Deploy and Host Managed BigCapital ERP Service with one click on Railway

BigCapital is a free, open-source business management and accounting software designed to streamline financial operations for startups, SMBs, and enterprises. Available on GitHub, it provides tools for managing invoicing, payments, sales, purchases, inventory, and reporting-all in one unified dashboard.

About Hosting BigCapital on Railway (Self Hosting BigCapital on Railway)

You can self-host BigCapital to keep all your business data, transactions, and configurations entirely under your control, without relying on third-party services. Hosting BigCapital on Railway ensures a seamless, secure, and scalable environment for your business operations. Railway simplifies the deployment process, allowing you to set up a fully functional accounting and ERP system within minutes-no complex server configuration required.

Why Deploy Managed BigCapital Service on Railway

Deploying a managed BigCapital instance on Railway offers simplicity, automation, and reliability. It allows you to set up the entire ERP suite without dealing with manual server administration. Railway automatically handles scaling, backups, updates, and infrastructure, enabling you to focus entirely on your financial management workflows.

Railway vs DigitalOcean

DigitalOcean requires manual setup for hosting BigCapital, including managing databases, web servers, and SSL certificates. With Railway, you get a one-click deploy for BigCapital that automates all these steps. No need to manually configure Nginx, Postgres, or environment variables-Railway takes care of everything.

Railway vs Linode

Linode users must handle manual OS patching and storage configuration when deploying BigCapital. In contrast, Railway offers managed containers, automatic scaling, and built-in environment variable management. You get a secure, production-ready deployment of BigCapital without needing DevOps expertise.

Railway vs Vultr

Hosting BigCapital on Vultr means you’ll have to configure security groups, install dependencies, and manage uptime manually. Railway eliminates all of this, automating performance management and providing real-time monitoring for your BigCapital deployment.

Railway vs AWS Lightsail

AWS Lightsail offers flexibility but adds complexity with networking, IAM permissions, and storage setup. Railway simplifies BigCapital hosting with an intuitive UI, integrated database support, and automatic scaling-allowing you to deploy the app effortlessly and focus on business, not infrastructure.


Common Use Cases

Here are 5 common use cases for BigCapital:

1. Accounting Automation: Manage financial records, automate journal entries, and reduce human error in bookkeeping.

2. Invoice and Billing Management: Generate and track invoices, manage client payments, and send automated reminders.

3. Expense Tracking: Monitor business expenses, categorize costs, and manage reimbursements seamlessly.

4. Sales and Purchase Management: Record sales orders, manage suppliers, and control inventory in real-time.

5. Financial Reporting: Create insightful reports, profit & loss statements, balance sheets, and cash flow analysis for better decision-making.

Dependencies for BigCapital hosted on Railway

To host BigCapital on Railway, you need the following components:

• PostgreSQL database (for data storage)

• Node.js runtime (to run the backend server)

• Frontend build tools (for the React-based dashboard)

Deployment Dependencies for Managed BigCapital Service

Railway automatically provisions these dependencies, ensuring your deployment is fully optimized. All services-database, backend, and frontend-run in isolated, managed containers, ensuring security, stability, and performance.

Implementation Details for BigCapital ERP

To deploy BigCapital, you need to configure environment variables such as:

• DATABASE_URL – Connection string for PostgreSQL

• APP_SECRET – Secret key for authentication and encryption

• NODE_ENV – Environment setting (production for Railway)

Once configured, Railway builds and deploys your BigCapital instance in minutes.

How does BigCapital compare to other ERP and Accounting Platforms

BigCapital vs QuickBooks

BigCapital is open-source, giving you full data ownership, while QuickBooks is proprietary and cloud-locked. QuickBooks offers a polished UI but limits customization. BigCapital, on the other hand, can be modified to suit your business needs and hosted anywhere.

BigCapital vs Odoo

Odoo is an enterprise-level ERP with modular apps, but it can be complex and resource-intensive to manage. BigCapital focuses on simplicity and core financial workflows, making it easier to deploy and manage for startups and SMBs.

BigCapital vs Zoho Books

Zoho Books is cloud-based and subscription-driven, while BigCapital is free and self-hosted. With BigCapital on Railway, you retain full control over your business data without recurring costs.

BigCapital vs ERPNext

ERPNext offers broader modules (HR, CRM, manufacturing), while BigCapital emphasizes financial transparency and ease of use. For pure accounting and ERP automation, BigCapital offers a lightweight and simpler alternative.

BigCapital vs Dolibarr

Dolibarr is another open-source ERP/CRM solution but lacks the modern UI and developer ecosystem that BigCapital offers. BigCapital’s tech stack (React + Node.js) gives it better performance and scalability.

How to use BigCapital?

To start using BigCapital:

1. Deploy BigCapital on Railway with one click.

2. Set up your PostgreSQL database and configure environment variables.

3. Access the web dashboard to add your business details, clients, and financial data.

4. Create invoices, manage expenses, and view reports directly from the intuitive interface.

5. Integrate APIs for automating transactions or syncing with external tools.

Once deployed, BigCapital becomes your central financial hub-accessible from anywhere, scalable with your business.

How to self host BigCapital on other VPS

Clone the Repository

Download the source from GitHub.

Install Dependencies

Ensure your VPS has Node.js (v16+), PostgreSQL, and Git installed.

Configure Environment Variables

Set DATABASE_URL and other required credentials.

Run the Server

npm install
npm run build
npm start

Access the Dashboard

Open your VPS IP or domain in a browser to start using BigCapital.

With Railway, you can skip all these steps and deploy instantly with one click.

Deploy Now!

Features of BigCapital

• Intuitive financial dashboard with real-time insights.

• Invoicing and billing automation.

• Multi-currency and tax support.

• Expense tracking and payroll management.

• Secure authentication and role-based access.

Official Pricing of BigCapital

BigCapital is completely free and open-source. There are no subscription fees, licensing costs, or usage restrictions. You only pay for the hosting platform, such as Railway, which keeps costs minimal. Enterprise users can fork the repository to build custom modules or request support from the open-source community.

Monthly Cost of Self Hosting BigCapital on Railway

Self-hosting BigCapital on Railway typically costs $5–$10 per month for the core app instance, depending on your storage and database requirements. This cost includes a managed PostgreSQL database, containerized environment, and automated scaling - making it one of the most affordable self-hosted ERP setups.

System Requirements for Hosting BigCapital

• Node.js: Version 16 or higher

• Database: PostgreSQL 13 or higher

• RAM: 1 GB minimum (2 GB recommended)

• Storage: 10 GB minimum

• CPU: 2 cores or more

• Network: Stable broadband with 1 Mbps+ upload speed

Railway automatically scales resources as your workload grows.

FAQs

What is BigCapital?

BigCapital is an open-source ERP and accounting software that helps businesses manage invoices, expenses, sales, and financial reports from a single dashboard.

How do I self host BigCapital?

You can self-host BigCapital by deploying it on Railway or any VPS that supports Node.js and PostgreSQL. Railway simplifies the process with one-click deployment.

Is BigCapital really free?

Yes, BigCapital is 100% free and open-source. You only pay for hosting if using a managed platform like Railway.

What database does BigCapital use?

BigCapital uses PostgreSQL as its backend database for storing all financial and business records.

What are the main features of BigCapital?

Key features include invoicing, expense tracking, reporting, user management, and API integrations.

Why deploy BigCapital on Railway?

Railway offers one-click deployment, automated updates, managed databases, and scaling-removing all infrastructure headaches.

How does BigCapital compare to paid ERP software?

BigCapital provides many of the same features as paid ERP tools like QuickBooks and Zoho Books, but without subscription fees or data restrictions.

Is BigCapital suitable for large organizations?

Yes. Its modular architecture and PostgreSQL backend make it scalable for enterprises handling large datasets.

Where can I find the official BigCapital source code?

You can find and contribute to the official BigCapital project on GitHub at https://github.com/bigcapitalhq/bigcapital.