Bigcapital vs InvoiceShelf (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Bigcapital grades higher than InvoiceShelf: 2.2 against 2.0 out of 4.0.
Checked Nov 13, 2026 · graded Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
Bigcapital grades higher on features. They get the same grade on value for money, the free plan, ease of use and platforms.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Bigcapital
Open-source accounting you host yourself, with a cloud version planned
InvoiceShelf
Open-source invoicing and expense tracking you host yourself
Which one is for you
Pick Bigcapital if
- Fits if you can run Docker and want your books on your own server
- Works for developers who want open-source accounting they can modify
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you don't want to run a server, as the cloud version is only 'coming soon'
- Not for you if you need paid support, since none is published
- Watch out: you handle updates, backups and security yourself
- Watch out: AGPL-3.0 source-sharing rules apply if you modify and offer it to others
Pick InvoiceShelf if
- Fits if you bill clients regularly and can run your own server
- Works for German B2B sellers who need ZUGFeRD or Factur-X files
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you want a full double-entry ledger, as it covers invoicing and expenses only
- Not for you if you don't want to run PHP, since security updates are yours
- Watch out: support is a community on Discord, with no paid help
- Tight if you take card payments other than Stripe, the only one named
- Watch out: it needs a server you pay for
How we grade them
| 2.2GPABigcapitalFair | 2.0GPAInvoiceShelfFair | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | CFree under AGPL-3.0, but only if you host it yourself, which needs a server. No paid plans are published. | CFree under AGPL-3.0 with no seat limits, but it only counts as free if you host it, which needs a server. |
| Free plan and trial | BFree to run with no limits listed, though the only way to run it today is your own server. | BEvery feature is free and unlimited, once you've installed it yourself. |
| Features | BSales and purchase invoicing, general ledger, bank reconciliation, inventory, multi-currency and branches. Nothing core is missing. | CInvoices, estimates, recurring billing, expenses, multi-company and ZUGFeRD e-invoicing. The listing says it isn't a full ledger. |
| Ease of use | DSelf-hosting with Docker, and updates and backups are yours. | DInstalled with Docker or by hand on your own server, with updates yours to apply. |
| Platforms and integrations | CWeb only. It runs on macOS, Windows or Linux servers and the site names no integrations. | CWeb only, and Stripe is the one online payment option named. |
| Best for | self-hosted open-source bookkeeping | self-hosted invoicing and expenses |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: Bigcapital and InvoiceShelf. How we grade
Price against what you get
Bigcapital has no paid plan and scores 2.0 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. InvoiceShelf has no paid plan and scores 1.7.
Bigcapital scores higher for the same starting price. Of the other accounting and invoicing tools on the chart, none scores higher than Bigcapital for less, and none scores higher than InvoiceShelf for less.
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
Where they differ
- Bigcapital also covers bookkeeping and inventory.
- InvoiceShelf also covers expense tracking and quotes and estimates.
At a glance
| Bigcapital | InvoiceShelf | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free | Free |
| Starts at | Free | Free |
| Free plan | The self-hosted edition is free under the AGPL-3.0 license; you pay only for your own server. | Fully free to self-host under AGPL-3.0, with unlimited invoices and estimates and no seat limits. |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| Web | ||
| Made by | Bigcapital Technology, Inc. | InvoiceShelf |
| Price read from | bigcapital.app | invoiceshelf.com |
| Checked | Nov 13, 2026 | Nov 13, 2026 |
Worth knowing
Bigcapital
- Bigcapital Cloud is marked as coming soon, so the only way to run it today is to self-host.
- Self-hosting means you handle servers, updates and backups yourself.
- The AGPL-3.0 license has network-use source-sharing terms that apply if you modify and offer it to others.
- The site publishes no paid plans or support tiers.
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.
Key features
Bigcapital
- Sales and purchase invoicing
- Creates customizable sales invoices and purchase invoices, and tracks receivable and payable accounts.
- General ledger and reports
- Keeps a general ledger and runs financial reports such as balance sheet, profit and loss and cash flow statements.
- Bank feeds and reconciliation
- The site lists bank feed syncing and bank reconciliation among its accounting modules.
- Multi-currency accounting
- Records transactions and manual journals in different currencies and uses exchange rates for conversion.
- Inventory and expenses
- Tracks inventory items and expense accounting alongside sales, with accrual and cash accounting both listed.
- Teams and branches
- Role-based permissions limit what each invited accountant or teammate can view or edit, and branches and warehouses sit in one ledger.
InvoiceShelf
- Invoices and estimates
- Builds branded invoices and estimates with custom fields, taxes and notes.
- Recurring billing
- Retainers and subscriptions are scheduled once and repeat invoices are generated automatically.
- Expenses and reports
- Tracks expenses, sales, taxes and overdue balances, with multi-currency support listed.
- Customer portal
- Clients get a private place to view, download and pay invoices.
- Multiple companies
- Several businesses can run from one install, each with its own branding, currency and tax rules.
- E-invoicing
- An E-Invoicing module issues ZUGFeRD and Factur-X invoices for EN 16931; the site labels it new in 3.0.
Plans
Bigcapital
Self-hosted$0
Free under AGPL-3.0; you run it yourself with Docker on macOS, Windows or Linux.
InvoiceShelf
Self-hosted$0
Every feature is free; you install it with Docker or a manual install on your own server.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Bigcapital or InvoiceShelf?
As of Nov 13, 2026, both Bigcapital and InvoiceShelf are free to use.
Which has a free plan, Bigcapital or InvoiceShelf?
As of Nov 13, 2026, both Bigcapital and InvoiceShelf have a free plan.
More comparisons
How this page was made
- The verdict at the top follows a fixed rule. When both tools are in the same category and either is in our top three for it, the verdict follows that ranking: the higher-placed tool is our pick. The top three weigh who each tool suits as well as its grades, so a pick can go against the GPA. Otherwise the page does not pick one and says which grades higher: the higher GPA first; on a tie, the one with a free plan, then the one that starts cheaper in dollars a month, counted the same way for both; if they are still level, what the choice depends on.
- The grades are our own, from each tool’s review or report card. The GPA is their average.
- Prices, plans and platforms come from each tool’s listing. The table above says where each price was read and when.
- The differences and the answers to the questions are worked out from those listings.