GnuCash alternatives
Top Accounting & Invoicing like GnuCash
The most popular alternative to GnuCash is Akaunting, which has a free version. Other great alternatives to GnuCash are Wave, QuickBooks, Invoice Ninja, and Zoho Books.
Most alternatives to GnuCash are in the Accounting & Invoicing category, compared here by price, platform and features.
All GnuCash alternatives
Akaunting is web-based accounting software for small businesses and freelancers that can be installed on your own server or used in the cloud. The core handles invoices, bills, expenses, customers, vendors, multiple currencies and reports, while paid apps from its marketplace add features such as payroll, inventory and bank feeds. Its source code is published under the Business Source License.
8 Akaunting alternativesPros
- Can be self-hosted on your own server or used in the cloud
- Core covers invoices, bills, expenses and multiple currencies
- Marketplace apps add payroll, inventory and bank feeds
Cons
- Many useful features are paid add-ons from the marketplace
- Business Source License code is not open source in the strict sense
- Self-hosting requires technical skills to install and maintain
Cost / LicenseFreemiumSource availableCategoriesPlatformsWave is accounting software for small businesses and freelancers in North America, owned by H&R Block. The free Starter plan covers unlimited invoices, estimates, expense tracking and double-entry bookkeeping, while the Pro plan adds automatic bank imports, receipt scanning and multiple users. Card payments and payroll are offered as paid services.
9 Wave alternativesPros
- Free plan with unlimited invoices and double-entry bookkeeping
- Simple interface for owners without accounting training
- Estimates, invoices and expenses managed in one place
Cons
- Mainly serves businesses in North America
- Automatic bank imports and receipt scanning need the Pro plan
- No real inventory management
Cost / LicenseFreemiumProprietaryCategoriesQuickBooks is Intuit's accounting software for small businesses and self-employed people, offered mainly as the cloud-based QuickBooks Online, with desktop editions for Windows. It handles invoicing, bank feeds, expense and receipt tracking, sales tax, reports and payroll, and connects to many third-party apps and accountants. Intuit Assist adds AI help, and plans are paid after a free trial.
12 QuickBooks alternativesPros
- Widely known by accountants, which eases collaboration
- Large ecosystem of connected third-party apps
- Covers invoicing, bank feeds, sales tax and payroll
Cons
- Subscription costs add up, especially with payroll on top
- Features vary a lot between countries and editions
- Takes longer to learn than simpler invoicing apps
Cost / LicenseFree trialProprietaryCategoriesInvoice Ninja is an invoicing and billing platform for freelancers and small businesses, offered as a hosted service or as software you can install on your own server. It creates quotes, invoices and recurring billing, tracks time, tasks and expenses, supports many currencies and connects to dozens of payment gateways through a client portal. The source code is available under the Elastic License.
8 Invoice Ninja alternativesPros
- Self-hostable or available as a hosted service
- Connects to dozens of payment gateways through a client portal
- Recurring invoices, quotes, time and expense tracking included
Cons
- Not a full double-entry accounting system
- Elastic License code is not open source in the strict sense
- Many settings make the initial setup time-consuming
Cost / LicenseFreemiumSource availableCategoriesPlatformsZoho Books is cloud accounting software from Zoho for small and growing businesses. It covers invoicing and quotes, bank feeds and reconciliation, expenses, projects and time billing, multi-currency transactions and local tax reports in supported countries, and connects natively with Zoho CRM, Inventory and other Zoho apps. A free plan is available for very small businesses.
11 Zoho Books alternativesPros
- Native links with Zoho CRM, Inventory and other Zoho apps
- Free plan available for very small businesses
- Handles projects, time billing and multi-currency transactions
Cons
- Best value comes when you already use the Zoho ecosystem
- Local tax features only cover supported countries
- The many settings can feel overwhelming at first
Cost / LicenseFreemiumProprietaryCategoriesXero is a cloud accounting platform from New Zealand used by small businesses together with their accountants and bookkeepers. It reconciles bank feeds, sends invoices and quotes, tracks bills and expenses, handles multiple currencies and offers payroll in several countries, with a large marketplace of connected apps. It is a paid subscription with a free trial.
9 Xero alternativesPros
- Fast bank reconciliation driven by live bank feeds
- Large marketplace of connected apps
- Built for working closely with accountants and bookkeepers
Cons
- No free plan after the trial
- The entry plan caps how many invoices and bills you can create
- Payroll is only available in some countries
Cost / LicenseFree trialProprietaryCategoriesFreshBooks is cloud accounting software from Toronto designed for freelancers, consultants and small service businesses. It is centred on invoicing, with time tracking, project billing, expense capture, online payments and bank reconciliation, plus double-entry reports for an accountant. Plans are paid by subscription after a free trial.
11 FreshBooks alternativesPros
- Polished invoicing designed around service businesses
- Time tracking and project billing built in
- Easy to use for freelancers without accounting training
Cons
- No free plan once the trial ends
- Lower plans limit the number of billable clients
- Less suited to inventory-heavy or larger businesses
Cost / LicenseFree trialProprietaryCategories
GnuCash vs its alternatives at a glance
Pricing, platforms and the key features of GnuCash, compared with its most popular alternatives.
| App | Pricing | Platforms | Ad-free | Invoicing | Multi-currency | Offline mode |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FreeOpen source | Windows, Mac, Linux | |||||
| FreemiumSource available | Web, Self-hosted | |||||
| Freemium | Web, iPhone, Android | |||||
| Free trial | Web, Windows, iPhone, Android | |||||
| FreemiumSource available | Web, iPhone, Android, Self-hosted | |||||
| Freemium | Web, iPhone, Android |
GnuCash alternatives: frequently asked questions
What is the best alternative to GnuCash?
The most popular alternative to GnuCash is Akaunting: Self-hosted accounting software with an app marketplace. Other great alternatives are Wave, QuickBooks, Invoice Ninja, and Zoho Books.
Is there a free alternative to GnuCash?
Yes, 4 alternatives are free or have a free plan, including Akaunting, Wave, Invoice Ninja, and Zoho Books.
Is there an open source alternative to GnuCash?
No open source alternative to GnuCash is listed yet.
Is GnuCash free?
Yes, GnuCash is free to use.
Compare GnuCash with its alternatives
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