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beancount/fava

A web interface for the Beancount double-entry bookkeeping software, focused on usability and reporting.

Open-source alternative to:QuickenYNAB

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What is it?

Fava is a web frontend for Beancount, a double-entry bookkeeping system that stores ledgers as plain text files. Beancount itself is driven by text files and command-line tools, while Fava lets you browse accounts, journal entries and financial reports in a browser.

You install Fava with pip and point it at a ledger file, for example `fava ledger.beancount`, then open the local web interface on port 5000. The project is written in Python and is aimed at people who already keep their finances in Beancount and want a more visual way to explore them.

Fava is developed as a focused interface on top of Beancount rather than a standalone accounting system, so Beancount knowledge is needed to write the underlying ledger files.

Key features

  • 01Browse accounts, journal entries and financial reports in a web browser.
  • 02Runs locally from a single command pointed at a Beancount ledger file.
  • 03Built on the plain-text Beancount double-entry bookkeeping format.
  • 04Available as a Python package installable with pip.

Use cases

  • Exploring personal finances kept in a Beancount ledger through a visual interface.
  • Reviewing account balances and reports without editing text files directly.
  • Self-hosting a plaintext accounting dashboard for a household or small business.

Quick start

  1. 1

    Install Fava with pip

    pip3 install fava
  2. 2

    Run Fava on your Beancount ledger file

    fava ledger.beancount
  3. 3

    Open the web interface in your browser at localhost port 5000

Things to know

  • You need an existing Beancount ledger, so familiarity with Beancount is assumed.

Topics

#beancount#plaintext-accounting#double-entry-bookkeeping#python#finance#web-interface#ledger

FAQ

What is fava?
A web interface for the Beancount double-entry bookkeeping software, focused on usability and reporting. Fava is a web frontend for Beancount, a double-entry bookkeeping system that stores ledgers as plain text files. Beancount itself is driven by text files and command-line tools, while Fava lets you browse accounts, journal entries and financial reports in a browser.
Is fava free to use? What license does it have?
fava is open source under the MIT license. Check the license terms before using it in commercial products.
Is fava still maintained?
Actively maintained. The last commit to fava was on Nov 3, 2026.
What can I use fava for?
Exploring personal finances kept in a Beancount ledger through a visual interface. Reviewing account balances and reports without editing text files directly. Self-hosting a plaintext accounting dashboard for a household or small business.
How do I install fava?
Install Fava with pip: pip3 install fava Run Fava on your Beancount ledger file: fava ledger.beancount Open the web interface in your browser at localhost port 5000
Where can I get fava?
The source code and installation instructions are on GitHub: https://github.com/beancount/fava

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