Ghostfolio vs Specter Desktop

A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted budgeting & finance options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.

Not the right match-up?
FeatureGhostfolioSpecter Desktop
CategoryBudgeting & FinanceBudgeting & Finance
LicenseAGPL-3.0free
LanguageTypeScriptPython
Setup difficultyMediumEasy
Min. RAM512 MB512 MB
Deploymentdocker, bare-metal, sourcedocker, one-click
GitHub stars★ 9,090★ 838
First released20212022
ReplacesPersonal Capital, Sharesight

Why pick each one

Choose Ghostfolio if…

  • Clean, focused dashboard
  • Supports many asset classes
Ghostfolio details

Choose Specter Desktop if…

  • Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
  • First-class Docker support for quick deployment
  • One-click install on common self-host platforms
  • Written in Python
Specter Desktop details

Frequently asked questions

Is Ghostfolio or Specter Desktop better?

Neither is universally better. Ghostfolio has the larger community, while Specter Desktop is simpler to set up (easy difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.

Are Ghostfolio and Specter Desktop free and open-source?

Yes. Ghostfolio is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and Specter Desktop under free. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.

Can I run Ghostfolio and Specter Desktop with Docker?

Ghostfolio: yes. Specter Desktop: yes.

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