GnuCash is free accounting and personal financial management software. It is available for a variety of operating systems, including Microsoft Windows, Mac OS and various Linux and Unix systems.
The main features of GnuCash are:
- Standard double entry bookkeeping.
- A number of reporting options, including the ability to create balance sheet, profit and loss sheets and portfolio valuations.
- Small business functions including basic customer management features and invoicing and billing.
Although many accounting packages are available for Windows and Macintosh systems, GnuCash is one of the few packages available for Linux.
Although GnuCash is free, remember that free accounting software can sometimes be a false economy, especially if you're running a small business. As your business grows you may need to employ a bookkeeper or auditor. These generally only know how to use the more widely known packages such as QuickBooks, Sage or Quicken. GnuCash is also aimed at a global user base, so it may not have some of the local features that are required to comply with local financal regulations.
Other features of GnuCash include:
- Support for multiple currencies.
- Stock and bond portfolio tracking capabilities.
- Import module for Intuit Quicken files.
- Available in a wide variety of different languages including English, French, German, Spanish and Japanese.