ANCHORACCOUNTINGFree accounting software.
Built for South Africa.
Free accounting and bookkeeping software for South African small businesses. Double-entry books, invoicing, bank reconciliation, and VAT reports — no subscription and no credit card.
Everything your business needs.
Nothing you don't.
Double-Entry Ledger
Every transaction balances automatically. Debits always equal credits, enforced at the database level.
Financial Reports
Real-time balance sheet, income statement, and cash flow. Export to PDF or Excel instantly.
Bank Reconciliation
Match bank statements automatically. Handle multiple accounts and foreign currencies with ease.
Audit Trail & Compliance
Every change is logged with user, timestamp, and before/after values. Built for SARS and auditors.
Multi-Currency & Inventory
Trade in ZAR, USD, EUR. Track stock levels, cost of sales, and purchase orders in one place.
API-First + MCP
Connect any tool. MCP tools ready for AI agents. Full REST + webhooks.
Free accounting software, South Africa
How free bookkeeping software actually differs
Search results mix full ledgers, invoice apps, and paid packages with a free trial. Anchor is a hosted double-entry ledger at R0 — invoices, bills, bank reconciliation, and a ZA VAT report you still file on SARS eFiling.
| Product | Price | What it is | South Africa notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anchor | R0 forever | Full double-entry ledger | ZA VAT report; you file on SARS eFiling |
| Zoho Books | Free plan with limits; paid plans above that | Full accounting | VAT tools on paid plans (confirm on Zoho ZA pricing) |
| Gimbla | Free starter plan (vendor page) | Full double-entry ledger | VAT / GST tracking (vendor page) |
| Sage Accounting | Paid monthly | Full accounting | South Africa product with VAT support |
| Xero | Paid monthly | Full accounting | South Africa product with GST/VAT support |
| Wave | Free in supported countries | Full accounting (US and Canada focus) | Not a South Africa VAT product |
| Inv24 | Free invoicing tier | Invoicing and customer records, not a full ledger | Invoice fields; not a VAT201 workbook |
Vendor features and prices change. Rows for other products summarise public vendor pages as of September 2026. Confirm on the vendor site before you switch. This is product information, not tax, accounting, or financial advice. Full comparison of 10 tools.
Import from anywhere. Export to everything.
Frequently asked questions
Can't find what you're looking for? Email info@anchorapp.co.za.
Ready to anchor your books?
Join South African businesses using modern, compliant accounting software — for free.
Start for free — no card required