The Bigcapital Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about Bigcapital in one document: what it costs, its grades, getting a refund, getting help and what else to look at. Read it here, or keep a copy.
Bigcapital
The Insider’s Guide
Open-source accounting you host yourself, with a cloud version planned
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among accounting and invoicing tools, read from Bigcapital’s own pages.
Made by Bigcapital Technology, Inc. · checked Nov 13, 2026 · toolgpa.com
Contents
- 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
- 02What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
- 03What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
- 04Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
- 05The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
- 06Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
- 07About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
ToolGPA put this guide together from Bigcapital’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Bigcapital’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Nov 13, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
2.2
GPA, above 43 of the 127 other accounting and invoicing tools we grade
Bigcapital is open-source accounting software that covers sales and purchase invoicing, expenses, inventory, bank reconciliation and financial reports. The code is released under AGPL-3.0 and is run today by self-hosting it with Docker. The maker says a managed cloud version is in the works.
To get you started, here are 8 things to know about Bigcapital, taken from its own pages and our grades.
Its cloud version is only marked coming soon, so today you do the hosting, updates and backups.
- 1
Best for self-hosted open-source bookkeeping
Bigcapital is open-source accounting with invoicing, a general ledger, bank feeds and multi-currency, run with Docker on your own server.
- 2
It is free
Bigcapital has no paid plan at all. The self-hosted edition is free under the AGPL-3.0 license; you pay only for your own server.
- 3
It runs on Web
Web.
- 4
Sales and purchase invoicing
Creates customizable sales invoices and purchase invoices, and tracks receivable and payable accounts.
- 5
General ledger and reports
Keeps a general ledger and runs financial reports such as balance sheet, profit and loss and cash flow statements.
- 6
Bank feeds and reconciliation
The site lists bank feed syncing and bank reconciliation among its accounting modules.
- 7
A 2.2 GPA, above 43 of 127
That is against the other accounting and invoicing tools we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 8
Keep it
Bigcapital is free, so making your own would save you nothing.
Bigcapital at a glance
- Pricing
- Free
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- None stated
- Runs on
- Web
- Made by
- Bigcapital Technology, Inc.
- Category
- Accounting & Invoicing
- Our grade
- 2.2 GPA, fair
The report card
Best for self-hosted open-source bookkeeping
Bigcapital is open-source accounting with invoicing, a general ledger, bank feeds and multi-currency, run with Docker on your own server. Its cloud version is only marked coming soon, so today you do the hosting, updates and backups.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | C | Free under AGPL-3.0, but only if you host it yourself, which needs a server. No paid plans are published. |
| Free plan and trial | B | Free to run with no limits listed, though the only way to run it today is your own server. |
| Features | B | Sales and purchase invoicing, general ledger, bank reconciliation, inventory, multi-currency and branches. Nothing core is missing. |
| Ease of use | D | Self-hosting with Docker, and updates and backups are yours. |
| Platforms and integrations | C | Web only. It runs on macOS, Windows or Linux servers and the site names no integrations. |
An A is worth 4 points, a B 3, a C 2, a D 1 and an F nothing. The GPA is the average of the five.
Who Bigcapital is for
- 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
Who it is not for
- 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
Good to know
Good for
- Small businesses that want to own their accounting data and server
- Teams with someone who can run Docker
- Businesses that sell in several currencies
Worth knowing
- 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.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
Free
No paid plan at all
Bigcapital is free to use.
Free to run with no limits listed, though the only way to run it today is your own server.
Self-hosted
$0
Free under AGPL-3.0; you run it yourself with Docker on macOS, Windows or Linux.
The free plan
The self-hosted edition is free under the AGPL-3.0 license; you pay only for your own server.
Read from bigcapital.app on Nov 13, 2026.
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
1
Place it runs: Web
Open-source accounting you host yourself, with a cloud version planned. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: open source, self-hostable, public API, invoicing, reports, bookkeeping, inventory.
Sales and purchase invoicing, general ledger, bank reconciliation, inventory, multi-currency and branches.
- 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.
Where it runs
- Web
What it works with
Its own pages name no integrations.
Bigcapital is made by Bigcapital Technology, Inc.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
43/127
Other accounting and invoicing tools it is graded above
Bigcapital's GPA of 2.2 is higher than 43 of the 127 other accounting and invoicing tools we grade, and level with 30.
It stands best on free plan and trial (B, above 93 of 127) and worst on ease of use (D, above 0).
Bigcapital has no paid plan.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.0 out of 4. Nothing scores higher for less, though at least one tool matches that score at a lower price.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 128 accounting and invoicing tools we grade, cut by the letter each got. Bigcapital’s own letter is outlined.
- CValue for moneyAbove 19 of 127
- BFree plan and trialAbove 93 of 127
- BFeaturesAbove 86 of 127
- DEase of useAbove 0 of 127
- CPlatforms and integrationsAbove 2 of 127
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 101 accounting and invoicing tools. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. Bigcapital is the marked dot.
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
Keep it, or make your own?
Whether this is something you could build for yourself with an AI app builder, and what you would give up.
Keep it
Bigcapital is free, so making your own would save you nothing.
And it is not the kind of software a weekend replaces.
What you could make
- Invoicing, inventory and reports: an app builder makes these well.
What you could not
- Live feeds from your bank, which take an agreement with each bank or a service that has them.
- An API that other software can build on.
- What a company asks for before it lets staff use something: roles and permissions.
- The depth: we grade its features B, which means it covers the whole job.
What this rests on. Bigcapital’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.
Part 05 · Alternatives
The alternatives
The tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
Akaunting, Manager.io, Invoice Ninja, GnuCash and LedgerSMB
The 5 tools Bigcapital is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 2.2GPA
Akaunting
Free plan · from $72/yr
Open-source accounting you can host yourself or use in the cloud.
- Bigcapital also covers inventory.
- Akaunting also covers expense tracking.
- 2.8GPA
Manager.io
Free plan · from $59/mo
Free offline accounting for Windows, Mac and Linux, with a paid cloud.
- Only Manager.io lists Windows, macOS and Linux apps.
- Bigcapital is open source, according to its own site.
- Bigcapital also covers inventory.
- 2.8GPA
Invoice Ninja
Free plan · from $14/mo
Invoicing, expenses and time tracking with a free plan.
- Only Invoice Ninja lists macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS and Android apps.
- Bigcapital is open source, according to its own site.
- Bigcapital also covers reports, bookkeeping and inventory.
- 2.8GPA
GnuCash
Free
Free double-entry accounting for home and small business use.
- Only Bigcapital lists a web app.
- Only GnuCash lists Windows, macOS and Linux apps.
- Bigcapital is self-hostable, according to its own site.
- 2.2GPA
LedgerSMB
Free
Open-source double-entry accounting and ERP you install yourself.
- LedgerSMB also covers quotes and estimates.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
12
Questions, each answered in a line or two
The short version of everything above, for when you only need the answer. Each one is told in full in its part of the guide.
Is Bigcapital free?
Yes. Bigcapital is free to use.
How much does Bigcapital cost?
Bigcapital lists one plan. Self-hosted: $0.
What platforms does Bigcapital work on?
Bigcapital is available on Web.
Does Bigcapital have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 13, 2026. Bigcapital is listed for Web.
Does Bigcapital have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 13, 2026. Bigcapital is listed for Web.
Is Bigcapital open source?
Yes. Bigcapital is open source, according to its own site.
Does Bigcapital have an API?
Yes. Bigcapital offers a public API, according to its own site.
Who makes Bigcapital?
Bigcapital is made by Bigcapital Technology, Inc.
What are the alternatives to Bigcapital?
The closest alternatives to Bigcapital in our directory are Akaunting, Manager.io, Invoice Ninja, GnuCash and LedgerSMB.
How does Bigcapital compare with other accounting and invoicing tools?
Bigcapital's GPA of 2.2 is higher than 43 of the 127 other accounting and invoicing tools we grade, and level with 30.
Is Bigcapital good value for money?
ToolGPA grades Bigcapital C for value for money. Bigcapital has no paid plan.
Could I make my own version of Bigcapital?
Bigcapital is free, so making your own would save you nothing. And it is not the kind of software a weekend replaces.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from Bigcapital’s own pages on Nov 13, 2026, and the grades were given on Nov 13, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Bigcapital's own pages on 13 November 2026. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews.
Every tool we list gets five grades, A to F, each with its reason, and a GPA that averages them. How each is decided is at toolgpa.com/grades. This guide is ToolGPA’s own work; it is not made, paid for or approved by Bigcapital Technology, Inc. Prices change, so check bigcapital.app before you buy.
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
7,721
Tools graded, in 95 categories
ToolGPA grades software the way a school report grades a pupil: five subjects, a letter for each with the reason written beside it, and a GPA that averages them. Prices, plans and platforms are read from each maker’s own pages and dated, so you always know how fresh a figure is.
Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Every tool on the site has a guide like this one, free to download and pass on. It all lives at toolgpa.com.
7,721
tools graded
95
categories
739
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- Bigcapital, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/bigcapital
- How grades are givenThe rules behind every letter and every GPAtoolgpa.com/grades
- Value chartsWhat each tool costs against what it scores, for every categorytoolgpa.com/charts
- CompareAny two tools side by side, plan by plantoolgpa.com/compare
- Price changesEvery price rise and cut on record, each with its sourcetoolgpa.com/price-changes
- Prices by countryWhat apps cost on the App Store in 12 countriestoolgpa.com/prices-by-country
- Pay lessEvery public discount: yearly billing, students, nonprofitstoolgpa.com/save
- Keep or makeWhich tools are worth paying for, and which you could build yourselftoolgpa.com/keep-or-make
Scan for the live page
Prices and grades as they are today
Quoting this guide?
Please name ToolGPA and link to the live page, so readers can check the figures for themselves:
ToolGPA, "Bigcapital: The Insider's Guide", checked Nov 13, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/bigcapital
Know someone choosing between accounting and invoicing tools?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/bigcapital/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded accounting and invoicing tools after Bigcapital, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- Accounting & Invoicing Insider's GuideEvery one of the 129 accounting and invoicing tools we grade, compared
- Zoho Invoice Insider's GuideFree invoicing app from Zoho for freelancers and small businesses3.6 GPA
- Zoho Books Insider's GuideOnline accounting from Zoho, with a free plan and six paid tiers3.4 GPA
- Cash App Taxes Insider's GuideFree federal and state tax filing inside Cash App3.2 GPA
Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.
Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what Bigcapital’s pages, its app-store listings and public reviews said on the dates shown. Grades are our judgement under the rules at toolgpa.com/grades. Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Bigcapital is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Bigcapital Technology, Inc. Prices and plans change: check bigcapital.app before you buy.