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Frappe Books
What it is
Frappe Books is accounting software for small businesses, with tools for sales, purchasing, stock management, and bookkeeping. It supports quotes, invoices, payments, bills, supplier payments, and returns. Inventory features cover stock across locations, batches, expiry dates, and serial numbers, alongside point-of-sale transactions. Its accounting tools keep double-entry books and include a country-specific chart of accounts, journal entries, and financial reports. Businesses in India can use GSTR-1 and GSTR-2 reports for GST returns. Books User, Books Manager, and System Manager roles control access to records, reports, and settings. Company data stays in the database of the customer's Frappe site, and the software runs on the customer's own server. It can be used in a phone browser and added to the home screen, but phone use requires an internet connection. The product is free with no subscription and is listed under the AGPL-3.0 license. Supported platforms include Android, iOS, Linux, macOS, self-hosted, web, and Windows. Frappe states that its quality and information security systems have ISO 9001:2015 and ISO 27001:2022 certifications and SOC 2 Type II attestation. The old desktop app is no longer supported.
For and against
For
- Free and open source under the AGPL-3.0 license.
- Tracks stock across locations, batches, and serial numbers.
- Includes double-entry books and financial reports.
- Company data stays in the customer's Frappe site database.
Against
- Runs on the customer's own server.
- Phone use requires an internet connection.
- The old desktop app is no longer supported.
The verdict
Frappe Books combines bookkeeping, sales and purchasing records, and inventory tracking in a free self-hosted package. Its server requirement and discontinued old desktop app are important considerations.
Who it suits
Frappe Books suits small businesses seeking self-hosted accounting with inventory and sales-document tools. It may also suit businesses in India that need the listed GST return reports.
Plans and prices
Free
open-source · no subscription · self-hosted
Read 15 Oct 2026 · frappe.io
On the record
- Accounting
- It keeps double-entry books and includes a country-specific chart of accounts, journal entries, and financial reports.frappe.io · read 8 Oct 2026
- AlternativeTo listing
- AlternativeTo lists Frappe Books as free AGPL-3.0 software for Mac, Windows and Linux, with no user comments or reviews shown.alternativeto.net · read 15 Oct 2026
- API
- Frappe supplies REST and RPC HTTP APIs, including CRUD endpoints for documents and whitelisted Python method calls.docs.frappe.io · read 15 Oct 2026
- API authentication
- The REST documentation describes token authentication using an API key and secret, plus cookie-based sessions.docs.frappe.io · read 15 Oct 2026
- Backups
- The installation guide instructs administrators to back up the database and attached files with Bench and retain site_config.json.docs.frappe.io · read 15 Oct 2026
- Changelog
- The former desktop repository's v0.36.0 release added party ledger, multiple item selection, Swiss localization and print-template terms and conditions.github.com · read 15 Oct 2026
- Data storage
- Company data is stored in the site database and the current installation has no downloadable local database file.docs.frappe.io · read 15 Oct 2026
- Developer extensibility
- The framework exposes Python and JavaScript APIs, hooks, query tools, form controls, dialogs, charts and scanner functions.docs.frappe.io · read 15 Oct 2026
- Documentation
- The documentation site includes setup, roles, transactions, POS, currencies, inventory, reports, settings and customization topics.docs.frappe.io · read 15 Oct 2026
- Double-entry accounting
- The application provides a double-entry ledger, chart of accounts and journal entries.github.com · read 15 Oct 2026
- Financial reports
- Included reports are General Ledger, Profit and Loss, Balance Sheet and Trial Balance.github.com · read 15 Oct 2026
- Hosting model
- Frappe Books is installed on a Frappe site and accessed through a browser on computers or phones.docs.frappe.io · read 15 Oct 2026
- India GST
- For India, GSTR-1 and GSTR-2 reports are available for GST returns.frappe.io · read 8 Oct 2026
- Installation
- The documented Bench setup creates a Frappe bench, fetches the frappe-books app, creates a site and installs frappe_books.docs.frappe.io · read 15 Oct 2026
- Inventory
- Inventory tools cover stock movements, delivery notes, purchase receipts, batches, serial numbers and FIFO valuation.github.com · read 15 Oct 2026
- Inventory and POS
- It supports stock across locations, batches, expiry dates, serial numbers, and point-of-sale transactions.frappe.io · read 8 Oct 2026
- Inventory tracking
- Yesfrappe.io · read 20 Sep 2026
- Invoice creation
- Yesfrappe.io · read 20 Sep 2026
The review
Frappe Books is free, open-source accounting software for small businesses, with tools for sales, purchasing, inventory and double-entry bookkeeping. It suits owners who can run it on their own Frappe site and want company data kept on their own server. The main trade-off is that this is a self-hosted product, and its old desktop app is no longer supported.
Overview
Books brings routine bookkeeping together with records for selling, buying and tracking goods. That range can make it a practical fit for a small business that wants more than invoicing or a ledger, especially one handling physical stock. Its AGPL-3.0 license and free plan remove subscription cost, while self-hosting puts responsibility for running the product on the business.
Key features
Quotes, invoices, payments, bills, supplier payments and returns cover much of the transaction flow between a business, its customers and its suppliers. Inventory tracking includes stock across locations, batches, expiry dates and serial numbers, alongside point-of-sale transactions. That combination is useful for businesses managing goods with different storage or tracking needs; a business that only wants basic bookkeeping may not need this breadth.
The accounting foundation uses double-entry books, a country-specific chart of accounts, journal entries and financial reports. For businesses in India, GSTR-1 and GSTR-2 reports support GST returns. Books User, Books Manager and System Manager roles control access to records, reports and settings, giving teams a way to divide responsibilities.
Company data stays in the Frappe site's database, and Books runs on the customer's own server. This gives the business control over where its accounting data resides, but requires it to operate a Frappe site. Frappe states that its quality and information security systems hold ISO 9001:2015 and ISO 27001:2022 certifications and SOC 2 Type II attestation.
Pricing
There is one plan: Free, at no cost, with no subscription. It is open source and intended for installation on the customer's own Frappe site. There is no free trial because the product is free. Businesses get the same core product without a paid tier, but must provide and run their own server; the old desktop app is no longer supported.
Platforms
Frappe Books is listed for Android, iOS, Linux, macOS, Windows, web and self-hosted use. On a phone, it runs in a browser and can be added to the home screen, but requires an internet connection. The desktop app's discontinued support makes the self-hosted web experience the relevant option for businesses choosing the product today.
Who it's for
Books is best suited to small businesses that need accounting alongside purchasing, sales and inventory records, and are prepared to maintain their own Frappe site. Its stock tracking and point-of-sale support make it especially relevant to sellers managing physical goods. Businesses seeking a supported standalone desktop app, or unwilling to self-host, should look elsewhere.
Pros and cons
- Pros: Free and open source under AGPL-3.0, with no subscription charge.
- Pros: Combines double-entry accounting with sales, purchasing, inventory and point-of-sale records.
- Pros: Keeps company data in the customer's own Frappe site's database.
- Cons: Requires a customer-run server and Frappe site, adding operating responsibility.
- Cons: Phone access depends on an internet connection.
- Cons: The old desktop app is no longer supported.
Alternatives
Bookkeeping Software and General Ledger Software directories can help compare tools by category. For a different free, open-source bookkeeping option, Beancount is available for Linux, macOS, Windows, web, API and self-hosted use. FrontAccounting is another free accounting product, with web and self-hosted platforms.
Businesses looking for broader ERP options can consider paid Infor ERP, which spans Android, iOS, API, web, Windows and self-hosted platforms, or Infor Public Sector, which offers the same platform range. Marg ERP is a paid option for Windows, web, Android and iOS; its Nano and Basic Edition plans each cap use at two users and two companies. Xledger is a paid web and mobile option sold as a SaaS monthly subscription with a one-time implementation fee and pricing based on business needs. Workday Expenses is a paid option for Android, iOS and web. For a free plan with a trial, BUSY offers its Express plan at no cost for billing and accounting, including multiple companies and financial years.
Verdict
Choose Frappe Books if your small business wants no-cost, open-source bookkeeping tied to sales, purchasing and detailed inventory, and you can run it on your own Frappe site. Its strongest reason to choose is the range of business records available without a subscription. Look elsewhere if you need a supported desktop app or do not want to take responsibility for self-hosting.
