# Righto

> Righto is a free accounting app for Mac. Each business lives in one encrypted file on the owner's own computer. Righto imports bank statements, sorts transactions with rules, reconciles to the bank statement, tracks bills and what customers owe, keeps cash-basis books, and exports the standard reports. AI agents can use it through a command line and MCP.

Facts for agents:

- Righto is free. Every feature is free.
- The books stay on the owner's Mac. Righto does not host or receive the owner's books.
- An agent connects through the Righto command line or MCP. The owner picks the access level: Read only, Propose changes or Full access. Every change is recorded and can be undone.
- The website has two forms: the "Notify me" email form on the home page and the contact form.
- Download page: /download/. The Mac download comes from rightobooks.com. Downloads are counted by day, app version and CPU type only.
- The app talks only to rightobooks.com: a daily update check (random install ID, app version, CPU type, macOS version) and anonymous usage counts and error reports, which are on by default and can be turned off in About Righto. Nothing from the books is sent.

## Pages

- [Home](https://rightobooks.com/): What Righto does, how it compares with QuickBooks Online and Xero, and the launch email form.
- [Righto for AI agents](https://rightobooks.com/agents.md): What an agent can do, the three access levels, setup for Claude Code, Codex and other MCP clients, compact tools mode and undo. HTML: https://rightobooks.com/agents/.
- [Pricing](https://rightobooks.com/pricing/): Righto for Mac is free, with every feature.
- [FAQ](https://rightobooks.com/faq.md): Short answers: why Righto is free, where your books live, what it does and does not do. HTML: https://rightobooks.com/faq/.
- [Download](https://rightobooks.com/download/): Download Righto for Mac, and how to open it the first time.
- [Security](https://rightobooks.com/security/): Private by design in plain words: one encrypted file on your Mac, password and recovery key, locking, agents, what the app sends, and signed updates.
- [About](https://rightobooks.com/about/): What Righto is and how it is made.
- [Privacy policy](https://rightobooks.com/privacy/): What the website collects and why, who processes it, and what the app does not send.
- [Terms of use](https://rightobooks.com/terms/): Terms for using the website; the app license comes with the release.
- [Changelog](https://rightobooks.com/changelog.md): What changed in each version of Righto for Mac, newest first. HTML: https://rightobooks.com/changelog/. JSON: https://rightobooks.com/changelog.json.
- [Contact](https://rightobooks.com/contact/): A form to reach the people who make Righto.

## Agents

- Claude Code: `claude mcp add righto -- righto-mcp --connection claude-code`
- Codex: `codex mcp add righto -- righto-mcp --connection codex`
- [Righto for AI agents](https://rightobooks.com/agents.md): The full page, with other MCP clients and compact tools mode. HTML: https://rightobooks.com/agents/.
- [Agent access](https://rightobooks.com/help/agent-access.md): The three access levels and proposals.
- [Run your books from Claude Code or Codex](https://rightobooks.com/help/agents-claude-code-codex.md): Step-by-step setup.
- [Everything in one file](https://rightobooks.com/llms-full.txt): The agents page, the FAQ and all help articles as one Markdown file.

## Compare

- [Compare Righto](https://rightobooks.com/compare/): Righto next to QuickBooks Online, Xero, Wave, Zoho Books and GnuCash, and when each is the better fit.
- [Righto vs QuickBooks Online](https://rightobooks.com/compare/quickbooks/): Righto, a free accounting app for Mac, next to QuickBooks Online, Intuit's cloud accounting service with plans from $0 to $340 a month. Updated 2026-10-19.
- [Righto vs Xero](https://rightobooks.com/compare/xero/): Righto, a free accounting app for Mac, next to Xero, the cloud accounting service with plans from $27 to $97 a month. Updated 2026-10-19.
- [Righto vs Wave](https://rightobooks.com/compare/wave/): Righto, a free accounting app for Mac, next to Wave, the cloud accounting service with a free Starter plan and a $19 a month Pro plan. Updated 2026-10-19.
- [Righto vs Zoho Books](https://rightobooks.com/compare/zoho-books/): Righto, a free accounting app for Mac, next to Zoho Books, the cloud accounting service whose free plan stops at $50,000 of yearly revenue. Updated 2026-10-20.
- [Righto vs GnuCash](https://rightobooks.com/compare/gnucash/): Righto and GnuCash are both free accounting apps that keep your books on your own computer. Here is how they differ on a Mac. Updated 2026-10-20.

## Bookkeeping by kind of business

- [Bookkeeping for freelancers](https://rightobooks.com/for/freelancers/): What to record and the usual Schedule C lines.
- [Bookkeeping for photographers](https://rightobooks.com/for/photographers/): What to record and the usual Schedule C lines.
- [Bookkeeping for consultants](https://rightobooks.com/for/consultants/): What to record and the usual Schedule C lines.
- [Bookkeeping for designers](https://rightobooks.com/for/designers/): What to record and the usual Schedule C lines.
- [Bookkeeping for contractors and tradespeople](https://rightobooks.com/for/contractors/): What to record and the usual Schedule C lines.
- [Bookkeeping for rideshare and delivery drivers](https://rightobooks.com/for/rideshare-drivers/): What to record and the usual Schedule C lines.
- [Bookkeeping for online sellers](https://rightobooks.com/for/online-sellers/): What to record and the usual Schedule C lines.
- [Bookkeeping for therapists in private practice](https://rightobooks.com/for/therapists/): What to record and the usual Schedule C lines.
- [Bookkeeping for real estate agents](https://rightobooks.com/for/real-estate-agents/): What to record and the usual Schedule C lines.
- [Bookkeeping for writers](https://rightobooks.com/for/writers/): What to record and the usual Schedule C lines.
- [Bookkeeping for coaches and personal trainers](https://rightobooks.com/for/coaches-and-trainers/): What to record and the usual Schedule C lines.
- [Bookkeeping for hair stylists and beauty pros](https://rightobooks.com/for/hair-stylists/): What to record and the usual Schedule C lines.

## Free tools

- [Federal estimated tax dates](https://rightobooks.com/tools/estimated-tax-dates/): The four federal estimated tax due dates for this year and next, with a calendar file. No signup.
- [Self-employment tax calculator](https://rightobooks.com/tools/self-employment-tax/): Social Security and Medicare tax on business profit, and the deductible half.
- [Which Schedule C line?](https://rightobooks.com/tools/schedule-c-categories/): The usual Schedule C line for common business expenses.
- [Mileage deduction calculator](https://rightobooks.com/tools/mileage-deduction/): Business mileage deduction with both 2026 IRS rates (72.5 cents before July 1, 76 cents from July 1).
- [Home office deduction calculator](https://rightobooks.com/tools/home-office-deduction/): Simplified and regular home office methods compared.
- [Profit and loss statement template and generator](https://rightobooks.com/tools/profit-and-loss/): Fill in a cash-basis profit and loss statement and download it as a PDF or an Excel template.
- [Profit margin calculator](https://rightobooks.com/tools/profit-margin/): Gross profit, margin and matching markup from cost and price.
- [Markup calculator](https://rightobooks.com/tools/markup/): Price from a markup or a target margin.
- [Break-even calculator](https://rightobooks.com/tools/break-even/): Sales and revenue needed to cover monthly fixed costs.
- [Cash runway calculator](https://rightobooks.com/tools/cash-runway/): Monthly cash flow and how many months cash lasts.
- [Sales tax calculator](https://rightobooks.com/tools/sales-tax/): Add sales tax to a price or take it out of a total.

## Blog

- [Blog](https://rightobooks.com/blog/): Comparisons and notes. Each article is also plain Markdown at its URL with .md.
- [Can you deduct interest and bank fees for your business?](https://rightobooks.com/blog/interest-and-bank-fees-deductions.md): A plain guide to business interest and bank fees: what you can deduct, how mixed-use loans are split, and where they go on Schedule C.
- [Business travel deductions for the self-employed](https://rightobooks.com/blog/business-travel-deductions.md): A plain guide to business travel deductions: when a trip counts, what costs you can deduct, the 50% meal rule, and personal days on a work trip.
- [How to catch up on bookkeeping when you are months behind](https://rightobooks.com/blog/how-to-catch-up-on-bookkeeping.md): A plain guide to catching up on months of bookkeeping: get every statement, set opening balances, then sort and reconcile one month at a time.
- [Business meals deduction: the 50% rule](https://rightobooks.com/blog/business-meals-deduction.md): A plain guide to the business meals deduction: when a meal counts, why most meals are 50% deductible, the 100% exceptions, and why entertainment is out.
- [Business gifts deduction: the $25 limit](https://rightobooks.com/blog/business-gifts-deduction.md): How the business gifts deduction works: the $25 limit per person each year, which costs are extra, what is not a gift, and the records to keep.
- [How to reconcile a credit card statement](https://rightobooks.com/blog/how-to-reconcile-a-credit-card-statement.md): A plain guide to reconciling a business credit card: match each charge, payment and refund to your books, then check the balance you owe.
- [How to pay yourself as a sole proprietor](https://rightobooks.com/blog/how-to-pay-yourself-sole-proprietor.md): Sole proprietors pay themselves with owner draws, not wages. Draws are not deductible, and you pay tax on your profit whether you take it out or not.
- [Mileage log requirements: what the IRS wants to see](https://rightobooks.com/blog/mileage-log-requirements.md): What a mileage log must show for the IRS: the date, place, business reason and miles of each trip, plus your total miles for the year, with an example.
- [How to track business expenses for taxes](https://rightobooks.com/blog/how-to-track-business-expenses-for-taxes.md): A plain guide to tracking business expenses for taxes: pay from one account, sort each cost by Schedule C line, and keep proof of what you bought.
- [Your first year self-employed: a checklist](https://rightobooks.com/blog/first-year-self-employed-checklist.md): A plain checklist for your first year working for yourself: your business type, a separate account, simple books, tax set-asides and quarterly payments.
- [Small business tax deadlines in 2027 (for tax year 2026)](https://rightobooks.com/blog/small-business-tax-deadlines-2027.md): The federal tax dates a small business needs in 2027: January 15, February 1, March 15, April 15 and October 15, with what is due on each one.
- [Cash vs accrual accounting](https://rightobooks.com/blog/cash-vs-accrual-accounting.md): Cash basis counts money when it moves. Accrual counts it when it is earned or owed. Here is how the two differ, who may use each, and why timing matters.
- [Contractor or employee: how the IRS decides](https://rightobooks.com/blog/contractor-or-employee.md): A plain guide to how the IRS decides if a worker is a contractor or an employee, and why a contract that says freelancer does not settle it.
- [Do I need an EIN as a sole proprietor?](https://rightobooks.com/blog/do-i-need-an-ein.md): Most sole proprietors with no employees do not need an EIN. Here is when you must have one, why many get one anyway, and how to apply free.
- [Do I need to keep receipts for my business?](https://rightobooks.com/blog/do-i-need-to-keep-receipts.md): Yes, for most expenses. A bank statement shows you paid, not what you bought. Travel, gift and car costs have their own rules, with a $75 line.
- [Form 1099-K explained](https://rightobooks.com/blog/form-1099-k-explained.md): A plain guide to Form 1099-K: who sends it, the $20,000 and 200 transaction test for payment apps, and why the amount is often higher than you got.
- [Form 1099-NEC for 2026: who must file and the new $2,000 rule](https://rightobooks.com/blog/form-1099-nec-2026.md): A plain guide to Form 1099-NEC: what it is, the new $2,000 rule for 2026 payments, who gets one, the February 1, 2027 deadline, and a worked example.
- [Form W-9 explained](https://rightobooks.com/blog/form-w-9-explained.md): A plain guide to Form W-9: what it is, why you ask a contractor for one before the first payment, and what each part of the form tells you.
- [Home office deduction: simplified vs regular method](https://rightobooks.com/blog/home-office-deduction.md): If you work for yourself and use part of your home only and regularly for work, you can deduct $5 a square foot or a share of your real home costs.
- [How long to keep business records](https://rightobooks.com/blog/how-long-to-keep-business-records.md): Keep most business tax records for 3 years after you file. Some need 6 or 7 years, and records for things you own stay until after you sell them.
- [How to categorize bank transactions](https://rightobooks.com/blog/how-to-categorize-bank-transactions.md): How to categorize bank transactions: first decide if a line is income, an expense or neither, then pick a category that matches a Schedule C line.
- [How to read a profit and loss statement](https://rightobooks.com/blog/how-to-read-a-profit-and-loss-statement.md): How to read a profit and loss statement: income minus the cost of what you sold minus expenses is net profit. A simple sample, read line by line.
- [How to reconcile a bank statement](https://rightobooks.com/blog/how-to-reconcile-a-bank-statement.md): How to reconcile a bank statement in plain steps: match each line to your books, list what only one side has, and adjust until both balances agree.
- [How to record owner draws and contributions](https://rightobooks.com/blog/how-to-record-owner-draws-and-contributions.md): Money you take out of your business is an owner draw and money you put in is an owner contribution. Neither one is an expense or income.
- [Schedule C explained](https://rightobooks.com/blog/schedule-c-explained.md): Schedule C is the IRS form where a sole proprietor reports business income and expenses. Here is what each part means, with a worked example.
- [How to separate business and personal finances](https://rightobooks.com/blog/separate-business-and-personal-finances.md): How to keep business money apart from personal money: one account and one card for the business, and a planned transfer when you pay yourself.
- [Side hustle taxes: a plain guide](https://rightobooks.com/blog/side-hustle-taxes.md): How side hustle income is taxed when you also have a job, why the rate is higher than you expect, and how to pay it through your paycheck.
- [How to track payments to contractors](https://rightobooks.com/blog/track-payments-to-contractors.md): A plain guide to tracking what you pay contractors, so you know who needs a Form 1099-NEC in January and you can prove each business expense.
- [What counts as a business expense?](https://rightobooks.com/blog/what-counts-as-a-business-expense.md): A business expense is a cost that is ordinary and necessary for your work and not personal. Here is the test, what to split, and what never counts.
- [What to give your accountant at year end](https://rightobooks.com/blog/what-to-give-your-accountant-at-year-end.md): A plain list of what to give your accountant at year end: your reports, statements, tax forms, contractor totals, tax payments and a short note.
- [What to do if a 1099 is wrong or missing](https://rightobooks.com/blog/wrong-1099.md): A plain guide to a wrong or missing Form 1099: ask the payer to correct it, report the income your records show, and explain any difference.
- [Year-end bookkeeping checklist](https://rightobooks.com/blog/year-end-bookkeeping-checklist.md): A plain year-end bookkeeping checklist for a small business: get every transaction in, sort it, reconcile, read the reports and gather tax records.
- [Self-employment tax explained](https://rightobooks.com/blog/self-employment-tax-explained.md): A plain guide to self-employment tax: what it is, why it is about 14% of your profit, who pays it, and a 2026 example with the numbers worked out.
- [How much to set aside for taxes when you're self-employed](https://rightobooks.com/blog/how-much-to-set-aside-for-taxes.md): A plain guide to how much of each payment to save for taxes when you work for yourself, with 2026 examples at $30,000, $60,000 and $100,000 of profit.
- [Estimated tax penalty: how it works and how to avoid it](https://rightobooks.com/blog/estimated-tax-penalty.md): A plain guide to the IRS estimated tax penalty: why you might owe it, how much it costs, and the simple ways to keep it small or avoid it.
- [How to pay estimated taxes online](https://rightobooks.com/blog/how-to-pay-estimated-taxes-online.md): A step-by-step guide to paying IRS estimated tax online for free with Direct Pay or your IRS Online Account, and how to pick the right tax year.
- [Quarterly estimated taxes for the self-employed](https://rightobooks.com/blog/quarterly-estimated-taxes.md): A plain guide to quarterly estimated taxes: who has to pay, the four 2026 due dates, how much to send each time, and how to pay the IRS online.
- [Estimated tax safe harbor rules: 90%, 100% and 110%](https://rightobooks.com/blog/estimated-tax-safe-harbor.md): A plain guide to the estimated tax safe harbor: how much to pay each quarter so the IRS cannot charge you a penalty, with a worked example.
- [Free QuickBooks alternatives for a small business](https://rightobooks.com/blog/free-quickbooks-alternatives.md): The free QuickBooks alternatives worth a look in 2026: Righto, Wave, Zoho Books and GnuCash, with what each one is free for and where it stops.

## Help center

- [Help center](https://rightobooks.com/help/): Articles that explain how Righto and its accounting terms work.
- [Help index for agents](https://rightobooks.com/help/llms.txt): Every help article with its URL and a one-line summary.