Finance & accounting · Ranked by price to features
8 Best Free Accounting Software of 2026
By the Rankozo research desk · Updated November 7, 2026 · Next review December 22, 2026
Zoho Books is the best free accounting software for sole traders and micro businesses in 2026, free while yearly revenue stays under $50K and $15 per month billed annually after that. Wave suits freelancers who mostly send invoices and want the simplest free plan, with Pro at $19 a month. GnuCash and the Manager.io desktop edition cost $0 with no paid tier at all.
- Tools ranked
- 8
- With free plan
- 8
- Cheapest paid plan
- Akaunting, $12
- per month
By the numbers
- $198.25 billionUS merchants paid $198.25 billion in card processing fees in 2025, a new record according to the Nilson Report.Nilson Report
- 1.59%The weighted average card processing fee paid by US merchants reached 1.59% of purchase volume in 2025.Nilson Report
- 79.34%Credit cards accounted for 79.34% of all card processing fees US merchants paid in 2024.Nilson Report
- $0.52Debit transactions exempt from Regulation II, mostly cards from issuers under $10 billion in assets, carried an average interchange fee of $0.52 in 2023.Federal Reserve Board
- $299,071 millionGartner's November 2024 forecast put worldwide end-user spending on SaaS at $299,071 million in 2025, up 19.2% from 2024.Gartner
Comparison table
| Tool | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zoho Books | 01 | 8.9 | 9.3 | $15per organization per month | Yes |
| Wave | 02 | 8.5 | 8.8 | $19per month | Yes |
| Manager.io | 03 | 8.4 | 9.2 | $59per month, unlimited users | Yes |
| GnuCash | 04 | 7.9 | 9.4 | Freefree | Yes |
| Invoice Ninja | 05 | 7.8 | 8.2 | $14per month | Yes |
| Odoo Accounting | 06 | 7.7 | 7.8 | Free plan | Yes |
| Akaunting | 07 | 7.5 | 8.0 | $12per month | Yes |
| ZipBooks | 08 | 7.4 | 7.4 | Free plan | Yes |
Click a column to sort. Prices are the cheapest paid plan quoted from each vendor's US pricing page; "Check price" means the US price check is pending.
How this ranking works
One method for every tool. We compared documented features and published prices; we did not run hands-on tests. Value carries the most weight.
Full methodThis list is for sole traders and very small businesses who want to keep their books for free and need to know exactly which features sit behind a paywall. Every product here has a permanent free option: a free cloud plan, a free desktop program or free self-hosted software. We compared documented features and published prices for 8 products and ranked them by value first, then features, then ease of use. Value weighs the free tier's limits and the cost of the first paid step together. Prices are in USD as shown on each vendor's page on the check date; where a page showed only euros from our location or showed no currency, the price is marked pending.
The verdict
Zoho Books is first because its free plan already covers bank reconciliation, recurring invoices, 1099 tracking and more than 50 reports, and the first paid plan is $15 per month on annual billing. Wave is the easiest start for someone who mainly invoices, though bank imports and receipt capture move to Pro. Manager.io and GnuCash give full double-entry books on your own computer for nothing, Invoice Ninja is the pick for invoice-heavy work, and Odoo, Akaunting and ZipBooks fill specific gaps.
- 01Top value
Zoho Books
8.9/10Cloud accounting with a permanent free plan for micro businesses and paid plans priced per organization.
Price
$15per organization per month
Free plan while revenue stays under $50K a year; Standard $15 per organization per month billed annually ($20 monthly)
“STANDARD Efficiently organize your transactions, accounts, reports, and books $ 20 $ 15 Price/Org/Month” Quoted from the pricing page, November 7, 2026.
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- 14 days
- Value (40%)
- 9.3
- Features (35%)
- 8.8
- Ease of use (25%)
- 8.4
Best forSole traders and micro businesses under $50K in yearly revenue who want full bookkeeping, not just invoicing, at no cost.
Zoho Books ranks first because its free plan reads like a paid plan from other vendors. Zoho lists invoices, quotes, expenses, journals, sales receipts, mileage tracking, online payments, a self-service customer portal, automated payment reminders, bank reconciliation, recurring invoices, W-9 management, 1099 tracking and filing preparation, and over 50 reports on the free tier. The limits are clear: one user plus one accountant, up to 1,000 invoices a year, and the plan stays free only while revenue for the financial year is under $50K. Connected bank feeds, sales and use tax tracking, custom fields, period locking and API access arrive with Standard, which is $15 per organization per month on annual billing or $20 monthly, for three users. Zoho also notes that add-ons are not supported on the free plan except document autoscans. We compared documented features and published prices; we did not run a trial account.
- ✓Zoho says the free plan is available indefinitely below the revenue threshold
- ✓Free tier includes online payments and a customer portal
- ✓Paid plans are priced per organization, not per user
- ✕Free plan ends once yearly revenue passes $50K
- ✕Free tier allows 1 user plus 1 accountant and 1,000 invoices a year
- ✕Bank feeds and most add-ons need a paid plan
- Free plan:
- Yes, under $50K yearly revenue
- Free plan users:
- 1 user + 1 accountant
- Invoice limit on free plan:
- 1,000 per year
- Cheapest paid plan:
- Standard, $15 per organization per month billed annually
Bottom line: Zoho Books gives a sole trader the most complete free books on this list. Plan for Standard once revenue nears $50K or once you want automatic bank feeds.
- 02
Wave
8.5/10Free invoicing and bookkeeping for small businesses, with a paid Pro plan for bank automation and receipts.
Price
$19per month
Free Starter plan; Pro $19 per month or $190 per year
“It’s Pro time. $19 USD/month Billed monthly” Quoted from the pricing page, November 7, 2026.
- Free plan
- Yes
- Value (40%)
- 8.8
- Features (35%)
- 7.8
- Ease of use (25%)
- 9.0
Best forFreelancers and service businesses that mainly send invoices and estimates and want the simplest free start.
Wave is second because its free Starter plan removes the usual caps: Wave lists unlimited estimates, invoices, bills and bookkeeping records, mobile invoicing and a cash flow dashboard at $0. The cost shows up elsewhere. On Starter, card payments run 2.9% plus $0.60 per transaction, bank transactions must be entered by hand, and unlimited receipt capture is a separate add-on. Pro, at $19 a month or $190 a year, adds automatic bank imports through Plaid, auto-merging and categorizing, unlimited receipt capture, late payment reminders, removal of Wave branding, extra users with admin, editor or viewer roles, and a lower card fee with no fixed charge on the first 10 transactions each month. Payroll and Wave Advisors bookkeeping are sold on top of either plan. Support is by chat and email during Eastern business hours. We compared documented features and published prices; we did not run a trial account.
- ✓Starter costs $0 with no cap on invoices or records
- ✓Clean, guided interface built for non-accountants
- ✓Pro drops the $0.60 fixed card fee on the first 10 card transactions a month
- ✕Bank transaction import needs Pro or manual entry
- ✕Receipt capture is a paid add-on on Starter
- ✕Payroll and bookkeeping help are extra paid services
- Free plan:
- Yes, Starter
- Card fee on Starter:
- 2.9% + $0.60 per transaction
- Pro price:
- $19 per month or $190 per year
- Support hours:
- Chat and email, Monday to Friday, 9 AM to 4:45 PM Eastern
Bottom line: Wave is the easiest free way to send unlimited invoices and keep simple books. Budget for Pro if you want bank transactions to arrive on their own.
- 03
Manager.io
8.4/10Full-featured accounting software that is free on desktop and self-hosted server, with a flat-priced cloud edition.
Price
$59per month, unlimited users
Desktop and Server editions free; Cloud Edition $59 per month for unlimited users and businesses
“59 USD per month Unlimited Users + Unlimited Businesses” Quoted from the pricing page, November 7, 2026.
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- 14 days
- Value (40%)
- 9.2
- Features (35%)
- 8.6
- Ease of use (25%)
- 6.8
Best forSole traders who want complete double-entry books with no usage limits and are comfortable working on a desktop app.
Manager.io ranks third because nothing in its free desktop edition is held back. Manager describes it as free forever, with all features, no time limits, no usage limits and no ads, running offline on Windows, Mac and Linux. The demo company on its site shows bank and cash accounts, sales and purchase invoices, inventory items, employees, payslips, fixed assets and journal entries, so it covers more ground than most free cloud plans. A free Server edition runs as a web server on your own machine, though Manager says it does not provide installation help. If you want hosted, multi-user access instead, Manager Cloud costs $59 a month for unlimited users and unlimited businesses, with a 14-day trial and no credit card; Manager states it does not offer discounts. The tradeoff is ease of use: the desktop app is less guided than Wave or Zoho Books. We compared documented features and published prices; we did not run a trial account.
- ✓Manager says the desktop program has no time limits, no usage limits and no ads
- ✓All features are included in the free edition
- ✓Cloud pricing does not rise with users or businesses
- ✕Multi-user browser access needs the $59 cloud plan or your own server
- ✕No installation help for the self-hosted Server edition
- ✕Manager says it does not offer discounts on cloud pricing
- Free option:
- Desktop and Server editions
- Platforms:
- Windows, Mac OS X, Linux
- Cloud price:
- $59 per month, unlimited users and businesses
- Cloud free trial:
- 14 days, no credit card
Bottom line: Manager.io is the most complete accounting package you can use for free with no caps. Pick it if you work from one computer and do not need hosted access.
- 04
GnuCash
7.9/10Open source double-entry accounting for personal and small business use, free on Windows, macOS, Linux and BSD.
Price
Freefree
Free and open source under the GPL; no paid plans
“GnuCash is the leading GPL'ed Desktop Financial Manager Application.” Quoted from the pricing page, November 7, 2026.
- Free plan
- Yes
- Value (40%)
- 9.4
- Features (35%)
- 7.6
- Ease of use (25%)
- 5.8
Best forSole traders comfortable with double-entry bookkeeping who want free, offline software with no account or subscription.
GnuCash ranks fourth on value alone: it is GPL software with no paid tier, and its wiki says no registration is needed to download and install it. The project describes it as a personal and small business double-entry accounting application, with versions for Windows, macOS and many Linux and BSD flavors, and the current stable series is 5.x. Its FAQ covers business use through a Business menu for customers, vendors, employees, invoices and bills, along with billing terms, tax tables for GST and VAT, and OFX Direct Connect for banks that support it. The cost is time. GnuCash states there is no wizard for setting up a business, so tax tables, terms, customers and vendors are configured by hand, and the software expects you to understand debits and credits. It is not available on iPhone or iPad, and the FAQ says the separate Android project appears abandoned. We compared documented features and published prices; we did not run a trial account.
- ✓No registration needed to download and install
- ✓Open source code under the GPL
- ✓Works fully offline with your data on your own computer
- ✕No setup wizard for business accounts, tax tables or customers
- ✕Not available on iPhone or iPad, and the Android app is a separate project
- ✕Assumes some knowledge of double-entry accounting
- Price:
- Free
- License:
- GPL
- Platforms:
- Windows, macOS, Linux, BSD
- Current stable series:
- GnuCash 5.x
Bottom line: GnuCash is the right free choice for a sole trader who already thinks in double entry and wants no vendor at all. Everyone else will get started faster on Zoho Books or Wave.
- 05
Invoice Ninja
7.8/10Invoicing, payments, expenses and time tracking with a free plan for up to 5 clients and low-cost paid tiers.
Price
$14per month
Free plan for 5 clients; Pro $14 per month, or $140 per year; Enterprise from $18 per month
“For example, Pro is $14/month billed monthly, or $140 billed annually (equivalent to $11.67/month).” Quoted from the pricing page, November 7, 2026.
- Free plan
- Yes
- Value (40%)
- 8.2
- Features (35%)
- 7.2
- Ease of use (25%)
- 8.0
Best forFreelancers whose bookkeeping is mostly invoicing, payments and billable time for a small client list.
Invoice Ninja is an invoicing tool first, and that is why it sits mid-list here. Its free plan covers up to 5 clients with unlimited invoicing, 11 templates, your logo, online payments, recurring invoices with auto-billing, deposits, products and inventory, projects with billable time, vendors and expenses, and a client portal. What costs extra is clearly laid out. Pro, at $14 a month or $140 a year, removes the client cap and the Invoice Ninja branding, adds automatic late payment reminders, API access and reports for invoices, expenses and profit and loss. Bank account sync, extra users, permissions and e-invoicing through PEPPOL come with Enterprise, from $18 a month for one to two users. Its plan list does not mention a general ledger or balance sheet, so it fits invoicing better than full bookkeeping. Native apps cover desktop and mobile. We compared documented features and published prices; we did not run a trial account.
- ✓Free plan already accepts online payments through gateways
- ✓Pro adds unlimited clients and P&L reports for $14 a month
- ✓30-day money back promise on paid plans
- ✕Free plan stops at 5 clients
- ✕Bank account sync needs Enterprise, from $18 a month
- ✕Invoices carry Invoice Ninja branding until you pay
- Free plan:
- Yes, up to 5 clients
- Pro price:
- $14 per month or $140 per year
- Bank sync:
- Enterprise plan
- Apps:
- macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android
Bottom line: Invoice Ninja is the best free option for invoicing, payments and time on a small client list. Choose a full ledger such as Zoho Books if you need balance sheets.
- 06
Odoo Accounting
7.7/10The accounting app from the Odoo business suite, free when it is the only app you use on Odoo Online.
- Free plan
- Yes
- Value (40%)
- 7.8
- Features (35%)
- 8.6
- Ease of use (25%)
- 6.2
Best forSmall businesses that want free accounting with bank sync now and may add sales, inventory or CRM apps later.
Odoo Accounting earns its place through Odoo's One App Free plan, which gives one app with unlimited users on Odoo Online at no cost. Choose Accounting as that app and Odoo says you can send and receive unlimited invoices and bills for free, forever. The app lists bank synchronization with more than 28,000 banks, automatic matching of transactions, country-specific charts of accounts and taxes, electronic invoicing in formats such as Peppol, real-time reports and automated follow-ups on late payments. What costs extra: the moment you add a second app such as CRM or Inventory, you move to the Standard or Custom plan priced per user. Odoo also lists in-app purchase credits, including AI scanning of vendor bills and expenses, as not included in plans. From our location the pricing page showed euros only, so the USD price is pending. Setup takes more effort than Wave or Zoho Books. We compared documented features and published prices; we did not run a trial account.
- ✓Free plan has no user limit when you use one app
- ✓Hosting, maintenance and support are included in all plans
- ✓Can grow into a full business suite on the same data
- ✕Adding a second app moves you to a paid per-user plan
- ✕AI scanning of vendor bills and expenses uses paid in-app credits
- ✕More setup than accounting tools built only for sole traders
- Free plan:
- Yes, One App Free with unlimited users
- Banks supported:
- 28,000+
- Paid plans:
- Standard and Custom, per user per month
- Hosting:
- Included on Odoo Online
Bottom line: Odoo Accounting is a strong free ledger with bank sync, as long as accounting is the only Odoo app you need. Expect per-user fees once you add more of the suite.
- 07
Akaunting
7.5/10Open source accounting that is free to self-host, with paid cloud plans hosted by Akaunting.
Price
$12per month
Free On-Premise Standard plan; Standard Cloud $12 per month, $8 per month on yearly billing
“Best for one-person businesses $12 per month” Quoted from the pricing page, November 7, 2026.
- Free plan
- Yes
- Value (40%)
- 8.0
- Features (35%)
- 7.2
- Ease of use (25%)
- 7.0
Best forFreelancers and small businesses who can run their own server and want free invoicing and expense tracking.
Akaunting is open source, and its own FAQ says the On-Premise Standard plan is free, with unlimited invoices, expense tracking, items, customers and bill payments. That is a good deal if you can install and look after a web app on your own server. If you want Akaunting to host it, the paywall gets detailed. Standard Cloud costs $12 a month, or $8 a month on yearly billing, for one company, one user plus an accountant, 1,000 invoices and four included apps. Its comparison table shows that chart of accounts, balance sheet, general ledger, double-entry, bank feeds and the client portal start on Premium Cloud at $36 a month, while estimates, payroll, projects, inventory and receipt scanning wait for Elite Cloud at $84. Individual apps can also be bought separately. The 50+ app store is useful but adds to cost. We compared documented features and published prices; we did not run a trial account.
- ✓Akaunting says the self-hosted Standard plan is free
- ✓Open source, so you control the code and the data
- ✓Cloud Standard is a low $12 a month for one person
- ✕Cloud Standard lacks double-entry, chart of accounts, bank feeds and client portal
- ✕Estimates, payroll and receipt scanning need Elite Cloud at $84 a month
- ✕Free use requires hosting and maintaining your own server
- Free option:
- On-Premise Standard plan
- Cheapest cloud plan:
- Standard Cloud, $12 per month
- Cloud Standard limits:
- 1 company, 1 user + 1 accountant, 1,000 invoices
- Yearly billing:
- 4 months free
Bottom line: Akaunting is worth it for a technical sole trader happy to self-host for free. On the cloud, the features most people need sit two tiers up.
- 08
ZipBooks
7.4/10Cloud accounting and invoicing with a free Starter plan and paid Smarter and Sophisticated tiers.
- Free plan
- Yes
- Value (40%)
- 7.4
- Features (35%)
- 6.8
- Ease of use (25%)
- 8.2
Best forVery small businesses that want unlimited free invoicing tied to a single bank account.
ZipBooks rounds out the list with a free Starter plan that ZipBooks says includes unlimited invoices, unlimited vendors and customers, digital payments through Square or PayPal, basic reports and one connected bank account. That last point matters: several rivals charge for any bank connection. The paywall arrives quickly for routine tasks, though. Recurring invoices with auto-billing, automated reminders, saved line items, multiple bank accounts, time tracking and five team members belong to the Smarter tier. Smart tagging by location or project, account reconciliation, locked books, secure document sharing and unlimited users are on Sophisticated. Both paid tiers offer a free trial. The pricing page we fetched shows Smarter as 15 and Sophisticated as 35 without a currency symbol, so we mark the USD price as pending. Compared with Zoho Books, the free plan has fewer accounting tools. We compared documented features and published prices; we did not run a trial account.
- ✓Starter has no cap on invoices, vendors or customers
- ✓Free plan connects a bank account
- ✓Simple layout aimed at non-accountants
- ✕Recurring invoices and automated reminders need Smarter
- ✕Account reconciliation and book locking need Sophisticated
- ✕Pricing page shows plan numbers without a currency, so prices are unconfirmed
- Free plan:
- Yes, Starter
- Bank accounts on free plan:
- 1
- Payment processors:
- Square or PayPal
- Team members on Smarter:
- 5
Bottom line: ZipBooks is a tidy free invoicing and bookkeeping option with one bank account included. Reconciliation and recurring billing cost extra, so check the paid tiers early.
What to check before you pay
Find the limit that ends the free plan
Each free tier stops somewhere different. Zoho Books caps revenue at $50K a year and invoices at 1,000, Invoice Ninja caps clients at 5, ZipBooks connects 1 bank account, and Odoo is free for one app. Manager.io desktop and GnuCash have no usage limits because they run on your own machine.
Check whether bank imports are free
Automatic bank feeds are the feature most often held back. Wave puts auto-import of bank transactions in Pro, Zoho Books lists bank feeds on Standard, Akaunting cloud adds them on Premium, and Invoice Ninja on Enterprise. If you are happy to import statements by hand, the free tiers go much further.
Price the first upgrade
Verified first paid steps range from $12 a month for Akaunting Standard Cloud to $59 a month for Manager Cloud. Zoho Books Standard is $15 per organization on annual billing, Invoice Ninja Pro $14 monthly and Wave Pro $19 monthly. Manager Cloud covers unlimited users and businesses at that single price.
Decide between cloud and desktop
Cloud tools such as Zoho Books, Wave and ZipBooks work in a browser and on phones. GnuCash and the Manager.io desktop edition work offline on Windows, Mac and Linux but leave backups to you, and GnuCash has no iPhone app. Akaunting and Manager.io also offer free self-hosted editions for people who can run a server.
FAQ
What is the best free accounting software in 2026?
Zoho Books ranks first because its free plan includes bank reconciliation, recurring invoices, 1099 tracking and 50+ reports for businesses under $50K in yearly revenue. Wave is second for freelancers who mainly invoice, and Manager.io is third for free desktop books with no limits.
Is any accounting software completely free with no paid tier?
GnuCash is GPL software with no paid plans at all. The Manager.io desktop and server editions are also free with all features, though Manager sells a hosted cloud edition for $59 a month.
Which free accounting software includes bank feeds?
Odoo's accounting app lists bank synchronization with 28,000+ banks, and Odoo's One App Free plan covers one app. ZipBooks Starter connects one bank account. Wave puts automatic bank import in Pro, Zoho Books lists bank feeds on Standard, and Invoice Ninja on Enterprise.
What features usually cost extra on free accounting plans?
The common paywalls are automatic bank imports, receipt scanning, recurring invoices or reminders, extra users and removal of vendor branding. Revenue, client or invoice caps also end free use: $50K revenue on Zoho Books and 5 clients on Invoice Ninja.
Which is the cheapest paid upgrade?
Among verified USD prices, Akaunting Standard Cloud is cheapest at $12 a month, then Invoice Ninja Pro at $14 monthly and Zoho Books Standard at $15 per organization on annual billing. Wave Pro is $19 a month.
Questions or corrections: editorial@rankozo.comSee our disclosure. Prices change; confirm on the vendor page before buying.
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