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Alternatives · Accounting

Clear Books alternatives

As of Nov 12, 2026, the highest-graded Clear Books alternative is QuickFile (3.0 GPA). It's also the best free one.

Clear Books compared with 6 alternatives: QuickBooks Online, Xero, FreeAgent, IRIS KashFlow, QuickFile and 1 more.

Clear Books has a free plan. Paid plans start at £5 per month, plus VAT, billed monthly (Sole Trader). 2 of the 6 alternatives are free or have a free plan. 4 more offer a free trial.

Listings checked up to Nov 12, 2026 · Where the facts come from

Black Friday: is there a Clear Books sale?

At a glance

ToolPriceFree planRuns on
Clear BooksThis toolFree plan · from £5/moYesWeb, iOS, Android
QuickBooks OnlineFree plan · from $38/moYesWeb, iOS, Android
XeroFree trial · from $27/moTrial onlyWeb, iOS, Android
FreeAgentFree trial · from $27/moTrial onlyWeb, iOS, Android
IRIS KashFlowFree trial · from £13.50/moTrial onlyWeb
QuickFileFree plan · from £60/yrYesWeb, iOS, Android
CountingupFree trial · from £5/moTrial onlyiOS, Android

Price against what you get

Clear Books starts at about $6.70 a month and scores 2.3 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. None of the 6 alternatives on this chart both scores higher and starts lower.

QuickBooks Online, Xero and QuickFile score higher without starting lower.

Features, ease of use and platforms, averaged

D1.0C2.0B3.0A4.0Free$2$5$10$20$50$100$200$500More for lessCosts more, scores moreCosts less, scores lessCosts more, scores lessClear BooksQuickBooks OnlineXeroFreeAgentIRIS KashFlowQuickFileCountingup

What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →

  • The best score at each price
  • Has a free plan
  • No free plan
The full chart of accounting and invoicing tools, and the best at every price

How each one differs from Clear Books

  1. QuickBooks Online

    Cloud accounting from Intuit, from a free plan to 25-user Advanced

    • QuickBooks Online starts at $38 per month, billed monthly.

    Suits: US small businesses that want their accountant working in the same books

    QuickBooks Online vs Clear BooksQuickBooks Online pricing and details

  2. Xero

    Cloud accounting for small businesses, with unlimited users

    • Xero starts at $27 per month, billed monthly.
    • Xero has no free plan, only a free trial, unlike Clear Books.

    Suits: Small businesses that want every staff member and adviser in the books at no extra cost

    Xero vs Clear BooksXero pricing and details

  3. FreeAgent

    Accounting for freelancers and small firms, built in the UK

    • FreeAgent starts at $27 per month, billed monthly.
    • FreeAgent has no free plan, only a free trial, unlike Clear Books.
    • FreeAgent also covers time tracking.
    • FreeAgent does not cover payroll, which Clear Books does.

    Suits: Freelancers and contractors who want invoicing, time and books in one plan

    FreeAgent vs Clear BooksFreeAgent pricing and details

  4. IRIS KashFlow

    UK online accounting for sole traders and limited companies

    • IRIS KashFlow starts at £13.50 per month, billed monthly (£1.35 for the first 6 months).
    • IRIS KashFlow has no free plan, only a free trial, unlike Clear Books.
    • IRIS KashFlow lists no iOS and Android apps, which Clear Books has.
    • IRIS KashFlow also covers quotes and estimates.

    Suits: UK sole traders and contractors who need VAT returns and simple bookkeeping

    IRIS KashFlow vs Clear BooksIRIS KashFlow pricing and details

  5. QuickFile

    UK online accounting, free for smaller ledgers

    • QuickFile starts at £60 per year, plus VAT, for accounts over 1,000 ledger entries.
    • QuickFile also covers quotes and estimates.
    • QuickFile does not cover payroll, which Clear Books does.

    Suits: UK sole traders and small companies with few transactions a year

    QuickFile vs Clear BooksQuickFile pricing and details

  6. Countingup

    UK business current account with built-in bookkeeping

    • Countingup starts at £5 per month for up to £750 deposited monthly, after a 3-month free trial.
    • Countingup has no free plan, only a free trial, unlike Clear Books.
    • Countingup lists no web app, which Clear Books has.
    • Countingup does not cover payroll, which Clear Books does.

    Suits: UK sole traders who want banking and bookkeeping in one app

    Countingup vs Clear BooksCountingup pricing and details

Limits worth knowing in Clear Books

  • All prices are in pounds and exclude VAT, and the product is built for UK tax rules.
  • Property and Foreign Property plans (free or £5 a month) are not shown in the plan list above.
  • Payroll, Instant Bank Payments and Auto Bills (on Small, Medium and Large) are optional add-ons.
  • Accountants use a separate partner programme, with unlimited MTD from £50 a month.
Clear Books pricing and details

Common questions

What are the alternatives to Clear Books?

The alternatives to Clear Books in this directory are QuickBooks Online, Xero, FreeAgent, IRIS KashFlow, QuickFile and Countingup. Each one has a side-by-side comparison with Clear Books.

Is there a free alternative to Clear Books?

Yes. QuickBooks Online and QuickFile have a free plan alongside paid ones.

When were these prices checked?

Each listing shows its own date. On this page they run from Oct 17, 2026 to Nov 12, 2026. Vendors change prices without notice, so confirm on their site before you buy.