Most small shop owners in India hear about two apps first: Khatabook for keeping udhaar and Vyapar for billing. They are often mentioned together, but they solve different problems. This guide compares them for an Indian retail shop in 2026, so you pick the one that matches how your counter actually works.
Quick answer
Choose Khatabook if your main need is tracking who owes you money, sending payment reminders and keeping a daily cash book, and you do not need full GST invoices or stock. Choose Vyapar if you need GST invoices, payment tracking, basic stock and basic reports from a mobile-first app. Consider a POS such as RichPOS if you bill many customers a day at a counter with barcodes, run more than one store, or need repair jobs and udhaar in the same system.
Vyapar vs Khatabook at a glance
| Point | Khatabook | Vyapar |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | Digital ledger for udhaar and cash book | Billing and accounting app |
| GST tax invoices | Basic billing only, not a full GST invoicing system | Yes |
| Stock / inventory | Not an inventory system | Basic stock |
| Udhaar and payment reminders | Core strength | Payment tracking |
| Reports | Ledger and cash book | Basic reports |
| Devices | Mobile-first | Mobile-first, also desktop |
| Cloud sync | Built for mobile use | Add-on, not the default |
| Counter POS with barcode | No | Not counter-first |
| Setup | Almost none | Some setup of items and GST details |
| Price | Core ledger free | Paid plans; not published in plain text, confirm with Vyapar |
Competitor details are as listed on public sources in September 2026; confirm with each vendor before buying.
Where Khatabook fits
Khatabook is the easiest start for a shop that sells on credit to regular customers. You add a customer, record what they took and what they paid, and the app sends reminders. There is almost nothing to set up. The limit shows up when you need a GST tax invoice with HSN on every sale, or when you want stock to reduce automatically as you bill. For a deeper look, see RichPOS vs Khatabook and Khatabook alternatives.
Where Vyapar fits
Vyapar suits a small business that needs proper GST invoices, payment tracking, basic stock and simple reports, mostly from a phone. It is general billing software rather than a counter POS: it is not focused on multi-branch shops, has no repair module, and cloud sync is an add-on. See RichPOS vs Vyapar, Vyapar alternatives and Vyapar vs Marg ERP.
Pick Khatabook if
- Your biggest headache is udhaar, not invoicing
- Most of your sales do not need a GST tax invoice
- You do not want to maintain an item list or stock
- You want something free that works on the phone today
Pick Vyapar if
- You must issue GST invoices and want them on your phone
- Basic stock and basic reports are enough
- You bill a moderate number of customers a day, not a queue at the counter
- You have one location
The third option: a counter POS
Many shops start on Khatabook, add Vyapar for invoices, and end up with udhaar in one app and bills in another. A POS keeps both in one place. RichPOS is built for the retail counter:
- Fast barcode billing with GST invoices by HSN. See Billing & POS.
- Stock that updates as you bill, with barcode label printing and variants. See Inventory & Barcode.
- Customer udhaar tracking alongside sales, so credit and bills sit together. See recovering udhaar from credit customers.
- Many stores and warehouses in one account. See Multi-store & Warehouse.
- Repair module for mobile and electronics shops, and 20+ reports.
- Cloud by default, not as an add-on.
RichPOS costs ₹199/month (₹2,000/year) with a 30-day free trial. See pricing.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the main difference between Vyapar and Khatabook?
- Khatabook is mainly a free digital ledger for udhaar: who owes you what, payment reminders and a daily cash book. Vyapar is a billing and accounting app that makes GST invoices, tracks payments and keeps basic stock. If you mostly need to track credit, Khatabook covers it; if you need proper GST invoices, Vyapar is closer to what you need.
- Can Khatabook make GST invoices?
- Khatabook has added basic billing, but it is not built as a full GST tax-invoice, inventory or POS system. A shop that must issue GST invoices with HSN codes on every sale and keep stock in sync will usually outgrow it.
- Is Vyapar good for a busy retail counter?
- Vyapar is mobile-first general billing software and works well for many small businesses. It is not designed as a counter-first POS, is not focused on multi-branch shops, and has no repair module. Cloud sync is an add-on rather than the default. A shop billing many customers an hour with barcodes may want a POS instead.
- Which is cheaper, Vyapar or Khatabook?
- Khatabook's core ledger is free. Vyapar has paid plans, but its pricing is not published in plain text on its site, so confirm the current price with Vyapar before buying. RichPOS costs ₹199 a month with a 30-day free trial.
- Can I move from Khatabook to billing software later?
- Yes. What you carry over from Khatabook is mostly your customer list and their balances, so the move is small. Enter opening balances in the new software and continue from there.
Bottom line: Khatabook is a ledger, Vyapar is a billing app, and neither is a counter POS. Pick Khatabook for udhaar alone, Vyapar for GST invoices on a phone, and a POS when the counter gets busy or you add a second store. Want to see RichPOS on your own products? Call +91 90333 31255 for a demo, or start the 30-day free trial from the pricing page.
Vyapar and Khatabook are trademarks of their respective owners. Information is based on public sources as of September 2026 and may change; check each vendor's site before buying.
