Mobile Khata App: How to Keep Your Khata Book on Your Phone
A mobile khata app keeps every customer balance on your phone instead of in a paper notebook. Here is what it does, what to look for, and how to move your old khata over in one afternoon.
Quick answer
A mobile khata app is a digital version of the paper khata (ledger book) that shopkeepers use to record udhaar. You add each customer or supplier as a party, record money or goods you give and money you receive, and the app keeps every balance up to date. MobiKhata is a free mobile khata app for Android and iPhone that works offline, syncs to your account, and lets you share PDF statements on WhatsApp.
Key takeaways
- A mobile khata replaces the paper notebook but keeps the same idea: one page per customer and a running balance.
- Look for your language, your currency, offline use, cloud sync, PDF statements and an app lock before you choose.
- You can move a paper khata to MobiKhata in about an hour by entering each customer’s opening balance as one backdated entry.
- MobiKhata is free on Google Play and the App Store, with a web app for your computer.
What is a mobile khata?
For generations, shopkeepers across Pakistan, Afghanistan and India have kept a khata: a notebook with a page for every regular customer. When a customer takes goods on credit, the amount goes on their page; when they pay, it is crossed off. This informal credit is called udhaar or udaar, and for many small shops it is half of all sales.
A mobile khata app keeps exactly the same record on your phone. Each customer or supplier becomes a party. Every time you give goods or money you record a Cash Out entry, and every time you are paid you record a Cash In entry. The app does the arithmetic, so the balance on each party is always correct, and the totals you will receive and have to pay are shown on the home screen.
People search for this in many ways: mobile khata, digital khata, online khata, udhaar book or hisab kitab app. They all mean the same thing: a ledger that lives on your phone instead of on paper.
Why shopkeepers are moving their khata to mobile
The paper khata works until the day it does not. These are the problems shop owners tell us about most often, and how a mobile khata solves each one.
- Lost or damaged books. A flood, a fire, tea spilled on the counter or a misplaced notebook can wipe out months of credit. With a mobile khata that syncs to your account, your records are backed up and come back when you sign in on a new phone. Read more about why cloud backup matters for your khata.
- Disputes about the amount. When a customer remembers a different number, a dated list of every entry ends the argument politely. You can send them a PDF statement instead of reading out pages.
- Adding mistakes. Long columns of handwritten numbers lead to errors. The app recalculates the balance after every entry.
- Finding old entries. Searching a paper khata for one customer or one date takes minutes. On your phone it takes seconds.
- Asking for payment. Many shopkeepers delay asking because it feels awkward. A clear statement shared on WhatsApp does the talking for you. Our payment reminder message templates help with the wording.
For a side-by-side look at both approaches, see paper khata vs digital ledger apps.
What to look for in a mobile khata app
Most khata apps record credit and payments. The differences are in the details that matter to your shop. Use this checklist before you download anything.
| Feature | Why it matters | In MobiKhata |
|---|---|---|
| Your language | You and your staff should read the app without effort. | 8 languages, including Urdu, Pashto and Dari |
| Your currency | PKR, AFN, USD or another currency, set per business. | Yes, each business has its own currency |
| Works offline | Many shops have weak or no internet during the day. | Yes, entries sync when you are online |
| Cloud sync | A lost phone should not mean a lost khata. | Yes, sign in with Google, Apple or email |
| Statements | Customers trust a clear, dated statement. | PDF statements, shared on WhatsApp or SMS |
| Several businesses | Many owners run two shops or a shop and a side business. | Yes, separate ledgers in one account |
| Privacy | Your ledger is private business information. | Optional fingerprint or Face ID lock |
| Price | A khata app should not cost more than a notebook. | Free, with no subscription |
If you want a wider comparison of the apps available today, our guide to the best khata apps in Pakistan covers the main options, and Khatabook vs OkCredit vs MobiKhata compares the three most searched apps directly.
How to move your paper khata to MobiKhata in 6 steps
You do not need to copy every old entry. The simplest method is to carry over each customer’s current balance as an opening balance, then record new entries in the app from today.
- Install the app. Download MobiKhata free from Google Play on Android or the App Store on iPhone. On a computer you can use the web app.
- Sign in. Use Google, Apple or email. Your ledger is linked to this account, so it is backed up and you can sign in on another device later.
- Create your business. Enter your shop name and choose its currency, for example PKR or AFN.
- Add your customers and suppliers. Type a name, add a phone number if you like, or pick someone from your contacts if you allow access.
- Enter opening balances. For a customer who owes you money, add one Cash Out entry for the amount from your paper khata, with the note “Opening balance from paper khata”. For a supplier you owe, add one Cash In entry instead. Change the date to the day you closed the paper book so your records line up.
- Record new entries every day. From now on, add a Cash Out when you give goods or money on credit and a Cash In when you are paid. The balance updates instantly.
The step-by-step setup guide shows each screen. If you want to keep the familiar columns of a paper ledger in mind while you switch, our article on the khata book format shows how each column maps to the app.
Start your mobile khata today
MobiKhata is free on Android and iPhone. Your first customer and entry take about two minutes.
On a computer? Use the same account in the MobiKhata web app.
A five-minute daily routine
The biggest benefit of a mobile khata comes from keeping it current. This short routine is enough for most small shops:
- During the day: add each credit sale or payment as it happens. Use the note field for what was bought, for example “2 bags flour”.
- Before closing: check the home screen. To Receive shows what customers owe you and To Pay shows what you owe suppliers.
- Once a week: open Reports to see cash in and cash out for the week, and send statements to customers whose balance has grown.
Common mistakes when switching to a digital khata
- Copying years of history. It is rarely worth it. Opening balances plus a photo of your last paper pages are enough.
- Mixing currencies in one ledger. If you deal in two currencies, create a separate business for each so every balance stays in one currency. See managing multiple currencies for the details.
- Waiting until the end of the day. Entries made hours later are the ones that get forgotten. Record them while the customer is still at the counter.
- Skipping notes. A short note turns a statement from a list of numbers into something a customer recognises and trusts.
Is a mobile khata safe?
A paper khata can be read by anyone who picks it up. A mobile khata can be safer if the app is built with privacy in mind. In MobiKhata, data is encrypted in transit between the app and our servers, your ledger is linked to your own signed-in account, and you can lock the app with your fingerprint or Face ID. The lock is handled by your phone, so MobiKhata never receives your biometric data.
You also stay in control: deleted entries go to a recycle bin first, and you can delete your whole account and its data from Settings. The privacy policy explains what is stored and for how long, and our article on security features to expect in a ledger app covers the wider picture.
Frequently asked questions
What is a mobile khata app?
A mobile khata app is a digital ledger on your phone that replaces the paper khata. You record credit you give and payments you receive for each customer, and the app keeps every balance up to date. MobiKhata is a free mobile khata app for Android and iPhone.
Is MobiKhata free?
Yes. MobiKhata is free to download and use on Google Play and the App Store, and the web app is free too. There is no subscription.
Does a mobile khata work without internet?
MobiKhata saves entries on your phone first, so you can keep working offline. Your entries sync to your account automatically when you are back online.
How do I move my old paper khata to my phone?
Add each customer as a party and record their current balance as one opening-balance entry with a note, dated the day you closed the paper book. Then record new entries in the app from that day on.
Can I share a customer’s khata on WhatsApp?
Yes. Create a PDF statement for a party in MobiKhata and share it on WhatsApp, by SMS or with any other app on your phone.
Related reading
- Khata Book Format: How to Write a Customer Ledger
- Payment Reminder Messages: 20 Polite Templates for Udhaar
- Paper Khata vs Digital Ledger Apps: Which Is Better?
- Best Khata App in Pakistan: Khatabook Alternatives
Put your khata in your pocket
Download MobiKhata free and record your first entry in minutes.
Free on Android and iPhone. Also on the web.