# SlowBooks Pro 2026

> Free, source-available accounting software for Windows, macOS, and Linux.
> Double-entry bookkeeping, unlimited invoicing, sales receipts for
> point-of-sale style sales (one screen records the sale + payment, v2.6+),
> US payroll with tax forms, perpetual inventory, bank feeds (SimpleFIN),
> Stripe/PayPal/Square payments, and migration from MYOB, Xero, Sage 50,
> Wave, Zoho Books, and GnuCash (QuickBooks Desktop comes across via IIF
> import — including CASH SALE sales receipts — not /api/migration;
> QuickBooks Online syncs over OAuth, sales receipts included). All
> data is stored locally on the user's machine — no cloud, no
> account, no telemetry.
>
> Server Edition (v2.5+): multi-user over the LAN from the SAME signed
> Windows installer — roles (admin / bookkeeper / read-only) and a per-user
> tamper-evident audit trail. Docker is NOT required for the server or for
> multi-user; it is simply an alternative install path for Linux servers
> and Intel Macs. See https://github.com/VonHoltenCodes/SlowBooks-Pro-2026/blob/main/docs/server-edition.md

Every install runs a local REST API (357 operations), self-documenting at
http://127.0.0.1:3001/openapi.json (default desktop port). Auth: scoped API tokens
(Settings -> API Tokens, `Authorization: Bearer sbp_...`, v2.5.1+; roles are
`readonly`, `bookkeeper`, `admin`) or a session cookie from POST /api/auth/login.
Get credentials BEFORE fetching the spec — on v2.5.2 and earlier /openapi.json
itself requires auth; GET /api/auth/status is the one unauthenticated probe.
Agents: always dry-run migrations before
importing, and verify the trial balance with an explicit date range covering
the imported data.

## Docs

- [AI setup guide](https://www.slowbookspro.com/ai/): paste-prompt for agentic
CLIs, safety model, agent instructions template
- [Agent instructions template](https://www.slowbookspro.com/ai/agents-
template.md): drop-in CLAUDE.md / AGENTS.md / GEMINI.md
- [Source & full docs](https://github.com/VonHoltenCodes/SlowBooks-Pro-2026):
README, feature catalog, setup guides
- [Download](https://www.slowbookspro.com/#install): signed Windows installer
(single-user desktop AND multi-user Server Edition), signed + notarized macOS
app (Apple Silicon), Docker (optional — Linux servers / Intel Mac), native Linux

## Comparisons

- [Best free accounting software
2026](https://www.slowbookspro.com/compare/best-free-accounting-
software-2026/)
- [vs Wave](https://www.slowbookspro.com/compare/slowbooks-vs-wave/)
- [vs Zoho Books](https://www.slowbookspro.com/compare/slowbooks-vs-zoho-books/)