What you are actually buying
Accounting software has one job for a small Indian business: produce returns you can file without a week of reconciliation, and give your chartered accountant clean data. Everything else is secondary.
Judged that way, four things matter.
- GSTR-1 and GSTR-3B output that matches what the portal expects, without manual rework.
- Purchase reconciliation against GSTR-2B, which is where input tax credit is won or lost.
- Data your CA can work with — most Indian CAs work in Tally, and fighting that costs you more than it saves.
- An audit trail, which is a legal requirement for companies and simply good practice otherwise.
The reconciliation problem
Input tax credit is only available on invoices your supplier has actually reported. If they have not filed, the credit does not appear in your GSTR-2B and you cannot claim it — regardless of whether you hold a valid invoice and have paid.
For a business with fifty purchase invoices a month, matching those by hand takes hours and the errors are expensive. Automated GSTR-2B reconciliation is the single feature most worth paying for, and the one most likely to be buried in a higher tier.
Note
Reconciliation failures are usually supplier-side. A monthly check of which suppliers have not filed, followed by a phone call, recovers more credit than any software feature.
E-invoicing: when it becomes mandatory
Above the notified turnover threshold, invoices must be registered with the Invoice Registration Portal, which returns an IRN and a QR code. An invoice without a valid IRN is not a valid invoice, and your buyer cannot claim credit against it.
The threshold has been reduced in stages since 2020. Check the current threshold before assuming it does not apply to you — businesses have been caught out by a reduction taking effect mid-year.
If you are below the threshold, standard invoicing is fine. Our GST Invoice Maker produces a compliant tax invoice free, though it does not generate an IRN.
Price bands, and what changes between them
| Band | Annual cost | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Free | ₹0 | Invoicing and basic books; usually one user, limited transactions |
| Entry | ₹3,000 – ₹9,000 | GST returns, one or two users, basic reports |
| Standard | ₹9,000 – ₹20,000 | 2B reconciliation, multi-user, inventory |
| Advanced | ₹20,000 – ₹60,000 | E-invoicing, e-way bills, multi-branch, payroll |
Most businesses under ₹2 crore turnover are well served in the entry to standard bands. The jump to advanced is usually driven by a compliance threshold rather than a preference — which makes it a clean decision when it arrives.
Talk to your CA before you buy
This saves more money than any comparison. Your CA already works in a particular way, and software that fights it creates work for both of you — which you will pay for either in fees or in your own time.
Three questions worth asking: what format do you want the data in, which software do your other clients use, and what do you actually need from me each month? The last one often reveals that you need less software than you thought.
What to avoid
- Buying for features you cannot name a use for. Multi-currency, cost centres and budgeting are excellent — for businesses that need them.
- Annual plans before six months of use. The discount is real, so is abandoning it in month three.
- Software your CA cannot read. You will end up exporting to a spreadsheet every month, which defeats the purpose.
- Deferring the migration to mid-year. Move at the start of a financial year. Migrating in November means reconciling two systems for one return period.
Frequently asked questions
What accounting software do small businesses in India use?
Most work within the Tally ecosystem because that is what CAs use, though cloud alternatives are common for service businesses with simple books. The right answer is usually whatever your CA can read.
When is e-invoicing mandatory?
Above the notified turnover threshold, which has been reduced in stages since 2020. Check the current threshold rather than assuming — it has caught businesses out mid-year.
What is GSTR-2B reconciliation and why does it matter?
It matches your purchase invoices against what suppliers have actually reported. Credit only appears if the supplier filed, so reconciliation is where input tax credit is won or lost.
How much should I spend on accounting software?
₹3,000 to ₹20,000 a year covers most businesses under ₹2 crore turnover. Higher tiers are usually driven by a compliance threshold rather than preference.