ezBookkeeping - An Easy-to-Start Self-Hosted Bookkeeping Tool

Let's be honest, bookkeeping can be a real headache. Most bookkeeping apps on the market are either overwhelmingly complex or raise data privacy concerns.

Today, I'd like to recommend ezBookkeeping - an open-source, self-hosted bookkeeping application designed for those who want to manage their financial data on their own servers or devices.

It avoids flashy features and focuses purely on bookkeeping. The interface is clean and intuitive, making it easy for beginners to get started quickly.

https://appstore.lazycat.cloud/#/shop/detail/cloud.lazycat.app.ezbookkeeping

How to Use

After installing the app, you need to register a user account first.

Turn on the "Preset Transaction Categories" switch to load some built-in category data, then click Submit.

You'll enter the main page.

Start by adding an account.

Recommended account setup:

• Cash Account: Physical wallet cash
• Bank Cards: Create separate entries for each bank (e.g., ICBC, CCB)
• E-wallets: Alipay, WeChat Wallet, JD Baitiao, etc.
• Credit Cards: Create separate entries for each card
• Investment Accounts: Stocks, funds, wealth management products, etc.

The result after adding accounts.

With accounts set up, you can now add transaction records.

The amount is the most important field, and you can also add location data and pictures.

It also supports import functionality. Select WeChat as the file type, and I'll import one of my WeChat transaction histories.

Important note: You need to delete these sections from your downloaded transaction history, otherwise the file might not be recognized.

The charts in the statistical analysis section are quite visually appealing.

Conclusion

While ezBookkeeping may lack the fancy features of commercial bookkeeping software, it excels in simplicity, practicality, and data security.

For those who value data privacy and enjoy tinkering with self-hosted solutions, this is definitely a great option.

The most important aspect of bookkeeping isn't how powerful your tools are, but whether you can maintain the habit consistently.