FreshBooks vs GNUKhata
FreshBooks
freshbooks.com
GNUKhata
gnukhata.orgSide by side
| Figure | FreshBooks | GNUKhata |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | $4.60/mo | Free |
| Free plan | — | Yes |
| Free trial | Yes | — |
| Open source | — | Yes |
| Web | Yes | Yes |
| Windows | Yes | Yes |
| macOS | Yes | — |
| Linux | — | Yes |
| iOS | Yes | — |
| Android | Yes | — |
| API | Yes | Yes |
| Self-hosted | — | Yes |
| Plans published | 7 | 2 |
| Spec score · Financial Management | 9.1 (#2) | 8.8 (#5) |
| Spec score · Bookkeeper Software | 9.2 (#2) | 8.8 (#6) |
| Spec score · Bookkeeping Software | 9.2 (#7) | 8.7 (#21) |
| API | The public API exposes FreshBooks data as JSON for web and desktop integrations and uses OAuth2 access tokens. | gkcore is GNUKhata's REST API server and exposes Swagger documentation locally at /docs/. |
| Company founding | FreshBooks says Mike McDerment founded the company in 2003. | LinkedIn lists Digital Freedom Foundation as founded in 2013, while GNUKhata's own history says the project began in India in 2009. |
| Founded | 2003 | 2009 |
| Free plan | No | Yes |
| Rating on G2 | 4.5 out of 5 from 981 reviews | 0 out of 5 from 0 reviews. |
| Security | FreshBooks states that browser traffic uses 256-bit SSL, data is firewalled and servers undergo regular vulnerability scans. | 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 Help Center organizes guidance for invoices, payments, expenses, projects, reports, payroll, integrations and mobile use, with FreshBot routing support options. | User support is offered through community discussions, documentation and video tutorials. |
| What it does | FreshBooks is cloud accounting software for small businesses that combines invoicing, payments, expenses, time tracking, projects and reports. | GNUKhata provides accounting and inventory management for small and medium-sized businesses, traders, startups and NGOs. |
Plans
FreshBooks
- Lite$23 a month
- Plus$43 a month
- Premium$70 a month
- Lite$4.60 a month
- Plus$8.60 a month
- Premium$14 a month
- SelectPriced on request
In their own words
FreshBooks
FreshBooks is accounting software for freelancers, solopreneurs, and small businesses. It creates invoices with tracked time and expenses, calculates taxes, and offers configurable payment options. Users can track time against clients and projects, then generate invoices from those records. Projects organize client work, team members, time, invoices, and expenses, and include profitability views. Listed payment options include card and ACH payments, Apple Pay, Google Pay, and buy now, pay later options. FreshBooks also offers recurring invoices, expense tracking, and a client portal. Its API uses OAuth2 for integrations and account automation. The service runs on the web and has iOS and Android apps, but some features, including reporting, are desktop-only. Mobile apps require iOS 15 or later or Android 7.0 or later. Lite costs $23 a month and includes five billable clients; Plus costs $43 a month and includes 50. Premium costs $70 a month and includes unlimited clients. Double-entry accounting is available on Plus, Premium, and Select. There is no free plan, and the listed trial lasts 30 days.
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.