Free billing software in India — honestly compared
"Free" GST billing software is real — but every free tool caps something: turnover, users, devices or invoices. Here are the genuine free options for Indian shops, what each one limits, and the point where a flat ₹399/month plan with unlimited users quietly becomes the cheaper choice.
No card for the trial · unlimited users · prices exclude GST
Is free billing software actually free?
For a single owner writing a few invoices a month, yes — a free tier is genuinely enough, and you should use one. The catch shows up as the business grows. Free plans are designed to run out: they stop at a turnover ceiling, allow only one user or one device, cap the number of invoices, or hold your e-invoicing and e-way bill features behind a paywall.
The moment a second person needs to bill, or you cross a turnover limit, the "free" tool asks for a per-user upgrade — and per-seat pricing scales up fast. That is where a flat plan wins: 399Apps' Nidhi Books is ₹399/month for your first app with unlimited users (prices exclude GST), so the bill does not grow just because your team does.
Free (and near-free) billing options in India
| Option | Free? | Best for | The catch |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zoho Books (free plan) | Free under ₹25 lakh turnover | Micro businesses below the turnover cap | Free tier ends once you cross ₹25 lakh turnover; limited users and workflows. |
| Vyapar (free mobile) | Free mobile app | A single owner billing from a phone | Desktop and premium features are paid; licence is tied per device. |
| myBillBook (free tier) | Free starter tier | Testing GST invoicing on one device | Caps invoices/features on the free tier and pushes paid upgrades as you grow. |
| GST portal / offline utility | Free (government) | Filing GSTR returns only | No day-to-day billing, inventory or reports — it is a filing tool, not a POS. |
| Excel / Google Sheets | Free | A handful of manual invoices | No GST automation, e-invoicing or e-way bill; error-prone and hard to audit. |
| 399Apps (Nidhi Books) | 14-day free trial | A growing shop that has outgrown free limits | Not free after the trial — but a flat ₹399/mo with unlimited users (prices exclude GST). |
Free-tier limits and turnover caps change often — always confirm the current terms on each vendor's site before you commit your data.
Bottom line: start free while you are tiny. When a free tier starts blocking a second user, a second shop, or the invoices you actually need, price the flat plan against it on total cost — not the ₹0 headline.
Why a flat ₹399/month often beats free
- Unlimited users, not per seat. Add your accountant, counter staff and owner without the bill moving — free tiers usually charge per extra user.
- No turnover ceiling. You will not be pushed off the plan the year your sales grow past a cap.
- Billing + inventory + accounting together. Nidhi Books for GST invoicing and Nidhi Inventory for stock, on one account — instead of stitching free single-purpose tools together.
- e-invoicing and e-way bill included. Compliance features that free tiers often lock behind an upgrade.
- No lock-in. Export your data any time, or self-host it. A free desktop tool keeps everything on one machine that can fail.
- Real support in your language. WhatsApp and email help, plus a UI in English, Hindi and Tamil.
Try it before you pay — the 14-day free trial runs the full product, so you can compare it head-to-head with whatever free tool you use today.
Free billing software — FAQs
Is there truly free billing software in India? +
Can I make GST invoices for free? +
Why is free billing software not always the cheapest? +
What does 399Apps cost, and is there a free trial? +
Is free billing software safe for my business data? +
Related buyer's guides
Outgrown your free billing tool?
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