Crunch
Accounting software plus access to real accountants, from free to £21.60+VAT/mo.
by Crunch
Worth it if you want an accountant in the loop. Software-only at £10+VAT/mo is competitive with Xero Simple (£7/mo) but adds accountant access at the next tier. Pricey if all you need is the MTD submission step.
Some links on this page are affiliate links, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. How this works.
Overview
Crunch combines online accounting software with access to real accountants, aimed at freelancers, contractors and small UK businesses. HMRC-recognised with full MTD Income Tax support for the April 2026 rollout. The headline pitch is the bundling: Crunch Free covers bookkeeping at no cost, Crunch Pro adds the full software for £10+VAT/mo, and Crunch Premium bundles the software with a named accountant for £21.60+VAT/mo and up. Limited company plans sit higher still, with VAT and payroll add-ons priced separately.
Crunch at a glance
How Crunch stacks up on the dimensions that matter when picking MTD software.
Full MTD coverage. HMRC-recognised for MTD VAT and MTD Income Tax, with the Self Assessment final declaration available on bundled plans where a Crunch accountant signs off the return. The free bookkeeping plan does not include MTD submission, you need at least Crunch Pro (£10+VAT/mo) for filing.
Solid for freelancer-sized businesses. Profit & loss, balance sheet, dividend planner, salary vs dividend calculator, and director-loan reports come built in, the calculators are a Crunch-specific edge that Xero and QuickBooks don't include natively.
Full double-entry bookkeeping on all tiers including the free plan. Bank feeds via Open Banking, automated categorisation, receipt capture via the mobile app. Bookkeeping itself is comparable to QuickBooks; the differentiator is the accountant overlay on paid plans.
Not designed for stock-heavy businesses. Crunch has basic stock fields but no proper inventory module, low-stock alerts, or cost of goods sold reporting. If you sell physical products at volume, QuickBooks Plus or Xero Standard are better fits.
Available via the time tracker and invoicing flow on paid plans, billable time per client maps to invoices. Workable for freelancers tracking hours but lighter than FreeAgent's dedicated project profitability module or Xero Projects.
Mobile app captures receipts and posts them as transactions. Mileage tracking and dividend-vs-salary expense categorisation are built in. Expense workflow is strong for contractors specifically, less so for sole traders who don't draw a salary.
Crunch produces clean management accounts that lenders accept. The bundled-accountant plans add a named accountant who can prepare references for mortgage or loan applications, a real advantage over software-only tools at this price.
Strong fit for new freelancers or contractors who want guided hand-holding rather than learning bookkeeping. The free bookkeeping plan lets you start at zero cost; you upgrade once MTD filing or accountant advice becomes necessary. Limited company formation is also offered as an add-on.
Not applicable. Crunch is aimed at freelancers and small companies that don't fall under UK ESG reporting requirements. Sustainability reporting isn't a feature, larger businesses with ESG obligations would use Sage 50 or a dedicated platform instead.
Friendly, opinionated UI built around the freelancer-and-contractor workflow rather than a generic ledger. The dividend/salary planner and contractor-specific calculators reduce cognitive load for limited company directors. Mobile app is mature.
Free bookkeeping plan
Crunch Free is a permanent bookkeeping-only plan, useful for sole traders who want to keep records in Crunch without the paid software or accountant support. MTD submissions and accountant access require a paid plan.
+Pros
- ✓Real accountants included on paid plans, not just software
- ✓Free bookkeeping tier with no time limit
- ✓Good for freelancers and contractors who want hand-holding
- ✓Unlimited accountant support on the bundled plans
−Cons
- ✕Bundled plans cost more than software-only rivals like Xero or QuickBooks
- ✕Free plan is bookkeeping-only; MTD filing needs a paid plan
- ✕Add-ons (VAT, payroll) priced separately, the headline £10 is software-only
Crunch, frequently asked questions
How much does Crunch accounting cost?+
Crunch has three main tiers in 2026. Crunch Free is a permanent bookkeeping-only plan at no cost. Crunch Pro is software-only from £10+VAT per month and includes MTD filing. Crunch Premium bundles the software with a named accountant from £21.60+VAT per month. Limited company plans and add-ons like VAT and payroll are priced separately.
Is Crunch's free plan really free?+
Yes, Crunch Free is a permanent plan with no trial expiry. It covers bookkeeping, raising invoices and capturing expenses but does not include MTD submission or accountant access. To file your MTD Income Tax return through Crunch you need at least the £10+VAT/mo Crunch Pro plan.
What's the difference between Crunch Pro and Crunch Premium?+
Crunch Pro at £10+VAT/mo is the software on its own, you do your own bookkeeping and submissions. Crunch Premium from £21.60+VAT/mo adds a named accountant who reviews your books, answers questions, and can sign off Self Assessment or company returns. The accountant overlay is what most people are buying Crunch for.
Is Crunch HMRC-recognised for MTD?+
Yes. Crunch is HMRC-recognised and supports MTD for Income Tax for the April 2026 rollout, as well as MTD for VAT. Filing is included on paid plans (Pro and above) but not on the free bookkeeping plan.
How does Crunch's pricing compare to Xero, QuickBooks and FreeAgent?+
Software-only, Crunch Pro at £10+VAT/mo sits between Xero Simple (£7/mo) and QuickBooks (~£12/mo intro). Where Crunch differs is the bundled-accountant tier, neither Xero nor QuickBooks include an accountant in the price, and FreeAgent is only free if you bank with NatWest Group. If you want an accountant included, Crunch Premium at £21.60+VAT/mo is competitive against hiring a separate accountant.
Is Crunch software or an accountancy service?+
Both, depending on the plan. Crunch Free and Crunch Pro are pure software. Crunch Premium and above bundle the software with a named accountant who reviews your books and handles year-end. That hybrid is Crunch's main selling point against software-only tools.
Who is Crunch best for?+
Freelancers, contractors and limited company directors who want an accountant in the loop without paying for a separate practice. If you only need a tool to file MTD submissions, cheaper software-only options like Xero Simple (£7/mo), QuickFile (free), or HMRC's own free tool will do. Crunch makes sense when the accountant access has real value to you.
Does Crunch handle CIS or VAT?+
Yes to both, but VAT submission is a paid add-on on top of the base subscription. CIS deductions are handled within the software for contractors and subcontractors. If CIS is your main need, QuickBooks has slightly deeper native CIS handling at a similar price point.