How to Install Bigcapital Accounting on Docker

Amid the increasing need for business digitalization, SMEs require an accounting system that is flexible, modern, easy to use, and does not burden operational costs. Bigcapital emerges as an open-source accounting and inventory management platform that offers ease of use, full data control, and both cloud and self-hosted deployment options. This article covers an introduction to Bigcapital, its main features, pricing, and a self-hosted installation guide suitable for small to medium-sized businesses.

Introduction to Bigcapital

Bigcapital is a modern open-source (AGPL-3.0) accounting and inventory software designed for SMEs. It offers a clean user interface, comprehensive financial reports, and the ability to run either in the cloud or on a private server (self-hosted). The platform is built as a cost-effective alternative to popular software like QuickBooks and Xero, without sacrificing essential features such as multi-currency support, payment tracking, and inventory management.

Main Features of Bigcapital

1. Sales & Purchase Invoicing: create and manage sales or purchase invoices efficiently, including recurring invoices.
2. Financial Reporting: provides complete reports such as balance sheets, profit and loss statements, journals, and real-time inventory reports.
3. Inventory Management: automatically track stock, including multi-warehouse support, product bundling, and restock alerts.
4. Expense Tracking: record all business expenses with proper categorization and accurate reporting.
5. Multi-Currency: supports transactions and reporting in multiple currencies with automatic exchange rates.
6. User Roles & Collaboration: invite accountants or staff with role-based permission settings.
7. Bank Feeds (Plaid): automatically import bank transactions and categorize them using smart rules.
8. Custom Templates: customize invoice designs, estimates, receipts, and other documents.
9. Attachments: manage multiple transactions at once, such as bulk categorization of bank transactions.
10. Cloud & Self-Hosted: choose between cloud usage or deployment on a private server.

Self-Hosting Bigcapital

System Requirements

• CPU: minimum 2 cores
• RAM: minimum 4 GB
• Database: MariaDB ≥ 10.2.0
• Storage: 5–10 GB (depending on organization size & transactions)

Install Docker

Bigcapital deployment uses Docker Compose, so install Docker first:

sh -c "curl -fsSL https://get.docker.com/ | sh"

Deploy Bigcapital

Clone the Bigcapital repository:

git clone --depth 1 -b main https://github.com/bigcapitalhq/bigcapital.git && cd ./bigcapital

Copy the environment variable file:

cp .env.example .env

Run Bigcapital using Docker Compose:

docker compose --file docker-compose.prod.yml up -d

Verify Docker Compose status:

docker compose ps

Example response:

NAME                     IMAGE                           COMMAND                  SERVICE     CREATED          STATUS          PORTS
bigcapital-gotenberg-1   gotenberg/gotenberg:7           "/usr/bin/tini -- go…"   gotenberg   8 minutes ago    Up 8 minutes    3000/tcp, 9000/tcp
bigcapital-mongo         bigcapital-mongo                "docker-entrypoint.s…"   mongo       8 minutes ago    Up 8 minutes    27017/tcp
bigcapital-mysql         bigcapital-mysql                "docker-entrypoint.s…"   mysql       8 minutes ago    Up 8 minutes    3306/tcp
bigcapital-proxy-1       envoyproxy/envoy:v1.30-latest   "/docker-entrypoint.…"   proxy       33 minutes ago   Up 33 minutes   0.0.0.0:80->80/tcp, [::]:80->80/tcp, 0.0.0.0:443->443/tcp, [::]:443->443/tcp, 10000/tcp
bigcapital-redis         bigcapital-redis                "docker-entrypoint.s…"   redis       8 minutes ago    Up 8 minutes    6379/tcp
bigcapital-server        bigcapitalhq/server:latest      "docker-entrypoint.s…"   server      8 minutes ago    Up 8 minutes    3000/tcp
bigcapital-webapp        bigcapitalhq/webapp:latest      "/docker-entrypoint.…"   webapp      33 minutes ago   Up 33 minutes   80/tcp

Once all containers are running, access Bigcapital via http://Server-IP or a subdomain pointing to your server, such as http://sub.domain.com. Proceed to create a new account and configure your organization. After that, you will be directed to the Bigcapital dashboard.

Disable Signup

First, stop the Bigcapital containers:

docker compose down

Open the .env file:

nano .env

Set false to disable signup:

SIGNUP_DISABLED=true

Restart the Bigcapital containers:

docker compose --file docker-compose.prod.yml up -d

Conclusion

Bigcapital is an attractive option for SMEs seeking an affordable, transparent, and flexible accounting and inventory solution. With a combination of modern features, open-source architecture, and both self-hosted and cloud deployment options, Bigcapital effectively supports growing business needs without unnecessary complexity. Whether for accountants, business owners, or finance teams, Bigcapital provides a solid foundation for more structured financial management.