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Self-host QuickBooks

Small business accounting · Category: CRM, billing & ops

QuickBooks Online is the dominant SMB accounting SaaS — invoicing, expenses, bank reconciliation, sales tax, payroll add-on, accountant collaboration. The self-hostable replacements all rebuild double-entry bookkeeping + invoicing + reports; what they don't bundle is a pre-built bank-feed network or a US payroll engine — those need separate connectors and (often) a tax-filing service.

QuickBooks pricing anchor: Simple Start $35/mo; Essentials $65/mo; Plus $99/mo; Advanced $235/mo (US 2025 pricing).

Akaunting akaunting/akaunting alive

GitHub
★ 9.79k · last commit 10d ago · 5 open issues
License
GPL-3.0
Core is GPL-3.0; many apps in the marketplace (payroll, advanced reports, double-entry pack) are paid.
Setup time
20min docker-compose (Laravel + MySQL/MariaDB)
Monthly cost
$5-10/mo VPS; paid apps add ~$20-50 each (one-time) for advanced features.
Migration sketch. Use the official `akaunting/akaunting` image with a MariaDB backend. QuickBooks export: from QBO, run Reports → All Reports → Profit & Loss / Balance Sheet / General Ledger; export to CSV. Akaunting's import accepts CSV for Customers, Vendors, Items, Invoices, and Bills (one-shot import per entity). Bank feeds aren't included — install the community Plaid-bridge app or import OFX/CSV statements manually.
Good fit forSMBs and freelancers who want a clean QuickBooks-shaped UI with optional paid extensions for the gaps.
Weak atDouble-entry accounting is a paid app on top of the free core — accountants may insist on the paid pack.

InvoicePlane InvoicePlane/InvoicePlane alive

GitHub
★ 3.04k · last commit 1d ago · 77 open issues
License
MIT
Setup time
15min docker run (PHP + MySQL)
Monthly cost
$5/mo VPS.
Migration sketch. Pull `nielsenpierre/invoiceplane` or use the official install package on a LAMP server. InvoicePlane focuses tightly on invoicing + quotes + clients — covers the QuickBooks 'send a bill, get paid' loop but not bank feeds or P&L reporting. QuickBooks customer + invoice CSV exports import via Settings → Import.
Good fit forFreelancers and consultants whose QuickBooks use is 80% invoicing and 20% record-keeping.
Weak atNot full accounting — for P&L, balance sheet, tax reports, pair with a separate ledger tool.

ERPNext frappe/erpnext alive

GitHub
★ 33.7k · last commit today · 2034 open issues
License
GPL-3.0
Setup time
1h docker-compose (Frappe + MariaDB + Redis + workers)
Monthly cost
$15-30/mo VPS — Frappe stack is heavy.
Migration sketch. Use the official `frappe/erpnext` docker-compose from frappe.io. ERPNext is the enterprise-shaped option — full double-entry accounting + inventory + manufacturing + HR. QuickBooks data migrates via the QuickBooks Migrator app from frappe.cloud (also runs on self-hosted). Setup is heavier but you grow into payroll, inventory, and CRM without changing tools.
Good fit forGrowing SMBs that expect to outgrow QuickBooks and want one tool for accounting + inventory + HR + CRM.
Weak atSteep learning curve and operational complexity — overkill for a freelancer or solo shop.

In a terminal? npx os-alt quickbooks prints this table — how the CLI works →