Akaunting is an open-source, web-based accounting platform designed specifically for small businesses and freelancers who need a simple yet powerful way to manage their finances. Built on Laravel and VueJS with a modular architecture, it provides an intuitive interface for tracking invoices, expenses, payments, and budgets without requiring enterprise-level complexity. Unlike traditional desktop accounting tools, Akaunting is cloud-native by design, offering both hosted and on-premise deployment options. Its extensibility through an App Store allows users to add features like payroll, CRM, or tax compliance tools as needed. The platform emphasizes accessibility and community contributions, with full translation support via Crowdin and an active developer portal for building extensions.
What You Get
- Modular App Store - Extend functionality with third-party apps for payroll, CRM, tax calculations, and more via the official Akaunting App Store
- Built-in Invoicing & Billing - Create, send, and track professional invoices with customizable templates, payment reminders, and online payment integration
- Expense & Budget Tracking - Log and categorize business expenses, set budget limits, and visualize financial health with real-time dashboards
- Multi-Currency & Multi-Language Support - Handle transactions in multiple currencies and use the interface in over 40 translated languages via Crowdin
- RESTful API - Integrate Akaunting with external tools or build custom automation using its documented API endpoints
- On-Premise Deployment - Self-host the full application on your server using Composer and NPM, with complete control over data and infrastructure
Common Use Cases
- Building a freelance invoice system - Freelancers use Akaunting to generate client invoices, track payment statuses, and export financial reports for tax season without subscribing to expensive SaaS tools
- Managing small business finances - A 5-person consulting firm uses Akaunting to consolidate invoices, payroll entries, and operating expenses into a single dashboard with real-time balance tracking
- Problem → Solution flow: Manual spreadsheets → Automated accounting - Small businesses tired of maintaining Excel sheets for invoices and expenses switch to Akaunting to automate calculations, reduce errors, and generate audit-ready reports
- Team workflow for non-accountants - Non-finance team leads in startups use Akaunting’s intuitive UI to monitor cash flow and approve expenses without needing accounting expertise
Under The Hood
Akaunting is a modular, multi-tenant accounting platform built on the Laravel framework, designed to provide flexibility and extensibility for developers and businesses. It combines a robust backend with a modern frontend using Vue.js, enabling a rich user experience and scalable architecture.
Architecture
The system adopts a monolithic structure with strong emphasis on modularity and reusable components. It leverages design patterns such as Abstract Factory, Strategy, and Command to support extensibility and maintainable code organization.
- Clear separation of concerns with distinct layers for business logic, data handling, and presentation
- Extensive use of abstract base classes and interfaces to enforce consistent behavior across modules
- Modular organization that supports multi-tenancy and flexible component interactions
- Well-defined architectural boundaries that promote loose coupling between subsystems
Tech Stack
The project is built using PHP and Laravel, with a modern frontend powered by Vue.js and a rich ecosystem of JavaScript libraries.
- Built on PHP with Laravel framework, complemented by Vue.js for a responsive and dynamic UI
- Integrates extensively with Vue.js components, Element UI, and Akaunting-specific UI libraries
- Employs webpack.mix.js for asset compilation and tailwind.config.js for styling consistency
- Includes phpunit.xml and comprehensive test file structures to support development workflows
Code Quality
The codebase reflects a moderate level of quality with some inconsistencies and areas for improvement in testing and error handling.
- Moderate test coverage with a structured approach to unit and integration testing
- Error handling practices vary across modules, indicating room for standardization
- Code organization follows conventions but contains pockets of technical debt and inconsistency
- Type annotations are present, contributing to improved code clarity and maintainability
What Makes It Unique
Akaunting distinguishes itself through its focus on extensibility and developer-friendly architecture within the accounting domain.
- Implements a modular, multi-tenant design that allows for flexible business logic and scalable deployment
- Offers unique patterns for handling complex financial workflows while maintaining clean separation of concerns
- Provides a highly extensible component architecture that supports third-party integrations and customizations
- Combines backend flexibility with a modern frontend to deliver an enterprise-grade accounting solution