Billing software
What billing software really costs a shop in 2026
The plan price is only the start. Here is what drives the real cost of billing software, listed prices from vendor pages, and how to work out a 3-year total.
When you compare billing software, the first thing you see is a price per month or per year. That number is real, but it is rarely what you end up paying.
The real cost depends on how many counters and phones you use, whether you pay once or every year, what is locked behind a higher plan, GST on top, and the hardware around it. This guide walks through each of those, shows prices as listed by some well-known vendors, and gives you a simple way to work out a 3-year cost for your own shop.
What actually drives the cost
Per device, per user or per shop
This is the biggest one, and the easiest to miss.
- Per device: you pay for each phone, tablet or computer that runs the software. Vyapar’s own guide on using the app on multiple devices says you must have attached the licence to each device. myBillBook’s Silver plan is listed for 1 device and 1 user.
- Per user: you pay for each person who logs in. TallyPrime Silver is a single-user licence; Gold is listed for unlimited users on a local network. BUSY’s prices are listed for a single user.
- Per business or organisation: you pay once for the business. Zoho Books lists its prices per organisation.
A shop with one counter and one owner may not notice the difference. A shop with two counters, a helper’s phone and the owner checking from home will. That is four devices, maybe three users, but still one shop.
Yearly renewal or one-time payment
Most billing apps are yearly subscriptions. Some desktop software is sold as a one-time (perpetual) licence. TallyPrime’s licence is one-time, and Tally’s own cost guide says it includes one year of TSS (its update and support service), with a renewal cost after that.
One-time does not mean free forever. Ask what you lose if you stop renewing: updates, support, cloud access or GST format changes.
Features locked to higher plans
Look at what the plan you can afford actually includes. Common things that sit in higher tiers:
- More users or devices
- More than one shop or branch
- Inventory with batches, godowns or barcodes
- Reports, exports and accountant access
If you need one feature from a higher plan, you are paying for that plan.
GST on top
Most listed prices exclude GST. myBillBook and Tally both state 18% GST on top on their pages; Zoho says its prices are exclusive of local taxes; BUSY says GST is added to the price. Add it when you compare.
Add-ons
Ask about anything sold separately: extra users, extra branches, SMS or message credits, payment links, data migration, onboarding or training.
Hardware
Software is only part of the counter. Depending on how you work, you may need:
- A phone, tablet or computer for each counter
- A receipt printer
- A barcode scanner (or a phone camera that can scan)
- A cash drawer
- Reliable internet, plus a plan for when it drops
If a product runs on a phone you already own, this part may cost very little.
Prices as listed on vendor pages, October 2026
These are the prices shown on each vendor’s own page when we checked in October 2026. Prices and plans change often. Check the current price on the vendor’s site before you buy.
| Product | Plan | Listed price | Notes from the vendor page |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zoho Books (India) | Free | ₹0 | 1 user + 1 accountant, up to 1,000 invoices a year, turnover up to ₹25 lakh |
| Zoho Books (India) | Standard / Professional / Premium / Elite / Ultimate | ₹749 / ₹1,499 / ₹2,999 / ₹4,999 / ₹7,999 per organisation per month, billed yearly | Taxes extra |
| myBillBook | Silver | ₹399 per year | Android only, 1 device, 1 user |
| myBillBook | Diamond / Platinum / Enterprise | ₹217 / ₹250 / ₹417 per month, billed yearly | GST extra |
| BUSY | Basic / Standard / Enterprise | ₹5,000 / ₹8,000 / ₹10,000 per year | Single user, GST extra |
| TallyPrime | Silver / Gold | ₹22,500 / ₹67,500 one-time | GST extra; Silver single user, Gold unlimited users on a local network |
A note on fit: Zoho Books, BUSY and TallyPrime are accounting software first. They can raise invoices, but a fast counter for walk-in customers may work differently. If you are on Zoho’s free plan, read our guide to the Zoho Books free plan invoice limit before your shop grows past it.
How to work out a 3-year cost
Comparing one year hides renewals and one-time costs. Three years is a fairer window.
Step 1: Count what you will actually run
Write down your counters, every phone or computer that needs the software, every person who needs a login, and every shop.
Step 2: Turn every price into a yearly figure
A price “per month, billed yearly” means multiply by 12. For example, ₹749 a month billed yearly is ₹8,988 a year.
Step 3: Multiply by what the vendor charges for
Per device? Multiply by devices. Per user? By users. Per shop? By shops.
Step 4: Add the rest
3-year cost = one-time licence + (yearly fee × 3) + add-ons + renewals + GST + hardware
A worked example
A shop with two counters and the owner’s phone, comparing two made-up plans:
| Plan A (per device) | Plan B (per shop) | |
|---|---|---|
| Listed price | ₹4,000 per device per year | ₹10,000 per shop per year |
| Units | 3 devices | 1 shop |
| 3 years before GST | ₹36,000 | ₹30,000 |
| GST at 18% | ₹6,480 | ₹5,400 |
| 3-year total | ₹42,480 | ₹35,400 |
Plan A looked cheaper on the price page. Once you count every device, it costs more. Add a second shop and the gap changes again, so run the numbers for the shop you expect to have, not just the one you have today.
Questions to ask before you pay
- Is the price per device, per user or per shop?
- What happens when I add a counter, a staff login or a second shop?
- Is GST included in the price shown?
- What is the renewal price after the first year?
- Which features are not in this plan?
- Can I export my data if I leave?
- Is there a free trial, and does it need a card?
For a wider checklist, see our guide on how to choose billing software.
Where Bazaar IQ sits
Bazaar IQ is priced per shop, not per device, with every feature in one plan. It runs in the browser on a phone, tablet or computer you already have, so putting it on another counter’s device is not a separate device licence. The current price is on our pricing page, and the 14-day free trial needs no card. If you are weighing it against a specific product, our comparison pages go through the differences.
Whichever you choose, do the 3-year sum with your own counters, people and shops. It is the quickest way to see what you will really pay.