BillCraft vs Khatabook
These two tools get compared a lot, but they actually do different jobs. BillCraft is a bill generator. Khatabook is a digital bahi-khata — a ledger for tracking who owes you. Both are useful. Here’s how they differ — and why most kirana shops can use both.
BillCraft
Free web-based invoice + GST bill generator. Works in any browser, also has an Android app. 13+ bill formats, instant PDF download, no signup wall.
Khatabook
India’s most-downloaded digital ledger app. Replaces paper bahi-khata with a phone. Customer ledger, udhari tracking, automatic SMS/WhatsApp payment reminders, photo bills, Hindi/regional UI. Mobile-only.
The 60-second verdict
If you only read one thing on this page, read this table. Everything else is detail.
| What you care about | BillCraft | Khatabook |
|---|---|---|
| PriceFor a typical small business | Free forever | Free + optional Khata App+ ~₹599/yr Some merchant features paid |
| PlatformWhere it runs | Web (any browser) + Android | Mobile only (Android + iOS) No real desktop / web version for billing |
| Sign-up required | ✓No — just open and use | ×Yes — phone OTP login |
| GST invoicesCGST/SGST/IGST auto-calc | ✓Yes | !Basic bill format Not a full GST invoicing tool |
| Bill templatesDifferent formats for different uses | 13+ designs GST, retail, rent, e-commerce, etc. | Limited bill formats Khata-first, billing-secondary |
| Inventory management | ×No | !Basic stock add-on |
| Accounting / ledger / P&L | ×No (focused on bills) | !Customer ledger / udhari only |
| Works offline | !Web cache + Android app | ✓Yes (mobile app) |
| PDF export | ✓Instant, one tap | ✓Yes (basic) |
| Learning curve | Zero — one form, one screen | Low Hindi UI, kirana-friendly |
| Best for | Freelancers, side-hustles, occasional billers | Kirana shops, small merchants tracking udhari |
Who should pick what?
Honest answer: there’s no “best.” There’s only what fits your workflow.
Pick BillCraft if…
You need clean GST bills you can email or print — not just a phone-based khata.
- You raise tax invoices for clients (B2B or B2C)
- You need 13+ bill formats (GST tax invoice, retail, rent, e-com, etc.)
- You want PDFs for email, WhatsApp, or print, not just chat-style entries
- You bill from a laptop / desktop, not just phone
- You don’t mainly track udhari — you mainly send bills
- You want zero signup — not even a phone OTP
Pick Khatabook if…
You run a kirana, hardware store, or local shop with daily udhari to remember.
- You give credit (udhari) and need a customer-wise running balance
- You want auto SMS/WhatsApp reminders to customers who owe you
- You prefer a Hindi (or regional language) interface
- You work mostly off your phone, behind the counter
- You like photo-based entry — capture a paper bill, store it
- Daily collections are more important than fancy invoice PDFs
Pricing deep-dive
Real numbers from each company’s public pricing page. Verify on their site before paying — prices change.
- Unlimited bills, every format
- GST auto-calc on every line
- PDF download — one tap
- 13+ bill templates included
- Web + Android, both free
- Optional sign-in to sync (also free)
- Free for the core khata / ledger workflow
- Khata App+ ~₹599/year for premium features (varies by region/promo)
- Some merchant tools (e.g. Pagarkhata, advanced reports) priced separately
- No web app for billing — phone-only experience
- Free SMS/WhatsApp reminders within fair-use limits
- Verify current pricing inside the app or on khatabook.com
What each tool actually does well
Quick look at where Khatabook pulls ahead, and where BillCraft is plenty.
1. Invoice creation
This is the clearest difference. BillCraft is built around invoices. 13+ formats — GST tax invoice, retail thermal, e-commerce, rent, electricity, medical, travel, salary slips. Clean PDF output for email/print.
Khatabook does have a basic billing feature, but its core is the khata (ledger) — you log entries against customers. The bill PDFs it produces are minimal — fine for kirana receipts, light for B2B GST work.
2. GST compliance
BillCraft generates full GST tax invoices — HSN, GSTIN, CGST/SGST/IGST split, reverse charge, place of supply. Compliant by default.
Khatabook’s billing layer is basic GST — you can add tax, but it’s not built as a GST invoicing tool. For B2B work where the buyer needs a proper tax invoice, Khatabook isn’t the right primary tool.
3. Inventory & stock
Khatabook offers a basic stock module — add items, log purchases/sales. It’s lightweight, fine for a small shop’s top items.
BillCraft does no inventory. If stock is the heart of your business, look at Vyapar or MyBillBook (we have separate comparisons).
4. Accounting & reports
This is where Khatabook wins outright. The whole product is a customer ledger — udhari given, payments received, party-wise balance, automatic reminder SMS/WhatsApp when udhari is overdue. It’s how 1 crore+ merchants run their daily collections.
BillCraft has no ledger. We make bills; we don’t track who paid. Pair the two if you need both.
5. Where you can use it
BillCraft works in any browser on phone, laptop, tablet, Mac, Chromebook — plus an Android app. Bill from anywhere.
Khatabook is mobile-only (Android + iOS). There’s no real desktop or web billing experience — the phone app is the product. If you’re billing from a counter PC or laptop, Khatabook isn’t built for that.
6. Customer support
Khatabook has in-app support, Hindi help content, and a large community of merchants and YouTube tutorials in regional languages.
BillCraft is self-serve: docs, FAQ, email. English-first.
The honest pros & cons
Including the cons of our own tool. Because pretending we’re perfect is how trust gets broken.
BillCraft — Pros
- Free forever — no card, no trial, no upsell
- Zero learning curve — one form, one PDF
- Works in any browser — no install
- 13+ bill formats covering GST, retail, rent, electricity, e-com, medical, travel
- India-tuned defaults — rupee symbol, GST slabs, Indian number format
BillCraft — Cons
- No inventory — bills, not stock
- No customer ledger — no udhari tracking, no outstandings
- No accounting reports — pair with separate tool for books
Khatabook — Pros
- Best-in-class digital khata — udhari ledger done right
- Auto SMS/WhatsApp reminders for overdue payments
- Hindi & regional language UI — kirana-friendly
- Photo bill capture — paper to phone in seconds
- Free for the core workflow
- Works offline on your phone
Khatabook — Cons
- Not a real GST invoicing tool — basic bill formats only
- Mobile-only — no proper desktop / web for billing
- Limited templates compared to dedicated bill generators
- Premium features locked behind Khata App+ in some markets
- Wrong tool if your job is mostly raising tax invoices
Switching from Khatabook to BillCraft?
You probably don’t need to “switch” — use BillCraft for bills and Khatabook for ledger together. Here’s the workflow.
Keep using Khatabook for your customer ledger
Don’t throw away your khata. The udhari tracking, automatic SMS reminders, and party-wise balance are genuinely good. Keep entering daily collections and credit there.
Use BillCraft for proper bills
When a customer asks for a real tax invoice (or you need to email/print one), open pybillcraft.shop/generator. Pick GST tax invoice or retail thermal, fill, download PDF. Send via WhatsApp or print.
Log the bill in Khatabook as a khata entry
After generating the BillCraft PDF, add a corresponding entry in your Khatabook party ledger — date, amount, “billed.” Now you have proper bills for compliance and a ledger for collections. Best of both, both free.
Common questions
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