Free General Ledger Software for PC: 9 Best o Use in 2024
The very best general ledger apps are now at your disposal.
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Key notes
- Using ledger software solutions is a must for any business, large or small. But it's not enterprise-limited only.
- A general ledger software can simplify your daily bookkeeping routine.
- Whether you go for a free general ledger software for PC or a cloud-based solution, it's entirely up to you.
Every accountant uses general ledger software to organize and save financial data or to create financial statements for the company. It’s basically the foundation of any modern accounting system.
Financing software has long replaced traditional paper-based entries. From greengrocers, freelancers to businesses around the world, everyone uses ledger software to keep track of financial transactions.
Understandably, there are numerous options when it comes to accounting software. And while some are only available via subscription, others come free of charge.
Of course, premium accounting software offers great features along with customer support. But do first-time users and people who don’t want to spend a fortune really need it? We believe that free general ledger software is best suited for the job.
Contrary to public belief, there is a wide range of options to choose from that do not imply breaking the bank. So, let’s gid into some free ledger software for PC.
In this article, we will be exploring the best free general ledger software that will help you keep track of all your financial transactions.
Which is the best accounting software for general ledger?
Freshbooks – Cloud based solution
As a cloud-based software, Freshbooks acts as a general ledger for all your business information. Everything about expenses, payables, invoices, and receipts in one single place. Bank reconciliations are as easy as pie.
Track every expense that comes in and out of your accounts with Freshbooks accounting software. It allows the users to upload receipts and import payments from bank statements providing accurate tracking of cents.
Know exact data about revenue, equity, liabilities, and assets with smart customizable reports and amazing data filtering options. Since all your data is in the cloud, every new entry will update your data in real-time.
Invoice creation only takes a few seconds now. Take professionalism to the next level with state-of-the-art invoices with customizable details and templates. They also contain precise details on costs and billed hours.
If you are constantly changing your location, Freshbooks also has a mobile version where you have access to all the features that we’ve talked about.
Freshbooks also provides more key features:
- Payment options for clients and late payments reminders
- Billed and unbilled hours tracking
- Smart tracking tools for tasks, projects, and employees
- Multi-project management with real-time data for clients
- Business health reports on cash flow, profitability, and detailed spending
Freshbooks
Manage general ledger anytime anywhere with this amazing cloud-based solution.QuickBooks – All-around financial solution
When it comes to accounting solutions, QuickBooks is an all-in-one bookkeeping general ledger software that can streamline your projects and reduce your workload.
This versatile tool comes in both online and desktop versions that you can access either directly in your browser or download onto your PC to boost your work productivity.
Moreover, QuickBooks comes packed with a variety of training features ranging from video recordings and tutorials to virtual conferences. Needless to say, it’s designed to help you grow in the direction you want.
Faithful to its purpose, this ledger software provides pre-filled templates to cut down on prep time, comprehensive and customizable financial dashboards and reports, and more.
Covering anything from expense management and time tracking to tax calculation and automated payroll, QuickBooks is a full-scale end-to-end business solution.
Let’s quickly look at its key features:
- Data collection, tax solutions, automated payroll, time tracking, expense management, and more
- Accountant Toolbox to batch manage transactions, export tax-ready data, and run trial balances
- Comprehensive management reports and chart of accounts
- Automated and customizable bank feeds for more accuracy
- Centralized project tracking
- Connect third-party apps to accelerate your workflows
QuickBooks
Track expenses and check profitability quickly with the best general ledger software!Quicken – Perfect budgeting tool
Quicken is yet another great tool that can help you with many financial tasks in your business, including many report types.
This software can help you keep track of all your accounts, monitor expenses, and help you create comprehensive reports upon which you can further plan your budget.
Quicken offers bank-grade security so you know your accounts are safe.
Bills and investments are also made easier with Quicken. You can see where your money is coming from and where they are going, and monitor your investment portfolio.
This software has been on the market for a long time and it is very trusted by its users. Not only that, but it also comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee if you are not satisfied.
Here are some more of the main features of Quicken:
- Mobile & Web app
- Phone and chat support
- Create custom income and expense categories
- Add notes & memos to transactions
- Calendar/Fiscal Year budgeting
- Loans, Assets & Brokerage Accounts
- Track complete portfolio across financial institutions
Quicken
Manage all your financial data and plan accordingly with Quicken.Express Accounts – NCH Software – Financial analysis tools
Express Accounts from NCH Software is a free offline personal accounting software for private practices, retailers, freelancers, and small businesses that helps with organizing bookkeeping.
The free version of Express Accounts is available for small businesses with less than five employees. For a large business, Express Accounts offers premium packages with features designed for a large organization.
What’s more, this general ledger software will allow you to track sales and accounts receivable and generate professional quotes, sales orders, and invoices.
In addition, you can automatically record orders and invoices to make recurring tasks easier to handle.
Let’s quickly look at its key features:
- Financial analysis tools (generate over 20 different types of financial reports and income statements showing your business performance)
- Create balance sheets, analyze sales by the customer, and prepare reports for tax return
- Manage accounts payable and pay bills, track purchase transactions and expenses
- Generate purchase orders and print checks
- Available for both mobile as well as PC
Express Accounts
Financial analysis is made easy with this amazing software from NCH.Wave – Unlimited customizable invoicing
Wave is a free and powerful ledger software that you can use to keep track of your financial transactions and get ready for tax time with financial statements.
What’s more, it allows you to connect your bank accounts, balance your books, and sync expenses from one place.
Wave pricing starts with a free account which is suitable for small businesses. Obviously, the free general ledger software version provides limited user access. Nevertheless, it offers all the essential features required to manage your cash flow.
The user interface is intuitive making it easy for anyone to learn and use the general ledger software with a little practice. Want more? This is a cloud-based solution.
Thus, you won’t need to install anything on your computer. To top it all, the data is backed up on cloud storage for easier accessibility.
Let’s quickly look at its key features:
- 256-bit encryption and easy integration with PayPal, Shoeboxed, Etsy, and more
- Unlimited bank and credit card connections, income and expense tracking, updates on invoicing, payroll and payment
- Unlimited customizable invoicing and receipt scanning
- Dashboards show a quick status of cash balance and invoice status
- Bill and invoice reminders and export accounting reports
- Bulk transaction updates, journal transactions, and access to multiple businesses accounts from one dashboard
ZipBooks – Very simple UI
Free, simple, and feature-rich, ZipBooks is a cloud-based accounting solution for small business owners and individuals offering bookkeeping and invoicing services.
Unlike Wave, ZipBooks is a premium accounting software that starts with a free account but limited features. Using the free general ledger software account, you can create unlimited invoices.
You can also add unlimited vendors and customers, and accept credit cards and PayPal payments. Moreover, you get to enjoy unlimited bookkeeping, manage one bank account, and keep a tab on business health and invoice quality score.
On the other hand, the premium accounts offer more features like recurring invoices with auto-bill and advanced bookkeeping and accounting options.
Let’s quickly look at its key features:
- Simple user interface
- Generate income statements, create invoices, check transaction details in the dashboards
- Automatically create a convenient general ledger with all the transactions
- Manage the account, invoice, user, customer, projects, and tasks
Money Manager Ex – Cross-platform compatibility
Money Manager Ex is a free general ledger software enabling users to take note of all their expenses. One feature you might enjoy is the offline installation.
This means that you can use it as free ledger software for PC or as a portable app from the USB drive. And there’s even more versatility to come with cross-platform compatibility.
Let’s quickly look at its key features:
- Create new bank accounts, track incomes and expenses, recurring transactions, stocks management, and more
- Available for mobile operating systems
- Solid finance software with advanced tools
- Ideal for running on Linux, Windows, and macOS
Manager.io – Project-based accounting
Manager is one of the most popular ledger software that is free to use and does not compromise on features. The main reason for this lies in its flexibility.
Thus, you can set up a chart of an account without any restrictions. The user interface is easy to understand and use, adding more accessibility to this already popular tool.
Moreover, if anything sounds too complicated, the active manager user community online offers a solution in no time.
Let’s quickly look at its key features:
- Manage banking transactions easily in the dashboard
- Integrated bank reconciliation tool, profit and loss statement generation, and project-based accounting
- General ledger, fixed asset manager, remittance advice
- Cash management, capital accounts, and comparative reporting
- Expense claims account receivable, payable account, trial balance, and more
Zoho Invoices – Create personalized invoices
Zoho Invoices is not a general ledger software but an online invoice-generating solution with a feature to keep track of expenses and report generation capabilities.
The great part is that Zoho offers the basic and essential features to starters for free. However, there are more options to choose from. The forever free plan offered by the company is perfect for businesses with less than five customers.
If you happen to have a larger organization, Zoho offers premium plans with more features.
Let’s quickly look at its key features:
- Create personalized invoices by choosing pre-designed templates from the gallery
- For recurring billing, you can set invoices on autopilot
- Integration with Payment gateways for easier payouts
- Create professional-looking estimates, convenient client portals, and timesheets
- Time tracking for project management and expense calculator with detailed report generation
You don’t need to be an accountant to understand the importance of maintaining a general ledger. It not only helps you track your financial transactions but also keeps you ready for tax filing.
If anything in your balance sheet looks out of order, general ledger software will help you find the discrepancy and correct the details in a timely manner.
All the tools listed in this article qualify as free general ledger software or at least offer a free account to get you started. Have you used any of them before? Do let us know in the comments below.
