Finding the right cash book software for your Indian small business is harder than it should be. Most tools are either too complex (Tally), too expensive, or start free and then charge you after a few months.
This guide compares the top 7 options honestly — including their real limitations — so you can choose the right one for your business.
CashBook Pro is ranked #1 in this list and this blog is on the CashBook Pro website. However, we have tried to give fair and accurate information about all competitors. You can verify by visiting their websites.
What to Look For in Cash Book Software
- Actually free — no trial, no credit card, no per-transaction limits
- Works on mobile — you need to enter transactions on the go
- Simple enough — your staff should be able to use it without training
- Export to CSV — for sharing with your CA or GST filing
- Secure — your financial data should not be shared with advertisers
CashBook Pro Best Overall
Price: 100% Free · Platform: Web (any browser, mobile + desktop)
CashBook Pro is a free, web-based cash book designed specifically for Indian small businesses. It doesn't require an app download — just open cashbookpro.in in any browser. Unique features include AI-powered receipt scanning (take a photo of any bill and it fills the form automatically), multiple cash books per account, role-based user access, and full JSON backup.
- Completely free forever
- AI receipt scanning
- Multiple cash books
- Works on any device
- Role-based user access
- No app download needed
- CSV and JSON export
- Newer product, smaller community
- No mobile app (browser only)
- No inventory management
- English only (no Hindi/Telugu UI yet)
Best for: Clinics, shops, freelancers, any business that wants a clean, free, web-based cash book with AI features.
Khatabook Good for Traders
Price: Freemium (basic free, advanced features paid) · Platform: Android/iOS app
Khatabook is one of India's most popular business apps with over 10 million users. It started as a simple udhar (credit) tracking app and has grown to include full cash book features. Available in Hindi, Telugu, Tamil, and other Indian languages — a big advantage for non-English speakers.
- Available in regional languages
- Huge user base, trusted brand
- Simple and intuitive UI
- Good for credit (udhar) tracking
- Advanced features now require payment
- Mobile app only — no web version
- Ads in the free version
- No AI receipt scanning
Best for: Small traders and kirana shop owners who want an app in their local language and primarily track credit/udhar.
Vyapar Good for Invoicing
Price: Free trial, then ₹3,499/year · Platform: Android + Windows
Vyapar is a popular GST billing and accounting app that has grown significantly in India. It includes invoicing, inventory, and full accounting features. However, after the free trial ends, it requires a paid subscription.
- Full GST invoicing features
- Inventory management included
- Good for product-based businesses
- Works offline on Android
- Not free after trial
- More complex than needed for simple cash tracking
- No AI receipt scanning
Best for: Product-based businesses that need GST invoicing + inventory. Not ideal if you just want a simple cash book.
OkCredit Credit Tracking Only
Price: Free · Platform: Android/iOS
OkCredit is designed specifically for tracking who owes you money (credit/udhar). It's very simple but also very limited — it's not a full cash book. You can't track expenses, generate reports, or export data in a useful way.
- Very simple and easy to use
- Good for udhar tracking
- Completely free
- Not a full cash book
- No expense tracking
- No reports or CSV export
- No multi-user access
Best for: Kirana shops that just want to track customer credit/udhar. Not suitable as a primary cash book.
Zoho Books Overkill for Small Business
Price: Free for micro businesses (<₹50L turnover), paid otherwise · Platform: Web + App
Zoho Books is a full accounting suite — invoicing, bank reconciliation, GST filing, payroll integration. It's excellent software but far more complex than what most small businesses need for daily cash tracking.
- Complete accounting software
- GST filing integration
- Bank sync available
- Very complex for simple cash tracking
- Requires Zoho account setup
- Learning curve of weeks
- Paid beyond free tier limits
Best for: Businesses with 20+ employees and a dedicated accounts person. Not for simple daily cash tracking.
Tally Expensive & Complex
Price: ₹18,000–54,000/year · Platform: Windows desktop only
Tally is the most well-known accounting software in India and is used by millions of CAs and large businesses. However, it requires installation on a Windows PC, costs a significant amount annually, and takes weeks of training to use properly. For simple cash tracking, it is complete overkill.
- Trusted by CAs across India
- Very powerful and complete
- Handles complex accounting
- Expensive (₹18,000+ per year)
- Windows desktop only
- Requires training to use
- Not mobile-friendly
Best for: Businesses with a full-time accountant. Not suitable for self-managed daily cash tracking.
Excel / Google Sheets Manual Work
Price: Free (Google Sheets) · Platform: Any device
Many Indian small business owners use Excel or Google Sheets to maintain their cash book. It works but requires significant manual effort — creating formulas, formatting, managing files. It has no automatic calculations, no receipt scanning, and no user access controls.
- Free and widely known
- Highly customizable
- Works offline (Excel)
- Manual formula setup required
- Easy to accidentally break formulas
- No receipt scanning or AI
- No user access control
- Files can be lost or corrupted
Best for: Tech-savvy users who enjoy spreadsheets and have very simple needs. Upgrade to a proper cash book app when business grows.
Full Comparison Table
| Feature | CashBook Pro | Khatabook | Vyapar | OkCredit | Tally |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Freemium | Paid | Free | ₹18K+/yr |
| Web (no app needed) | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ |
| AI Receipt Scanning | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ |
| Multiple Cash Books | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ |
| CSV Export | ✅ | Paid | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ |
| Multi-user Access | ✅ | Limited | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ |
| Regional Language | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Party Ledger | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
Final Verdict
For most Indian small businesses that just want to track daily income and expenses — CashBook Pro is the best free option. It's the only one that combines a full cash book, AI receipt scanning, multi-user access, and CSV export — all completely free, with no app download required.
If you specifically need regional language support (Hindi, Telugu, etc.), Khatabook is the better choice until CashBook Pro adds language support.
If you need GST invoicing along with your cash book, consider Vyapar — but be prepared to pay after the trial.
Avoid Tally unless you have a dedicated accountant. Avoid OkCredit if you need more than basic credit tracking.