QuickBooks vs FreeAgent
Side-by-side comparison for Making Tax Digital for Income Tax.
QuickBooks
Big US brand with strong UK MTD support.
QuickBooks Online is Intuit's cloud accounting product. Regular heavy discounts (often 90% off for 6 months) make it effectively cheap to start. Full MTD VAT and Income Tax support.
Visit QuickBooksFreeAgent
Free if you have a NatWest Group business account — otherwise £19–£33/mo.
FreeAgent is a polished UK-built accounting platform owned by NatWest. It's free if you hold a business current account with NatWest, Royal Bank of Scotland or Ulster Bank, or a free Mettle business account — and you make at least one transaction a month. Outside that, it's a paid subscription. Strong for sole traders and landlords wanting automation.
Visit FreeAgentAt a glance
| QuickBooks | FreeAgent | |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | £12/mo | Free |
| Free tier | No | Yes |
| HMRC-recognised | Yes | Yes |
| Best for | Sole Traders, Freelancers, VAT-Registered, CIS Subcontractors | Sole Traders, Landlords, Freelancers, VAT-Registered |
| Features | Bank feeds, Mobile app, Receipt scanning, Invoicing, Accountant access, VAT submission, CIS support | Bank feeds, Mobile app, Receipt scanning, Invoicing, Multiple properties, Accountant access, VAT submission |
QuickBooks verdict
A strong all-rounder, especially for CIS subcontractors. Watch the post-intro pricing.
FreeAgent verdict
If you already have a NatWest Group business account — or are willing to open a (free) Mettle account — this is effectively free. Otherwise it's an expensive full-fat accounting platform.