Ledger vs Sage 50
Ledger
ledger-cli.orgSage 50
sage.comSide by side
| Figure | Ledger | Sage 50 |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | — |
| Free plan | Yes | — |
| Free trial | — | Yes |
| Open source | — | — |
| Web | — | Yes |
| Windows | Yes | Yes |
| macOS | Yes | — |
| Linux | Yes | — |
| iOS | — | Yes |
| Android | — | Yes |
| API | — | Yes |
| Self-hosted | — | Yes |
| Plans published | 1 | 11 |
| Spec score · Bookkeeping Software | 8.2 (#32) | 9.3 (#3) |
| Accountant access | No | Yes |
| Automated reconciliation | Yes | Yes |
| Bank feeds | No | Yes |
| Founded | 2003 | 1981 |
| Inventory tracking | No | Yes |
| Invoice creation | No | Yes |
| Receipt capture | No | Yes |
| What it does | Ledger is a double-entry accounting system accessed from the UNIX command line. | Sage 50 is accounting software for small and midsized businesses covering invoicing, bills, expenses, payments, payroll-related work and financial reporting. |
Plans
Sage 50
- Pro AccountingPrice not published
- Pro AccountingPriced on request
- Premium AccountingPriced on request
- Premium AccountingPrice not published
- Quantum AccountingPriced on request
- Quantum AccountingPrice not published
- Pro Accounting$132.17 a month
- Premium Accounting$182.50 a month
- Quantum Accounting$271.17 a month
- Pro Accounting with Payroll$1,155 a year
In their own words
Ledger
Ledger is a double-entry accounting system used from the UNIX command line. Users record transactions in Ledger’s text format and maintain the files themselves; Ledger does not create or modify them. Entries must balance, and an unbalanced entry produces an error instead of a report. Commands can generate monthly and average reports, check balances, reconcile accounts, and track stock capital gains. Ledger supports multiple currencies in an account and can convert between them. Its data files accept UTF-8, dates use ISO format, and decimal values can follow US or European formats. The software is released under the BSD license and is listed as free. It runs on Linux, macOS, and Windows; downloads also include packages or binaries for BSD. The documentation links to the Ledger 3 manual, man page, C++ API documentation, and ledger-mode manual. The project directs users to an IRC channel and mailing list for discussion, and to GitHub for bug reports.