FreeAgent vs GNUKhata
FreeAgent
freeagent.com
GNUKhata
gnukhata.orgSide by side
| Figure | FreeAgent | GNUKhata |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | £4.17/mo | Free |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | Yes | — |
| Open source | — | Yes |
| Web | Yes | Yes |
| Windows | — | Yes |
| Linux | — | Yes |
| iOS | Yes | — |
| Android | Yes | — |
| API | Yes | Yes |
| Self-hosted | — | Yes |
| Plans published | 23 | 2 |
| Spec score · Financial Management | 9.2 (#1) | 8.8 (#5) |
| Spec score · Bookkeeper Software | 9.3 (#1) | 8.8 (#6) |
| Spec score · Bookkeeping Software | 9.3 (#5) | 8.7 (#21) |
| API | The public API is HTTPS REST-style, uses OAuth 2.0, accepts JSON and XML, and supports GET, POST, PUT and DELETE methods. | gkcore is GNUKhata's REST API server and exposes Swagger documentation locally at /docs/. |
| Banking | Bank feeds automatically import transactions and FreeAgent can categorise and match them. | It supports multiple bank accounts, IFSC lookup and bank reconciliation. |
| Company founding | FreeAgent was launched in 2007 by founders Ed Molyneux, Olly Headey and Roan Lavery. | LinkedIn lists Digital Freedom Foundation as founded in 2013, while GNUKhata's own history says the project began in India in 2009. |
| Founded | 2007 | 2009 |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Intended users | FreeAgent says its software is designed for small businesses, accountants and bookkeepers. | GNUKhata was initiated in India in 2009 for SMEs, traders, startups, and NGOs, with a focus on Indian GST requirements. |
| Rating on G2 | 4.3 out of 5 from 43 reviews. | 0 out of 5 from 0 reviews. |
| Security | FreeAgent says it is Cyber Essentials Plus certified, uses fault-tolerant infrastructure and follows UK DPA 2018 and UK GDPR requirements. | The project says SQL injection issues are fixed, but its code has not had a security audit and it recommends use in a private environment. |
| Support | The pricing page says users can contact UK-based support accountants online or by phone. | User support is offered through community discussions, documentation and video tutorials. |
| What it does | FreeAgent is cloud accounting software for small businesses, freelancers, landlords, accountants and bookkeepers. | GNUKhata provides accounting and inventory management for small and medium-sized businesses, traders, startups and NGOs. |
Plans
FreeAgent
- Sole trader£10 a month
- Partnership or LLP£19 a month
- Limited company£33 a month
- FreeFree
- Bank-account-funded accountFree
- Eligible bank-account planFree
- Landlord — billed monthly£5 a month
- Smart Capture Unlimited add-on£5 a month
- Sole trader — billed monthly£9.50 a month
- Landlord monthly£10 a month
In their own words
FreeAgent
FreeAgent is accounting software for business administration, invoicing, expenses, tax reporting and business reports. It builds real-time accounts from bank statements, invoices and expenses, with Profit and Loss, Balance Sheet and Trial Balance reports. Users can create recurring invoices, automate late-payment reminders, turn estimates into invoices and accept payments through Stripe and PayPal. FreeAgent can generate MTD-compatible VAT returns and file them directly to HMRC; payroll calculates PAYE and National Insurance and can submit Real Time Information payroll to HMRC. Its iOS and Android apps cover expense recording, time tracking, invoice management and bank transaction reconciliation. It supports bank feeds from most UK banks via Open Banking and connections to HMRC for MTD VAT. The software is designed for small businesses, accountants and bookkeepers. A free plan is listed, alongside paid plans such as Sole trader at £10 a month and Limited company at £33 a month. Smart Capture includes up to 10 receipts and bills per month as standard; a paid Unlimited add-on removes that cap.
GNUKhata
GNUKhata is free, open-source financial accounting and inventory software for SMEs, traders, startups, and NGOs, with a focus on Indian GST requirements. It handles sales and purchase invoices, point-of-sale entries, delivery notes, debit and credit notes, payments, and receipts. Accounting tools include a customizable chart of accounts, journal and other vouchers, and year-end book closing and rollover. Inventory records cover products and services, tax details, HSN search, and stock across multiple godowns. Reports include Profit & Loss, Balance Sheet, and stock summaries. GNUKhata can prepare GSTR-1 reports as JSON for upload to the GST portal, and it has multiple user roles, including Admin, Manager, Operator, Internal Auditor, and Godown In charge. Version 8.0 is distributed as Docker images; Windows installation is possible, but the project says it is not well tested. The project reports fixed SQL injection issues, while also noting that the code has not had a security audit and recommending use in a private environment. It does not currently support online e-way billing or e-invoicing, or GST-2A/GSTR-2B reconciliation. The listed plan is GNUKhata at free.