Bench vs Clear Books
Bench
bench.co
Clear Books
clearbooks.co.ukSide by side
| Figure | Bench | Clear Books |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | $100/mo | £5/mo |
| Free plan | — | Yes |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| Web | Yes | Yes |
| iOS | — | Yes |
| Android | — | Yes |
| Plans published | 6 | 10 |
| Spec score · Bookkeeping Software | 6.9 (#65) | 9.1 (#10) |
| Accountant access | Yes | Yes |
| Bank feeds | Yes | Yes |
| Founded | 2012 | 2008 |
| Free plan | No | Yes |
| Headquarters | Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada | London, United Kingdom |
| Invoice creation | No | Yes |
| Mobile platforms | web only | ios and android |
| Receipt capture | Yes | Paid plans can scan bills and receipts from photos and PDFs. |
| Paid from | 199 | Paid plans start at £5 per month plus VAT. |
Plans
Bench
- Bookkeeping Light$199 a month
- Bookkeeping$399 a month
- Bookkeeping + Tax$649 a month
- Fractional bookkeeper$55, paid once
- Full-service tax$300 a month
- Returning Customer$1,200 a year
Clear Books
- Sole Trader FreeFree
- Sole Trader£5 a month
- Sole Trader Plus£15 a month
- Property FreeFree
- Property£5 a month
- Foreign Property FreeFree
- Foreign Property£5 a month
- Small£16 a month
- Medium£34 a month
- LargePrice not published
In their own words
Clear Books
Clear Books is browser-based accounting software for UK businesses, sole traders, and landlords, with Android and iOS mobile apps. Its listed capabilities include bank feeds, automated reconciliation, invoice creation, receipt capture, inventory tracking, and accountant access. Users can send branded invoices, schedule recurring invoices, and automate late-payment reminders. Tax tools include VAT submissions, MTD Income Tax, and quarterly updates; Clear Books describes itself as HMRC recognised and MTD-ready. Sole Trader Free and Property Free are ongoing free plans that require no card and have no transaction limits. Property Free covers one property or grouped properties, while Foreign Property Free is for one overseas property. Paid plans start at £5 per month plus VAT, and include a full-access 30-day trial that can be cancelled without payment. Subscriptions can be cancelled at any time. Paid plans include unlimited users and accountant tools. Small, Medium, and Large include integrations and an API, with Stripe and GoCardless built in. Support options range from self-service and email to phone support, with UK-based support.