FreeAgent Accounting Software Review
In a nutshell
FreeAgent was built specifically for UK freelancers and contractors, and it shows. Founded in Edinburgh in 2007, the platform has been designed around UK tax tasks from the ground up. Tax timelines, Self Assessment estimates, Corporation Tax calculations, and dividend planning are baked in rather than afterthoughts. MTD VAT filing works smoothly with clear explanations at each step. The standout value proposition: FreeAgent is completely free with NatWest, Royal Bank of Scotland, Ulster Bank, and Mettle business accounts. If you bank with a participating provider, this is hard to beat on cost. Even at full price (£19-33/month depending on business type), it remains competitive for the feature set. Over 200,000 small businesses now use FreeAgent.
Pros
- Free with NatWest, RBS, Ulster Bank, or Mettle business accounts
- Purpose-built for UK tax compliance including MTD for VAT and MTD for Income Tax
- Real-time tax estimates for Self Assessment and Corporation Tax
- Integrated payroll with RTI submissions to HMRC
- 90-day cash flow forecasting with smart suggestions
- Award-winning UK-based support team available via phone, chat, and email
- Clean, jargon-free interface designed for non-accountants
- CIS support recently added for contractors
Cons
- Less suited to product-based businesses or those with complex inventory
- Limited scalability for growing teams or multi-departmental businesses
- No multi-currency bank accounts (can invoice in foreign currencies but feeds must be GBP)
- Fewer third-party integrations compared to QuickBooks or Xero
- Payroll limited to UK businesses only
- Project management features are basic compared to dedicated tools
FreeAgent was built specifically for UK freelancers and contractors, and it shows. Tax timelines, Self Assessment estimates, and dividend planning are baked in rather than afterthoughts. MTD VAT filing works well, with clear explanations at each step.
The standout value proposition: FreeAgent is free with NatWest, RBS, Mettle, and some other UK business accounts. If you bank with a participating provider, this is hard to beat on cost.
Best for: Freelancers, contractors, IR35-conscious consultants, anyone banking with NatWest/RBS/Mettle
Limitations: Less suited to product-based businesses or those with complex inventory; limited scalability