FreeAgent vs IRIS KashFlow (2026): which should you pick?

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

Pick IRIS KashFlow if

• Fits if you're a UK limited company that wants VAT returns and payroll in one product
• Works for sole traders who sell through Shopify, WooCommerce or Amazon

Look elsewhere if

• Tight if you're on Starter: one user, 10 invoices and 25 bank transactions
• Not for you if you're outside the UK, since VAT goes to HMRC and prices are in pounds
• Watch out: the £1.35 and £2.75 months and the annual prices are new-customer offers
• Pricey if you need more than one user: Business is £27.50 a month plus VAT

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.

IRIS KashFlow

• Built for UK businesses: VAT submission goes to HMRC, and prices are in pounds.
• Starter is limited to a single user, 10 invoices and 25 bank transactions to reconcile; Business lifts those limits.
• The page marks the annual prices (£97 and £178 plus VAT) as discounted offers for new customers only.
• The pricing page names a mobile app but not which operating systems it runs on.

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.

IRIS KashFlow

Invoicing and quotes

Send quotes and invoices, set up repeat invoices and purchases, schedule customer statements and set credit limits.

VAT returns

VAT is managed in the software and can be submitted online to HMRC; the vendor also has a Making Tax Digital page.

Bank feeds and reconciliation

Bank feeds bring in transactions to reconcile, capped at 25 on Starter and unlimited on Business.

Purchases, expenses and receipts

Manage purchases and expenses, track mileage and capture receipts with a mobile app.

Payments

KashFlow Payments and IRIS Pay let customers pay invoices online.

Payroll and reports

Both plans list payroll for up to 5 employees, over 50 reports, multi-currency and a customizable dashboard.

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.

IRIS KashFlow

• Starter£13.50

  per month, billed monthly (£97 a year, new customers)

  Single user; unlimited quotes, 10 invoices and 25 bank transactions to reconcile. New customers pay £1.35 a month for 6 months.

• Business£27.50

  per month, billed monthly (£178 a year, new customers)

  Multi-user; unlimited quotes, invoices and bank transactions. New customers pay £2.75 a month for the first 6 months.

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.

IRIS KashFlow

• Other savings

  90% off the first 6 months

  New customers on monthly billing pay £1.35 (Starter) or £2.75 (Business) a month for 6 months, then the regular monthly price.

• Annual discount

  Annual plans for new customers

  New customers can pay £97 a year for Starter or £178 a year for Business, plus VAT, against listed RRPs of £162 and £291.50.