Control your spending with envelopes, not after-the-fact budgets.
Not a web app. Principal Plan runs fast in the privacy and security of your own PC or Mac. No monthly subscription fees.
Professional‑grade accounting software using an Envelope‑based allocation model so you give every dollar a job the moment it arrives. See exactly what's available for groceries, clothing, and more—before you spend. Create a simple budget in a few minutes that you can print or export to Excel.
Features at a glance
Local, private, secure and fast
Not a web app — runs entirely on your PC or Mac. No cloud account required and your finances never leave your computer.
Envelope-first planning
Give every dollar a job the moment it hits your account. Adjust allocations when income changes so your plan always reflects reality.
Accounts & transfers
Create checking, savings, credit, and other accounts. Transfers keep everything balanced across accounts and envelopes—automatically.
Templates for recurring transactions
Build transaction templates for recurring income and bills, then apply them to allocate with a single action.
Easy transaction import
Import transactions from virtually any bank or financial institution to quickly sync your real-world spending with your envelope allocations.
Reconcile with confidence
Use the Reconcile view to match statements quickly while seeing only uncleared activity.
Reports you can carry
Print envelope summaries in multiple sizes—from business card to letter—for quick reference anywhere.
Detailed documentation
Access the Principal Plan Wiki for growing collection of step-by-step guides, tutorials, and best practices to get the most from your software.
Video tutorials
Watch our how-to videos on YouTube for visual walkthroughs of key features and workflows. Suggest new topics and ideas for future videos.
Download Principal Plan
60-Day Free Trial. No credit card required—just download it, set it up, and try it out.
Not a web app — runs on your own PC or Mac. Your data stays on your computer.
Choose your platform to get started.
What makes Principal Plan different?
- Not a web app — Desktop‑native software that runs locally on your PC or Mac. Your data stays on your computer for maximum privacy and security.
- Allocation (Envelope) model — Unlike traditional budgeting that tracks spending after the fact, Principal Plan uses envelopes to allocate income the moment it arrives. You plan with what you actually have in hand, not future projections or estimates.
- Professional‑grade ledgers — Access Account and Envelope ledgers that give you precise control over every transaction. Dedicated reconcile views make matching bank statements fast and painless.
- Accounts stay perfectly balanced — By design, the total of all your bank accounts always equals the total of all your envelopes. This mathematical certainty eliminates the confusion and discrepancies common in other financial software.
- Clear "available to spend" — Every envelope shows exactly how much money is available for that category right now. Visual warnings appear when you go below your threshold, making overspending immediately visible and fixable before it becomes a problem.
- Templates & Allocation Plans — Transform recurring income and bills into reusable templates. Apply your entire paycheck allocation or monthly bill payments with a single click, automatically distributing money across the right envelopes.
- Flexible organization system — Bundle envelopes together to group related categories. For instance, housing could bundle together mortagage, utilities etc.
- Portable reference materials — Print wallet-sized balance summaries in multiple formats (business card size, planner size, or full letter) so you can carry your current envelope balances with you for quick reference while shopping.
Simple, Fair Pricing
One‑time purchase. No monthly or annual subscription fees. Your license includes 1 year of upgrade coverage.
Yours forever. Keep using your licensed version indefinitely. Renew only if you want to upgrade to newer versions released after your coverage period.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this a web app?
No. Principal Plan runs locally on your own PC or Mac. Your data stays on your computer—no cloud account and nothing stored on our servers.
Is this a subscription?
No. Principal Plan is a one-time purchase with no monthly or annual subscription fees. Your license includes 1 year of upgrade coverage. After that, your current version keeps working forever; renew only if you want to upgrade to a newer version released later.
What is envelope budgeting?
Envelope budgeting is an allocation-based system where you assign every dollar a specific purpose the moment it arrives. Unlike traditional budgets that track spending after the fact, envelope budgeting helps you plan with what you actually have available.
What are the system requirements?
Principal Plan runs on Windows (32-bit and 64-bit) and macOS. Download the appropriate installer for your platform and try it free for 60 days with no credit card required.
Can I import transactions from my bank?
Yes, Principal Plan supports transaction import from virtually any bank or financial institution, making it easy to sync your real-world spending with your envelope allocations.