What is the cheapest GST billing software in India for small businesses and rent invoice needs?

Understanding "cheapest" GST billing software in India

When people search for the cheapest GST billing software in India, they usually want two things at the same time: a legally compliant GST invoicing tool and the lowest possible long‑term cost. For shopkeepers, freelancers, service providers, and even landlords issuing a rent invoice, paying for a heavy, enterprise‑grade ERP rarely makes sense. Instead, the smartest strategy is to choose software that offers either a lifetime free plan or an extremely low annual price while still covering all the basics—GST calculation, invoice printing, simple reports, and backup options.

In 2025, many Indian billing tools have started offering free or near‑free plans designed specifically for MSMEs. Some focus on an Android app, some on desktop, and a few on both. The key is understanding exactly which features you need so that you are not paying extra for modules you will never use, such as complex manufacturing or advanced analytics.

Free vs paid: how to think about total cost

At first glance, purely free tools sound like the obvious winner. However, the real cost of GST billing software includes more than just subscription price. You should also consider:

- How much time you or your staff spend creating invoices.
- Whether the software can handle your GST requirements (like HSN/SAC codes, reverse charge, and correct tax breakup) without manual corrections.
- The cost of mistakes, penalties, or missed input tax credit due to wrong invoices.
- Future needs like basic inventory tracking, party statements, or exporting data for your CA.

For example, a free tool that constantly crashes, cannot produce a clean rent invoice for your tenants or clients, or forces you to retype item details every time may cost you more in lost time than a simple paid option with a small one‑time fee. On the other hand, many modern Indian tools now offer powerful lifetime free plans with enough features for small businesses, so you may never need to spend anything at all if your requirements are basic.

Popular low-cost and free GST billing options in India

Several Indian providers have tailored their pricing for micro and small businesses. While exact prices and offers may change over time, a few consistent patterns are visible across the market:

1. Go GST Bill
Go GST Bill promotes a Lifetime Free Plan that works on both desktop and mobile with a wide range of features aimed at MSMEs. The paid plan is advertised as a single, clear pricing option around ₹1499, but the free plan is usually enough for small businesses that only need straightforward billing and GST invoicing. Many users choose it for its fully customizable invoices and value‑for‑money positioning, especially when they do not want to manage multiple pricing tiers.

2. Vyapar
Vyapar has become widely known as a mobile‑first billing app with a strong presence among traders and shopkeepers. It offers a free Android version with basic invoicing, expense tracking, and inventory. Extra features and desktop access come via paid plans. If you are comfortable working mainly on your phone and just want simple sale bills, purchase entries, and maybe a rent invoice now and then, the free app can be enough in the early stages.

3. ProfitBooks
ProfitBooks is a cloud‑based accounting and GST invoicing solution that is often highlighted as beginner‑friendly. Some plans and promotions include free access or very low‑cost entry tiers meant for startups and non‑accountants. For users who want both GST billing and light accounting—like tracking income from normal sales as well as rental income from a property—this mix can be attractive while still staying affordable.

4. Zoho Invoice and Zoho Books
Zoho Invoice is widely recognised for beautiful, customizable invoice templates and support for GST. Zoho has at times offered extremely generous free plans aimed at small businesses. Zoho Books, the broader accounting suite, remains low‑cost for many Indian users and includes full GST compliance, e‑way bill support, and integration with other Zoho products. If your business is growing and you expect to add more automation later, these options can deliver a strong balance between price and capability.

5. Other invoicing tools
Besides these, there are multiple smaller or niche tools such as GimBooks, Giddh, Sleek Bill, Marg ERP, Busy, and others. Many of them provide free trials or light editions, though their cheapest tiers are usually paid. They can still be good value for money if you need industry‑specific features, but for someone whose priority is the lowest possible cost for simple GST and rent invoice generation, they may not beat the free‑first offerings listed above.

Cheapest options for rent invoice and small business billing

If your primary objective is to issue compliant GST invoices with minimal spend—including occasional or regular rent invoice documents—the following patterns typically emerge when comparing the market:

- Tools that advertise a lifetime free plan are often the absolute cheapest over several years, provided the free plan is not too restricted.
- Free Android‑only apps can be perfect if you mostly bill from your smartphone and do not need multi‑user access or complex reports.
- Cloud tools that provide free or very cheap entry‑level tiers let you log in from anywhere and share access with your accountant without purchasing extra licenses.

In that sense, the practical answer for many micro‑businesses and landlords is to start with one of the free or lifetime‑free options, and only upgrade if and when they outgrow it. This allows you to validate the workflow, confirm that the invoices (including rent‑related ones) meet GST and documentation standards, and then decide whether premium features like e‑invoicing, e‑way bill automation, or deeper inventory management are worth paying for.

What to look for if you need rent invoice features

A standard retail sale invoice and a rent invoice share many common elements—such as invoice number, date, billing party, tax rates, and GSTIN—but a rental document often carries a few extra requirements. When evaluating cheap GST billing software for rent purposes, examine whether you can:

- Customize the invoice template to mention the rental property address, period of rent, and terms.
- Use the right SAC code or description for rental services, where applicable under GST.
- Clearly show the breakup of rent amount, applicable GST (IGST/CGST/SGST), and total payable.
- Save templates so that monthly rent invoices can be generated quickly with minimal editing.
- Export or print invoices as PDF for tenants, corporate clients, or your CA.

Even on a free plan, many Indian billing apps let you design custom fields or footers. With a bit of effort, you can create a professional‑looking rent invoice format that matches your legal and branding requirements without buying specialised rental management software.

Balancing price with future growth

While it makes sense to start with the cheapest GST billing software available, consider where your business might be in one or two years. A solo freelancer issuing five invoices per month has very different needs from a wholesaler or a landlord managing multiple commercial properties. As your volume increases, you may want features like:

- Recurring invoicing for monthly rent.
- Bulk invoice generation and printing.
- Automated reminders for overdue payments.
- Basic inventory or expense tracking, if you also sell goods or services.
- Integration with payment gateways so tenants or customers can pay directly from the invoice.

If you foresee this kind of growth, choosing a provider that starts cheap but offers clear upgrade paths will save you the trouble of migrating data later. Many tools allow you to import and export invoices and master data as Excel, so even if you do switch platforms eventually, you can take your history with you.

How to decide in a few simple steps

To quickly narrow down your options and find the cheapest GST billing software in India for your scenario, you can follow a simple checklist:

1. List your must‑have features: GST‑compliant invoices, rent invoice capability, basic reports, offline or online access.
2. Shortlist 2–3 tools that either offer a lifetime free plan or a low, single‑tier price.
3. Create a few sample invoices (sale, service, and rent) during a free trial or free plan.
4. Check how easily you can print or share invoices over email or WhatsApp.
5. Confirm that your CA or accountant is comfortable with the exported data.

Whichever option you choose, the real value comes from consistent, accurate billing rather than from paying the highest subscription fee. With the latest generation of Indian GST software, even the lowest‑priced or free plans can support professional invoicing workflows—covering everything from everyday sales to monthly rent invoice creation—without stretching your budget.