I built a free, privacy-first budgeting app based on the 50/30/20 rule
TL;DR: Built Budget Canvas, a lightweight, privacy-first budgeting app. No email, phone, no tracking. Free on the web and Android. Just launched.
The Need
I wanted a simple budgeting app that followed the 50/30/20 rule. Sounds simple, right?
But every budgeting app I found either:
Required: connecting your bank account (Mint, YNAB)
Was locked behind subscriptions ($5-15/month for basic budgeting)
Required: creating an account with email/phone
Sent my financial data to someone else's server
Overcomplicated the most basic features I actually wanted
I wanted to budget my income into Needs, Wants, and Savings without handing my financial data to a company.
So I built Budget Canvas.
What Makes It Different
Privacy: Everything happens on your device
No data harvesting
No email needed to sign up
No tracking
Financial data stays yours
Simplicity: Built around the 50/30/20 rule
Enter your income, and it splits automatically
Three clear categories: Needs, Wants, Savings
2,000+ subcategories to organise expenses
Fully customizable ratios (60/20/20, 40/40/20, whatever works for you)
Multi-profile: Up to 5 independent budgets
Personal finances, side business, joint account, all in one app
Each profile has its own income, expenses, rules, and goals
Each profile has its own currency. Earn side business income in crypto, or have different profiles for different cities.
Copy expense items from one profile to another
Global: 80+ fiat currencies + 40 cryptocurrencies
Auto-detects your currency based on location
Proper formatting with correct symbols and decimals
Savings goals: Set targets, track progress
Smart distribution across multiple goals
Target dates to stay motivated
Pricing: Free. No subscriptions, no premium tier, no ads.
The Tech Stack (for the nerds)
React + Vite for the web app
Capacitor for the Android wrapper
IndexedDB for local storage (your data stays on-device)
Netlify for hosting
Zero backend — there's literally no server to hack
Exp
Privacy resonates more than you'd think. "Your data never leaves your device" gets more attention than many feature lists. People are tired of apps harvesting their financial data.
The 50/30/20 rule is a battle-tested framework. It gives structure without being rigid. Beginners love having a starting point, and experienced budgeters customise the ratios.
Simple > fancy. Visuals are nice, but they are more useful for expense tracking than for fund allocation.
Offline-first is underrated. Works without internet after the first load. Budget on the bus, on a plane, wherever.
It's available on Android: Download the APK directly from the website (footer link)
Would you be willing to give me any feedback on whether you found it useful?
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