Show HN: Wealthfolio: Private, open-source investment tracker

Original Article ↗ Hacker News Discussion ↗

Data import and account integration

  • App currently imports a single generic CSV format: Date, Symbol, Quantity, Activity Type, Unit Price, Currency, Fee; supports a fixed set of activity types (BUY, SELL, DIVIDEND, etc.).
  • Many users find manual CSV exports from multiple banks/brokers painful and a blocker to adoption; they want:
    • Broker-specific parsers (Vanguard, Fidelity, Schwab, etc.).
    • PDF/OCR or screenshot-based statement import.
    • A plugin/transform layer so the community can add institution-specific converters.
  • No Plaid/Open Banking-style live connections; this is praised by privacy-focused users but a dealbreaker for others who rely on automatic aggregation.

Local storage, privacy, and sync

  • Strong appreciation for “local data, no cloud” for sensitive financial info; SQLite file on disk is seen as a plus.
  • Some want sync via user-controlled tools (Syncthing, Dropbox, iCloud) rather than a vendor service.
  • Clarification that this uses a desktop app, not browser localStorage; some debate over how much encryption and key management is appropriate for “local-first.”

Use cases vs spreadsheets and existing tools

  • Many commenters still favor spreadsheets (Excel/Google Sheets) for:
    • Flexibility, sharing with partners, and easy backups.
    • Ability to wrap scripts or Apps Script around them.
  • Others compare to existing OSS tools (Portfolio Performance, GnuCash, Beancount/Paisa) and commercial products (Mint replacement apps, Monarch, Empower, ProjectionLab, Rocket Money, etc.), often noting that those offer better automation or deeper accounting features.

Functionality, asset coverage, and UX

  • Uses Yahoo Finance APIs for quotes; in theory supports anything Yahoo lists, including some crypto and Canadian tickers.
  • Some users report unsupported symbols, CSV parsing issues (e.g., Schwab/Fidelity quirks), unclear dividend handling, lack of stock split support, and errors on simple BUY entries; several call it an MVP/buggy for serious tracking.
  • Others praise the polished UI, multi-currency handling (including CAD/RRSP), crypto support, and income dashboards.

Security, aggregators, and monetization

  • Long discussion on Plaid/Yodlee-style aggregators:
    • Pros: instant verification, automated imports, historical data.
    • Cons: credential sharing (when no OAuth), ToS issues, eventual breach risk, user-training against phishing.
  • Debate over whether open source is more or less vulnerable to supply-chain attacks; no consensus.
  • Monetization ideas raised (subscriptions, selling aggregated data, white-label to banks, one-time licenses); many argue that ads/data-selling would contradict the privacy/local-first ethos, and that a fair paid model is preferable if sustainability is needed.