Side by side
Grain Ledger vs LineLedger
Both stand on accounting software. Which one you can start free with, which one lets you read the code, and what each costs once you pay.
Free plan AndroidAPIWeb
Grain Ledger combines church fund accounting with expense, reporting and giving tools. The free Starter plan has defined usage limits, while Growth costs $70/month and Payroll is an additional priced product.
Visit Grain Ledger
Free plan Open source APILinuxSelf-hosted+1
Choose LineLedger if you want a free, full-featured accounting system that runs on infrastructure you control, including non-profit fund accounting. It may not suit organizations seeking native US payroll, automated sales-tax filing, or IRS e-file, which are listed as roadmap items.
Visit LineLedgerThe facts
| Grain Ledger | LineLedger | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Open source | Not published | Yes |
| Runs on | Android, API, Web | API, Linux, Self-hosted, Web |
| Lowest paid plan | Grain Payroll: $50 a month | Free or on request |
| Plans published | 4 | 2 |
| Maker | Grain Ledger | Not published |
| Website | grainledger.com | lineledger.com |
| On accounting software | #3 of 69 | #1 of 69 |
Grain Ledger: what it does well
- Tracks restricted and unrestricted funds.
- Plaid sync imports transactions for reconciliation.
- Reports drill down to journal entries and transactions.
- Starter includes unlimited funds.
What to know first
- Starter allows one bank connection.
- Starter allows three users.
- Starter allows one active budget.
- Payroll costs $50/month base + $10 per employee / month.
LineLedger: what it does well
- Free forever with unlimited companies, users, and transactions
- Includes fund accounting, restricted-fund tracking, and grant tracking
- Imports QuickBooks charts of accounts and multi-file ledger history
- Append-only audit log and portable ZIP backups
- Passkeys, two-factor authentication, and section-level roles
What to know first
- Setup requires Docker and Docker Compose
- Native US payroll, sales-tax filing, and IRS e-file are roadmap items
- The maker says LineLedger is not SOC 2 certified
Alternatives to Grain Ledger Alternatives to LineLedger The whole list