Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Manager.io VS Firefly III

Compare Manager.io VS Firefly III and see what are their differences

Manager.io logo Manager.io

Manager is a fully-featured 100% Free Accounting Software for Small Business.

Firefly III logo Firefly III

Financial manager, it can help you keep track of expenses, income, budgets and everything in...
  • Manager.io Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-09-12

Manager is a fully-featured 100% Free Accounting Software for Small Business. Available in 70+ Languages and constantly being updated and improved, Manager will take your small business to the next level. Free download for Windows, Mac & Linux.

If you’re looking for easy to use free accounting software that is created for small businesses, Manager should be on your list to try.

  • Fully-featured with accounting, invoicing, payroll and all other functionality you'll need.
  • Used by small businesses around the world and available in over 70 languages.
  • Work offline with your desktop or laptop on easy-to-use, fast software.
  • Available on Windows, Mac and Linux and constantly being improved/updated.
  • Data fully portable across all versions of Manager including our Cloud & Server offering.

Here's what one of our customers had to say:

Simple small business accounting software "I had trouble figuring out how to do my accounting until I found this app. Beautiful interface and extremely easy to set up in a way that makes perfect sense. Lots of built in help."

We’re constantly adding new features and have a thriving community of users all helping each other out using the software so if you have any questions before you give Manager a try, feel free to post it in our forum.

  • Firefly III Landing page
    Landing page //
    2022-06-12

Manager.io features and specs

  • User-Friendly Interface
    Manager.io offers a clean and intuitive interface that is easy to navigate, making it suitable for users with varying levels of accounting expertise.
  • Comprehensive Features
    It provides a wide array of accounting functionalities including invoicing, payroll, expense tracking, and tax reporting.
  • Multiple Platform Support
    Manager.io is available for Windows, macOS, and Linux, allowing users to access their accounts from different operating systems.
  • Free to Use
    The primary version of Manager.io is free, making it a cost-effective solution for small businesses.
  • Data Privacy
    As a desktop application, your financial data is stored locally, reducing the risk of data breaches compared to cloud-based solutions.
  • Customization Options
    Offers various customization options, including customizable templates for invoices and reports, which can be tailored to meet specific business needs.

Possible disadvantages of Manager.io

  • Limited Multi-User Support
    The desktop version lacks robust multi-user capabilities, which can be a drawback for larger organizations requiring concurrent access by multiple users.
  • No Official Mobile App
    There is no dedicated mobile app, which limits accessibility for users who need to manage accounts on-the-go.
  • Learning Curve for Advanced Features
    While the basic operations are user-friendly, some advanced features may require a learning curve and additional time investment to master.
  • Limited Integrations
    Manager.io has limited integrations with third-party apps and services, which can be restrictive for businesses relying on specialized software solutions.
  • Customer Support
    Support options are limited primarily to community forums and documentation, which may not provide timely assistance for urgent issues.

Firefly III features and specs

  • Open Source
    Firefly III is open-source software, which means it's free to use, modify, and distribute. Users can also contribute to its development on GitHub.
  • Self-Hosting
    Users have the option to self-host Firefly III, giving them full control over their financial data and ensuring privacy and security.
  • Feature-Rich
    Firefly III includes a wide range of features such as budgeting tools, asset tracking, and detailed reporting, which help users manage their finances comprehensively.
  • Customization
    The software can be extensively customized to fit individual needs, from custom fields to personalized reports and dashboards.
  • Community Support
    Being an open-source project, Firefly III has an active community that can offer support, share tips, and provide plugins or extensions.

Possible disadvantages of Firefly III

  • Technical Requirements
    Self-hosting Firefly III requires some technical knowledge, including server setup, maintenance, and possibly dealing with command line interfaces.
  • Installation Complexity
    The installation process can be complex for users who are not familiar with web server environments, databases, and related technologies.
  • Limited Third-Party Integrations
    Compared to some commercial financial management tools, Firefly III has fewer integrations with third-party services and financial institutions.
  • User Interface
    While functional, some users may find the user interface less polished or intuitive compared to commercial alternatives with more development resources.
  • Maintenance Overhead
    Self-hosting requires ongoing maintenance, including updates, backups, and security management, which can be a burden for some users.

Analysis of Manager.io

Overall verdict

  • Overall, Manager.io is a robust accounting software solution that provides excellent value, especially for businesses looking for a cost-effective solution with a comprehensive set of tools. However, as with any software, it's best to evaluate your specific business needs to ensure it fits your requirements.

Why this product is good

  • Manager.io is considered a good option for small to medium-sized businesses due to its range of features, including invoicing, expense tracking, and financial reporting. It offers both desktop and cloud versions, providing flexibility depending on business needs. The software is user-friendly and supports multiple currencies, making it suitable for businesses with international clients.

Recommended for

    Small to medium-sized businesses, freelancers, and entrepreneurs who need a versatile and affordable accounting solution, particularly those who would benefit from the flexibility of a desktop or cloud-based service.

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Manager.io and Firefly III)
Accounting
64 64%
36% 36
Personal Finance
21 21%
79% 79
Finance
17 17%
83% 83
Accounting & Finance
100 100%
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 Manager.io and Firefly III

Manager.io Reviews

18 Best Free GnuCash Alternatives for Free Accounting
It claims to be a free forever accounting software that works on all major platforms and offline too. Its designed only for small businesses and assists them to carry out functions like general ledger, fixed asset management, bank reconciliation, accounts payable/receivable, cash management and much more. With support for multiple languages that can adapt to any country and...
Source: thegeekpage.com
18 Best Free GnuCash Alternatives for Free Accounting
It claims to be a free forever accounting software that works on all major platforms and offline too. Its designed only for small businesses and assists them to carry out functions like general ledger, fixed asset management, bank reconciliation, accounts payable/receivable, cash management and much more. With support for multiple languages that can adapt to any country and...
Source: merabheja.com

Firefly III Reviews

We have no reviews of Firefly III yet.
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Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Manager.io should be more popular than Firefly III. It has been mentiond 26 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.

Manager.io mentions (26)

  • QB desktop kicking us out
    This question comes up often. I'm a fan of manager.io (it's not as good as QBD, but for many folks it's good enough). Another option sometimes mentioned is GnuCash, which I haven't tried. Source: over 1 year ago
  • Make Your Voice Heard
    I get your sentiment, but Intuit doesn't care about the protest emails they receive. You don't think they didn't know there would be some response? It would be interesting to have been a fly on the wall with their conversations on this. The answer is to find an accounting program that works for you. It really is voting with your dollars. There have been many suggestions I have read. There is manager.io, wave,... Source: about 2 years ago
  • Accounting Software Recommendations?
    Another route would be to try a local install of http://manager.io, but that's a bit more web based and he might find it off-putting. Source: about 2 years ago
  • Quickbooks Desktop price more than doubled for 2023?
    I've been shadow-bookkeeping using manager.io for 5 months now. Manager.io isn't quite as mature as QuickBooks Desktop for Mac 2021 but for routine micro-business bookkeeping it's just as good as QB. Everyone has different needs so manager.io may or may not work for you. Source: over 2 years ago
  • Opinions on excel book keeping
    There are many, many things that Excel can do. Proper bookkeeping is not one of them. Do not do this. Normally I would recommend QuickBooks, but they're being mega-douches with their price increases this year. But literally any bookkeeping software would be better than Excel. Manager (https://manager.io) is a new desktop option I've learned about recently. It's free for basic stuff, give it a whirl. Or try... Source: over 2 years ago
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Firefly III mentions (7)

  • GnuCash 5.9 Released
    I use Firefly III (https://firefly-iii.org). It's a self-hosted web app which is nice for me because I tend to use it from my phone most of the time. It does have a pretty extensive API, perhaps not as easy to do bulk edits as a text file, but should be fairly straightforward. It also has a rule system that could be used to do bulk edits too. - Source: Hacker News / 8 months ago
  • Looking for an app to track my finances that can automatically connect with my banking accounts. Any tips?
    Firefly is open source and free: https://firefly-iii.org. Source: over 3 years ago
  • YNAB is Costly and Mint gives your data away.. Any alternatives that allow me to upload transactions (don't need sync), and auto categorize my transactions?
    I also use Firefly (https://firefly-iii.org). If you're comfortable self-hosting, it's a nice option. There are importer tools for things like YNAB or CSV files from your bank. Source: over 3 years ago
  • Budgeting Software for multiple currencies?
    I use Firefly III but it's self-hosted. It does support multiple currencies though. Source: over 3 years ago
  • Cheaper YNAB alternative?
    If you're tech savvy, I would recommend locally hosted Firefly III with parsers of PDF bank statements (it's Canada, most banks can't even properly export CSV with all transactions...) Https://firefly-iii.org/. Source: almost 4 years ago
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What are some alternatives?

When comparing Manager.io and Firefly III, you can also consider the following products

GnuCash - A personal and small-business financial-accounting software, licensed under GNU/GPL and available for Linux, Windows, Mac OS X, BSD, and Solaris.

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

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

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

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

FreshBooks - The ideal accounting software for small business owners.