Guide / Linux and the record
Free inventory software on Linux: the honest picture
Linux is the natural home of self-hosting — but the licence was never the whole cost. Here is what runs on a Linux box, what it takes to run it, and where BSimple differs.
The short answer
- Linux is the natural self-hosting platform: open-source inventory projects run happily on a Linux box or VM.
- The licence is $0; the running is not — uptime, backups, upgrades, security, and the accounting seam are yours.
- Browser software treats Linux like every other platform: any device with a browser reaches the record.
- BSimple is hosted, closed, and runs in the browser — from $180/month (AUD) — with the trade-offs stated, not hidden.
- Where it fits: this page is one branch of the inventory management guide.
- 01The short answer
- 02What Linux does well, and what it does not solve
- 03Where BSimple fits
What Linux does well, and what it does not solve
Self-hosting on Linux is genuinely good: a modest box or VM runs open-source inventory tools for a floor of browsers, with full data sovereignty and a $0 licence. For a team with the skills, it is a legitimate architecture — the record lives on hardware you control, and no vendor can change terms under you.
What it does not solve: the running. Uptime, tested backups, security patches and upgrade windows are now your calendar — and because the record now matters to the whole business, the running matters to the whole business. The seams: the accounting handoff to Xero or MYOB, phone-camera scanning, the customer portal — the edges open-source communities maintain unevenly, and exactly the edges a stock business leans on daily. The knowledge risk: whoever configured the box holds the manual in their head. The self-hosting trade weighs this in full, and the Windows variant the same question on another OS.
Where BSimple fits
We build BSimple, so weigh that — and note it is not self-hosted and not open source: it is hosted, closed, and runs in the browser on any Linux desktop or phone like any other device. The value for teams that would rather run the business than the server: one live record for stock, orders, purchasing and invoicing; camera scanning from the floor; the accounting handoff designed in; backups and upgrades on the vendor's side of the wall. Plans start at $180/month (AUD) with the free trial to test the record before the subscription.
The honest reverse: if data sovereignty or source access are hard requirements, Linux self-hosting remains the right answer, and a trial cannot change that. The open-source assessment gives the full comparison on the same honest terms.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does BSimple run on Linux?
Yes — in the browser: any Linux desktop, laptop or phone reaches the full record like any other device. There is no Linux server to install, because there is no server component at all: hosting, backups and upgrades are BSimple's side of the wall.
What does self-hosting inventory on Linux really cost?
Hours: setup, monitoring, tested backups, applied upgrades, security patches, and the integration seams — especially the accounting bridge. The licence is $0; the maintenance is recurring and scales with how much the record matters, which is to say, completely.
Can open-source inventory tools handle GST?
Some community projects carry GST support, but depth — inc/ex purchasing reconciliation, BAS-ready outputs — varies and is yours to verify and maintain. The divided pattern keeps GST handling in the ledger, which is maintained professionally on your behalf.
When is self-hosting the right choice?
When technical capacity is genuinely in-house, requirements are stable, and data sovereignty or source access are hard requirements. When time is the scarce resource, hosted systems shift the maintenance off your calendar — the vendor guide includes the exit test either way.
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