Comparison

Bookkeeping vs Self Employed

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Bookkeeping

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
Read full description

DOUBLE ENTRY BOOKKEEPING AND INVOICING FOR YOUR SMALL BUSINESS, NON-PROFIT, OR CLUB. KEEPS WORKING EVEN WHEN THE INTERNET DOES NOT. Your data stored on your device. We have no access to your data. Pay by the month (with auto-renewable subscriptions) instead of an outright purchase. FEATURES HIGHLIGHT: No limit on the number of company books. No limit on the number of transactions. Synchronise between devices using your own Dropbox account. Built in example book so you can explore the program before making a commitment with an auto-renewable subscription. Bookkeeping is a self contained mobile bookkeeping and invoicing solution for your iPad and iPhone. It has multi-device synchronisation using Dropbox so you can work on your books on any of your devices no matter where you are or what iTunes account you use; and it supports as many or as few currencies as you need. You just need basic bookkeeping knowledge to make use of the multitude of capabilities of this program. Bookkeeping works with or without cellular coverage. Bookkeeping works wherever you are. Synchronise when you get cellular/WiFi coverage again. With Bookkeeping you have a fully functional program right on your iPad and iPhone. Bookkeeping has been used in over 40 countries including the USA, Australia, United Kingdom, Canada, and South Africa. Some of the Bookkeeping features … - Configure separate Company books for each company you operate - No limit to the number of Transactions - Invoicing , Quotations , RFQs , Purchase Orders - Email or Print all Invoices, Quotes, Orders, and Reports in convenient PDF format - Adjustments, Returns, Refunds - Supports non-standard financial periods - Recurring transactions - Cheque Book, Deposit Book, Bank Transfers - Bank Reconciliation - Import Bank Transactions - General Journal - Expense Budgeting - Configurable sales tax codes (Sales Tax, VAT Tax, Goods and Service Taxes, etc) - Multiple sales taxes per line item - Complex sales taxes (e.g. Canadian PST+GST, Philippines) - Calculate levies, duties, importation taxes - Calculate credit card merchant fees deducted from payments - Dropbox integration - Products, Services, & Inventory - Separate product prices per currency - Automatic Cost of Goods Sold calculations - Share Portfolio - Multi-Currency Support - Foreign currency transactions - Foreign currency bank accounts - Search - Job Tracking - Bank Reconciliation - Departments & Trading Names - Multi-Device Synchronisation - Configuration options to tailor to your needs - 47 PDF Reports (Trial Balance, Balance Sheet, Profit & Loss, etc) - Taxable Payments Reporting for the Australian Building and Construction industry - Australian BAS Worksheet reporting - Built in tax codes for Australian GST - Support for WET (Wine Equilisation Taxes) - GST Compliant Adjustment Notes Purchase an auto-renewable subscription to be able to enter data into this program. If you do not have a valid auto-renewable subscription, then you can load the example book and can view the information in the books. However you are required to purchase and maintain an auto-renewable subscription to enter data into the program. Payment will be charged to your iTunes Account at confirmation of purchase. The subscription automatically renews unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24-hours before the end of the current period. Your account will be charged for renewal within 24-hours prior to the end of the current period, and identify the cost of the renewal. Subscriptions may be managed by you and auto-renewal may be turned off by going to your iTunes Account Settings after purchase. The EULA, Terms of Service, and Privacy Policy can be found in the About screen of this application and on our website. Privacy Policy: https://bookkeeping.warby.com/Privacy Terms of Use: https://bookkeeping.warby.com/Terms End User License Agreement: https://bookkeeping.warby.com/EULA

About

Self Employed

Streamline business operations for self-employed individuals. Manage invoices, track expenses and mileage automatically, and simplify tax compliance with US federal tax law features. Gain insights with reports and analytics.

Highlights
  • Professional invoice creation
  • Automatic GPS mileage tracking
  • Categorized expense tracking
  • Receipt scanning with OCR
  • US federal tax law compliance
  • Business finance reports and analytics
Features
Currently charting
Read full description

**Self Employed** is an all-in-one business and finance app designed for self-employed individuals, freelancers, independent contractors, and small business owners in the United States. Organize your business finances, track income and expenses, manage mileage, create invoices, and prepare for your tax obligations with convenient tools in one place. ### Key Features **Create Professional Invoices** Create customizable invoices by adding client details, services, pricing, and your business information. Save and share invoices directly with your clients. **Mileage Tracking** Track business mileage using GPS and keep your trips organized. Classify trips as business or personal to help maintain accurate mileage records for your business expenses. **Expense Tracking** Keep your business expenses organized in one place. Record expenses, categorize transactions, capture receipts, and associate expenses with specific projects or clients. **Receipt Scanner** Scan receipts using OCR technology to help capture important receipt information and reduce manual data entry. Keep your business receipts organized and accessible when you need them. **Tax Tools for US Users** Prepare for US tax obligations with tools for tracking tax-related information, monitoring important tax dates, and estimating potential tax payments. Keep your financial records organized throughout the year. **Reports & Financial Insights** View reports to better understand your business activity. Monitor income, expenses, and profitability to help you make informed business decisions. **Secure Data Protection** Keep your business information protected with available security features such as passcode or biometric authentication. Your financial information stays organized and accessible within the app. **Built for Self-Employed Professionals** Whether you're a freelancer, independent contractor, or small business owner, Self Employed helps you organize everyday financial tasks and keep your business records in one convenient place. Take control of your business finances, stay organized, and prepare for your US tax responsibilities with Self Employed. ### Subscription Plans * **Yearly Subscription:** $49.99 per year * **Monthly Subscription:** $14.99 per month Subscriptions automatically renew unless auto-renewal is turned off at least 24 hours before the end of the current subscription period. Your Apple ID account will be charged for renewal within 24 hours before the end of the current subscription period, and the renewal cost will be identified. You can manage your subscriptions and turn off auto-renewal through your Apple ID Account Settings after purchase. Terms of use: https://protectionandsecurity.wordpress.com/terms-of-use/ Privacy policy: https://protectionandsecurity.wordpress.com/privacy-policy/

Screenshots

Bookkeeping4 screens
Self Employed4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Self Employed at Free against Bookkeeping's $2.99. Self Employed also leads on rating (4.2 vs 3.7) and update cadence (fortnightly vs every 3 months). Bookkeeping's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and review sentiment (74% vs 47%). On in-app purchases, monetization model, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Self Employed is free to download; Bookkeeping costs $2.99 up front. Bookkeeping sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $2.99 per month and Self Employed sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $14.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Self Employed holds the better App Store score, 4.2 against 3.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Self Employed has 2.1K ratings behind it against 7, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 74% of Bookkeeping's written reviews are positive against 47% of Self Employed's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Bookkeeping ships an update every 3 months, Self Employed fortnightly. Both last shipped on September 25, 2026.

Scorecard7 real differences · 4 level
Bookkeeping versus Self Employed: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterBookkeepingSelf Employed
Price$2.99Free — better
Rating3.7 (7 ratings)4.2 (2.1K ratings) — better
Positive reviews73.9% of reviews — better47.4% of reviews
Number of ratings72.1K — better
Update frequencyEvery 3 monthsFortnightly — better
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationSubscriptionSubscription
Best chart rank—#126 — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS15.5 — better16.0
Further details — not scored
Size14 MB77 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperWarby Software Pty LtdProtection & Security App LLC

Customer experience

Bookkeeping

All ratings7 ratings
Positive57.1%
Neutral28.6%
Negative14.3%
Written reviews134 reviews
Positive73.9%
Neutral5.2%
Negative20.9%

Self Employed

All ratings2,071 ratings
Positive78.4%
Neutral6.6%
Negative15.0%
Written reviews304 reviews
Positive47.4%
Neutral11.8%
Negative40.8%

User reviews

Bookkeeping

From 7 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 💼 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

Room to improve

  • 🎓 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

Self Employed

From 2.1K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 👍 Easy to use
  • 🚀 Simplicity and intuitiveness
  • 💡 Useful for small businesses and families
  • 🚀 Efficient for tracking expenses and income

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Frequent crashes and freezing issues
  • 🐛 Inability to add decimal points for expenses
  • 🐛 Unreliable mileage tracking
  • 🐛 Syncing and data loss problems
  • 🔒 Concerns about security and account access

Bugs and requests

Bookkeeping

Reported bugs

9 issues
  • 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
Show 4 more
  • Crashes when entering PIN code
  • Data not retained properly
  • No password/security functionality
  • Incompatibility with older iOS versions

Requested features

16 requests
  • Cloud sync across multiple iOS devices
  • Receipt photo capture functionality
  • Simplified version for sole traders
  • Trial/demo version before purchase
  • Mac application version
Show 11 more
  • Improved reporting features (monthly sales, category reports)
  • Discount application in quick entry
  • Partial refund capability
  • Customizable invoice headings
  • Budget vs. actual comparison reports
  • Payroll functionality
  • Preprinted cheque support
  • Better UI/UX design and color scheme
  • Dashboard overview of financial position
  • Invoice layout editor without HTML knowledge
  • Multi-user sync capability

Self Employed

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • App not opening past initial screen
  • Inability to log in to existing account
  • Quota exceeded error messages
  • Transactions not saving properly

Requested features

4 requests
  • Add ability to upload digital receipts
  • Improve date and transaction editing functionality
  • Integrate with other professional apps
  • Provide better instructions and guidance for users

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Bookkeeping

Subscriptions1
  • Data Entry for 1 Month1 Month trial$2.991 Month
3 purchases

Self Employed

Subscriptions3
  • Employed Monthly Subscription1 Month trial$14.991 Month
  • Employed Yearly Subscription3 Days trial$49.991 Year
  • Yearly Premium3 Days trial$99.991 Year

Questions

Is Bookkeeping free?
Bookkeeping costs $2.99, and also offers in-app purchases.
Is Self Employed free?
Self Employed is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Bookkeeping or Self Employed?
Self Employed is rated higher. Bookkeeping averages 3.7 out of 5 from 7 ratings, while Self Employed averages 4.2 from 2.1K ratings.
Do Bookkeeping or Self Employed have ads?
Self Employed shows ads; Bookkeeping does not.
Which is updated more often, Bookkeeping or Self Employed?
Bookkeeping ships an update every 3 months, and Self Employed fortnightly. Most recently, Bookkeeping was updated on September 25, 2026 and Self Employed on September 25, 2026.

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