Fe/male Switch: Your Startup Facilitator & Incubator for Women

Top 10 Open-Source Alternatives to FreshBooks in 2025

Top 10 Open-Source Alternatives to FreshBooks in 2025

As FreshBooks continues to be a leading accounting software, 2025 has brought a variety of powerful open-source alternatives that can cater to different needs. Whether you're looking for customization, integration, or enhanced functionality, this article explores the top 10 open-source alternatives to FreshBooks, comparing them on key data points like features, ease of use, deployment, and cost.
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1. Akaunting

  • Website: Akaunting
  • Description: Akaunting is free, open-source online accounting software designed for small businesses and freelancers. It offers a range of tools for managing finances, including invoicing, expense tracking, and basic accounting functionalities.
  • Features: Invoicing, expense tracking, payment tracking, customer/vendor management, basic financial reporting.
  • Customization: Open-source nature allows for extensive customization to fit specific business needs.
  • Ease of Use: User-friendly interface, suitable for those without extensive accounting knowledge.
  • Deployment: Cloud-based platform, accessible online.
  • Cost: Free, with options for paid apps or support.

2. GnuCash

  • Website: GnuCash
  • Description: GnuCash is a free, open-source accounting software that supports double-entry accounting, expense tracking, and financial reporting. It's compatible with multiple operating systems.
  • Features: Double-entry accounting, budgeting, checkbook management, investment tracking, and robust reporting.
  • Customization: Highly customizable due to its open-source nature, but requires a basic understanding of accounting principles.
  • Ease of Use: Steeper learning curve than some other options, more suitable for users familiar with accounting.
  • Deployment: Desktop software, requires local installation.
  • Cost: Completely free and open-source.
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3. Invoice Ninja

  • Website: Invoice Ninja
  • Description: Invoice Ninja is a free, open-source platform for invoicing, expenses, and time tracking for small businesses and freelancers. It offers a range of features for managing billing and payments.
  • Features: Customizable invoice templates, recurring invoices, expense tracking, time tracking, client management, payment processing integrations.
  • Customization: Open-source, allows for custom modifications and development.
  • Ease of Use: User-friendly interface, suitable for freelancers and small businesses.
  • Deployment: Can be self-hosted or used via their cloud service.
  • Cost: Free plan available, paid plans for more clients and features.

4. Odoo Accounting

  • Website: Odoo Accounting
  • Description: Odoo is an open-source suite of business applications, including accounting. It's modular, allowing businesses to choose and scale their solutions.
  • Features: Comprehensive accounting, integration with other Odoo apps (CRM, sales, inventory), multi-currency support, automated invoicing, and VAT management.
  • Customization: Highly customizable and scalable with its modular design.
  • Ease of Use: User-friendly, but may require training to utilize the full range of features.
  • Deployment: Cloud-based or self-hosted options available.
  • Cost: Free for one app, paid subscriptions for more apps and users.

5. Manager.io

  • Website: Manager.io
  • Description: Manager.io offers free accounting software available for both desktop and cloud access. Supports both cash and accrual accounting, with features such as purchase orders, tracking accounts receivable and payable, invoicing, and report generation.
  • Features: Supports both cash and accrual accounting, manage purchase orders, track accounts receivable and payable, send invoices, generate a wide array of reports including inventory, fixed assets, suppliers, customers and changes in equity.
  • Customization: Allows for creation of separate tax codes for different line items in invoices, track inventory and assign production stages to items.
  • Ease of Use: Simple, straightforward, and user-friendly interface.
  • Deployment: Desktop and Cloud access.
  • Cost: Free.
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6. Wave Accounting

  • Website: Wave Accounting
  • Description: Wave is a free accounting software designed primarily for freelancers and small businesses. It focuses on essential features like invoicing and expense tracking.
  • Features: Free invoicing, expense tracking, ability to customize invoices with a business logo, and a mobile app for invoicing on the go.
  • Customization: Open API for developers to create custom solutions.
  • Ease of Use: Easy-to-use interface, suitable for those new to accounting.
  • Deployment: Cloud-based platform, accessible online and via mobile app.
  • Cost: Free for basic accounting and invoicing; payment processing and payroll services have fees.

7. ZipBooks

  • Website: ZipBooks
  • Description: ZipBooks offers free accounting and invoicing software with a focus on financial insights and reporting.
  • Features: Free bank account connection, financial reporting, recurring invoices, project-based accounting.
  • Customization: Automates recurring invoices.
  • Ease of Use: User-friendly, good for beginners to accounting.
  • Deployment: Web-based platform.
  • Cost: Free starter plan, paid plans for more advanced features and users.

8. SolidInvoice

  • Website: SolidInvoice
  • Description: SolidInvoice is a simple, open-source invoicing application designed to help small businesses and freelancers manage billing. It's feature-rich and elegant, available as a cloud solution or for self-hosting.
  • Features: Client management, quotes and estimates, invoicing, online payments, recurring invoices, multiple currency support, and a powerful API.
  • Customization: Open-source nature allows for customization to fit specific needs.
  • Ease of Use: Simple and easy-to-use interface.
  • Deployment: Cloud-based or self-hosted.
  • Cost: Free and open-source.

9. Open Accounting

  • Website: Open Accounting
  • Description: Open source accounting platform that offers a double-entry system, customizable accounts, and accessibility from any device.
  • Features: Double-entry accounting system, customizable accounts, data accessible anywhere, reports.
  • Customization: Offers a REST API, which allows for data access and creation via the API.
  • Ease of Use: Intuitive transaction editor.
  • Deployment: Web-based and Mobile apps.
  • Cost: Free for single user personal use; paid plans for multiple users.

10. SQL-Ledger

  • Description: SQL-Ledger is a free, open-source, double-entry accounting and ERP system. It offers simple documentation for developers for easy installation and customization. It can also be accessed remotely, suitable for global users.
  • Features: Double-entry accounting, ERP functions, simple documentation system.
  • Customization: Easy to customize to business requirements.
  • Ease of Use: Simple for developers to install.
  • Deployment: Can be accessed remotely.
  • Cost: Free and open-source.
Disclaimer: The information provided is based on the latest available data as of January 20, 2025. Features and pricing may change. It's recommended to check each software's website for the most up-to-date details.
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FAQ

1. What features does Akaunting offer?
Akaunting provides invoicing, expense tracking, payment tracking, customer/vendor management, and basic financial reporting. Learn more about Akaunting
2. Is GnuCash suitable for beginners?
GnuCash has a steeper learning curve, making it more suitable for users with some accounting knowledge. Discover GnuCash
3. Can I customize Invoice Ninja to fit my needs?
Yes, Invoice Ninja is open-source, allowing for custom modifications and development. Explore Invoice Ninja
4. How scalable is Odoo Accounting?
Odoo Accounting is highly scalable and customizable due to its modular design. Learn more about Odoo Accounting
5. Does Manager.io offer cloud access?
Yes, Manager.io offers both desktop and cloud access for user convenience. Discover Manager.io
6. What is included in Wave Accounting's free plan?
Wave’s free plan includes invoicing, expense tracking, and a mobile app for invoicing on the go. Learn more about Wave Accounting
7. Can I automate recurring invoices with ZipBooks?
Yes, ZipBooks allows for the automation of recurring invoices. Explore ZipBooks
8. What currencies does SolidInvoice support?
SolidInvoice supports multiple currencies, making it suitable for businesses with international clients. Discover SolidInvoice
9. How accessible is Open Accounting?
Open Accounting’s web and mobile apps ensure that data is accessible from anywhere. Learn more about Open Accounting
10. Can SQL-Ledger be customized easily?
Yes, SQL-Ledger is easy to customize to meet specific business requirements.

References

About the Author

Violetta Bonenkamp, also known as MeanCEO, is an experienced startup founder with an impressive educational background including an MBA and four other higher education degrees. She has over 20 years of work experience across multiple countries, including 5 years as a solopreneur and serial entrepreneur. She’s been living, studying and working in many countries around the globe and her extensive multicultural experience has influenced her immensely.
Violetta is a true multiple specialist who has built expertise in Linguistics, Education, Business Management, Blockchain, Entrepreneurship, Intellectual Property, Game Design, AI, SEO, Digital Marketing, cyber security and zero code automations. Her extensive educational journey includes a Master of Arts in Linguistics and Education, an Advanced Master in Linguistics from Belgium (2006-2007), an MBA from Blekinge Institute of Technology in Sweden (2006-2008), and an Erasmus Mundus joint program European Master of Higher Education from universities in Norway, Finland, and Portugal (2009).
She is the founder of Fe/male Switch, a startup game that encourages women to enter STEM fields, and also leads CADChain, and multiple other projects like the Directory of 1,000 Startup Cities with a proprietary MeanCEO Index that ranks cities for female entrepreneurs. Violetta created the "gamepreneurship" methodology, which forms the scientific basis of her startup game. She also builds a lot of SEO tools for startups. Her achievements include being named one of the top 100 women in Europe by EU Startups in 2022 and being nominated for Impact Person of the year at the Dutch Blockchain Week. She is an author with Sifted and a speaker at different Universities. Recently she published a book on Startup Idea Validation the right way: from zero to first customers and beyond and launched a Directory of 1,500+ websites for startups to list themselves in order to gain traction and build backlinks.
For the past several years Violetta has been living between the Netherlands and Malta, while also regularly traveling to different destinations around the globe, usually due to her entrepreneurial activities. This has led her to start writing about different locations and amenities from the POV of an entrepreneur. Here’s her recent article about the best hotels in Italy to work from.

About the Publication

Fe/male Switch is an innovative startup platform designed to empower women entrepreneurs through an immersive, game-like experience. Founded in 2020 during the pandemic "without any funding and without any code," this non-profit initiative has evolved into a comprehensive educational tool for aspiring female entrepreneurs.The platform was co-founded by Violetta Shishkina-Bonenkamp, who serves as CEO and one of the lead authors of the Startup News branch.

Mission and Purpose

Fe/male Switch Foundation was created to address the gender gap in the tech and entrepreneurship space. The platform aims to skill-up future female tech leaders and empower them to create resilient and innovative tech startups through what they call "gamepreneurship". By putting players in a virtual startup village where they must survive and thrive, the startup game allows women to test their entrepreneurial abilities without financial risk.

Key Features

The platform offers a unique blend of news, resources,learning, networking, and practical application within a supportive, female-focused environment:
  • Skill Lab: Micro-modules covering essential startup skills
  • Virtual Startup Building: Create or join startups and tackle real-world challenges
  • AI Co-founder (PlayPal): Guides users through the startup process
  • SANDBOX: A testing environment for idea validation before launch
  • Wellness Integration: Virtual activities to balance work and self-care
  • Marketplace: Buy or sell expert sessions and tutorials

Impact and Growth

Since its inception, Fe/male Switch has shown impressive growth:
  • 3,000+ female entrepreneurs in the community
  • 100+ startup tools built
  • 5,000+ pieces of articles and news written

Partnerships

Fe/male Switch has formed strategic partnerships to enhance its offerings. In January 2022, it teamed up with global website builder Tilda to provide free access to website building tools and mentorship services for Fe/male Switch participants.

Recognition

Fe/male Switch has received media attention for its innovative approach to closing the gender gap in tech entrepreneurship. The platform has been featured in various publications highlighting its unique "play to learn and earn" model.
2025-08-21 07:44 Top Alternatives