Open your first set of books.
Three ways to run Analytical Ledger: on your Windows computer, on your own server, or as a private hosted instance. The software is free; pick where the database lives.
3010Choose where it lives
Same ledger. Three homes.
Whichever you pick, the books, the rules and the agent connection are the same, and the database is yours alone.
On your Windows computer
The quickest start for one person. A private database is created on your machine the first time you open it.
- Windows 10 or 11, x64
- No server or admin install
- One user, on your machine only
On your own server
For a team, a firm or any Mac or Linux machine. You run it from source against one PostgreSQL database.
- Node and PostgreSQL 18
- Your agents connect over HTTPS
- You do the upgrades and backups
Your own hosted instance
We run an isolated instance with a database of its own, with backups and upgrades handled. Invite-only beta.
- One instance and database per client
- Reachable from anywhere
- By request, no published prices
3020Early access
Ask for the download and the source.
The Windows download and the public source release are in preparation. Tell us where to write and we will email you when either opens.
- One email when the Windows download opens, and one for the source release
- No payment, no account and no mailing list
- Remove your address whenever you like
Need a hosted instance instead? Request hosting.
The request form is not open on this deployment.
Write to us instead and we will reply about early access: hello@analyticalledger.com.
3030Self-host
Run it on your own server.
Self-hosting runs the same application against one PostgreSQL database you control, under the Fair Source license. It is how you run Analytical Ledger on a Mac or on Linux.
PreviewThe source is not public yet. These steps come from the development guide that ships with the source release; request early access above to be told when it opens.
What you need
- The Node version named in the repository's
.nvmrc - PostgreSQL 18. The checkout can start an embedded development cluster, or use your own server
- Your own environment. Integration keys are optional and can be added later in Settings
- An HTTPS reverse proxy, once anyone other than you will reach it
Before other people sign in
Turn on the session gate and password sign-in, give the instance a stable signing secret and its public address, and set a one-time setup token. Open the setup link privately to create the first owner, then remove the token. Your proxy must overwrite the forwarded-address header and block direct access to the app, so sign-in rate limits cannot be spoofed.
Quick start, for developers
Against a new, disposable development database only. Never run seed or reset commands on existing books. npm run db:server starts an optional embedded PostgreSQL in its own terminal. In another terminal, run these, then open http://localhost:3000.
npm ci
npm run db:migrate
npm run db:extras
npm run devMigrations and the triggers are a pair: the triggers are what stop an unbalanced or cross-entity entry from reaching the database even if the application is bypassed.
3040First run
The first owner sets up by a private link.
The first person to open the one-time setup link creates the owner account, so keep that link to yourself.
Step 1
Open the setup link
On Windows the app opens it for you the first time. On a server or a hosted instance it is given to the owner privately. Never paste it into a chat.
Step 2
Create the owner
A name, an email and a password of at least 12 characters. Once an owner exists the setup link stops working.
Step 3
Set up the books
Onboarding walks through the first entity, its chart of accounts and its open periods. Then connect your agent from Settings.
Preview Password sign-in, first-run setup and onboarding are in Preview. Google and Microsoft sign-in with viewer, accountant and owner roles ships today.
c/fCarried forward
Bring your books home.
Ask for early access to the Windows download and the source, or request a hosted instance of your own.