by ProfitBooks
Top FREE Accounting Software For SMEs (Rated #1)
ProfitBooks is a cloud-based accounting and inventory management software built in Pune, India, specifically for Indian small businesses, freelancers, and startups. The platform has served over 100,000 businesses globally and is designed so that non-accountants can manage their finances — no CA degree required. Founded by Harshal Katre, ProfitBooks focuses on simplicity over feature bloat, making it one of the most accessible accounting tools for first-time business owners in India. Core features include GST-compliant invoicing, expense tracking, bank reconciliation, inventory management with low-stock alerts, time tracking with billable hours linked to invoices, and 40+ financial reports (balance sheet, P&L, sales and tax summaries). The platform handles the Indian GST regime natively — GSTR-1, GSTR-3B, and HSN/SAC code mapping are built in. ProfitBooks also offers purchase order management, vendor tracking, and multi-currency support for businesses dealing with international clients. Pricing is genuinely free for businesses earning under Rs 50,000 annually (1 user, 25 invoices/month, 100 customers). The SMB plan starts at Rs 749/month and removes all limits — unlimited invoices, users, and inventory items. Compared to Tally (Rs 18,000+ one-time for Silver) or QuickBooks India (Rs 630/month but with fewer India-specific features), ProfitBooks hits a sweet spot for micro-businesses that need GST compliance without the complexity or cost of enterprise tools. Best suited for Indian freelancers, small retailers, service businesses, and startups who need straightforward GST-compliant accounting without Tally's learning curve. ProfitBooks excels at simplicity and affordability. However, it's not built for growing businesses with complex needs — there's no direct bank feed integration (transactions must be imported manually), reporting customization is limited, the mobile app is functional but clunky, and scalability hits a ceiling quickly for businesses with multi-location inventory or complex workflows.
Information updated 1 years ago
ProfitBooks
4.4/5 on Capterra (92 reviews) · Last verified 2026-04-25
Hand-picked videos to help you get started — tutorials, demos, and reviews.
Basic Setup of ProfitBooks Software | Get Started with ProfitBooks
ProfitBooks - Free Invoicing Software For Service Providers
Create invoices in ProfitBooks
ProfitBooks - Free Invoicing Software For Service Providers
ProfitBooks is a powerful Indian alternative to these international apps:
Yes, ProfitBooks by ProfitBooks is an Indian alternative to QuickBooks. It offers similar functionality while being developed and maintained in India.Explore other Indian alternatives to QuickBooks →
Yes, ProfitBooks by ProfitBooks is an Indian alternative to Xero. It offers similar functionality while being developed and maintained in India.Explore other Indian alternatives to Xero →
Yes, ProfitBooks by ProfitBooks is an Indian alternative to Sage. It offers similar functionality while being developed and maintained in India.Explore other Indian alternatives to Sage →
Yes, ProfitBooks by ProfitBooks is an Indian alternative to FreshBooks. It offers similar functionality while being developed and maintained in India.Explore other Indian alternatives to FreshBooks →
Tally Solutions
TallyPrime is Bengaluru-built accounting and business-management software from Tally Solutions, founded 1986 and still owned and run by the Goenka family. Used by 2.5M+ businesses for GST-compliant invoicing, e-invoice and e-way bills, inventory, payroll and TDS/TCS. Windows desktop only — Silver Rs 22,500 lifetime or Rs 750/month, Gold Rs 67,500. Dated keyboard-driven UI and a real learning curve, but the deepest Indian statutory compliance available.
Simply Vyapar Apps Pvt Ltd
Vyapar is GST billing, invoicing and inventory software built for Indian small businesses by Bengaluru-based Simply Vyapar Apps. It handles GST invoices, e-way bills, payment reminders and stock tracking, and the Android app works offline. The app installs free with in-app purchases; paid annual plans are Rs 4,399 (Silver) and Rs 4,799 (Gold) for Desktop + Mobile, verified on its own pricing page on 28 August 2026.
Zoho Corporation
Zoho Books is a Chennai-built GST-compliant online accounting platform for Indian SMBs and CAs. Invoicing, expense tracking, bank reconciliation, project accounting, multi-currency, plus GSTR-1/3B filing, e-invoicing, e-way bills, TDS, and multi-GSTIN — Zoho is a registered GST Suvidha Provider. Free for businesses under Rs 25 lakh revenue; Standard Rs 899, Professional Rs 1,499, Premium Rs 2,999/month. Best for SMBs wanting Tally-like features in the cloud.
Zoho Corporation
Zoho Invoice is a Chennai-built free online invoicing platform for freelancers, consultants, and small businesses. GST-compliant invoice templates, one-click invoicing from estimates, recurring invoices, automated payment reminders, multi-currency, time tracking, expense tracking with receipt upload, and a self-service customer portal. Razorpay, Stripe, and PayPal built in. Completely free under $50,000 annual revenue; Premium $9/org/month above that.
National Payments Corporation of India
BHIM (Bharat Interface for Money) is India's official UPI payment app by NPCI with 100M+ downloads and 128M active users. Instant peer-to-peer transfers, bill payments, merchant QR scanning, and balance checks linked directly to bank accounts. UPI Lite+ enables PIN-free payments up to Rs 1,000 per transaction. Supports 12+ Indian languages. Completely free with zero transaction fees, no ads. Government-backed PhonePe and Google Pay alternative.
Cashfree Payments India Private Limited
Cashfree Payments is a Bengaluru-based full-stack payments platform for Indian businesses, processing ~$80B a year for 1M+ merchants. RBI-licensed payment aggregator offering a payment gateway, instant payouts and bulk transfers, UPI AutoPay recurring payments, cross-border collections, and KYC verification. 0% fee on UPI and RuPay, ~1.9% on cards, no setup fee, with optional instant settlements. A made-in-India Stripe and PayPal alternative.
