A friend was looking for an alternative to QuickBooks recently since the annual license had gotten too expensive relative to his small business’ income. The following recommendations came from a Perplexity AI search.
Here are some of the best free or open-source alternatives to QuickBooks you might consider:
1. GnuCash
Features: Double-entry accounting, budgeting, expense tracking, financial reports, and bank reconciliation.
– Platforms: Windows, Mac, Linux.
– Pros: Free, open-source, privacy-focused, and comprehensive accounting tools.
– Cons: Steep learning curve and requires knowledge of accounting principles[1][4].
2. Odoo Accounting
Features: Accounts payable/receivable, customizable dashboards, vendor payments, and KPI analytics.
– Platforms: Windows, Linux, Android, iPad.
– Pros: Free for the first app, scalable with additional modules, user-friendly interface.
– Cons: Limited payroll integration and mobile app support for Android only[1][5].
3. Akaunting
Features: Real-time invoicing, expense tracking, multi-currency support, and financial reporting.
– Platforms: Windows, Mac, Linux, Online.
– Pros: Cloud-based with a user-friendly interface and strong community support.
– Cons: Limited advanced accounting features compared to QuickBooks[3].
4. Invoice Ninja
Features: Invoice creation, expense tracking, and payment management.
– Platforms: Online access with self-hosting options.
– Pros: Free and open-source with robust invoicing tools.
– Cons: Focused more on invoicing than full accounting[2].
These tools are excellent for small businesses seeking free or open-source solutions to manage their finances effectively.
Citations:
[1] Open Source Intuit QuickBooks Alternatives: Top 10 Budget Managers https://alternativeto.net/software/quickbooks/?license=opensource
[2] 8 Best Open Source Quickbooks Alternatives in 2025 https://openalternative.co/alternatives/quickbooks
[3] 5 Best Open-Source QuickBooks Alternatives – O2b Technologies https://www.o2btechnologies.com/blog/quickbooks/best/open-source-quickbooks-alternative
[4] 11 Alternatives to QuickBooks in 2024 – Bench Accounting https://www.bench.co/blog/accounting/quickbooks-alternatives
[5] QuickBooks Alternatives: Searching for Best Free and Paid Alternative https://synder.com/blog/8-best-free-quickbooks-alternatives/
[6] 6 Best QuickBooks Alternatives for 2025 (Free & Paid) https://fitsmallbusiness.com/best-quickbooks-alternative/
[7] What are the best alternatives to Quickbooks Online? : r/smallbusiness https://www.reddit.com/r/smallbusiness/comments/11h1ct1/what_are_the_best_alternatives_to_quickbooks/
[8] Free Quickbooks Alternative – ZipBooks https://zipbooks.com/free-quickbooks-alternative/
Check out GnuCash which seems more business-oriented. Nothing fancy, nothing hard. It usually gets compared to QuickBooks and seems quite mature.
Also Odoo, which is a larger tool suite and would be harder to set up. A better option for a small accounting department rather than for an individual non-technical user.
