Rank 1: GnuCash
Best for double-entry books kept on your own computer
License: Open source
- Windows
- macOS
- Linux
Status: Active
Desktop app with no cloud sync and no mobile app. Real double-entry bookkeeping, so it suits people who know accounting.
Free alternatives to QuickBooks Online
Best free option: GnuCash (Strong). Switching saves about $456 USD a year.
About QuickBooks Online
- QuickBooks Online, Simple Start, one user, billed monthly
$456 USDa year
$360 CAD
Every pick below has a free version.
- Runs on
- Web
- iOS
- Android
- Key file formats
- Not listed
Filter alternatives
4 alternatives
Strong
3 toolsCovers most of the same work, with trade-offs noted on each card.
Rank 2: Manager
Best for free desktop accounting with full features
License: Free tier- Windows
- macOS
- Linux
- Web
Status: VerifiedThe desktop edition is free for Windows, Mac and Linux. The hosted Cloud edition costs US$59 a month. Free version: The desktop edition for Windows, Mac and Linux is free with all features. The hosted Cloud edition costs US$59 a month.
Rank 3: Wave
Best for freelancers in Canada and the US
License: Free tier- Web
- iOS
- Android
Status: VerifiedThe Starter plan is free. Pro costs US$19 or CA$25 a month and adds automatic bank import. Built for Canadian and US businesses. Free version: Starter is $0 with unlimited invoices, bills and bookkeeping. Pro (US$19 or CA$25 a month) adds automatic bank import.
Situational
1 toolRight for specific needs, or not yet mature enough to recommend widely.
Rank 4: Akaunting
Best for self-hosted online accounting
License: Source-available- Web
- Self-hosted
Status: ActiveSelf-hosting is free only within the BSL grant (2 users, 1 company, 1,000 invoices). The license is source-available, not open source. Free version: Self-hosted Standard is free within the BSL grant: 2 users, 1 company, 1,000 invoices. Cloud starts at US$12 a month.
Sponsor this page: $149 for 30 days. Sponsors appear above the ranking, labeled; the ranking itself is not for sale.
Feature parity
How each alternative covers what people use QuickBooks Online for. Numbers link to editor notes.
| Feature | GnuCash | Manager | Wave | Akaunting |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sales | ||||
| Invoicing and online payments | PartialNote 1Customer and vendor invoices and bills; no online payments | YesNote 2Invoices and quotes; payments are recorded by hand | YesNote 3Unlimited invoices and estimates; card payments cost 2.9% plus $0.60 | YesNote 4Invoices and estimates; payment gateways come as apps |
| Banking | ||||
| Bank feeds and reconciliation | PartialNote 5Imports OFX, QFX, QIF and CSV files; no live bank feed | PartialNote 6Imports bank statements and matches them with rules; no live feed | PartialNote 7Starter takes manual bank entry; automatic import needs Pro | PartialNote 8Automatic bank feeds need the paid Premium Cloud plan |
| Receipt capture and expense tracking | No | No | NoNote 9Receipt capture is a paid add-on | NoNote 10No receipt capture in the free core |
| Reporting | ||||
| Profit and loss and balance sheet reports | YesNote 11Balance sheet, profit and loss and custom reports | Yes | YesNote 12Profit and loss and balance sheet reports | PartialNote 13Core accounting reports; more in paid apps |
| Tax | ||||
| Sales tax tracking | PartialNote 14Tax tables on invoices; you file the return yourself | YesNote 15Tax codes for VAT, GST and sales tax | PartialNote 16Adds sales tax to invoices; check your province or state rules | PartialNote 17Tax rates on invoices and a tax summary report |
| Ecosystem | ||||
| Third-party app integrations | No | No | PartialNote 18A public API for developers; no app marketplace | PartialNote 19App store with free and paid apps |
| Parity score | 42% | 58% | 58% | 50% |
- GnuCash, Invoicing and online payments: Customer and vendor invoices and bills; no online payments
- Manager, Invoicing and online payments: Invoices and quotes; payments are recorded by hand
- Wave, Invoicing and online payments: Unlimited invoices and estimates; card payments cost 2.9% plus $0.60
- Akaunting, Invoicing and online payments: Invoices and estimates; payment gateways come as apps
- GnuCash, Bank feeds and reconciliation: Imports OFX, QFX, QIF and CSV files; no live bank feed
- Manager, Bank feeds and reconciliation: Imports bank statements and matches them with rules; no live feed
- Wave, Bank feeds and reconciliation: Starter takes manual bank entry; automatic import needs Pro
- Akaunting, Bank feeds and reconciliation: Automatic bank feeds need the paid Premium Cloud plan
- Wave, Receipt capture and expense tracking: Receipt capture is a paid add-on
- Akaunting, Receipt capture and expense tracking: No receipt capture in the free core
- GnuCash, Profit and loss and balance sheet reports: Balance sheet, profit and loss and custom reports
- Wave, Profit and loss and balance sheet reports: Profit and loss and balance sheet reports
- Akaunting, Profit and loss and balance sheet reports: Core accounting reports; more in paid apps
- GnuCash, Sales tax tracking: Tax tables on invoices; you file the return yourself
- Manager, Sales tax tracking: Tax codes for VAT, GST and sales tax
- Wave, Sales tax tracking: Adds sales tax to invoices; check your province or state rules
- Akaunting, Sales tax tracking: Tax rates on invoices and a tax summary report
- Wave, Third-party app integrations: A public API for developers; no app marketplace
- Akaunting, Third-party app integrations: App store with free and paid apps
Not covered by any free alternative yet: Bank feeds and reconciliation, Receipt capture and expense tracking, Third-party app integrations. See all feature gaps
What switching saves
Switching saves about $456 USD / $360 CAD a year. Prices checked .
Based on Simple Start, one user, billed monthly. Price source.
About this page
Last verified . Ranking: tier first, then the published score.
Something wrong or out of date? Report outdated info.
Related
QuickBooks Online is a product of Intuit, named here for comparison only. Platforms listed for QuickBooks Online: Web, iOS, Android.