GnuCash

February 2009. GnuCash is free open-source software that, reviewers say, can handle complex accounting tasks, including those required to run a small business. Users can set up a variety of account types in GnuCash, including cash, banks and other financial institutions, credit cards, mutual funds, stocks and accounts payable and receivable. Reviewers say the online help features and user-written tutorials are useful. Another useful feature is that GnuCash automatically makes a backup copy of your data every time you save your data file, and you can specify how far back it should save your backup files. Reviewers say some features could be improved; for example, the user interface could be more intuitive and attractive, and setting up customized reports can be complicated for those who don't know their way around sophisticated applications. Those who want to stick to familiar territory may be happier with Quicken 2009 or Money Plus, according to reviewers.

We didn't find any comparative reviews of GnuCash, but we did find several good single-product reviews. Linux Magazine and About.com review this free software in detail, and PC World gives it a short write-up in an article about open-source applications.