Automate Basics

FreeAgent vs QuickBooks Online

Pick up to 4 tools and see their free plans, entry prices, platforms and limits in one table. Every fact comes from each vendor's own pages, checked 21 October 2026.

Compared on
FreeAgent

Free plan · from £8.33/mo

QuickBooks Online

Free plan · from $38/mo

What it isUK accounting for sole traders, companies and landlords, free with a NatWest Group business accountIntuit's cloud accounting for US small businesses, from a free tier to plans with AI bookkeeping
Free planFree for as long as you hold a NatWest, Royal Bank of Scotland or Ulster Bank business current account, or a Mettle account with at least one transaction a month (Mettle is not listed for partnerships). Optional add-ons may be chargeable.1 user, no accountant access, up to 2 invoices a month (unlimited if you qualify for and enable QuickBooks Payments), the top 3 reports (profit and loss, balance sheet, account quick report), 1 bank connection, chat support. No credit card required. Mobile app access and third-party integrations are not available on Free.
Cheapest paid plan£8.33/mo billed annually (Landlord (unincorporated))FreeAgent pricing$38/mo (Simple Start)QuickBooks Online pricing
What it coversFor UK unincorporated landlords; excludes 20% VAT; £100 billed yearly. The Sole trader plan is £19/month (£190/year). Promotion: 50% off for the first 6 months on monthly billing, or the first year on annual billing.1 user plus access for 2 accountants. Promotion: 50% off ($19/month) for the first 3 months. No annual contract; the pricing page shows no annual price.
Free trial30-day free trial, no credit card required30-day free trial, shown alongside the 50%-off offer on the pricing page
PlatformsWeb, iOS, Android, APIWeb, iOS, Android
Integrations (vendor's figure)Integration partnerships including Dext, Engager.app, Bright and Syft800+ integrations
Open sourceNoNo
Good for
  • UK sole traders preparing for Making Tax Digital for Income Tax
  • Limited company directors who file Corporation Tax and run payroll themselves
  • NatWest, RBS, Ulster Bank or Mettle customers who want free accounting
  • US small businesses that want accounting, invoicing and payroll from one vendor
  • Sole owners starting on a free plan with a few invoices a month
  • Growing teams that need inventory, project profitability and up to 25 users
Watch out for
  • Built for UK businesses: plans cover HMRC filings and prices are in GBP excluding VAT
  • Smart Capture covers 10 receipts and bills a month unless you pay £5 a month
  • Accounts set up on the cash basis do not include stock or payroll features
  • Free plan: 1 user, 2 invoices a month unless QuickBooks Payments is enabled, 1 bank connection, no mobile app or third-party integrations
  • User caps: 1 on Simple Start, 3 on Essentials, 5 on Plus, 25 on Advanced
  • Inventory, budgets and project profitability need Plus ($140/mo); workflow automation and custom permissions need Advanced ($340/mo)
Made byFreeAgent Central LimitedIntuit Inc.

Entry prices are the cheapest paid plan, as each vendor publishes it; “What it covers” says what that price is per (a user, a channel, a brand, a number of contacts). The sources are listed on each tool's page.

Every tool in accounting and invoicing software is on its category page, with the written head-to-heads on Compare.