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

Pick Crunch if

• Fits if you run a UK limited company and want an accountant plus software in one bill
• Makes sense if you're a UK sole trader who wants Self Assessment and MTD handled

Look elsewhere if

• Skip it if you want to see a price before talking to anyone: it's quote only
• Watch out: employee payroll is £20 plus VAT a month for up to 5 employees, and company formation is £100
• Watch out: Self Assessment is described as worth £240 plus VAT where it isn't already in your plan
• Not for you if you're outside the UK

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

Crunch

• Prices come from an instant quote based on turnover, transactions and extras, so no plan prices are listed here.
• Employee payroll is listed at £20 plus VAT a month for up to 5 employees; company formation is £100.
• Self Assessment filing is described as worth £240 plus VAT where it is not already part of a plan.
• A software-only option exists, but its price is also given through the quote process.

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.

Crunch

Accountant-led service

Crunch pairs its software with accountants who handle year-end accounts, tax returns and Self Assessment filing.

Invoices and expenses

The software pages cover sending invoices, tracking expenses and a payments feature called CrunchPay.

Bank connection and reconciliation

Connect a business bank account and reconcile its transactions against invoices and expenses in the software.

Making Tax Digital for Income Tax

MTD ITSA software is advertised at no additional cost to accountancy clients, per the comparison pages.

Director and employee payroll

Director payroll is included for up to 2 directors; employee payroll is an add-on handled by Crunch.

Tax optimization review

The Premium plan description lists a tax optimization review, and the site advertises average tax savings for clients.

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.

Crunch

Pricing could not be confirmed. See crunch.co.uk.

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.

Crunch

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.