FreedomShopQuestions and answers
What is FreedomShop?
Free, open-source point of sale for small shops. You install it on a server in your shop, and the register computers sign in to it. It handles sales, returns, layaways and special orders, customers, purchasing and receiving, inventory, sales tax, price tags and reports.
Who is it for?
Independent shops with a register or several, and a back office: furniture, hardware, garden, gift and general stores.
Is it a replacement for QuickBooks Point of Sale?
It's a free alternative for shops that ran QuickBooks Point of Sale, which was discontinued in 2023. Much of the daily work will feel familiar. A way to bring data over from QuickBooks Point of Sale is planned. FreedomShop isn't affiliated with Intuit. More on coming from QuickBooks Point of Sale.
What do I install it on?
A computer or small server in your shop, running Debian or Ubuntu. An installer is coming, with an optional Docker setup. The register computers then sign in from a web browser, on Windows, Mac or Linux.
Can I download it now?
The source code is on GitHub. The installers are coming soon. See Get FreedomShop.
It's new software. Run it beside your current system, and check the daily totals against your drawer before you rely on it.
How much does it cost?
Nothing. There's no subscription and no fee per register.
What license is it under?
The AGPL-3.0-or-later, a free software license. You can use it, read the code, change it and share it.
How many registers can I run?
As many as your shop has. Each register computer signs in to the same server, and each person gets their own login.
Does it process credit cards?
No. FreedomShop records how each sale was paid, and card processing stays with your card processor and its own terminal.
Does it handle sales tax?
Yes. You set up your own tax locations, rates, exempt customers and filing periods, and the sales tax report shows what was collected for each location.
Can it print receipts and price tags?
Yes, on printers you set up for your shop: receipts, sales orders, purchase orders, price tags and labels.
Does it work with FreedomBooks?
Sending each day's sales to FreedomBooks, its free sister project for accounting, is planned.
Where is my data kept?
In a database on your shop's own server. There's no cloud account with us. See Privacy and your data.
How do I report a problem?
Open an issue on GitHub. That's where fixes are tracked.
Is it really open source?
Yes, under the AGPL-3.0-or-later. The source code is on GitHub.