Question 1

What is Bigcapital?

Accepted Answer

Bigcapital is an open-source, self-hosted accounting platform built on real double-entry bookkeeping. Unlike simple invoicing apps, it maintains a proper general ledger and produces genuine financial statements — balance sheet, profit and loss, cash flow — alongside invoicing, expense tracking, and inventory. It is a self-hosted alternative to services like QuickBooks Online. This install runs its full stack (app, API, MariaDB, MongoDB, Redis, and a PDF engine) on port 8315.

Question 2

How is it different from an invoicing tool?

Accepted Answer

Many self-hosted finance tools are really just invoice generators — good for sending bills but without a real ledger. Bigcapital does proper double-entry accounting, where every transaction balances across accounts, which is what lets it produce a balance sheet, profit-and-loss, and cash-flow statement. If you only need to send invoices, a lighter tool suffices; if you need to actually keep books and report on a business's finances, that double-entry foundation is the difference.

Question 3

Which port does it use and what's behind it?

Accepted Answer

The web app is on host port 8315, mapped from the container's internal port 80, and that is the only port you expose. Behind it runs a multi-container stack: an API server, MariaDB and MongoDB databases, Redis, and a Gotenberg PDF service. All of those stay on the internal Docker network. Put the web port behind a reverse proxy with TLS, since this is highly sensitive financial data.

Question 4

How should I back it up?

Accepted Answer

Carefully and regularly, because this is your accounting data. Bigcapital stores its books across two databases — MariaDB and MongoDB — so both must be backed up together; a backup of only one is incomplete. Test that a restore actually works rather than trusting an untested backup, and be aware that financial-record retention rules may require keeping backups for years. Losing accounting data is a serious problem, sometimes with legal and tax implications, so treat backups as essential.

Question 5

Is it suitable for a small business?

Accepted Answer

Yes — that is its target. Bigcapital gives a small business or a serious freelancer proper double-entry books, financial statements, invoicing, expenses, and inventory, self-hosted so the data stays private and without perpetual per-seat subscriptions. The caveat is operational: it is a multi-container application you must run, secure with TLS, and back up reliably. For a business that genuinely needs real accounting and can commit to that, it is well suited; for someone who only invoices occasionally, it is more than necessary.

Port	Purpose
8315	Bigcapital web app (mapped from container port 80)
3306	MariaDB — internal to the Docker network, not exposed
27017	MongoDB — internal to the Docker network, not exposed
6379	Redis — internal to the Docker network, not exposed

📒 Setup Bigcapital — Self-Hosted Double-Entry Accounting

📦 Resources & Setup Scripts

Quick Install:

Tutorial Steps

1 Download the Script

2 Make it Executable

3 Run the Installer

4 Open Bigcapital and Set Up Your Organization

Ports Used

Overview

Why Use It

When You Need It

Who Should Use It

Real Use Cases

Main Features

How to Use After Installation

Security Best Practices

Ports and Firewall Notes

Backup and Maintenance

Common Mistakes

Troubleshooting

Alternatives

When Not to Use It

PrismaTechWork Professional Help

Frequently Asked Questions