QuickBooks is $15/mo (Simple Start). Ledger is a self-hosted alternative at $2.99/mo. Here's when each makes sense.
| Ledger | QuickBooks | |
|---|---|---|
| Hosting | Self-hosted, your infra | Managed SaaS (cloud only) |
| Data location | Your server, your disk | QuickBooks's cloud |
| Free tier | 100 transactions/mo | Paid only |
| Pro pricing | $2.99/mo | $15/mo (Simple Start) |
| Dependencies | None (single binary + SQLite) | N/A (managed) |
| Setup time | ~30 seconds | Account signup |
| Dashboard | Built-in at /ui | Cloud dashboard |
| License | BSL 1.1 | Proprietary SaaS |
Ledger is a single Go binary with embedded SQLite. Install it with one command, and you are running in under a minute. Your data stays on your server.
curl -fsSL https://stockyard.dev/ledger/install.sh | sh
The pricing math between Ledger and QuickBooks changes depending on team size. QuickBooks at $15/mo (Simple Start) is reasonable for a solo user. At ten seats, the difference compounds. Ledger is a flat $2.99/mo regardless of seats — the binary does not count how many people use it. For growing teams, this makes Ledger progressively cheaper while QuickBooks gets progressively more expensive.
The operational difference is significant. QuickBooks requires you to trust their infrastructure, their security practices, and their business continuity. Ledger requires you to run a process and keep the data directory backed up. If your server dies, restore the binary and the SQLite file to a new server. The entire recovery procedure fits in a single paragraph because there is nothing else involved.
The migration path from QuickBooks depends on how much history you need to bring over. If you only need active records, a manual re-entry through Ledger's dashboard might be faster than writing a migration script. If you need full history, export from QuickBooks and use Ledger's POST API to import records. Either way, the process is measured in hours, not weeks.
Single binary. Free to start. $2.99/mo for Pro.