IamRamgarhia/Free-GST-Billing-Software

Free GST Billing Software is an MIT-licensed invoicing and billing application aimed at Indian businesses that need GST-compliant invoices and return data without a subscription. It runs as a local web app (an Express server plus a React front end) and stores everything in plain JSON files on the machine, so the core workflow works without an account or a cloud service.

What a real workflow looks like

After installing, a welcome wizard sets the region, business details, GSTIN, bank account and UPI ID. From there, invoices are created with goods or services units, HSN/SAC codes, and tax rates, and the app computes CGST/SGST for intra-state or IGST for inter-state sales, including a place-of-supply override and SEZ handling. The invoice set includes Tax Invoice, Proforma, Bill of Supply, Credit Note and Delivery Challan; cancelled invoices keep their number and are stamped CANCELLED instead of being deleted. PDFs can be downloaded, shared via WhatsApp or email, and optionally auto-uploaded to the user's own Google Drive. See the feature overview and the five-minute first-invoice walkthrough.

GST data and filing boundary

The app generates GSTR-1 and GSTR-3B figures in the GSTN offline-tool JSON format and can reconcile an imported GSTR-2B against purchase records. It does not submit returns itself: the documented workflow is to export the JSON, upload it to the GST portal, and then mark the return filed in the app. Direct portal upload is listed as future work. Expense entry feeds input tax credit into the 3B computation, and TDS/TCS switches aggregate data for Form 26Q/27EQ.

Installation paths and platform scope

The one-click launcher is Windows 10/11; the README says it needs no administrator rights and installs Node.js into the app folder if missing. macOS and Linux run either from the release ZIP's launchers or via a developer setup requiring Node.js 18+, and the app can be installed as a PWA from a Chromium browser. There are four documented online deployment paths for multi-device or team access, but the README explicitly warns that this moves business data onto someone else's server. Each path has its own documentation; the summary of prerequisites is in the Quick Start.

Constraints that matter

• The server accepts requests only from localhost. Running it for POS tablets on a shop LAN requires manually adding the LAN origin to the CORS allowlist in server.js, and the README notes that anything not pinned this way exposes the server to other devices on the Wi-Fi. See the repository README.
• Windows builds are not code-signed, so SmartScreen warnings must be bypassed manually; macOS builds are not Apple-signed either. The first install needs internet (for dependencies), after which the app runs offline. Optional cloud features are Google Drive backup and the update check.
• Updates replace app code only; data and PDF archives are documented as untouched, and an update backup is written to the user's Documents folder first. The updater stops rather than overwriting an existing installation with data.
• Data lives in local JSON files; the README states an uninstall leaves the data folder intact, while the user guide gives the documented backup/restore route for moving or re-importing it.
• The app does not yet support E-invoicing/IRN, GST cess, a native mobile app, or direct GSTR portal submission; these are on the roadmap. Tally XML import is also not available, though CSV import for clients and products is.
• The license is MIT, which permits commercial use and modification.