Akaunting

Akaunting is a free, web-based accounting platform built for small businesses and freelancers who need real bookkeeping tools without a subscription fee. It runs in the browser, so your financials are accessible from any device. The self-hosted Standard plan costs nothing and gives you full access to the source code.

The core workflow covers the essentials most small operations actually need:

• Invoicing: Create professional invoices and send them directly to clients. Over 10 million invoices have been sent through the platform.
• Expense tracking: Log bills and outgoing payments, then categorize them for a cleaner picture of where money goes.
• Cash flow overview: Monitor income and expenses in one place to stay on top of your business's financial position.
• Transaction categories: Organize income, expenses, and items into custom categories so reports make sense at a glance.
• Client portal: Share invoices and transaction history with clients, and accept bulk payments through a dedicated portal.

For freelancers juggling multiple clients, the client portal alone saves a lot of back-and-forth. Compared to tools like Invoice Ninja or Frappe Books, Akaunting leans toward a hosted-first experience with a clean UI that doesn't assume accounting knowledge.

The software supports 50+ languages, contributed by volunteers worldwide, which makes it practical for businesses outside English-speaking markets. It's used in over 100 countries. If you've been paying for something like Xero or QuickBooks just to send invoices and track expenses, Akaunting covers that ground without the monthly bill.