Clear Books vs FreeAgent

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.

FreeAgent is accounting software for business administration, invoicing, expenses, tax reporting and business reports. It builds real-time accounts from bank statements, invoices and expenses, with Profit and Loss, Balance Sheet and Trial Balance reports. Users can create recurring invoices, automate late-payment reminders, turn estimates into invoices and accept payments through Stripe and PayPal. FreeAgent can generate MTD-compatible VAT returns and file them directly to HMRC; payroll calculates PAYE and National Insurance and can submit Real Time Information payroll to HMRC. Its iOS and Android apps cover expense recording, time tracking, invoice management and bank transaction reconciliation. It supports bank feeds from most UK banks via Open Banking and connections to HMRC for MTD VAT. The software is designed for small businesses, accountants and bookkeepers. A free plan is listed, alongside paid plans such as Sole trader at £10 a month and Limited company at £33 a month. Smart Capture includes up to 10 receipts and bills per month as standard; a paid Unlimited add-on removes that cap.