QuickBooks Online vs FreeAgent
Verified ratings, real UK pricing and the compliance detail, weighed side by side — with a written verdict at the end.
QuickBooks Online
Accounting Software
- United Kingdom
- Ireland
- United States
- Canada
- Australia
- Phone
- Live Chat
- Knowledge Base
- Forum
FreeAgent
Accounting Software
- United Kingdom
- Phone
- Knowledge Base
- Forum
Evenly matched on verified reviews — 4.1 against 4.1. Price and fit will decide this one, not the score.
The short version
What each one costs and how each one rates, side by side. Only the rows where leading means something are marked; vendor and availability are in the overview above.
| Detail | QuickBooks Online | FreeAgent |
|---|---|---|
| What it costs | ||
| Starting priceLowest paid tier, excluding VAT | £14.33/mo | £19/mo |
| Free version | NoNo | YesYes |
| Free trial | YesYes | YesYes |
| How it rates | ||
| Overall ratingMean of verified Assaylist reviews | 4.1 | 4.1 |
| Verified reviewsVolume is evidence, not a score — this row is not a contest | 262 reviews | 297 reviews |
Highlighted where one clearly leads. Rows without a highlight are not a contest.
How reviewers score them
Across the four dimensions we ask every reviewer about — and, below, the star split each average is built from.
- QuickBooks Online
- FreeAgent
| Dimension | QuickBooks Online | FreeAgent | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ease of use | 4.0 | 4.0 | Level |
| Value for money | 4.0 | 4.0 | Level |
| Customer support | 4.0 | 4.0 | Level |
| Functionality | 4.0 | 4.0 | Level |
What each average is made of
Two products can share an average and not share a reputation. These bars show the star split behind each score.
| Product | 5 star | 4 star | 3 star | 2 star | 1 star |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| QuickBooks Online | 44% (115 reviews) | 35% (93 reviews) | 13% (34 reviews) | 6% (17 reviews) | 1% (3 reviews) |
| FreeAgent | 42% (126 reviews) | 32% (96 reviews) | 16% (49 reviews) | 7% (20 reviews) | 2% (6 reviews) |
Feature by feature
Everything either vendor publishes, split into what separates them and what they share.
- Both products
- 14%
- Only QuickBooks Online
- 1348%
- Only FreeAgent
- 1348%
27 features listed across both products.
What only one of them does
QuickBooks Online
13- Automated bank feeds
- Batch invoicing
- Budgets
- Calculate and submit CIS
+ 9 more in the table below
FreeAgent
13- Bank feeds
- CIS support
- Corporation Tax tracking
- Director Self Assessment
+ 9 more in the table below
Showing 27 of 27 features
| Detail | QuickBooks Online | FreeAgent |
|---|---|---|
| Where they differ · 26 | ||
| Automated bank feeds | YesYes | NoNo |
| Batch invoicing | YesYes | NoNo |
| Budgets | YesYes | NoNo |
| Calculate and submit CIS | YesYes | NoNo |
| Class and location tracking | YesYes | NoNo |
| Custom reporting | YesYes | NoNo |
| Inventory management | YesYes | NoNo |
| MTD for Income Tax ready | YesYes | NoNo |
| Multiple currencies | YesYes | NoNo |
| Project profitability tracking | YesYes | NoNo |
| Receipt capture and mileage tracking | YesYes | NoNo |
| Role based access control | YesYes | NoNo |
| Workflow automation | YesYes | NoNo |
| Bank feeds | NoNo | YesYes |
| CIS support | NoNo | YesYes |
| Corporation Tax tracking | NoNo | YesYes |
| Director Self Assessment | NoNo | YesYes |
| Dividend documentation | NoNo | YesYes |
| Expense and mileage tracking | NoNo | YesYes |
| Invoicing and estimates | NoNo | YesYes |
| Mobile app | NoNo | YesYes |
| MTD for Income Tax | NoNo | YesYes |
| Payroll | NoNo | YesYes |
| Radar business insights | NoNo | YesYes |
| Tax timeline with amounts and deadlines | NoNo | YesYes |
| Time tracking | NoNo | YesYes |
| Where they match · 1 | ||
| Making Tax Digital for VAT | YesYes | YesYes |
A dash means the vendor has not published a feature list — which is not the same as the feature being unavailable.
How they handle UK obligations
Checked against the vendor's own documentation or HMRC's published list. A dash means we have not verified it — never that it is missing.
| Detail | QuickBooks Online | FreeAgent |
|---|---|---|
| Verified against vendor documentation | ||
| HMRC-recognised for MTD for VAT | YesYes | YesYes |
| HMRC-recognised for MTD for ITSA | YesYes | YesYes |
| Making Tax Digital ready | YesYes | YesYes |
| RTI-compliant payroll | Not listedNot listed | YesYes |
| CIS support | YesYes | YesYes |
| Open Banking bank feeds | YesYes | YesYes |
| Data residency | Not stated | United Kingdom |
| UK-based support | Telephone and chat support | UK based support team |
What each tier costs
Both line-ups on one ladder, so the middle tier on one side sits next to the middle tier on the other.
QuickBooks Online
FreeAgent
Simple Start
£14.33/mo
- 1 user plus accountant
- Making Tax Digital for VAT
- Calculate and submit CIS
Free with NatWest, RBS, Ulster or Mettle
FreeLower
- Full product, not a limited version
- For as long as you hold the account
- Mettle requires one transaction a month
Essentials
£34.20/mo
- 3 users plus accountant
- Multiple currencies
- Employee time tracking
Sole trader
£19/moLower
- Self Assessment preparation
- MTD for Income Tax
- Invoicing and expenses
Plus
£50.40/mo
- 5 users plus accountant
- Inventory management
- Budgets
Limited company
£33/moLower
- Corporation Tax tracking
- Dividend documentation
- Director Self Assessment
Rungs are matched by position in each vendor’s own line-up, not by what the tiers include — an entry plan on one side may cover more than the other. Prices exclude VAT unless stated, and per-seat plans are quoted per seat. Always confirm on the vendor’s own site.
Which should you choose?
Two answers, because there are two right ones depending on what you need.
Choose QuickBooks Online if
- It costs less to get started — £14.33/mo against £19/mo.
- It lists 13 features FreeAgent does not, including automated bank feeds.
Choose FreeAgent if
- There is a free tier you can stay on, which QuickBooks Online does not offer.
- It lists 13 features QuickBooks Online does not, including bank feeds.
- It covers more of the UK obligations we check — 7 of them against 5.
FreeAgent is purpose built for the limited company contractor and free with a qualifying bank, while QuickBooks Online is the broader tool with stronger automation and more room to grow. Contractors banking with the right group should look at FreeAgent first; growing businesses will find QuickBooks more scalable.
We may earn a commission if you buy through links on this page. It never affects our ratings or what we recommend. How this works.