Side by side
Express Accounts vs GnuCash
Both stand on salon accounting software. Which one you can start free with, which one lets you read the code, and what each costs once you pay.
Choose Express Accounts if your small business needs cash-flow tracking, invoicing, payables, and financial reporting, including offline use. The free small-business version is limited to fewer than five employees, while the non-commercial free version is for non-commercial use. Businesses needing inventory synchronization must also install Inventoria on the same machine.
Visit Express Accounts
GnuCash provides free desktop accounting for personal finances and small-business workflows, with reports, imports, and business tools. Its default XML storage is distinct from experimental database support, so users should account for that limitation.
Visit GnuCashThe facts
| Express Accounts | GnuCash | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Open source | No | Yes |
| Runs on | Mac, Web, Windows | Android, API, iPhone, Linux, Mac, Self-hosted, Windows |
| Lowest paid plan | Express Accounts Plus Quarterly Plan: $49.14 a month | Free or on request |
| Plans published | 6 | 1 |
| Maker | Not published | GnuCash |
| Website | nchsoftware.com | gnucash.org |
| On salon accounting software | #4 of 29 | #1 of 29 |
Express Accounts: what it does well
- Creates quotes, sales orders, invoices, and recurring invoices.
- Includes more than 20 financial reports.
- Supports multiple businesses and currencies in one installation.
- Imports accounting records from CSV files and OFX bank statements.
- Can be installed for offline accounting.
What to know first
- The small-business free version is limited to businesses with fewer than five employees.
- The free non-commercial version is restricted to non-commercial use.
- Desktop use does not require a password.
GnuCash: what it does well
- Free under the GNU GPL.
- Includes double-entry accounting.
- Offers small-business invoicing and bill-payment tools.
- Imports QIF and OFX files.
- Provides customizable reports and charts.
What to know first
- Database support beyond XML is experimental.
- Some reported database corner cases involve data loss.
- Main application is unavailable for iOS and iPadOS.
- Separate Android app appears abandoned.
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