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Personal Finance · head to head

GnuCash vs Square Cash

GnuCash logo

GnuCash

Personal Finance

Personal finance and accounting software

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
S

Square Cash

Personal Finance

Send money easily with Square Cash

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: GnuCash desktop only, with no mobile application; Square Cash cash App Green status (higher savings rate, free in-network ATM withdrawals, overdraft coverage) requires spending $500 or depositing $300 in Qualifying purchases/deposits per month, per the App Store listing
  • They diverge on capability: GnuCash covers Double-entry bookkeeping, Square Cash covers Money transfers.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which GnuCash and Square Cash actually diverge.

Attributes where GnuCash and Square Cash differ
AttributeGnuCashSquare Cash
Pricing modelopen-sourcefree
PlatformsWindows, Mac, LinuxIOS, Android
Founded19972014

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Personal Finance).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in GnuCash

  • Double-entry bookkeeping
  • Multi-currency support
  • Reports and graphs
  • Budget tracking
  • Import/Export
  • OFX format
  • Windows support
  • Mac support

Only in Square Cash

  • Money transfers
  • Instant deposits
  • Transaction history
  • Customer support
  • Bank accounts
  • IOS support
  • Android support

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

GnuCash

  • Personal finance tracking with a checkbook register interfacenot Square Cash
  • Double-entry bookkeeping for a small businessnot Square Cash
  • Tracking stocks, bonds and mutual fund accountsnot Square Cash
  • Importing transactions via QIF, OFX or HBCInot Square Cash
  • Scheduled recurring transactions and financial reportsnot Square Cash

Square Cash

  • Budget Managementnot GnuCash
  • Expense Trackingnot GnuCash
  • Investment Trackingnot GnuCash

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

GnuCash

  • Desktop only, with no mobile application
  • Version 3.11 is the last release supporting Windows 7 and macOS 10.12 and earlier
  • Uses strict double-entry accounting, so every transaction needs two sides

Square Cash

  • Cash App Green status (higher savings rate, free in-network ATM withdrawals, overdraft coverage) requires spending $500 or depositing $300 in Qualifying purchases/deposits per month, per the App Store listing

Pricing, plan by plan

GnuCash

Free
  • Open SourceFree
    • Double-entry bookkeeping
    • Multi-currency support
    • Reports and graphs

Square Cash

Free
  • FreeFree
    • P2P transfers
    • Instant deposits
    • Mobile app

Which should you pick?

Choose GnuCash if

  • You need double-entry bookkeeping.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows, Mac, Linux.
  • You also want multi-currency support.
GnuCash review

Choose Square Cash if

  • You need money transfers.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on IOS, Android.
  • You also want instant deposits.
Square Cash review

Questions people ask

Is GnuCash or Square Cash better?
Neither clearly leads. GnuCash starts at Free and Square Cash at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, GnuCash or Square Cash?
GnuCash starts at Free and Square Cash at Free.
Does GnuCash or Square Cash run on more platforms?
GnuCash runs on Windows, Mac, Linux. Square Cash runs on IOS, Android.
Can I use GnuCash for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is GnuCash best used for?
GnuCash is most often used for personal finance tracking with a checkbook register interface, double-entry bookkeeping for a small business, tracking stocks, bonds and mutual fund accounts, importing transactions via qif, ofx or hbci. Of those, personal finance tracking with a checkbook register interface and double-entry bookkeeping for a small business are not what Square Cash is typically brought in for.
What can GnuCash do that Square Cash cannot?
GnuCash covers Double-entry bookkeeping, Multi-currency support, Reports and graphs, Budget tracking. Square Cash covers Money transfers, Instant deposits, Transaction history, Customer support.
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