Countingup vs FreeAgent (2026): which should you pick?

Pick Countingup if

• Fits if you are a UK sole trader or a one-or-two-director limited company who does admin from a phone
• Works for owners who want business banking and VAT filing under one login

Look elsewhere if

• Skip it if you want a browser or desktop app, because the listing shows phone apps only
• Not for you if you are a partnership, charity or trust, or your company has more than two directors or corporate shareholders
• Pricey if money flows through it, since the fee rises from £5 to £12 to £20 as deposits grow
• Watch out: more than 3 free transfers or Direct Debits a month cost 27p each, ATM withdrawals £1 and foreign card spending 3%

Pick FreeAgent if

• Fits if you're a UK sole trader or limited company filing with HMRC
• Works for you if you bank with NatWest, RBS, Ulster Bank or Mettle, as it's free with them

Look elsewhere if

• Not for you if you run payroll in the US, as the US edition has none
• Pricey if you only send a few invoices, since there's one $27 plan and nothing smaller
• Skip it if you want unlimited receipt scanning included, as that's $6 a month extra
• Watch out: the advertised price is 50% off the first 6 months, then it renews at $27 a month
• Tight if you bank outside the UK, as the bank feeds page names mainly UK banks and support is UK-based

Countingup

• Open to UK residents aged 18 or over who are sole traders or directors of limited companies; partnerships, charities and trusts are not supported.
• Limited companies must be limited by shares, with up to two directors and all shareholders being individuals.
• Fees apply beyond 3 free account transfers and outgoing Direct Debits a month (27p each), plus £1 per ATM withdrawal and 3% on foreign transactions.
• An app is needed to open and use the account; no desktop or browser app is listed on the pages read.

FreeAgent

• The advertised prices are 50% off the first 6 months (or first year, paid annually); it then renews at $27 a month or $270 a year.
• Payroll, Making Tax Digital and HMRC filing belong to the UK edition; the US edition lists sales tax reports but no payroll.
• UK prices depend on business type, excluding VAT: £10 a month for landlords, £19 sole traders, £27 partnerships and £33 limited companies.
• Support comes from accountants based in the UK, and the bank feeds page names mainly UK banks.

Countingup

Business account with accounting

Payments in and out are categorized automatically, with cashflow and performance reporting in the app.

Invoices and payment links

Create and send invoices from the app, see which are unpaid and get a notification when a payment lands.

Receipt capture

Photograph receipts in the app and attach them to the matching transaction.

VAT and tax

VAT returns are filed to HMRC through a Making Tax Digital-compliant tool at no extra cost, with a running tax estimate and deadline reminders.

Tax pots

A tax pot sets money aside, and the page says deposits into it earn 1.45% variable interest.

Accountant access

An Accountant Hub lets an accountant see the data they need through secure access.

FreeAgent

Estimates and invoices

Send estimates and invoices from templates, convert an estimate to an invoice in one click, and invoice in other currencies.

Bank feeds

Import transactions daily from linked bank accounts, or upload OFX, QIF and CSV statements, and explain each one as money in or out.

Expenses and Smart Capture

Photograph receipts on the phone and upload them. Unlimited Smart Capture scanning is a $6 a month add-on.

Time tracking and projects

Record time with a stopwatch or timesheets and see the income, costs and profit of each project.

Dashboard and Radar

A dashboard shows cash flow and when tax bills are due, and Radar points out trends in the business's numbers.

Sales tax reports

Set one or more sales tax rates, including compound ones, and report tax charged and reclaimable, with Schedule C reporting.

Countingup

• Entry£5

  per month while total monthly deposits are £0 to £750

  Includes all banking, accounting and tax features. The page does not name the tiers; they are set by deposits.

• Mid£12

  per month while total monthly deposits are £750.01 to £7,500

  Same features as the entry tier, priced by how much money comes into the account.

• Unlimited deposits£20

  per month for unlimited monthly deposits

  Same features, with no cap on deposits.

FreeAgent

• FreeAgent$27

  per month, billed monthly

  Advertised at $13.50 a month for the first 6 months. One plan with invoicing, expenses, banking, projects, time tracking, sales tax reports and multiple currencies.

Countingup

No public discounts listed.

FreeAgent

• Other savings

  50% off the first 6 months

  New customers on monthly billing pay $13.50 a month for 6 months, then $27. The UK offer works the same way on each business-type price.

• Annual discount

  Pay yearly: 12 months for the price of 10

  Paying upfront costs $270 a year, the price of 10 months. The first year is half price at $135.

• Other savings

  Free with a NatWest, RBS, Ulster Bank or Mettle account

  UK businesses with a NatWest, Royal Bank of Scotland or Ulster Bank business account, or a Mettle account used at least once a month, get FreeAgent free.