Best Free Accounting Software of 2025

NerdWallet independently reviewed 12 free accounting software products. Zoho Books tops our list because its free plan is packed with features. Plus, Zoho can grow alongside your business (albeit, for a cost).
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Our pick for simple accounting software
Xero
Our pick for simple accounting software

Xero

Xero

on Xero's website

Best Free Accounting Software

Product Best for NerdWallet rating Starting at Promotion Learn more
Zoho Books

Zoho Books

on Zoho Books' secure website

Overall free accounting software

$0

Additional pricing tiers (per month): $20, $50, $70, $150, $275.

14-day free trial

of the Premium plan.

on Zoho Books' secure website

Wave

Wave Accounting

on Wave Accounting's secure website

Easy invoicing

$0

Additional pricing tiers (per month): $16

N/A

on Wave Accounting's secure website

GnuCash

GnuCash

Open-source free accounting software

$0

N/A

ProfitBooks

ProfitBooks

Inventory management

$0

Additional pricing tiers (per month): $20.

N/A

Brightbook

Brightbook

Freelancers and self-employed professionals

$0

N/A

Odoo

Odoo

Customization

4.1 /5
$0

For use of a single app. Additional pricing tiers per user (per month): $31.10, $46.80.

Monthly discount

for the first 12 months.

ZipBooks

ZipBooks

Free bank account connection

$0

Additional pricing tiers (per month): $15, $35, custom.

30-day free trial

Manager

Manager

Desktop-based free accounting software

$0

Additional pricing tiers (per month): $59 for cloud edition.

14-day free trial

of cloud edition.

Product Best for NerdWallet rating Starting at Promotion Learn more
Zoho Books

Zoho Books

on Zoho Books' secure website

Overall free accounting software

$0

Additional pricing tiers (per month): $20, $50, $70, $150, $275.

14-day free trial

of the Premium plan.

on Zoho Books' secure website

Wave

Wave Accounting

on Wave Accounting's secure website

Easy invoicing

$0

Additional pricing tiers (per month): $16

N/A

on Wave Accounting's secure website

GnuCash

GnuCash

Open-source free accounting software

$0

N/A

ProfitBooks

ProfitBooks

Inventory management

$0

Additional pricing tiers (per month): $20.

N/A

Brightbook

Brightbook

Freelancers and self-employed professionals

$0

N/A

Odoo

Odoo

Customization

4.1 /5
$0

For use of a single app. Additional pricing tiers per user (per month): $31.10, $46.80.

Monthly discount

for the first 12 months.

ZipBooks

ZipBooks

Free bank account connection

$0

Additional pricing tiers (per month): $15, $35, custom.

30-day free trial

Manager

Manager

Desktop-based free accounting software

$0

Additional pricing tiers (per month): $59 for cloud edition.

14-day free trial

of cloud edition.

Best Free Accounting Software

Zoho Books

Best for Overall free accounting software

Starting at
$0

Additional pricing tiers (per month): $20, $50, $70, $150, $275.

Promotion
14-day free trial

of the Premium plan.

on Zoho Books' website

Zoho Books

Best for Overall free accounting software

Starting at
$0

Additional pricing tiers (per month): $20, $50, $70, $150, $275.

Promotion
14-day free trial

of the Premium plan.

on Zoho Books' website

Wave Accounting

Best for Easy invoicing

Starting at
$0

Additional pricing tiers (per month): $16

Promotion
N/A

on Wave's website

Wave Accounting

Best for Easy invoicing

Starting at
$0

Additional pricing tiers (per month): $16

Promotion
N/A

on Wave's website

GnuCash

Best for Open-source free accounting software

Starting at
$0

Promotion
N/A

GnuCash

Best for Open-source free accounting software

Starting at
$0

Promotion
N/A

ProfitBooks

ProfitBooks

Best for Inventory management

Starting at
$0

Additional pricing tiers (per month): $20.

Promotion
N/A

ProfitBooks

ProfitBooks

Best for Inventory management

Starting at
$0

Additional pricing tiers (per month): $20.

Promotion
N/A

Brightbook

Brightbook

Best for Freelancers and self-employed professionals

Starting at
$0

Promotion
N/A

Brightbook

Brightbook

Best for Freelancers and self-employed professionals

Starting at
$0

Promotion
N/A

Odoo

Odoo

4.1

 

Best for Customization

Starting at
$0

For use of a single app. Additional pricing tiers per user (per month): $31.10, $46.80.

Promotion
Monthly discount

for the first 12 months.

Odoo

Odoo

Best for Customization

4.1

 
Starting at
$0

For use of a single app. Additional pricing tiers per user (per month): $31.10, $46.80.

Promotion
Monthly discount

for the first 12 months.

ZipBooks

ZipBooks

Best for Free bank account connection

Starting at
$0

Additional pricing tiers (per month): $15, $35, custom.

Promotion
30-day free trial

ZipBooks

ZipBooks

Best for Free bank account connection

Starting at
$0

Additional pricing tiers (per month): $15, $35, custom.

Promotion
30-day free trial

Manager

Manager

Best for Desktop-based free accounting software

Starting at
$0

Additional pricing tiers (per month): $59 for cloud edition.

Promotion
14-day free trial

of cloud edition.

Manager

Manager

Best for Desktop-based free accounting software

Starting at
$0

Additional pricing tiers (per month): $59 for cloud edition.

Promotion
14-day free trial

of cloud edition.

Looking for options with free trials?

If the options above aren't robust enough to accommodate your business as it grows, consider testing out a paid accounting software product with a free trial. That way, you can try it out before committing. Here are some of our top choices:

Who are our top free accounting software picks for?

Zoho Books

Best overall free accounting software
Consider it if: You’re just starting out on your small-business journey but anticipate growth over time. (It's also our top pick for startup accounting software.)

Wave Accounting

Best for easy invoicing
Consider it i f: You’re a small business with simple accounting needs that focus mostly on invoicing. Entrepreneurs who appreciate simplicity will also like Wave’s clean, straightforward layout.

GnuCash

Best open-source free accounting software
Consider it if : You’re well-versed in coding (or have a team that is) and prefer to work on a desktop.

Brightbook

Best for freelancers and self-employed professionals
Consider it if: You run your own business and don’t pay employees. Brightbook’s free accounting software is best suited for businesses of one to five employees, so either very small businesses or those who do freelance or contract work.

ZipBooks

Best for free bank account connection
Consider it if: You use a single business bank account and want to avoid manually importing its statements into your accounting software each month. ZipBooks’ free plan lets you link one bank account so that transactions automatically flow in.

Odoo

Best for customization
Consider it if: Your business needs multiple software services, such as CRM, HR, point of sale (POS) or others. Try Odoo’s accounting app on its own for free, and then upgrade to a paid plan for access to Odoo’s full library of apps that smoothly integrate with one another.

ProfitBooks

Best for inventory management
Consider it if: You’re a startup retail business on a budget with the need to carefully track and manage inventory.

Manager

Best for desktop-based free accounting software
Consider it if : You prefer to locally install your accounting software on a single machine and don’t need to share access with colleagues or your accountant. If your access preferences change down the line, you can upgrade to Manager’s cloud edition.

How to choose free accounting software for a small business

Even though you’re not investing money when picking free accounting software , you are investing your time. Consider these factors to make sure you select a solution that can accommodate your business in all of its stages.
Free accounting software basics
Free accounting software should have some combination of the following features:
  • Income and expense tracking. 
  • Invoicing. 
  • The ability to automatically import your bank transactions so that you can categorize them.
  • Third-party integrations or in-house software options for payments, payroll, etc. 
However, it often lacks features you’d find in more robust small-business accounting software — think inventory management, advanced reporting and live support. If a free system doesn’t have everything you require, you’ll need to consider add-ons, upgraded versions or a different product altogether.
Most accounting software is cloud-based, meaning it's accessible anywhere there’s an internet connection. If this level of access is important to you, be sure to look for platforms that have robust mobile websites or accounting apps to help you manage your money from wherever you are. If you plan on only using your free accounting software from a single computer, though, a desktop-based option may work as well.
Your accounting needs might be modest today, but they may not stay that way forever. If you think your business will grow in the future, make sure your accounting software offers higher-tier plans or add-ons that can scale with your company.
Your team of financial professionals will need to be able to access your books easily and with minimal risk of error. Check with your bookkeeper or accountant before choosing software. While accountants typically work with paid products like QuickBooks Online or Xero, they may be familiar with some of the free ones listed here, too.

Is free software right for your small business?

Free business software can make sense if it covers your financial, payroll, inventory, sales or other needs. These options are typically suited for businesses that are smaller, either in size or revenue, but the best choice will depend on your specific industry, budget and growth trajectory.
Ultimately, software should make it easier to run your business. If a free program doesn't, a paid option will likely be the better choice to save you time and help ensure accuracy.
You can usually opt for free trials of paid versions before committing to get a better idea of how user-friendly and capable the software is. And don’t forget to ask sales representatives about sign-up promotions — paid products typically offer discounts for the first several months.

Methodology: How we determined the best free accounting software

NerdWallet independently reviews free accounting software products before determining our top picks. We collect the data for our software ratings from products’ public-facing websites and from company representatives. Information is gathered on a regular basis and reviewed by our editorial team for consistency and accuracy.
NerdWallet’s free accounting software ratings favor products that are easy to use and include the basics — like invoicing and income and expense tracking — as well as some bonus features, like additional plan tiers for scalability or a mobile app. The best free accounting software received top marks when evaluated across 10 categories and more than 30 subcategories. Learn more about how we rate small-business accounting software.
These ratings are meant to provide clarity in the decision-making process, but what’s best for your business will depend on its growth trajectory and which features you need most. We encourage you to research and compare multiple accounting software products — both free and paid options — before choosing one. NerdWallet does not receive compensation for any reviews. Read our editorial guidelines.

Frequently asked questions

Accounting software makes it easier to categorize transactions and keep your books organized for tax season. Since it tracks your income and expenses, it also helps you stay on top of your business’s financial health. Free accounting software generally comes with basic reports, invoicing features and other tools like online bank connections, which help you record money coming into and out of your business.
Free accounting software companies often make their money from additional paid services that generate income. Wave, for example, has a free and paid plan. It also charges fees for online payments, bookkeeping support, payroll software and coaching.
In most cases, small businesses benefit greatly from accounting software — free or not. It can take manual bookkeeping tasks off your hands and simplify how you record transactions. Accounting software is also less susceptible to human error than spreadsheets. If there is a discrepancy, you can use audit trails to track down the source. Just know that some free accounting software, like Wave, does not have an audit trail feature.
Free accounting software should come with most of the features you’re looking for, and if it doesn’t, it’s probably worth subscribing to a paid product instead. While you’re unlikely to find features like advanced reporting, job costing or mileage tracking, a handful of products still generate basic double-entry accounting reports and support unlimited invoicing.
Other common tools, like online bank connections, help speed up the reconciliation process. And make sure to consider integrations — free accounting software should be compatible with how you choose to accept payments.
Last updated on March 13, 2025