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Ledger-cli.org VS GnuCash

Compare Ledger-cli.org VS GnuCash and see what are their differences

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Ledger-cli.org logo Ledger-cli.org

Ledger is a powerful, double-entry accounting system that is accessed from the UNIX command-line.

GnuCash logo GnuCash

A personal and small-business financial-accounting software, licensed under GNU/GPL and available for Linux, Windows, Mac OS X, BSD, and Solaris.
  • Ledger-cli.org Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-04-18
  • GnuCash Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-02-04

Ledger-cli.org features and specs

  • Open-Source
    Ledger-cli is an open-source project, which means it is free to use and developers can contribute to its improvement and customization.
  • Plain Text
    It uses plain text files to store data, making it easy to edit, version control, and accessible across different platforms.
  • Flexibility
    Ledger-cli is highly flexible and can be customized to meet specific accounting needs, providing advanced features like multi-currency support and automated transactions.
  • Security
    Since it relies on plain text files, users have full control over their data without relying on third-party services, offering enhanced privacy and security.
  • Detailed Reports
    Ledger-cli provides powerful reporting features, enabling users to generate detailed financial reports through its command-line interface.

Possible disadvantages of Ledger-cli.org

  • Learning Curve
    The command-line interface and text-based input can be difficult for beginners to learn, requiring a good understanding of the syntax and command-line operations.
  • No GUI
    Ledger-cli lacks a graphical user interface, which can be a disadvantage for users who prefer visual interaction over command-line operations.
  • Manual Data Entry
    It requires manual data entry, which can be time-consuming and prone to human error, especially for users with extensive transactions.
  • Limited Integrations
    Ledger-cli has limited integration options with other financial software and services, which could be a drawback for users looking to synchronize data across multiple platforms.
  • Complexity for Advanced Features
    While it is powerful, using advanced features like automated transactions or multi-currency support can be complex and require in-depth understanding of the software.

GnuCash features and specs

  • Open Source
    GnuCash is free and open-source software, which means there are no licensing fees, and the source code is available for anyone to review and modify.
  • Cross-Platform Compatibility
    GnuCash is available for multiple operating systems including Windows, macOS, and Linux, making it versatile and accessible for a wide range of users.
  • Comprehensive Features
    The software includes a variety of features such as double-entry accounting, scheduled transactions, financial reports, and support for multiple currencies.
  • Community Support
    As an open-source project, GnuCash has a strong community of users and developers who contribute to its development and offer support through forums and mailing lists.
  • Customizability
    Due to its open-source nature, GnuCash can be customized to meet specific needs by those with technical expertise.

Possible disadvantages of GnuCash

  • User Interface
    The user interface can feel outdated and less intuitive compared to some commercial accounting software, which may pose a learning curve for new users.
  • Limited Mobile Support
    GnuCash does not have robust mobile app support; there is only a basic Android app, which might not meet the needs of users looking for full mobile functionality.
  • Steeper Learning Curve
    The comprehensive features can make the software complex and challenging to learn for those who are new to accounting and bookkeeping.
  • Limited Third-Party Integration
    GnuCash has limited integration options with third-party applications and services, which could be a drawback for users who need seamless connectivity with other business tools.
  • Manual Updates
    Updates and new releases are not as frequent or automatic as some commercial software, requiring users to manually update the software periodically.

Analysis of Ledger-cli.org

Overall verdict

  • Ledger-cli.org is generally considered a valuable and effective tool, especially appreciated by tech-savvy users and those who appreciate an open-source, command-line approach. However, its steep learning curve might not appeal to everyone, particularly users seeking a more user-friendly, graphical interface.

Why this product is good

  • Ledger-cli.org is a highly regarded personal finance tool that employs a plain text accounting system. Its popularity stems from its flexibility, command-line interface, and automation capabilities, making it ideal for users who prefer a more technical approach to manage their finances. It supports double-entry accounting, ensuring accuracy and detailed tracking of financial transactions. The ability to script and customize reports makes it adaptable to individual needs.

Recommended for

  • Users with a technical inclination who enjoy utilizing command-line tools.
  • Individuals familiar with accounting concepts seeking a customizable and flexible financial management system.
  • People who appreciate open-source software and wish to avoid proprietary financial applications.

Analysis of GnuCash

Overall verdict

  • GnuCash is a solid choice for individuals and small businesses that require robust accounting features without the cost associated with proprietary software. Its open-source nature allows for community-driven improvements and updates, though the user interface may feel outdated compared to modern commercial alternatives.

Why this product is good

  • GnuCash is a free, open-source accounting software designed for small businesses and personal use. It offers a comprehensive set of features including double-entry accounting, scheduled transactions, reports, graphs, and integration with online banking. Its flexibility and cost-efficiency make it an appealing choice for budget-conscious users seeking a customizable accounting solution.

Recommended for

  • Freelancers or small business owners who need a cost-effective accounting tool.
  • Individuals familiar with accounting principles who can take advantage of GnuCash's advanced features.
  • Users who appreciate or require open-source software solutions for better customization and control.

Ledger-cli.org videos

+ Add

Ledger Nano X Review After One Year (IS IT STILL WORTH IT?)

More videos:

  • Review - Ledger Nano X Review (in 2 minutes)
  • Review - Ledger Nano X vs S | Which Should You Buy? Should You Upgrade?

GnuCash videos

+ Add

Introduction to GnuCash - Free Accounting Software

More videos:

  • Review - GnuCash free software vs. Quicken & other accounting applications - Richard Cashin - 2018-09-20
  • Review - KMyMoney vs GNUCash

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Ledger-cli.org and GnuCash)

Ledger-cli.org

GnuCash

Personal Finance
15 15%
Personal Finance
85% 85
Accounting
15 15%
Accounting
85% 85
Finance
15 15%
Finance
85% 85
Tool
100 100%
Tool
0% 0

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare Ledger-cli.org and GnuCash

Ledger-cli.org Reviews

We have no reviews of Ledger-cli.org yet.
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GnuCash Reviews

11 Alternatives to QuickBooks in 2024
GNUCash’s strength is that it lets you do basically anything you want. Whether it’s budgeting, expense tracking, reporting, double-entry accounting, GNUCash probably already has the tools to do it. It’s also secure, malware free, cost-free, and the team behind it has consistently released new features since the project was first launched in 1997.
Source: www.bench.co
The 10 Best Alternatives to GnuCash for Managing Your Finances
GnuCash is a free, open-source financial accounting software designed for personal and small business use. It helps users manage their finances by providing tools to track bank accounts, income, expenses, assets, and liabilities. GnuCash is known for its double-entry accounting system, which ensures accuracy by requiring every transaction to be recorded in two different...
Source: www.findmycrm.com
Top 10 Best Open Source Accounting Software Comparison 2024
GnuCash is the number one free bank account software on our list today. You get great functionalities like double-entry accounting, you can stay on top of your assets like stocks, bonds, and mutual fund accounts, and GnuCash has decent financial reports and visual graphs.
Source: crm.org
Quicken Alternatives: Top 5 Financial Tools for Efficient Money Management
GnuCash is a popular open-source alternative to Quicken, offering an extensive range of financial tools for users looking for a free option. As a highly customizable money manager, GnuCash provides robust features for tracking bank accounts, stocks, and expenses, catering well to users seeking control and flexibility. It supports various currencies and is consistently...
Source: finally.com
Best personal finance software of 2024
GnuCash is simple enough to be used for home finances, but flexible enough to be put to use by small businesses as well. While the software is easy to use, the fact that it's suitable for small business accounting is thanks to the inclusion of a number of extra features that you would not necessarily expect to find – support for payroll management and double-entry...
Source: www.techradar.com

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, GnuCash should be more popular than Ledger-cli.org. It has been mentiond 38 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

Ledger-cli.org mentions (24)

  • Command-line tool to track your books
    You mean like Ledger? [1] [1] https://ledger-cli.org/. - Source: Hacker News / about 1 month ago
  • Show HN: Bagels – TUI Expense Tracker
    You have built a beautiful TUI, hats off. Having that said, however, if feels like a missed opportunity for this project to use an SQLAlchemy-based database backend over the more simplistic and widely supported ledger [1] format. While I understand that the your tool might not want to leverage the full complexity of a double-entry accounting system, as a friend of plain text accounting [2] I would have preferred... - Source: Hacker News / 4 months ago
  • Goodbye to an Old Spreadsheet
    Always neat to see what others use to manager their personal finances. I've been a fan of Ledger for a long time: https://ledger-cli.org/. - Source: Hacker News / 8 months ago
  • Show HN: Wealthfolio: A Private, Open-Source Investment Tracker
    Https://ledger-cli.org/ When comparing the two programs here, I can't immediately see any big differences. Sorry if this reads like a shallow plug. - Source: Hacker News / 9 months ago
  • Enlightenmentware
    I worked with John Wiegley for a couple of years and discovered one of his projects, Ledger (https://ledger-cli.org/), during our conversations. This tool taught me double-entry accounting and helped me understand finance and blockchains on a deeper level. Unfortunately, I’m too lazy to use the tool on a daily basis, so it’s the second most insightful piece of software I’ve never used :D. - Source: Hacker News / about 1 year ago
View more

GnuCash mentions (38)

  • Intuits Mint is garbage this year, need other recs for tracking expenses.
    Https://gnucash.org/ is a pretty solid free and open source option. The catch being its UI probably isn't as refined as some other options, and I'm not sure how/if online banking connections work, so can be a bit manual. Source: almost 2 years ago
  • Spending tracking app that meets my needs
    Could checkout https://gnucash.org/. Probably not as nice as a UI as some other options, but its quite robust in terms of tracking your finances. It has a budgeting feature, but I never used it. Worst case could use another app just for budgeting and GnuCash for general tracking of the current state of your accounts, and generating reports and such. Source: about 2 years ago
  • Are the GnuCash team all dead?
    As of today (2/22/2023), gnucash.org seems to be up and running. Do the young folks still use "woot" as an exclamation of delight or is that already passe??😄. Source: over 2 years ago
  • Are the GnuCash team all dead?
    I guess PART of my concern is that when you have a blank screen at gnucash.org for too long, it APPEARS to the outside world... People who might wish to consider using and supporting gnucash... that there is a problem that the organization is unable to handle and therefore the question arises "Are the team at gnucash competent or incompetent"? Source: over 2 years ago
  • Are the GnuCash team all dead?
    I am a fan of Open Source projects and I've known about GnuCash for some time. I've started an online personal finance course that uses GnuCash, HOWEVER, the gnucash.org site seems to have been down for days or weeks lately. What's up. I thought the pandemic was over and the 'ronavirus was going into obscurity... Am I wrong? Did the team all die off? Are they not taking this seriously? OR... Is there actually... Source: over 2 years ago
View more

What are some alternatives?

When comparing Ledger-cli.org and GnuCash, you can also consider the following products

HomeBank - Access Financial Services. Easy, fee-free banking for entrepreneurs Get the financial tools and insights to start, build, and grow your business.

Mint - Free personal finance software to assist you to manage your money, financial planning, and budget planning tools. Achieve your financial goals with Mint.

YNAB - Working hard with nothing to show for it? Use your money more efficiently and control your spending and saving with the YNAB app.

Money Manager Ex - Money Manager Ex is a free, open-source, cross-platform, easy-to-use personal finance software.

Grisbi - Accounting for everyone !

Quicken - Stay in control of your monthly cash flows, budgets, and expenditures. Quicken provides a navigable interface where you can organize your debit, credit, and savings, and build good habits accordingly.

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