Beancount vs GnuCash

Beancount is a double-entry bookkeeping language for recording transactions in text files and producing reports. The `bean-check` command checks ledger files, while `bean-query` extracts tables of data from them. Documentation covers importing files downloaded from financial institutions and automating parts of that process. The `bean-price` tool can retrieve prices for commodities held in accounts, but ledger processing does not fetch prices automatically; reports can therefore run offline and remain deterministic. Beancount supports multiple currencies and documents portfolio export to external tracking websites. Version 3 is identified as the current stable, maintained branch, while version 2 is frozen and obsolete. The v3 guide notes that some tools were removed and that `bean-report` and `bean-web` are deprecated. Installation instructions cover uv, pipx, pip and source, including Windows instructions for v3. Contributed editor support includes Emacs, Sublime Text, Vim and two Visual Studio Code extensions. Beancount is open source under GNU GPLv2 only and has a free plan priced at free; it has no free trial.

GnuCash is free personal and small-business accounting software for tracking bank accounts, stocks, income, and expenses. Its double-entry accounting requires every transaction’s debits and credits to balance. Small-business tools cover customers, vendors, jobs, invoicing, bill payment, tax and billing terms, and budgeting. Users can create customizable balance sheets, profit and loss, and portfolio valuation reports, as well as charts. GnuCash imports QIF and OFX files with transaction matching; German users can use HBCI to download statements and initiate transfers and direct debits. Data is stored in XML by default. Support for SQLite3, MySQL, and PostgreSQL databases is experimental, and some reported corner cases can cause data loss. The GNU GPL-licensed software has installation options for Linux and installers for macOS and Windows. The main application is unavailable for iOS and iPadOS, while the separate Android app appears abandoned according to the project FAQ. The project is maintained, documented, and translated by volunteers.