Nepali Business App ‘Karobar’ Gaining Popularity in Bangladesh

Nepali business app Karobar, which has been downloaded more than 100,000 times on the Play Store, is now gaining popularity in Bangladesh as well.

Samir Phuyal, a 24-year-old IT graduate from Morang, had developed the app five years ago, primarily targeting small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). He says the idea was inspired by his own family business, where accounts were maintained manually on paper.

“My parents ran a footwear and cosmetics store in Gothgau, Morang,” Phuyal recalls. “I initially developed the app thinking it would only serve my family and the local community. But as usage grew rapidly, I moved my office to Kathmandu two and a half years ago to focus on marketing.”

According to Phuyal, the app has now been downloaded 300,000 times in Nepal and around 50,000 times in Bangladesh. “The Play Store only shows ‘100k+’ until it reaches 500,000 downloads, so the number appears smaller,” he added.

The Story Behind the App

Phuyal had been coding and developing software and websites since Grade 11 and had even established a company, Byte Care Technology Pvt. Ltd. A personal incident in his family business inspired him to create a digital accounting solution.

“One day, while sitting in the shop with my father, a customer came to pay for goods taken on credit,” Phuyal recalls. “My father could not find the record in the ledger, and the customer had to come back the next day. That incident motivated me to develop a proper accounting app.”

Before Karobar, Phuyal had developed 2–3 other apps, but they did not gain traction. He also tried using Indian apps for his family business but found them unsuitable. “The English dates in Indian apps did not align with my father’s practice of using the Nepali calendar, which made them difficult to use,” he explained. “So I coded an app under the name ‘Mero Karobar’ and later simplified it to ‘Karobar’ for easier recall.”

Growth, Impact and Future Plans

As the app’s user base expanded, so did the company’s revenue. “Karobar now generates more than Rs 10 million annually,” Phuyal said. “Our company currently employs 35 people.”

With the app gaining traction in Bangladesh, Phuyal is planning to expand its reach to other South Asian countries. “Business accounting practices are largely similar across South Asia, so most features can work regionally,” he said. “Additional features can be added based on local requirements.”