Ask three people in Nepal what library software costs and you’ll get three answers: “it’s part of our school software”, “Koha is free”, and “we got a quote for a lakh”. All three can be true. The price depends on what kind of software it is, and on costs that don’t appear on the first quote.
This guide breaks down what a school, college or community library in Nepal actually pays for, with the prices vendors publish, so you can compare quotes properly.
The three kinds of library software sold in Nepal
Almost every option falls into one of three groups:
| Kind | How you pay | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| A library module in a school management package | First-year price plus a yearly renewal, for the whole package | Local school and college ERP vendors |
| A server-based open-source system | Nothing for the software; you pay for hosting, set-up and support | Koha, SLiMS |
| A desktop app | Nothing, or a one-time price | Khulla, and older Windows programs |
Each has a different cost shape, so the first step is knowing which one a quote is for.
What vendor packages cost
Many Nepali schools meet library software as one module of a school management system, alongside fees, attendance and exam results. The library isn’t priced on its own: you buy the package.
Some vendors publish their prices. Gateway Services in Jhapa, for example, listed its school and college software, which includes a library system, at Rs 48,000 for the normal version, Rs 66,000 for an offline “smart” version and Rs 96,000 for an online one, with yearly renewals of Rs 14,400, Rs 18,000 and Rs 30,000. Those prices are from January 2021.
A 2026 roundup of school software in Nepal found the same spread of pricing models: a flat yearly licence (NPR 1,65,000 a year for one vendor), a one-time licence, and subscriptions charged per student per month.
None of these is a bad deal if the school wants the whole package. But if what you need is the library, check how much of the price is the library, and whether the library module can be bought alone.
Questions to ask a vendor
- What does the first-year price include? Installation, training, data entry, updates?
- What is the yearly renewal, and what stops working if we don’t pay it?
- Does it work without internet? An online-only system stops the desk when the connection drops.
- Can we export every record (books, members, loans, fines) to a file we can open elsewhere?
- Who owns the data, and where is it stored?
- Does it handle Nepali: titles in Unicode, fines in rupees, a Nepali interface?
Write the answers down next to the price. A cheaper quote with a yearly renewal can cost more over five years than a dearer one without.
What “free” Koha costs
Koha has become the default choice for academic libraries in Nepal. The software is free under the GPL, but it runs on a Linux server with a database, and someone has to install, update and back it up. A 2025 survey of Nepali librarians found most were satisfied with Koha, but only a few could install and customise it themselves.
So a library either pays in staff time or pays a company. Hosting companies abroad publish prices in the thousands of dollars a year; Prosentient, for example, lists hosting at over two thousand dollars per library per year. Local companies in Nepal also install and support Koha, but rarely publish their prices, so ask for a written quote. We cover the full picture in what Koha really costs.
For a university library with an IT team, Koha is often worth every rupee. For a school library run by one teacher, the running costs are usually the problem.
The costs that aren’t on the quote
Whatever software you choose, budget for these too:
- A computer. Most libraries use one the school already has. Check it’s not needed for exams on the days the library opens.
- A barcode scanner. A basic USB scanner is enough; it types the barcode as if from a keyboard. It’s optional: you can type barcodes at first.
- Labels. Barcode labels on sticker sheets, printed on an ordinary printer. See how to barcode library books.
- Data entry time. The biggest cost for most libraries is typing in the books, whichever software you use. Time yourself on the first fifty and multiply before you promise a date. Ask whether a vendor’s price includes it; see moving from an accession register to software.
- Backups. A USB drive and a habit of copying the backup to it every week.
- Electricity and internet, if the system is online.
Check current hardware prices at a local computer shop or on an online store before you write the budget: they change too often to quote here.
Free options for Nepali libraries
If the budget is a school’s or a community’s, start with the free options and only pay when you need something they can’t do. Our guide to the best free library management software in Nepal compares them, and who each one suits, in more detail.
| Koha | SLiMS | Khulla | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Software price | Free (GPL) | Free (GPL) | Free (AGPL) |
| Needs a server | Yes | Yes | No |
| Works without internet | Only if the server is in the library | Only if the server is in the library | Yes |
| Public online catalogue | Yes | Yes | Not yet |
| Hosting bill | Unless self-hosted | Unless self-hosted | None |
Khulla was built in Nepal for the one-desk school and community library. It installs on Windows, Linux or Android, keeps the catalogue on that computer, works with no internet, has a Nepali interface, and shows fines in Nepalese rupees with lakh grouping (Rs 1,23,456). There’s no licence fee, renewal or subscription.
Its limits matter when comparing: there’s no public online catalogue, no MARC or spreadsheet import, two computers can’t share one catalogue yet, and dates are shown in AD, not BS. A library that needs those should look at Koha instead. The open-source comparison goes through each system in detail.
How to compare quotes fairly
- Add up five years, not one: first-year price plus four renewals, plus hosting.
- Add data entry: your staff’s time or the vendor’s fee.
- Price what happens when you stop paying. If the records stay locked in the vendor’s system, that’s a cost.
- Try before you buy. Any serious option should let you run it with your own books for a week.
Summary
- Library software in Nepal comes as a module in a school package, a server-based open-source system, or a desktop app, and each costs differently.
- Published vendor prices run from tens of thousands of rupees upwards, plus yearly renewals.
- Koha is free software with real running costs: a server, hosting and skills.
- The hidden costs are data entry, labels, a scanner and backups.
- For a one-desk school or community library, a free offline app avoids the renewal and hosting costs entirely.
Questions
How much does library management software cost in Nepal?
It depends on the kind of software. Library modules inside school management packages from Nepali vendors are sold as part of the whole package, with published prices from tens of thousands of rupees upwards plus a yearly renewal. Koha is free to download but costs money to host and run. Open-source desktop apps such as Khulla cost nothing to use.
Is there free library software for schools in Nepal?
Yes. Koha, SLiMS and Khulla are all open source and free to use. Koha and SLiMS need a web server; Khulla installs on the library's own computer and works without internet, with a Nepali interface and fines in Nepalese rupees.
What hardware does a school library need for library software?
A computer the school already has is usually enough. A USB barcode scanner and a printer for labels make the desk much faster, but neither is required on day one: barcodes can be typed, and labels can be printed later.
What should we ask a vendor before buying library software?
Ask what the first-year price includes, what the yearly renewal costs, whether it works without internet, whether you can export all your data, who owns the data, and what happens to your records if you stop paying.
Try Khulla in two minutes
Open the demo in a browser: nothing to install, no account to create. When it fits, download Khulla for Windows, Linux or Android.
Want a hand setting it up?
Message us on WhatsApp (+977 981-9102869) or email info@sangamadhikari.com. See contact for what to tell us.