Alternatives · Accounting
InvoiceShelf alternatives
As of Nov 13, 2026, the highest-graded InvoiceShelf alternative is Invoice Ninja (2.8 GPA). It's also the best free one.
InvoiceShelf compared with 5 alternatives: InvoicePlane, Invoice Ninja, Akaunting, Bigcapital and Manager.io.
InvoiceShelf is free to use. All 5 alternatives are free or have a free plan.
Listings checked up to Nov 13, 2026 · Where the facts come from
At a glance
| Tool | Price | Free plan | Runs on |
|---|---|---|---|
| InvoiceShelfThis tool | Free | Free | Web |
| InvoicePlane | Free | Free | Web |
| Invoice Ninja | Free plan · from $14/mo | Yes | Web, macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android |
| Akaunting | Free plan · from $72/yr | Yes | Web |
| Bigcapital | Free | Free | Web |
| Manager.io | Free plan · from $59/mo | Yes | Web, macOS, Windows, Linux |
Price against what you get
InvoiceShelf has no paid plan and scores 1.7 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. None of the 5 alternatives on this chart both scores higher and starts lower.
Invoice Ninja, Akaunting, Bigcapital and Manager.io score higher without starting lower.
Features, ease of use and platforms, averaged
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
- The best score at each price
- Has a free plan
- No free plan
How each one differs from InvoiceShelf
InvoicePlane
Free self-hosted invoicing for quotes, invoices and payments
- InvoicePlane is free.
- InvoicePlane does not cover reports and expense tracking, which InvoiceShelf does.
Suits: Freelancers and small businesses that only need quotes and invoices
Invoice Ninja
Invoicing, expenses and time tracking with a free plan
- Invoice Ninja starts at $14 per month, billed monthly ($140 billed annually).
- Invoice Ninja also lists macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS and Android apps.
- Invoice Ninja also covers time tracking.
- Invoice Ninja does not cover reports, which InvoiceShelf does.
Suits: Freelancers with a handful of clients who want a free invoicing tool
Akaunting
Open-source accounting you can host yourself or use in the cloud
- Akaunting starts at $72 per year, self-hosted.
- Akaunting also covers bookkeeping.
- Akaunting does not cover quotes and estimates, which InvoiceShelf does.
Suits: Businesses that want to own and host their accounting data
Bigcapital
Open-source accounting you host yourself, with a cloud version planned
- Bigcapital is free.
- Bigcapital also covers bookkeeping and inventory.
- Bigcapital does not cover expense tracking and quotes and estimates, which InvoiceShelf does.
Suits: Small businesses that want to own their accounting data and server
Manager.io
Free offline accounting for Windows, Mac and Linux, with a paid cloud
- Manager.io starts at $59 per month, billed monthly.
- Manager.io also lists Windows, macOS and Linux apps.
- Manager.io also covers bookkeeping.
- Manager.io does not cover quotes and estimates, which InvoiceShelf does.
Suits: Sole traders who want full double-entry books without a subscription
Limits worth knowing in InvoiceShelf
- It covers invoicing, expenses and payments, not a full double-entry ledger.
- Self-hosting means you handle PHP and security updates; the 2.4.7 release notes describe a PHP security fix.
- Support is through the community on Discord.
- Stripe is the online card payment option the site names.
Common questions
What are the alternatives to InvoiceShelf?
The alternatives to InvoiceShelf in this directory are InvoicePlane, Invoice Ninja, Akaunting, Bigcapital and Manager.io. Each one has a side-by-side comparison with InvoiceShelf.
Is there a free alternative to InvoiceShelf?
Yes. InvoicePlane and Bigcapital are free to use. Invoice Ninja, Akaunting and Manager.io have a free plan alongside paid ones.
Which InvoiceShelf alternatives work on Windows?
The InvoiceShelf listing does not include a Windows app. Invoice Ninja and Manager.io list one.
Which InvoiceShelf alternatives work on macOS?
The InvoiceShelf listing does not include a macOS app. Invoice Ninja and Manager.io list one.
When were these prices checked?
Each listing shows its own date. On this page they run from Oct 17, 2026 to Nov 13, 2026. Vendors change prices without notice, so confirm on their site before you buy.