Key takeaways
What this article covers, in order:
- Both are real free plans
- Wait, transactions and invoices aren't the same thing
- Where Zoho Books Free comes out ahead
- Where HelloBooks Free comes out ahead
- What happens when you outgrow either?
- A quick way to pick
Here's a question we get a lot: "Zoho Books has a free plan and so do you. What's the actual difference?" Fair question, and the answer is mostly about where each plan's limits sit. As of Sep 2026, Zoho Books Free files GST and stops at ₹25 lakh turnover and 1,000 invoices a year. HelloBooks Free files GSTR-1 and GSTR-3B for one GSTIN with no turnover cap, but limits you to 200 transactions a year and 2 users. So it comes down to whether you're bigger in turnover or bigger in volume.
We make HelloBooks, so take our view with that in mind. We'll be honest about where Zoho's free plan comes out ahead.
Both are real free plans
This isn't a trial-versus-free comparison. Both are free plans that file GST. That already puts them ahead of billing apps that stop at reports, and of trials that end after a few weeks. The difference is the shape of the fence around each one.
| HelloBooks Free | Zoho Books Free (as of Sep 2026) | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | ₹0, no card, no expiry | Free plan |
| Files GST returns | Yes, GSTR-1 and GSTR-3B, directly to the GST portal from inside HelloBooks | Yes |
| Turnover limit | None on Free | Stops at ₹25 lakh turnover |
| Volume limit | 200 transactions a year | 1,000 invoices a year |
| GSTINs | 1 | Check Zoho's current plan page |
| Users | 2 | Check Zoho's current plan page |
| GSTR-2B reconciliation | Included, with ITC tracking | Check Zoho's current plan page |
| Paid step-up | Pro ₹499/month | Check Zoho's current pricing |
We've only filled in the Zoho facts we can stand behind. For anything marked "check", go to Zoho's own pricing page, because plans change.
Wait, transactions and invoices aren't the same thing
Right, and it matters. Zoho's free limit counts invoices. HelloBooks' free limit counts transactions, which covers invoices, bills, expenses and other entries in the books. So the two numbers aren't directly comparable. A business with 150 sales invoices and 200 purchase bills a year is well inside 1,000 invoices, but over 200 transactions.
Count your own year before you decide. Pull up last year's sales register, purchase register and bank statement and add them up. It takes ten minutes and saves a mid-year scramble.
Where Zoho Books Free comes out ahead
Let's not dodge this. If your turnover is under ₹25 lakh and you raise a lot of invoices, say a tutor billing 60 students every month or a small service business with hundreds of small bills a year, Zoho's 1,000-invoice allowance is far roomier than our 200 transactions. For that profile, Zoho Books Free is likely the better free fit, and we'd tell you so in person.
It may also suit you if your CA already works with clients on Zoho Books and would rather you were there too.
Where HelloBooks Free comes out ahead
The ₹25 lakh line is the big one. A lot of small businesses cross it without growing their headcount or invoice count much. A consultant with five large clients, a contractor with a handful of big jobs, a trader selling a few high-value orders a month. Their volume is small but their turnover isn't.
Take Arvind, an interiors consultant in Hyderabad. ₹60 lakh billed in FY 2025-26 across 22 invoices, plus about 70 bills and expenses. That's under 100 transactions, well within HelloBooks Free, but over Zoho Free's ₹25 lakh line. For him, HelloBooks Free is the one that still fits.
HelloBooks Free also tells you plainly how filing works: GSTR-1 and GSTR-3B go directly to the GST portal from inside HelloBooks, GSTR-2B reconciliation with ITC tracking is included, and on GSTR-3B the interest and late fee shown are the GST portal's own figure.
(Arvind is an illustration, not a customer.)
What happens when you outgrow either?
This is worth thinking about now, because switching software mid-year is a pain.
With HelloBooks, you outgrow Free when you pass 200 transactions, need a second GSTIN or third user, or need GSTR-9, e-invoicing or e-way bills. The next step is Pro at ₹499/month, which adds GSTR-9 generated ready to file, e-invoicing and e-way bills, unlimited users and roles, every GSTIN of one legal entity, Tally sync and Excel export. Business at ₹1,999/month covers several legal entities.
With Zoho, you outgrow Free at ₹25 lakh turnover or 1,000 invoices. Check Zoho's current pricing page for the next tier and what it costs.
A simple rule. If you expect turnover to cross ₹25 lakh soon but volume to stay low, HelloBooks Free gives you more runway. If you expect lots of small invoices but turnover to stay under ₹25 lakh, Zoho Free probably does.
A quick way to pick
| Your situation | Likely better free fit |
|---|---|
| Turnover under ₹25 lakh, hundreds of invoices a year | Zoho Books Free |
| Turnover over ₹25 lakh, under 200 transactions a year | HelloBooks Free |
| Turnover under ₹25 lakh, under 200 transactions | Either. Try both for a month |
| Turnover over ₹25 lakh and high volume | Neither free plan. Compare paid tiers |
| Need e-invoicing or e-way bills | Neither free plan. Compare paid tiers |
Before you commit to either
Do a one-month dry run. Enter last month's invoices and bills, build the GSTR-1 and GSTR-3B summaries, and compare with what you actually filed. If you can, run both tools on the same month, but only file the real return from one of them. Ask your CA to look at the first live return. If you have exports, reverse charge or anything unusual, get your CA's view on the setup before you file.
How HelloBooks helps
HelloBooks Free is ₹0 with no card and no expiry. It includes unlimited GSTR-1 and GSTR-3B filing for one GSTIN, filed directly to the GST portal from inside HelloBooks, GSTR-2B reconciliation with ITC tracking, 2 users so your CA can work in the same books, invoices, bills and quotes, AP/AR aging, P&L, Balance Sheet and Cash Flow, and the mobile app for books and invoicing.
The limits, plainly: 200 transactions a year, one GSTIN, 2 users, and no GSTR-9, e-invoicing or e-way bills on Free. For the detailed side-by-side, see HelloBooks vs Zoho Books, plus pricing and GSTR-2B reconciliation.
FAQs
Does Zoho Books Free file GST returns?
Yes. As of Sep 2026, Zoho Books Free files GST, within its limits of ₹25 lakh turnover and 1,000 invoices a year.
Does HelloBooks Free have a turnover limit?
No. HelloBooks Free limits volume (200 transactions a year), GSTINs (1) and users (2), not turnover.
Which is better for a freelancer?
It depends on your numbers. High-value, low-volume freelancers often fit HelloBooks Free. Low-value, high-volume ones under ₹25 lakh may fit Zoho Books Free better.
Can I move from Zoho Books to HelloBooks later?
Yes. Your filed returns stay on the GST portal. Move customers, suppliers, items and opening balances, ideally at the start of a quarter.
What if I cross a limit in the middle of the year?
On HelloBooks you can move to Pro at ₹499/month. On Zoho, check their current plans. Either way, plan the move before your busiest filing period.
Count your year honestly, then pick the plan whose fence you're least likely to hit.
Start free — GST filing included, no card. Try HelloBooks Free
