Books that stay on your device.
Invoicing, payables, banking, FIFO inventory, and multicurrency, with real double entry in the browser, backed by SQLite you can export. Built for professional services, construction and trades, retail and e commerce, healthcare operations, real estate and property, transport and logistics, restaurant and hospitality, nonprofits, and any SMB tired of slow cloud ledgers. Industry templates merge extension accounts; your file stays yours. Tax math stays transparent: we do not file returns or run payroll compliance. Start free; add linked accounts and live sync when you move to Plus or Pro.
- CSV banking stays free. Import statements on any plan—so if a bank link ever glitches, you still have a straight path to reconciled books.
- Linked accounts when you want them. On Plus or Pro, connect banks through Plaid for fewer manual downloads—CSV remains there if you prefer it.
- Install the PWA. After your first visit, core screens keep working without a constant connection. You still need the network to sign in, refresh bank data, and receive app updates.
Own the file
Portable sqlite backups. If a vendor raises prices or limits access, your ledger file still leaves with you.
Straightforward tiers
Starter stays useful without a card. Paid plans align with real costs such as Plaid.
Built for operators
FIFO lots, COGS on ship, sales tax codes you control, FX and translation: get the engine right first.
Deep guides for operators
Long-form playbooks on local-first ledgers, QuickBooks cutovers, data custody, banking reconciliation, FIFO inventory, and CPA handoffs. Each piece states what Privbooks does and does not cover, with checklists you can run against your own books—no fluff, no vendor word salad.
- QuickBooks Online migration pitfalls: when Desktop or local-first beats a rushed QBO move
Payroll, W-2s, missing history, and support loops—plus a cutover mindset and where Privbooks fits without Intuit custody.
- Local-first accounting software buyer guide (2026): data ownership, latency, and cutover reality
Decision framework for teams comparing cloud ledgers, desktop files, and browser SQLite: backups, feeds, inventory, and honest scope.
- QuickBooks cutover playbook: move to a local-first ledger without a magic import button
Opening balances, import order, CPA coordination, and why brittle converters fail on real-world books.
Industry chart templates
Each vertical adds real chart of accounts lines. Templates merge missing codes and never delete accounts you already created. Scope is honest in each summary below.
Professional & technical services
Consulting, agencies, IT and managed services, marketing, legal bookkeeping (operational GL only, not trust accounting).
Construction & skilled trades
General contractors, electrical, plumbing, HVAC, concrete: materials, subs, equipment; extend COA for typical field spend.
Retail, wholesale & e-commerce
Stores, distributors, Shopify and Amazon sellers: merchandise, refunds, marketplace fees, shipping.
Healthcare & clinical operations
Practice style operators: fee for service revenue splits, clinical supplies, equipment leases; bookkeeping layer only.
Real estate & property management
Property managers and small landlords: security deposits, owner remittances, CAM style pass throughs.
Transportation, logistics & roadside
Fleets, towing, carriers, brokers: fuel, maintenance, tolls, factoring style receivable hygiene.
Restaurant & hospitality
Food and beverage: sales categories, comps, merchant fees, smallwares; tip payable as liability if you track house owed amounts.
Nonprofit & associations
Associations and small programs: contributions, grants, restrictions as memo discipline, not full NFP GAAP automation.
What we hear, and what we do
Common themes we hear from teams vetting alternatives: cloud suites that feel slow, noisy upsells, surprise pricing, unreliable bank feeds, and missing a real desktop file. Privbooks stays narrow: local company file first, transparent tiers, optional live feeds, no clutter.
Common gripe
I miss QuickBooks Desktop—a file on my computer that nobody else controls.
Privbooks
Your books live in the browser as SQLite you can export. Paid cloud backup is optional snapshots, not the only copy. CSV banking stays free so you are never feed-only.
Common gripe
The app feels slow even on fast internet.
Privbooks
After load, core work hits your device SQLite instead of waiting on a remote server for every action.
Common gripe
Pop ups, upsells, AI noise. I paid for accounting.
Privbooks
No lending promos, ads, or assistants: registers, journals, invoices, reports.
Common gripe
Price went up again or I am forced into a tier I do not need.
Privbooks
Starter stays capable and free. Upgrades pay for real vendor costs. Your data exports as a normal file.
Common gripe
The bank feed dropped transactions. I do not trust sync.
Privbooks
CSV import and rules are always free. Plaid on Plus is optional, never the only way to reconcile.
Common gripe
Sales tax feels like a black box.
Privbooks
You define codes and basis points; invoice math follows your rules. We do not auto file returns.
Common gripe
I feel locked into their cloud.
Privbooks
Your books are not trapped in our hosted general ledger: back up the sqlite file anytime.
How it works
- 1
Sign in
Email link or instant session. Your ledger is created locally.
- 2
Run the business
Contacts, invoices, bills, bank CSV, or Plaid after you upgrade.
- 3
Close and export
Reports, GL CSV, full database backup whenever you need it.
Already have an account? Open the app — we'll start the guided tour after you sign in. New here? Sign up above, then use Backup to download your company file anytime.
Pricing
Below typical entry SaaS accounting while staying honest about what costs money. Live Stripe prices come from your environment; figures shown are defaults we suggest.
Starter
Free$0
Full double entry books on your device. Fleet, tow, logistics, and field service shops get serious inventory and tax math without cloud lock in.
- Chart of accounts, journal, invoices, bills, expenses
- Inventory: locations, lots, explicit FIFO receive and ship with COGS, not a black box average cost toy
- Sales tax codes you define, with precise invoice line math (we do not file or prepare government returns)
- Multicurrency: FX rate table, foreign journal legs, presentation currency trial balance, asset revaluation (no payroll withholding)
- Bank registers, rules, and CSV import (always on fallback when feeds misbehave)
- P&L, balance sheet, aging, budgets, backups (sqlite)
- Customer PDFs show a prominent “Created with Privbooks” line — upgrade to remove it
Plus
Popular$22/mo · $220/yr yearly
Live Plaid when you want sync, plus CSV forever so you are never stuck with a single brittle feed.
- Everything in Starter
- Plaid bank feed (paid accounts cover provider cost)
- Unbranded invoice and statement prints
- 1% Privbooks platform fee on Stripe Connect invoice checkout (vs 2% on Starter)
- Global search and command palette, same powerful core
Pro
$52/mo · $520/yr yearly
Heavy operations: lowest card fees, parts inventory, multi-entity books, receipt queue, FIFO, consolidated translated trial balance.
- Everything in Plus
- Lowest Privbooks fee on customer card payments (0.01% default vs higher tiers)
- Receipt queue: post cash and sales to your ledger
- FIFO inventory and consolidated trial in a presentation currency (same file multi company)
Questions
Where does my accounting data live?
In your browser as a real SQLite company file—not on our hosted general ledger. Modern browsers can store it durably when the site runs in a protected (cross-origin isolated) context. You can download that file anytime from Backup.
I miss QuickBooks Desktop living on my computer. Is Privbooks like that?
Similar idea: the books are local-first on your machine inside the browser, and you own an exportable database file. Install the PWA and, after a first successful load, many day-to-day screens stay usable without a constant connection. You still need the internet to sign in, verify email, pull updates, connect live bank feeds (paid), or run online checkout—same as any web app.
Why would this feel faster than big cloud accounting suites?
After the app loads, everyday work hits your local database, not a round trip on every register scroll or journal post. You still need the network for signup, bank link providers, and updates.
Do you show lending promos, ads, or an AI assistant in the workspace?
No. The UI is for your books: not cross sell panels, loan offers, or chatbots trained on your ledger.
Why is Plaid limited to paid plans?
Plaid charges per bank connection. CSV import stays free forever on the Starter tier so you always have a path to reconcile.
Bank feeds are flaky on other apps. How do you handle that?
We never take away the CSV path. Use manual import and rules whenever a provider hiccups; add Plaid on Plus when live sync is worth it. Two paths beat betting everything on one feed.
QuickBooks Online feels slow or the interface keeps changing. Is this different?
After the app loads, most register and report work reads your local SQLite file—not a remote round trip on every scroll. We also keep the workspace focused on books: no lending promos, insurance upsells, or AI chatbots layered on your ledger.
I’m an accountant. Can I see real journal entries and debits/credits—not just ‘smart’ categories?
Yes. The Journal tab is built on balanced double-entry. Backup exports include accountant-oriented CSVs and a tax preparer ZIP (trial balance, GL detail for a date range, and related schedules) so preparers can re-perform ties in Excel.
Bank feeds sometimes import duplicates. How do I clean that up?
Use the same bank register for CSV and Plaid, plus categorization rules and manual matching. When a feed misbehaves, fall back to CSV for that period so you are not locked to one pipeline.
Is sales tax as automatic as in QuickBooks or Xero?
You define sales tax codes and rates in Privbooks; calculations follow those rules on invoice lines. We do not auto update jurisdiction tables or file returns electronically (see our README for scope).
How does multicurrency work?
You maintain dated FX rates (functional currency per unit of foreign currency). Journal entries can carry foreign amounts with automatic functional rounding to account 6950. Reports can show a trial balance translated into another currency, and you can revalue foreign asset balances that track foreign units. No automated tax or payroll filings.
Can I switch from QuickBooks?
There is no one-click Intuit migration. Most teams do a planned cutover: import chart and lists from CSV (QuickBooks-style account numbers work), bring opening balances, then run new activity in Privbooks. Backup includes a tax-preparer ZIP and accountant-ready spreadsheets so your CPA still gets familiar exports.
If I stop paying, do you freeze my books or lock me out of my data?
Your company file stays in your browser. When a paid subscription ends, your account returns to Starter-style access: live bank links and other paid-only features stop, but Stripe Connect and invoice checkout remain available with the Starter application fee. Your local ledger and free exports remain. Download the database file from Backup whenever you want an extra copy.
Will my CPA work with Privbooks exports?
Most preparers want a trial balance, general ledger detail, and supporting schedules. Backup includes accountant-ready CSVs plus a tax preparer ZIP. Ask yours whether they prefer spreadsheets or a specific system—we focus on transparent numbers, not proprietary lock-in.
What about customer support compared to the big suites?
Privbooks is built for teams that want a local file and transparent scope: articles, in-app guidance, and exports your accountant can open. We are not a 24/7 call center—that tradeoff helps keep tiers honest and your data in a file you control.
What does "Created with Privbooks" mean?
Starter includes a visible attribution on invoice and statement previews. Plus and Pro remove that branding for customer-facing documents.