MunshiFor most shopkeepers in Bangladesh, the best hisab khata app is one with a Bangla interface, offline use, free backup and no surprise fees. Munshi supports taka and is free and offline, but it has no Bangla interface, so it suits English readers and Urdu-speaking traders rather than every shop. We make Munshi, so read this as an honest note from the maker, not a neutral review. We make no claims about other apps’ features or prices; check them yourself in the store.
What a khata app should do for a Bangladeshi shop
The baki khata, or credit register, is the same idea everywhere: who took goods on credit, how much, when, and what they have paid. A good app should make that faster than paper and safer than paper. In practice that means six things.
Six things to check in any app
- Language. Can you and your staff read every screen? If your team reads only Bangla, this decides everything.
- Offline use. Does it save entries without internet and sync later?
- Backup and restore. If the phone is lost, can you get the khata back, and where is the backup kept?
- Real cost. What is free forever, and what needs a subscription after a trial? Are there limits on customers or reports?
- Reminders. Are reminders sent through WhatsApp or SMS, and does SMS cost money?
- Export. Can you take your data out as PDF or Excel if you change apps?
Our guide to what “free” really means explains the usual catches.
Where Munshi fits
- Currency: choose BDT and every amount shows in taka.
- Language: English and Urdu only. There is no Bangla interface today.
- Offline: every entry is saved on the phone first and synced later.
- Backup: to the phone and to your own Google Drive; sign in on a new phone to get everything back.
- Cost: free with small ads. No subscription. Several businesses, several phones and backup are included.
- Reminders: opened in WhatsApp with the message written; you press Send, so there is no SMS cost.
- Export: statements and reports as PDF or Excel.
Who Munshi suits in Bangladesh
- Shop owners and managers who read English comfortably.
- Urdu-speaking traders and families.
- Wholesalers and distributors whose records are kept in English anyway.
- Businesses that also trade in Pakistan or the Gulf and want one app for several businesses in different currencies.
Who should choose another app
- Shops where the owner or staff need Bangla on screen.
- Shops that need stock, barcode or invoicing features. Munshi records money, not items.
- Shops that want to take digital payments inside the khata app. Munshi records payments but does not move money.
How to try any app safely
- Add five regular customers and use the app beside your paper khata for one week.
- Turn off internet, add an entry, and check it syncs later.
- Make a backup, then check that you can see or restore it.
- Send one reminder and one statement to a friendly customer.
- Only then move the rest of your customers, by import if the app allows it.
Munshi imports customers and balances from an Excel or CSV file, so a list kept in a spreadsheet moves in one step.
Daily routine with any app
Write credit at the counter, not later. Note what was taken. Check the day’s total before closing. Remind customers before balances grow old. These habits matter more than which app you choose.
Questions to ask before you choose
- What happens if I stop paying? For paid apps, check whether you can still read and export your khata.
- Who can see my customers? Read the privacy policy. Munshi never shares customer names, numbers or amounts with advertisers.
- Can two phones use it? Many shops have an owner and a worker. Munshi allows several phones on one account at no cost.
- Does it handle suppliers? Most shops owe money too. A good app shows both what you will get and what you will give.
- Is there a daily closing? A one-screen summary of the day saves time every night. Munshi has Today’s closing.
Several businesses, several currencies
Some Bangladeshi traders also run a business in the Gulf, or buy from India. Munshi holds up to 5 businesses in one account, each with its own currency: one in BDT, one in AED, one in INR. Each keeps its own customers, cash book, bank and backups, so totals never mix.
Reminders without SMS cost
SMS reminders cost money per message on some apps, and many customers ignore SMS. WhatsApp reminders opened from your own phone cost nothing extra and come from a number the customer knows. Munshi opens WhatsApp with the message and amount written; you press Send, one customer after another.
Paper is still fine for some shops
If you have five credit customers and you never lose the notebook, paper works. A khata app pays off when you have many customers, staff on shifts, disputes over amounts, or a need for backup. Be honest about which shop you are.
Our plans
We would like to add more languages over time, but we will not claim Bangla support until it is built and tested. If you need Bangla today, choose an app that has it.
Quick decision guide
- Need Bangla on screen? Choose an app that has it.
- Read English and want everything free, offline, with backup? Munshi fits.
- Need stock and invoices? Choose an app built for inventory.
- Several businesses in different countries? Munshi keeps each in its own currency.
Whichever you choose, test it for a week with a few customers before moving your whole khata.
Munshi is made by DIGIT in Pakistan. For a similar guide for India, read free khata apps in India.