can i fork it?

Head-to-Head Comparison · Alternative to Lunch Money · 💰 personal finance

Lunch Money vs Wealthfolio

Transactions, rules, spending reports and net worth on your device; automatic account sync is paid. Here is how Wealthfolio ($0/mo open source) stacks up against Lunch Money ($10/mo) across cost, hosting, data privacy, and real-world trade-offs.

Lunch Money vs Wealthfolio Specification Matrix

facts verified 2026-08-11

DimensionLunch Money (Paid)Wealthfolio (Replacement)
Monthly Price$10 / mo$0 / mo
1-Year Cost (1 seat)$120 / yr$0 / yr (Save $120)
1-Year Cost (5 seats)$600 / yr$0 / yr (Save $600)
1-Year Cost (10 seats)$1,200 / yr$0 / yr (Save $1,200)
Source & LicenseProprietary SaaSopen source AGPL-3.0
Where It RunsVendor CloudLocal or hosted (your machine or their cloud)
PlatformsWeb / Cloud
desktopmobilewebself-hostedone-click install
GitHub Stars—★ 8.5k (active aug 2026)

Deep Dive: Switching from Lunch Money to Wealthfolio

Trade-offs, installation & data architecture

The Catch vs Lunch Money

What you trade away

Wealthfolio is portfolio-centered and has thinner budgeting, recurring-expense, multi-currency transaction, and rule-management tools than Lunch Money.

Installation

How to deploy Wealthfolio

Native desktop or iOS app, or the official Docker image/Compose deployment for web mode

Data Ownership

Where your data lives

Desktop and self-hosted modes use a local SQLite database (the web server exposes a configurable app.db path); optional Wealthfolio Connect and encrypted device sync send selected holdings/account data through the vendor service.

Build vs Fork Verdict: KINDA (the core, yes. the polish, no)

Why fork Wealthfolio instead of vibe-coding a Lunch Money clone?

The core loop is buildable, but a dependable replacement becomes a real weekend or multi-day project. For Lunch Money, import transactions and maintain a transparent personal ledger with rules and reports. The hard boundary is bank sync, multi-currency support, api, community, and hosted convenience, plus financial integrations, compliance, and trust.

Lunch Money vs Wealthfolio FAQ

Is Wealthfolio a good free alternative to Lunch Money?+

Yes. Wealthfolio is a verified open-source (AGPL-3.0) replacement for Lunch Money. Transactions, rules, spending reports and net worth on your device; automatic account sync is paid.

What is the catch when switching from Lunch Money to Wealthfolio?+

Wealthfolio is portfolio-centered and has thinner budgeting, recurring-expense, multi-currency transaction, and rule-management tools than Lunch Money.

How much do you save switching from Lunch Money to Wealthfolio?+

Lunch Money costs $10/mo ($120/yr) per seat, whereas Wealthfolio is $0/mo. Switching saves $120/yr for a solo user, $600/yr for a 5-person team, and $1,200/yr for a 10-person team.

How do I install or self-host Wealthfolio instead of Lunch Money?+

Install: Native desktop or iOS app, or the official Docker image/Compose deployment for web mode.

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