FreeAgent vs Ledger
FreeAgent
freeagent.comLedger
ledger-cli.orgSide by side
| Figure | FreeAgent | Ledger |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | £4.17/mo | Free |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | Yes | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| Web | Yes | — |
| Windows | — | Yes |
| macOS | — | Yes |
| Linux | — | Yes |
| iOS | Yes | — |
| Android | Yes | — |
| API | Yes | — |
| Plans published | 23 | 1 |
| Spec score · Bookkeeping Software | 9.3 (#5) | 8.2 (#32) |
| API | The public API is HTTPS REST-style, uses OAuth 2.0, accepts JSON and XML, and supports GET, POST, PUT and DELETE methods. | The documentation links to Ledger 3 API documentation and describes it as a C++ API. |
| Founded | 2007 | 2003 |
| Support | The pricing page says users can contact UK-based support accountants online or by phone. | The project points users to its IRC channel and mailing list for questions and discussions. |
| What it does | FreeAgent is cloud accounting software for small businesses, freelancers, landlords, accountants and bookkeepers. | Ledger is a double-entry accounting system accessed from the UNIX command line. |
Plans
FreeAgent
- Sole trader£10 a month
- Partnership or LLP£19 a month
- Limited company£33 a month
- FreeFree
- Bank-account-funded accountFree
- Eligible bank-account planFree
- Landlord — billed monthly£5 a month
- Smart Capture Unlimited add-on£5 a month
- Sole trader — billed monthly£9.50 a month
- Landlord monthly£10 a month
In their own words
FreeAgent
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.
Ledger
Ledger is a double-entry accounting system used from the UNIX command line. Users record transactions in Ledger’s text format and maintain the files themselves; Ledger does not create or modify them. Entries must balance, and an unbalanced entry produces an error instead of a report. Commands can generate monthly and average reports, check balances, reconcile accounts, and track stock capital gains. Ledger supports multiple currencies in an account and can convert between them. Its data files accept UTF-8, dates use ISO format, and decimal values can follow US or European formats. The software is released under the BSD license and is listed as free. It runs on Linux, macOS, and Windows; downloads also include packages or binaries for BSD. The documentation links to the Ledger 3 manual, man page, C++ API documentation, and ledger-mode manual. The project directs users to an IRC channel and mailing list for discussion, and to GitHub for bug reports.