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Free Zoho Books alternatives

Top Accounting & Invoicing like Zoho Books

The most popular alternative to Zoho Books is Wave, which has a free version. Other great alternatives to Zoho Books are Akaunting, Invoice Ninja, GnuCash, and Pennylane.

Most alternatives to Zoho Books are in the Accounting & Invoicing category, compared here by price, platform and features.

Zoho Books alternatives
AllFreeOpen source
7 apps

All Zoho Books alternatives

  1. Wave 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 alternatives

    Pros

    • 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 / License
    FreemiumProprietary
  2. 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 alternatives

    Pros

    • 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 / License
    FreemiumSource available
  3. Invoice 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 alternatives

    Pros

    • 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 / License
    FreemiumSource available
  4. GnuCash is a free, open source desktop accounting program for tracking personal finances or keeping small-business books with double-entry accounting. It manages bank and credit card accounts, investments, multiple currencies, customers, vendors, invoices and bills, and can import QIF, OFX and CSV files or fetch transactions online. It runs offline on Windows, macOS and Linux and is licensed under the GPL.

    7 GnuCash alternatives

    Pros

    • Free, open source double-entry accounting
    • Works offline, with your data kept on your own computer
    • Imports QIF, OFX and CSV files from banks

    Cons

    • Dated interface that feels clunky next to modern apps
    • Double-entry concepts can confuse non-accountants
    • No built-in cloud sync between devices
    Cost / License
    FreeOpen source
  5. Pennylane is a French platform that brings invoicing, supplier bills, bank connections, expense receipts and bookkeeping together in a single tool shared between a business and its accountant. It targets small and mid-sized companies and accounting firms, with cash-flow dashboards and support for France's e-invoicing reform. A free plan covers invoicing for micro-entrepreneurs; other plans are paid.

    8 Pennylane alternatives

    Pros

    • One workspace shared between a business and its accountant
    • Brings together invoicing, supplier bills, receipts and bank feeds
    • Ready for France's e-invoicing reform

    Cons

    • Built for the French market and its accounting rules
    • The free plan only covers invoicing for micro-entrepreneurs
    • Full value depends on your accountant also using Pennylane
    Cost / License
    FreemiumProprietary
  6. Tiime

    Tiime is a French management app for freelancers and small businesses that combines quotes and invoices, receipt capture, bank account syncing and pre-accounting, often shared with an accounting firm. The free plan covers unlimited invoicing and receipt management, and paid plans add a business bank account with a card, multiple users and more features. It supports France's e-invoicing requirements.

    7 Tiime alternatives

    Pros

    • Free plan includes unlimited invoicing and receipt management
    • Bank sync and receipt capture prepare the books for your accountant
    • Ready for France's e-invoicing requirements

    Cons

    • Aimed at French businesses, with little use abroad
    • Business bank account and multiple users require paid plans
    Cost / License
    FreemiumProprietary
  7. Indy is a French bookkeeping app built for independent workers such as micro-entrepreneurs, liberal professions and small companies. It syncs bank accounts, categorises transactions automatically, creates quotes and invoices and helps prepare tax returns, and it also offers a business bank account. The core features are free, with paid plans that add advanced management and filing of tax returns.

    7 Indy alternatives

    Pros

    • Core bookkeeping features are free
    • Synced bank transactions are categorized automatically
    • Built around the tax obligations of French freelancers

    Cons

    • Designed for France, so of little use elsewhere
    • Filing tax returns requires a paid plan
    • Less suited to companies with complex accounting needs
    Cost / License
    FreemiumProprietary

Zoho Books vs its alternatives at a glance

Pricing, platforms and the key features of Zoho Books, compared with its most popular alternatives.

Zoho Books vs its alternatives at a glance
AppPricingPlatformsBank syncExpense trackingIntegrationsInvoicingMulti-currency
Zoho BooksFreemiumWeb, iPhone, Android
WaveFreemiumWeb, iPhone, Android
AkauntingFreemiumSource availableWeb, Self-hosted
Invoice NinjaFreemiumSource availableWeb, iPhone, Android, Self-hosted
GnuCashFreeOpen sourceWindows, Mac, Linux
PennylaneFreemiumWeb, iPhone, Android

Zoho Books alternatives: frequently asked questions

What is the best alternative to Zoho Books?

The most popular alternative to Zoho Books is Wave: Free invoicing and bookkeeping for small businesses. Other great alternatives are Akaunting, Invoice Ninja, GnuCash, and Pennylane.

Is there a free alternative to Zoho Books?

Yes, 7 alternatives are free or have a free plan, including Wave, Akaunting, Invoice Ninja, and GnuCash.

Is there an open source alternative to Zoho Books?

Yes, one open source alternative is listed: GnuCash.

Is Zoho Books free?

Zoho Books has a free plan, with paid plans that unlock more features.

Compare Zoho Books with its alternatives

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