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SPECIFICTION
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Orange Way Books

github.com

WebSelf-hosted
Visit github.com
Spec score 7.1 #17 of 25 in Crypto Accounting Software

What it is

Orange Way Books is an open-source, double-entry bookkeeping application for Bitcoin-native and privacy-conscious small businesses. It runs as a self-hosted web app, with working code that the project describes as early development. Core tools include accounts, journal entries, transactions, contacts, invoices, payment requests, attachments, and audit logs. The browser computes profit and loss, balance sheet, trial balance, general ledger, cash flow, and foreign-exchange revaluation reports. Sensitive business fields are encrypted before leaving the browser, so the server stores ciphertext it cannot decrypt. Organizations can assign Owner, Admin, Accountant, Bookkeeper, Auditor, and time-limited Support roles. CSV and QuickBooks workbook imports are supported, with JSON data takeout. An optional Orange Rails integration supplies bank and exchange feeds. Transaction dates remain visible to the server, and on-chain Bitcoin transactions remain public. Payroll and tax-filing integrations are not included. The project uses the Apache-2.0 license and requires local setup with Bun and Supabase.

Spec sheet

Product
Orange Way Books is an early-development, double-entry bookkeeping app aimed at Bitcoin-native businesses and privacy-conscious small businesses.Read 9 Oct 2026 · github.com
Intended users
The maker lists Bitcoin businesses, accountants serving Bitcoin clients, privacy-conscious small businesses, engineers, and auditors as intended users.Read 4 Oct 2026 · github.com
Privacy
Sensitive business fields are encrypted in the browser before reaching the server, and the maker says it cannot decrypt the stored books.Read 9 Oct 2026 · github.com
License
The project is licensed under Apache-2.0.Read 4 Oct 2026 · github.com
Bookkeeping
Its working features include accounts, journal entries, transactions, contacts, invoices, payment requests, attachments, and audit logs.Read 9 Oct 2026 · github.com
Bookkeeping features
Working features include chart of accounts, journal entries, transactions, contacts, invoices, payment requests, attachments, and audit logs.Read 4 Oct 2026 · github.com
Development status
The project describes itself as in early development, with working code that can be run locally.Read 4 Oct 2026 · github.com
Encryption
The security document describes Argon2id key derivation and AES-256-GCM field encryption, and says the product is not FIPS-validated.Read 9 Oct 2026 · github.com
Imports and export
The app supports CSV and QuickBooks workbook imports and JSON data takeout.Read 4 Oct 2026 · github.com
Imports and exports
The app supports CSV and QuickBooks workbook imports and JSON data takeout.Read 9 Oct 2026 · github.com
Integration
Orange Rails is an optional integration for bank and exchange feeds.Read 9 Oct 2026 · github.com
Limits
Payroll workflows and tax-filing integrations are not built; tax filing is out of scope and the maker says users can export to tax software.Read 9 Oct 2026 · github.com
Not included
Payroll workflows are not shipped, tax-filing integrations are out of scope, and a hosted SaaS version is not available currently.Read 4 Oct 2026 · github.com
Recovery
A 12-word recovery code is generated in the browser; the maker says data cannot be recovered if both the password and recovery code are lost.Read 9 Oct 2026 · github.com
Recovery limit
If a user forgets the vault password without a printed recovery kit, the data is unrecoverable.Read 4 Oct 2026 · github.com
Reports
It provides profit and loss, balance sheet, trial balance, general ledger, cash flow, and FX revaluation reports, computed in the browser.Read 9 Oct 2026 · github.com
Security caveat
Transaction dates remain visible to the server, and on-chain Bitcoin transactions remain public on the blockchain.Read 4 Oct 2026 · github.com
Self-hosting
The repository provides instructions to clone the project, install dependencies with Bun, configure Supabase, and run it locally.Read 4 Oct 2026 · github.com
Server metadata
Transaction dates and row counts remain visible to the server, and ciphertext length can correlate with plaintext length.Read 9 Oct 2026 · github.com
Support and disclosure
The security document describes an optional in-app Chatwoot support widget and asks vulnerability reporters to contact maintainers directly, with a target of 72-hour acknowledgment and 90-day coordinated disclosure.Read 9 Oct 2026 · github.com
Team access
Organizations support role-based access for owners, admins, accountants, bookkeepers, auditors, and a time-limited support role.Read 9 Oct 2026 · github.com

Strong points and limits

Strong points

  • Browser-side encryption for sensitive fields
  • Double-entry bookkeeping reports
  • Role-based organization access
  • CSV and QuickBooks imports
  • Apache-2.0 open-source license

Limits

  • Early-development project
  • No hosted SaaS version
  • Payroll workflows are absent
  • Forgotten recovery credentials can make data unrecoverable

Who it suits

It suits Bitcoin businesses, accountants serving Bitcoin clients, privacy-conscious small businesses, engineers, and auditors comfortable with self-hosting. Users must manage their own deployment and recovery credentials.

Verdict

Orange Way Books offers privacy-oriented bookkeeping with broad accounting records, reports, and role controls. Its self-hosted status, missing payroll and tax integrations, and recovery requirements make deployment responsibility part of using it.

Where Specifiction places it

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