Key takeaways
What this article covers, in order:
- What does "free" usually mean in GST software?
- Where free plans usually stop
- So when is free genuinely enough?
- HelloBooks Free vs Pro: the honest list
- How do other popular tools compare?
- Three businesses, three answers
Picture a shopkeeper in Nagpur who's switched GST apps three times in two years, because each "free" plan stopped just before the bit he needed. It's a common story. That's the honest problem with this category. Free GST software can genuinely cover monthly GSTR-1 and GSTR-3B filing for a small business. Paid plans earn their money on the things that come with growth: e-invoicing, annual returns, more GSTINs, more people. This post lays out where the line usually sits, including on our own free plan.
What does "free" usually mean in GST software?
There are really three kinds of "free", and they're very different.
The first is a free trial. Full features for a few weeks, then you pay or leave. Fine for testing. Not a free plan.
The second is free billing. You can make GST invoices and maybe see a GSTR-1-style report, but you file the return yourself on the portal. Useful, and plenty of businesses are happy with it.
The third is a free plan that files. The software builds the return from your books and files it to the GST portal for ₹0, every month, with no end date. The catch is in the limits: transactions, users, GSTINs, or features.
When you compare apps, figure out which of the three you're looking at first. Most frustration comes from expecting the third and getting the first or second.
Where free plans usually stop
You'll find the same few walls almost everywhere.
E-invoicing and e-way bills are rarely free. If your turnover puts you under the e-invoicing mandate, or you regularly move goods above the e-way bill limit, budget for a paid plan.
Annual returns, GSTR-9 and GSTR-9C, mostly sit on paid tiers. They're more involved, and many small businesses are below the GSTR-9 turnover limit anyway, but if you're above it, it matters.
More than one GSTIN is a common line. If you've registered in two states under the same PAN, you have two GSTINs.
User limits come up the moment you hire an accountant or bring in a partner.
And transaction caps. They're the one most people underestimate, because "200 transactions" sounds like a lot until you count every sales invoice, purchase bill and receipt.
So when is free genuinely enough?
Free usually works if most of these are true for you:
- You have one GSTIN.
- You file GSTR-1 and GSTR-3B, and nothing more specialised.
- You don't need to generate e-invoices or e-way bills.
- Your yearly transactions fit within the plan's cap.
- Two people, say you and your CA or partner, are enough.
Who does that describe? A freelance consultant. A small design or software services firm. A tutor or coaching centre that's registered. A trader with a few big B2B invoices a month rather than hundreds of small ones. A new business in its first year.
Who does it not describe? A retailer billing every walk-in customer. A manufacturer sending goods out on e-way bills daily. A company with branches in three states. They'll outgrow a free plan quickly, and that's fine. Paying ₹499 a month to save hours of work is a good trade at that size.
HelloBooks Free vs Pro: the honest list
Here's exactly what our own plans include, so you can judge for yourself.
| HelloBooks Free | HelloBooks Pro | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | ₹0, no card, no expiry | ₹499/month |
| GSTR-1 and GSTR-3B filing | Unlimited, filed directly to the GST portal | Unlimited, filed directly to the GST portal |
| GSTINs | One | Every GSTIN of one legal entity (same PAN, multi-state) |
| GSTR-2B reconciliation and ITC tracking | Yes | Yes |
| GSTR-9 | No | Generated ready to file |
| E-invoicing and e-way bills | No | Yes |
| Users | 2 | Unlimited, with roles |
| Transactions | Up to 200 per year | More than 200 per year |
| Invoices, bills, quotes, P&L, Balance Sheet, Cash Flow, aging | Yes | Yes |
Pro also adds Tally sync and Excel export. Free doesn't include GSTR-9C, GSTR-7, GSTR-8 or ITC-04, and invoices on Free carry a "Powered by HelloBooks" badge. If you run several legal entities, there's a Business plan at ₹1,999/month.
A couple of things that stay the same on every plan: GST filing never uses AI credits, and if your free AI credits run out, only AI categorisation pauses. Your books and filing keep working. Interest and late fee on GSTR-3B are shown as the GST portal's own figure before you file.
How do other popular tools compare?
We've tried to be fair here. These are facts as of Sep 2026, from each provider's public pages. Prices and plans change, so check their sites before deciding.
| Tool | What you get, as of Sep 2026 | Good fit for |
|---|---|---|
| ClearTax | 30-day free trial of GST software for small businesses; pages list no price | Businesses that want a well-known filing tool and are happy to talk to sales |
| Zoho Books (Free) | Free plan files GST, but stops at ₹25 lakh turnover and 1,000 invoices a year | Small businesses already using other Zoho apps |
| TallyPrime | Paid rental or licence (from about ₹750/month + GST); connected GST filing in recent releases | Businesses with an accountant who already knows Tally inside out |
| Busy | GST tier about ₹8,000 per 360 days | Traders and distributors who want desktop inventory-heavy software |
| Vyapar | Generates GST bills and reports; does not file returns | Shops that want quick billing and file on the portal themselves |
| myBillBook | Generates GST bills and reports; does not file returns | Small retailers focused on billing on mobile |
| Xero | No free plan; USD pricing | Businesses with international operations used to Xero |
Each of these is a decent product for the right business. If you're already on Tally with a CA who loves it, there's no reason to rip it out. If your only need is fast billing at a counter, Vyapar or myBillBook may suit you, and you'd file on the portal yourself. We've done longer, side-by-side write-ups, for example HelloBooks vs Zoho Books and HelloBooks vs Vyapar.
Three businesses, three answers
Ananya, a freelance UX designer in Hyderabad. One GSTIN, around 12 invoices a month to clients in India, a handful of purchase bills. About 180 transactions a year. Free covers her comfortably. She might reconsider if her client list doubles.
Suresh, a hardware wholesaler in Ludhiana. One GSTIN, 40 B2B invoices a month, regular truckloads that need e-way bills. He's past 200 transactions in the first quarter and needs e-way bills from day one. Pro makes sense.
Meera's spice export company. One PAN, GSTINs in Kerala and Karnataka. Multiple GSTINs rule out Free. Pro covers every GSTIN of one legal entity. If she later sets up a separate company, she'd look at Business.
These are illustrative profiles, not customers. Your own answer depends on your numbers. If your case involves exports, SEZ supplies or several entities, check the plan fit with your CA too.
How HelloBooks helps
HelloBooks Free is a permanent ₹0 plan, not a trial. It files GSTR-1 and GSTR-3B for one GSTIN directly to the GST portal from inside HelloBooks, includes GSTR-2B reconciliation, and gives you proper books, reports, bank statement import and the mobile app. When you need more, you move to Pro or Business without moving your data. The free vs paid page and pricing page have the details.
FAQs
Is HelloBooks Free a trial?
No. It's ₹0 with no credit card and no expiry. You only move to a paid plan if you need what Free doesn't include.
What happens when I cross 200 transactions on Free?
Free covers up to 200 transactions a year. Beyond that, you'd move to Pro. Your books and filing history stay in place.
Can I file GSTR-9 on HelloBooks Free?
No. GSTR-9 is generated ready to file on Pro. Free covers GSTR-1 and GSTR-3B. Check whether your turnover makes GSTR-9 optional for the year.
Does any free GST software include e-invoicing?
It's uncommon. On HelloBooks, e-invoicing and e-way bills are part of Pro.
Is paid software more "official" than free software?
No. A return filed to the GST portal is the same return, with the same ARN, whatever plan you're on. You pay for extra features and capacity, not for validity.
Count your transactions, count your GSTINs, and the right plan usually picks itself.
Start free — GST filing included, no card. Try HelloBooks Free
