Free bookkeeping software in Canada
Six tools a Canadian small business can use without paying. What each one gives you for free, where the catch is, and who it suits. Prices and plans checked in October 2026.
At a glance
“Free” means different things. Some tools are free until your revenue grows, some leave out bank imports, and some are free because you install and run them yourself.
| Free plan | Automatic transaction sorting | Bank statements | Main limit | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spark Books | $0, no card | Yes, with GST/HST split out | Upload CSV, OFX/QFX/QBO or PDF | No live bank feed; not in Quebec yet |
| Wave | Starter, $0 | On the Pro plan (CA$25/month) | Manual upload on Starter | Bank connections and extra users need Pro |
| Zoho Books | Free, C$0 | Not listed on the Free plan | Bank feeds listed on Standard | Revenue up to C$50,000 a year |
| Akaunting | Self-hosted Standard, free | Not listed | Bank feeds on Premium cloud | You run your own server |
| Manager.io | Desktop Edition, free | Not listed | Not listed | Single user, one computer |
| GnuCash | Free, open source | Not listed | Import QIF and OFX files | Desktop only; you do the bookkeeping |
Other products’ plans and prices are as published on their own websites in October 2026 and can change. “Not listed” means we couldn’t confirm it on their site, not that it doesn’t exist.
One by one
Spark Books
- What’s free
- Everything: bank and card statement uploads, AI sorting into a Canadian chart of accounts with GST/HST split out, double-entry books, GST/HST return figures, receipts, invoices and bills, a 13-week cash forecast and a year-end package for your accountant. No card, no trial that ends.
- The catch
- No live bank feed yet, so you download statements from your bank's website and upload them. No payroll and no inventory. Spark prepares your GST/HST figures, but you or your accountant file them. Not available in Quebec yet.
- Who it suits
- Canadian sole proprietors and small corporations outside Quebec who want their books done without learning bookkeeping, and who don't run payroll.
Wave
- What’s free
- As of October 2026, Wave's free Starter plan lets you create unlimited estimates, invoices, bills and bookkeeping records, manually upload bank statements, categorize transactions, reconcile accounts and run reports.
- The catch
- Automatic bank transaction import and automatic categorization are on the Pro plan, which is CA$25 a month or CA$250 a year in Canada as of October 2026. Adding other users also needs Pro.
- Who it suits
- Owners who are happy to upload statements and sort transactions themselves, and who want free invoicing.
Zoho Books
- What’s free
- As of October 2026, Zoho Books' Canadian Free plan includes invoices, quotes, expenses, bank reconciliation, provincial and federal tax returns, and a P&L and balance sheet, for 1 user plus 1 accountant.
- The catch
- The Free plan is only for businesses whose revenue for the financial year doesn't go over C$50,000. Connecting bank feeds is listed on the paid Standard plan, which is C$15 a month billed yearly or C$20 billed monthly.
- Who it suits
- Very small businesses under C$50,000 in revenue who want a full accounting app and expect to grow into a paid plan.
Akaunting
- What’s free
- Akaunting is open source. The Standard plan of its On-Premise version, which you install on your own server, is free.
- The catch
- You host it, update it and back it up yourself. On Akaunting's hosted cloud plans, double-entry and bank feeds start at the paid Premium plan.
- Who it suits
- Owners with someone technical on hand who'd rather run their own server than pay a subscription.
Manager.io
- What’s free
- Manager's Desktop Edition is free for Windows, Mac and Linux, with no time limits, no usage limits and no ads, according to Manager. It works without an internet connection.
- The catch
- The Desktop Edition is single-user and lives on one computer. Using it with others or from anywhere means the Cloud Edition, which is paid, or running the Server Edition yourself.
- Who it suits
- A one-person business that wants a complete desktop accounting program at no cost and is comfortable setting it up.
GnuCash
- What’s free
- GnuCash is free, open source desktop software for Windows, macOS and Linux. It does double-entry accounting, reconciliation, customer and vendor tracking, invoicing and bill payment, and imports QIF and OFX files.
- The catch
- It's a desktop program, and the bookkeeping is yours to do: you set up the accounts and categorize what you import.
- Who it suits
- Owners who know bookkeeping, or have a bookkeeper, and want a free, long-standing tool with no account to sign up for.
How to pick
- You want it done for you, free. Spark Books sorts your transactions and only asks about the ones it can’t tell. How Spark Books works.
- You run payroll or track inventory. Spark Books does neither. Check that whatever you choose handles them, on the plan you’ll actually be on.
- You like doing it yourself. Wave’s Starter plan, Manager.io or GnuCash give you the tools and leave the sorting to you.
- You’d rather not do it at all. Spark’s Bookkeeping plan is $350 a month, and a Spark bookkeeper keeps your books for you.
Questions
- Is there truly free bookkeeping software in Canada?
- Yes. Spark Books, Wave's Starter plan, Zoho Books' Free plan, Akaunting's self-hosted version, Manager.io's Desktop Edition and GnuCash all cost nothing to use, as of October 2026. They differ in what's left out: automatic bank imports, users, revenue limits, or how much you do by hand.
- What's the best free accounting software for a Canadian small business?
- It depends on how much you want to do yourself. If you want transactions sorted for you with GST/HST split out, and you don't run payroll, Spark Books is built for that. If you'd rather sort everything yourself, Wave's free plan, Manager.io or GnuCash will do. If your revenue is under C$50,000, Zoho Books' Free plan is a full accounting app.
- Is there a free bookkeeping app that connects to my bank?
- Check before you pick. As of October 2026, Wave's automatic bank imports are on its paid Pro plan, and Zoho Books lists bank feeds on its paid Standard plan. Spark Books doesn't connect to banks yet: you upload statements from your bank's website, which takes a few minutes a month.
- Does free bookkeeping software file my GST/HST return?
- Spark Books works out the figures for your GST/HST return, using the regular or quick method, and shows when it's due. You or your accountant file it with the CRA. Spark doesn't file anything for you.
- Why is Spark Books free?
- Spark Finance arranges business loans from lenders. Businesses with tidy books get better answers when they need financing, and we'd like to be who you ask when that day comes. Nothing in your books is shared with a lender unless you apply.
More comparisons
Free software
- Spark BooksEverything Spark Books does, and the two plans.
- Free accounting software in CanadaWhat it has to do for the CRA, and when you still need an accountant.
- AI bookkeepingWhat it gets right, what it gets wrong, and why Spark asks.
Switching from
- A free QuickBooks alternativeWhat Spark does and doesn't do next to QuickBooks Online.
- A free Xero alternativeHow Spark compares with Xero for a Canadian business.
- A Wave alternativeWhat changed on Wave's free plan, and your options.
- A free FreshBooks alternativeFreshBooks' Canadian plans next to Spark Books.
Head to head
- QuickBooks Online vs XeroPlans, prices, GST/HST and payroll in Canada.
- Wave vs QuickBooks OnlineFree with manual work, or paid with a bank feed.
Wave, Zoho Books, Akaunting, Manager.io, GnuCash, QuickBooks and Xero are trademarks of their owners. Spark Finance isn’t affiliated with or endorsed by any of them.
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