FreeAgent vs QuickBooks
FreeAgent starts at £10 a month and QuickBooks at £10, but FreeAgent is free outright with several UK bank accounts, which makes the list price close to irrelevant. QuickBooks prices by feature tier and includes CIS from the entry plan. Which matters more depends on your trade and your bank.
Prices checked 10 September 2026 · List prices per month, excluding VAT
Price, side by side #
| FreeAgent, by business type | QuickBooks, by feature tier | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Landlord | £10 | Sole Trader | £10 |
| Sole Trader | £19 | Essentials | £38 |
| Partnership/LLP | £27 | Plus | £56 |
| Limited Company | £33 | ||
FreeAgent's figures come from its own pricing page. QuickBooks loads prices through JavaScript, so those come from secondary reporting and should be confirmed on QuickBooks' own page.
Where each one wins #
| FreeAgent | QuickBooks | |
|---|---|---|
| Cheapest route | Free with the right bank account | £10 a month |
| Pricing logic | By business type | By feature tier |
| Files Self Assessment | Yes, for sole traders | No |
| CIS | Supported | Included from the Sole Trader plan |
| Users | Unlimited on all plans | 1 to 25 depending on tier |
| Market share and accountant familiarity | Common with smaller practices | Very widely used |
Which should you pick? #
- You bank with NatWest, RBS, Ulster Bank or Mettle: FreeAgent. It is free and it is the full product.
- Sole trader wanting the tax return filed: FreeAgent.
- Construction, and cost matters: QuickBooks Sole Trader, where CIS is included at the entry price.
- Several people needing access: FreeAgent, which does not charge per user.
- Your accountant has a preference: follow it.
Working under CIS either way? Check the deduction against the calculator rather than trusting the software blindly, because the labour and materials split is where these things go wrong.
Also worth comparing: Xero against QuickBooks and FreeAgent against Xero.
Common questions #
Which is cheaper, FreeAgent or QuickBooks?
FreeAgent is free if you bank with NatWest, Royal Bank of Scotland, Ulster Bank or Mettle. Without one of those, QuickBooks starts lower at £10 a month against £10 for FreeAgent.
Does FreeAgent handle CIS?
FreeAgent supports CIS for limited companies and sole traders in construction. QuickBooks includes CIS handling from its Sole Trader plan upward. If construction is your main trade, check the current feature list on both rather than relying on any comparison page, including this one.
Which is better for a sole trader?
FreeAgent if you bank with one of the supporting banks, because it costs nothing and files your Self Assessment return. QuickBooks Sole Trader otherwise, on price.
Can I move between them?
Yes, though moving historic data is more work than moving forward from a clean start. Many people switch at the start of an accounting period for that reason.
Prices change often. Every figure is a list price recorded on the date shown, and this site keeps the history rather than overwriting it. Confirm with the vendor before buying.