ERPClaw vs Bookkeep
Bookkeep is summary-level. ERPClaw is transaction-level.
Same automation, more depth. Open source. $0.
| Feature | Bookkeep | ERPClaw |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $20-50/month | $0 forever |
| Granularity | Daily summaries | Per-transaction |
| Destination | QuickBooks / Xero | ERPClaw (the ERP itself) |
| Sales channel coverage | Shopify, Amazon, etc. | Shopify in v1; more coming |
| Per-transaction journal entries | No (paid tier only) | Always |
| COGS tracking | Limited | Multi-warehouse, FIFO |
| Gift card deferred revenue | Yes | Yes |
| Self-hosted | No | Yes |
| Open source | Proprietary | Open source (Free & Open Source) |
| Full ERP modules (HR, manufacturing) | No | Yes |
| API access | Limited | Full (CLI + web) |
Key differences
Per-transaction beats daily summary
Bookkeep posts daily summaries. Convenient until your auditor wants per-transaction detail. ERPClaw posts per-transaction always.
No QBO required
Bookkeep needs QuickBooks. ERPClaw is the ERP itself; no second tool needed.
More than just sales channels
Bookkeep aggregates sales-channel data. ERPClaw also handles your HR, payroll, and manufacturing if you have them.
Free in actuality, not just on the homepage
Bookkeep starts at $20/mo. ERPClaw is open source forever.
Ready to switch?
Free forever. Self-host in 5 minutes. Every module included.
Related: read the AI accounting story, the AI-native ERP framework, the Synder comparison, or the long-form Bookkeep alternative post. For the order-to-payout pattern that makes daily summaries break at audit time, see the clearing account pattern and Shopify cost of goods sold.
Frequently asked questions
What's the difference between Bookkeep and an actual ERP?
Bookkeep posts daily summary journal entries from your sales channels into QuickBooks. It does not own the GL, the chart of accounts, or the reporting. ERPClaw is the GL: Shopify and Stripe integrations live inside the ERP, posting transaction-level details directly to the immutable double-entry ledger.
Why is daily summary a limitation?
Daily summary aggregates many sales into a single journal entry, which makes reconciliation against bank deposits clean but loses transaction-level detail in your books. ERPClaw posts at transaction grain with 12-step GL validation, so you keep full audit trail and still get clean bank reconciliation.
How is ERPClaw cheaper than Bookkeep plus QuickBooks?
Bookkeep is $70 to $295 per month plus your QuickBooks Online subscription. ERPClaw is $0 forever. For a small business, the math flips before the end of year one, and the architectural advantage (one database, one audit trail) compounds further.
Does ERPClaw support Square the way Bookkeep does?
Today ERPClaw's first-party connectors are Stripe and Shopify. Square can be ingested via CSV import or through a custom action defined in a SKILL.md spec. We're prioritizing first-party connectors by user demand. If you're Square-only, Bookkeep plus QuickBooks may still be the fastest path.
Can I migrate from Bookkeep plus QuickBooks to ERPClaw?
Yes. QuickBooks exports clean CSV per ledger. ERPClaw's import actions accept the same format. Bookkeep's daily summaries are already represented in QuickBooks; the migration is a QuickBooks-to-ERPClaw move with the channel sync re-pointed at ERPClaw's native integrations.