/COEP cross-origin-isolation headers.
- Persistent data
- The server stores budget/configuration state under /data by default, including user-files and server-files.
- Encryption
- Optional end-to-end encryption protects synced budget data, but current docs say bank-sync API secrets/tokens stored on the server are not covered by that encryption.
- Best Zima starting point
- ZimaBoard 2 832 is already far above Actual Budget's typical server workload. Upgrade for the broader Finance/Productivity stack or backup/storage needs, not Actual alone.
From official requirements to the right setup
Actual Budget hardware planning begins with secure access and recoverability, then considers sync and file growth.
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Official requirements
Treat Actual as local-first. A server is strongly recommended for multi-device sync, mobile/web access, bank sync and API features, but it is not required for core budgeting itself.
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Confirm your needs
Configure a secure browser path first. Actual requires SharedArrayBuffer, which means HTTPS plus the correct cross-origin isolation headers outside localhost.
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Leave room to grow
Persist /data and maintain portable budget exports. Server state and synchronized files must survive container recreation or storage replacement.
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Run it on ZimaOS
Install Actual Budget from ZimaOS, verify HTTPS, two-device sync, export/restore and any bank-sync integration before considering larger hardware.
Check every playback client
- HTTPS and secure-context access
- COOP/COEP headers for SharedArrayBuffer
- Persistent /data volume
- Number of budgets and devices
- Bank-sync/API use
- End-to-end encryption password recovery plan
- Budget export plus server-data backup
- Other Finance/Productivity apps sharing ZimaOS
Official minimum requirements
Actual Budget's current installation documentation defines deployment and browser-security requirements but does not publish a numerical host CPU, RAM or disk minimum.
Do not convert a cheap VPS/PikaPods allocation or Raspberry Pi deployment into an official requirement. On ZimaOS, secure HTTPS, persistent data and tested recovery matter more than raw compute.
| Requirement | Official minimum | What this supports |
|---|---|---|
| CPU | No numerical minimum published | No server core-count or clock-speed floor is documented. |
| RAM | No numerical minimum published | The Alpine image is positioned for low-powered devices, but no RAM floor is specified. |
| Persistent server data | /data by default | Configuration, user files and server files use the configured data directory. |
| Default server port | 5006 | Current server configuration default. |
| Remote browser requirement | HTTPS + cross-origin isolation | Required for SharedArrayBuffer outside localhost. |
| GPU | Not required | Actual Budget is a personal-finance web/sync workload. |
When to upgrade your hardware
Actual Budget itself rarely justifies a hardware upgrade; most growth is data, sync or surrounding services.
More devices, budgets and integrations increase sync activity
Budget/server files and backups keep growing
Actual shares the host with a larger app stack
Actual stores historical mutations, so older budget files can grow. Official docs explain that Reset Sync or export/re-import can compact this history.
Long-running instances with years of transaction history.Reverse proxy, databases, backups, monitoring and document apps can justify more RAM/storage even when Actual remains small.
All-in-one ZimaOS personal-cloud servers.Plan hardware growth with confidence
Scale Actual Budget by making sync and backups reliable rather than over-provisioning the sync server.
Keep HTTPS and SharedArrayBuffer working
The default actual-server supplies the required cross-origin headers, but a reverse proxy must not remove or duplicate them.
This is a browser/network requirement, not a CPU upgrade trigger.Export budgets in addition to backing up /data
Official backup documentation supports portable budget exports, giving a recovery path independent of the running server.
Keep copies on separate local/off-site storage.Use Reset Sync when mutation history makes files unnecessarily large
Actual explains that Reset Sync compacts historical changes into a new true version and can significantly reduce file size.
File growth does not automatically mean larger hardware is needed.Protect bank-sync credentials as server secrets
E2E encryption protects budget data, while bank-sync API secrets/tokens stored on the server remain outside that encryption boundary.
Use secure administration, disk protection and backup handling.Can it run on ZimaOS?
Actual Budget is currently listed in the ZimaOS App Store under Finance.
Install Actual Budget from the ZimaOS App Store
Use the packaged Finance app and keep its application data persistent.
Open Actual Budget in the ZimaOS App StoreUse HTTPS for LAN/remote browser access
Current SharedArrayBuffer documentation requires HTTPS outside localhost and the correct cross-origin isolation headers.
Read Actual SharedArrayBuffer requirementsBack up financial data independently of the app
Use Actual's export/backup workflows and preserve ZimaOS application data so storage failure or a bad update does not become a finance-data-loss event.
Read Actual backup guidanceChoose Zima hardware for Actual Budget
Actual Budget is lightweight enough that hardware should be chosen for reliability, backups and the other applications sharing the host.
Is Actual Budget a personal Finance service or part of a larger self-hosted cloud?
Personal/family Actual Budget
ZimaBoard 2 832 already provides very large CPU/RAM headroom.
- Normal Actual Budget serverZimaBoard 2 832
- Actual plus more Finance/Productivity servicesZimaBoard 2 1664
Finance server plus larger backup/storage workloads
Move to ZimaCube for storage consolidation, not because Actual is compute-heavy.
- Integrated Finance/backup serverZimaCube 2 Standard
There is no official Actual Budget CPU/RAM minimum or fixed budgets/users benchmark.
| Zima hardware | Best for | Example workload | Core configuration | Recommended boundary | Next step |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ZimaBoard 2 832 | A personal or family Actual Budget sync server. | Web access, multi-device sync, budget exports and light bank/API integration. |
|
Actual is unlikely to exhaust this hardware; HTTPS, backups and secure storage matter more. | Get Now |
| ZimaBoard 2 1664 | Actual Budget alongside more Finance/Productivity apps. | A larger self-hosted app stack, reverse proxy, backups and monitoring. |
|
16 GB is whole-server headroom, not an Actual Budget requirement. | Get Now |
| ZimaCube 2 Standard | A multi-drive personal cloud that also hosts Actual Budget. | Finance apps plus larger local/off-site backup and storage workflows. |
|
Choose it for storage consolidation and resilience rather than Actual compute. | Get Now |
What the Press Says
Highlights from trusted reviewers worldwide.
“ZimaCube 2: Not just another NAS, tested with 25TB storage, local AI agents, 4K transcoding, and real homelab workflows.”Read full review
“The ZimaBoard 2 is a compact x86 server board that can be turned into a mini NAS, home server, media box, or self-hosting hub.”Read full review
“ZimaCube 2: A modern, high-performance NAS with plenty of room to grow—built for users who want more than basic storage.”Read full review
“Coverage focused on ZimaCube 2's open hardware foundation, no monthly fee, and self-hosting flexibility.”Read full review
Loved by the Community
Stories and reviews from people who build with Zima every day.
★★★★★
Zima Blade Little yet Powerful
Maybe I am not digital natives but I live with PCs since 12 years old in 1984 when IBM PC clone come to my home. Many years have passed and many operating system I've tried. For me Zima blade and CasaOS was a quantum leap for home PC enthusiast and server lab machine to make me stay curious and relevant for this era.
★★★★★
Very good!!
I use ZimaCube Pro as 5th Proxmox cluster node. It runs several VMs and containers, including a VM with GPU passthrough to run a self-hosted LLM. A specific LXC container runs a Samba server for NAS capabilities using four of six RAID 6 SATA HDDs with ZFS.
★★★★★
Great innovation for mini server!
It is very useful and makes a powerful mini server for many purposes, including university and college students in engineering and electronics. Thank you so much for making this server.
★★★★★
Avaliação ZimaBoard 2
Construí um servidor de uso pessoal. O desempenho está muito bom e funciona perfeitamente onde quer que eu esteja. A surpresa é não dependermos de grandes estruturas para termos nosso próprio servidor de dados. Como iniciante, estou gostando bastante do ZimaOS, pois ele é simples e eficiente.
Frequently asked questions
FAQ topics follow query fan-out around RAM, low-power hosting, HTTPS/SharedArrayBuffer, local-first behavior, backups, file growth and encryption.
How much RAM does self-hosted Actual Budget need?
Actual Budget does not publish a RAM minimum. Its Docker documentation provides an Alpine image for low-powered devices, so a normal ZimaBoard 2 has far more headroom than the sync server typically requires.
Can Actual Budget run on a Raspberry Pi or other low-power server?
Yes in practice through the official multi-platform Docker image, and the Alpine image is specifically positioned for low-powered devices. This is practical evidence, not an official Pi/RAM benchmark.
Why does Actual Budget require HTTPS on my home network?
Actual requires SharedArrayBuffer for correct operation. Modern browsers enable it only in a secure cross-origin-isolated context, so non-localhost access needs HTTPS plus the required COOP/COEP headers.
Can I ignore the SharedArrayBuffer warning and use plain HTTP?
A normal deployment should not rely on the unsupported fallback. Actual's current documentation says SharedArrayBuffer is required, and community users have reported file-conflict/merge concerns when bypassing it.
Does the Actual Budget server do all budgeting calculations?
No. Actual is local-first and core budgeting can function without a server. The server mainly enables browser/mobile access, sync, bank sync and API features.
Why do Actual Budget backup files grow over time?
Actual stores historical mutations in the budget file. Official docs say Reset Sync or export/re-import compacts those historical changes and can significantly reduce file size.
Does Actual's end-to-end encryption protect bank-sync tokens?
No. Current Actual documentation says E2E encryption protects budget data, while bank-sync API secrets/tokens stored on the server are separate and not covered by that encryption.
Can ZimaBoard 2 832 run Actual Budget?
Yes. Its Intel N150 and 8 GB RAM provide far more compute/memory than a normal Actual Budget server needs; prioritize persistent storage, HTTPS and tested backups.
What sources and further reading informed this Actual Budget hardware guide?
Actual's official install, Docker and SharedArrayBuffer docs define the local-first server role, low-power image and HTTPS requirement. Backup docs explain file growth and recovery. Community discussion was used for query fan-out around HTTPS and backup concerns; ZimaOS confirms the current Finance app.
