Same price. Different century.

FreeAgent vs AccountsOS

FreeAgent: £33/month for software you have to learn.
AccountsOS: £20/month for an AI that does the work.

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FreeAgent is a mature, well-regarded UK accounting platform at £33/month for a limited company, popular with freelancers, half price for the first six months on monthly billing and free with a NatWest, RBS or Ulster Bank business account (Mettle also qualifies), with solid invoicing and time tracking. AccountsOS costs £20/month with a 14-day free trial, and adds an AI accountant called Finn who answers questions in plain English, handles receipts by voice, and proactively spots tax savings, making it the stronger choice for Ltd directors who want advice, not just a dashboard.

FreeAgent was built in 2007 for freelancers. You're a Ltd director in 2025. You don't need dashboards, you need answers. You don't need menus, you need voice commands. You don't need data, you need advice.

Why Directors Are Switching

Free with NatWest? Sure. But “free” software that costs you hours every week isn't free. Here's what £20/month actually buys you:

Voice-first accounting

Dictate expenses from the car. Ask questions while cooking dinner. FreeAgent needs your full attention. We don't.

AI that pays for itself

FreeAgent shows charts. We say 'Take £12,570 salary and £30k dividends, you'll save £2,847 vs your current split.' That's 12 years of subscription paid in one tip.

4-second receipts

Snap a photo. 4 seconds later: extracted, categorized, matched to your bank transaction. FreeAgent's scanning still needs you to review everything manually.

Feature Comparison

Feature	AccountsOS	FreeAgent
Conversational AI interface Ask questions in plain English. No menus, no learning curve.
Voice input Talk to your books while driving. FreeAgent? Silence.
AI receipt processing Our AI extracts, categorizes, and files. Theirs waits for you.	4 seconds	Manual
Proactive tax optimization AI spots savings you'd miss. FreeAgent just shows data.
Bank feeds Both connect to UK banks
Invoicing Both can create and send invoices
MTD for VAT Both are MTD-compliant On HMRC's list of MTD VAT software (opens gov.uk in a new tab)
Built for Ltd directors FreeAgent was made for freelancers. We're made for you.		Partial
Salary/dividend optimization AI calculates your optimal split. FreeAgent doesn't.
Time tracking FreeAgent includes time tracking (for freelancers)
Learning curve If you can text, you can use AccountsOS	Zero	Hours

FreeAgent

£33/month

Limited company, ex VAT. Half price for the first six months on monthly billing, or free with a NatWest, RBS or Ulster Bank business account, or Mettle (you get what you pay for)

- Traditional accounting software
- Manual data entry and categorization
- You learn the system
- Designed for freelancers

AccountsOS

£20/month

50p less. Infinitely smarter.

+ AI chat interface (no menus to learn)
+ Voice commands while you multitask
+ 4-second AI receipt processing
+ Proactive tax optimization advice
+ Built for Ltd directors

Data vs Advice

FreeAgent is a filing cabinet. AccountsOS is an advisor.

FreeAgent shows you:

“Your profit this month is £4,230”

Now what? Navigate to reports. Export to Excel. Google what it means. Ask your accountant.

AccountsOS tells you:

“Your profit is £4,230. I notice you haven't claimed home office costs. At £6/week, that's £312/year tax-free. Want me to add it to your expenses?”

Say “yes” and it's done. That's 16 months of AccountsOS subscription, paid for with one tip.

Frequently asked questions

What's the difference between AccountsOS and FreeAgent?

FreeAgent is traditional bookkeeping software built in 2007 for freelancers. AccountsOS is an AI-powered accountant built in 2024 specifically for UK limited company directors. You chat naturally, get proactive tax optimization, voice input, and 4-second receipt processing. FreeAgent requires you to learn menus and click through dashboards.

Is FreeAgent or AccountsOS better for a limited company?

AccountsOS is purpose-built for Ltd company directors. FreeAgent was designed for freelancers and added Ltd features later. AccountsOS understands salary vs dividends optimization, director loan accounts, and Corporation Tax planning natively. FreeAgent shows you data; AccountsOS tells you what to do with it.

Can I get FreeAgent free with my bank?

Yes, FreeAgent is free with a NatWest, RBS or Ulster Bank business current account, and Mettle also qualifies for limited companies and sole traders with at least one transaction a month. Otherwise it is £33/month for a limited company, with 50% off the first six months on monthly billing. But free software still costs you time: hours learning the interface, manually categorizing transactions, and missing tax deductions. AccountsOS (free for 14 days, then £20/month) typically saves directors £2,000+ annually in identified deductions. The AI pays for itself.

How do I migrate from FreeAgent to AccountsOS?

Export your data from FreeAgent as CSV files (transactions, contacts, invoices). Upload them to AccountsOS and our AI will categorize and reconcile everything automatically. Most directors are fully migrated within an hour. We also support connecting directly to your bank so new transactions flow in automatically.

Does AccountsOS have all the features FreeAgent has?

AccountsOS covers everything a Ltd director needs: invoicing, expense tracking, VAT returns, bank reconciliation, and financial reports. FreeAgent has time tracking and project management features designed for freelancers, if you need those, FreeAgent might suit you better. But if you're a Ltd director who just wants your accounts handled, AccountsOS does more with less effort.

Trustpilot

20 Jul 2026

I love the innovative approach to accounting

I love the innovative approach to accounting, which can often be quite dull. I particularly appreciate how interactive it is, including the emails, reminders, and the ability to anticipate the next step.

Ksenija · SI

Trustpilot

15 Jul 2026

Great UI, fast response

Great UI, very quick at fixing any errors/bugs.

Mitch Edwards · GB

Stop managing software. Start getting advice.

Free for 14 days. No credit card. Import your FreeAgent data in minutes. The average Ltd director finds £2,000+ in missed deductions in their first month. That's 8 years of subscription paid for, immediately.

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