FreeAgent vs FreshBooks
We give FreeAgent a 2.2 GPA and FreshBooks a 2.6, out of 4.0. FreeAgent grades higher on value for money. FreshBooks grades higher on features and ease of use. They get the same grade on the free plan and platforms.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
FreeAgent
Accounting for freelancers and small firms, built in the UK
FreshBooks
Invoicing and accounting for freelancers and service businesses
How we grade them
| 2.2GPAFreeAgentFair | 2.6GPAFreshBooksGood | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | COne plan at $27 a month or $270 a year, between this category's middle at $23 and its dearer quarter at $31.10, with no cheaper tier for someone sending three invoices a month. Everything is in it, though, and the first 6 months are half price. | DLite is $23 a month, right at this category's middle, but it bills only 5 clients and has tax-time reports only. Accounting reports and bank reconciliation start on Plus at $43, and every extra team member is $11 a month on top. |
| Free plan and trial | CA 30-day free trial with no card needed. There's no free plan in the US. In the UK, NatWest, RBS, Ulster Bank and Mettle business customers get FreeAgent free. | CA 30-day free trial with no card needed, which is fair. There's no free plan, though, and the 80% off for 4 months is a discount, not a trial: after that you pay the full $23, $43 or $70. |
| Features | CInvoices and estimates, bank feeds, receipt capture, time tracking, project profit, multiple currencies and sales tax reports. The gap is in the listing: the US edition has no payroll, as payroll and HMRC filing belong to the UK one. | BInvoices, estimates, proposals, retainers, online payments, unlimited time tracking, expenses, double-entry reports, bank reconciliation, accounts payable on Premium and payroll run with Gusto. That's the whole job for a business that bills clients. |
| Ease of use | CNo store rating on record. You link a bank and explain each transaction as money in or out, and the dashboard shows when tax bills are due. It's still bookkeeping to learn, though. | A4.7 from 10,979 App Store ratings, the top band for accounting apps. It's built around sending an invoice, which is the first thing most small business owners need to do. |
| Platforms and integrations | BWeb, iPhone and Android, with Stripe, Pleo, Float, Chaser and Tyl by NatWest. There's no desktop app, and the bank feeds page names mainly UK banks. | BWeb, iPhone and Android, with card payments through Stripe, Apple Pay, Google Pay, Affirm and Afterpay, and payroll through Gusto. There's no desktop app, which keeps it off an A. |
| Best for | freelancers who want one plan with no tiers | invoicing first, with the books behind it |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: FreeAgent and FreshBooks. How we grade
Price against what you get
FreeAgent starts at $27 a month and scores 2.3 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. FreshBooks starts at $23 a month and scores 3.3.
FreshBooks scores higher and starts $4 a month lower. Of the other accounting and invoicing tools on the chart, 6 score higher than FreeAgent for less, and 1 scores higher than FreshBooks for less.
Features, ease of use and platforms, averaged
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
Where they differ
- FreeAgent starts at $27 per month, billed monthly. FreshBooks starts at $23 per month, billed monthly.
- FreshBooks also covers payroll.
At a glance
| FreeAgent | FreshBooks | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free trial | Free trial |
| Starts at | $27 per month, billed monthly | $23 per month, billed monthly |
| Free plan | None | None |
| Free trial | 30-day free trial, no credit card required | 30-day free trial, no credit card required |
| Web | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Made by | FreeAgent Central | FreshBooks |
| Price read from | freeagent.com | freshbooks.com |
| Checked | Oct 17, 2026 | Oct 17, 2026 |
Who each one suits
FreeAgent
- Freelancers and contractors who want invoicing, time and books in one plan
- UK sole traders and limited companies filing with HMRC
- NatWest, RBS, Ulster Bank and Mettle customers, who can use it free
FreshBooks
- Freelancers and consultants who bill a handful of clients for their time
- Service businesses that send estimates, proposals and retainers
- Owners who want invoicing first and accounting reports second
Worth knowing
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.
FreshBooks
- The advertised prices are 80% off for 4 months; plans then renew at $23, $43 or $70 a month.
- Lite bills only 5 clients and Plus 50, counting archived clients; each extra team member costs $11 a month.
- Payroll costs $40 a month plus $6 per employee, files US federal and state taxes, and is not available during the free trial.
- Advanced Payments is a $20 a month add-on on every plan except Select.
Key features
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.
FreshBooks
- Invoices, estimates and proposals
- Recurring invoices, late fees and automatic reminders on every plan. Proposals and client retainers start on Plus.
- Online payments
- Clients pay by card, ACH bank transfer, Apple Pay, Google Pay, or Affirm and Afterpay. Card payments through FreshBooks Payments cost 2.9% plus $0.30.
- Time tracking and projects
- Unlimited time tracking on every plan, with project budgets and billing. Project profitability reports need Premium.
- Expenses and receipts
- Bank import, mileage tracking on mobile and unlimited expenses. Receipt scanning starts on Plus, and bill line-item capture on Premium.
- Double-entry accounting
- Accounting reports, bank reconciliation and accountant access start on Plus. Lite has tax-time reports only.
- FreshBooks Payroll
- Payroll run with Gusto inside FreshBooks: unlimited pay runs, free direct deposit, and federal and state payroll tax filing.
Plans
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.
FreshBooks
Lite$23
per month for 5 billable clients, billed monthly
Advertised at $4.60 a month for the first 4 months. Invoices, estimates, expenses, online payments and tax-time reports.
Plus$43
per month for 50 billable clients, billed monthly
Advertised at $8.60 a month for the first 4 months. Adds proposals, retainers, accounting reports, receipt scanning and accountant access.
Premium$70
per month for unlimited clients, billed monthly
Advertised at $14 a month for the first 4 months. Adds project profitability, accounts payable, bill line-item capture and custom email templates.
SelectCustom
Unlimited clients, lower card fees, Advanced Payments included, 2 team members, unbranded emails and dedicated phone support.
Ways to pay less
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.
FreshBooks
- Other savings
80% off the first 4 months
New customers pay 20% of the Lite, Plus or Premium price for 4 months, then the full monthly price. The page calls it a limited-time offer.
- Annual discount
10% off with yearly billing
Yearly plans cost $248.40 for Lite, $464.40 for Plus and $756 for Premium, 10% less than paying monthly.
