# Bookkeeping vs Beancount

The clearest difference is price: Beancount at Free against Bookkeeping's $2.99. Beancount also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 1) and update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 3 months). Bookkeeping's advantage is rating (3.7 vs 3.4). On review sentiment, ratings volume, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Beancount is free to download; Bookkeeping costs $2.99 up front. Bookkeeping sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $2.99 per month. Beancount asks for nothing beyond the download.

Bookkeeping holds the better App Store score, 3.7 against 3.4. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 7 and 9 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 74% of Bookkeeping's written reviews are positive against 67% of Beancount's.

Bookkeeping ships an update every 3 months, Beancount every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 27, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Bookkeeping | Beancount |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $2.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | **[3.7 (7 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bookkeeping/id357412761/reviews)** | [3.4 (9 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/beancount-plain-text-ledger/id1527950512/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 7 | **9** |
| Positive reviews | **73.9% of reviews** | 66.7% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | Subscription | **Free** |
| Size | 13 MB | 51 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **16.4** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Warby Software Pty Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/357412764) | [Stargately, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1486062039) |

## What reviewers say

### Bookkeeping

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bookkeeping/id357412761)

This app provides double-entry bookkeeping and invoicing for small businesses, non-profits, and clubs. It works offline and syncs data across devices using Dropbox. Manage unlimited companies and transactions with a variety of financial tools.

**Highlights:** Double-entry bookkeeping, Invoicing and quotations, Offline functionality, Dropbox synchronization, Unlimited companies and transactions, Multi-currency support, PDF reports

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Data Entry for 1 Month | $2.99 | per month |

**What reviewers like**

- 💼 Comprehensive double-entry bookkeeping functionality
- 📱 Portable accounting solution for iPad/iPhone
- 💰 Excellent value for money compared to desktop alternatives
- 📊 Professional-looking invoices and reports
- 🎯 Powerful features for small businesses

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🎓 Steep learning curve for non-accountants
- 🔐 Hidden subscription requirement after purchase
- ❌ Not intuitive for beginners
- ⚠️ Requires accounting knowledge to use effectively
- 🖥️ Lacks cloud sync across multiple devices

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes when setting year start date
- Screen misalignment on iPad 2
- Persistent rating prompt pop-ups
- Unable to change default quantity on sale line items
- App locks when editing setup

**Requested features**

- Cloud sync across multiple iOS devices
- Receipt photo capture functionality
- Simplified version for sole traders
- Trial/demo version before purchase
- Mac application version


### Beancount

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/beancount-plain-text-ledger/id1527950512)

This app helps you manage your finances by recording transactions in text files. It then generates financial statements like income statements and balance sheets to provide insights into your financial health.

**Highlights:** Record financial transactions, Generate income statements, Create balance sheets, Visualize financial data, Improve financial life

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Bookkeeping free?

Bookkeeping costs $2.99, and also offers in-app purchases.

### Is Beancount free?

Beancount is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Bookkeeping or Beancount?

Bookkeeping is rated higher. Bookkeeping averages 3.7 out of 5 from 7 ratings, while Beancount averages 3.4 from 9 ratings.

### Do Bookkeeping or Beancount have ads?

Neither Bookkeeping nor Beancount shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Bookkeeping or Beancount?

Bookkeeping ships an update every 3 months, and Beancount every 2 weeks. Most recently, Bookkeeping was updated on October 27, 2026 and Beancount on October 24, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*