FreeAgent vs Open Accounting
FreeAgent
freeagent.comOpen Accounting
openaccounting.ioSide by side
| Figure | FreeAgent | Open Accounting |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | £4.17/mo | $0.99/mo |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | Yes | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| Web | Yes | Yes |
| iOS | Yes | — |
| Android | Yes | Yes |
| API | Yes | Yes |
| Plans published | 23 | 4 |
| Spec score · Financial Management | 9.2 (#1) | 8.2 (#17) |
| Spec score · Bookkeeping Software | 9.3 (#5) | 7.9 (#39) |
| Accounting | FreeAgent automatically builds real-time business accounts from bank statements, invoices and expenses, and provides reports including Profit and Loss, Balance Sheet and Trial Balance. | The platform provides a double-entry accounting system with customizable accounts and reports. |
| 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 REST API provides access to and creation of users, organizations, transactions, accounts, and prices. |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Headquarters | Edinburgh, Scotland, UK | 6834 S University Blvd, Centennial, CO 80122, United States |
| Integrations | Supported connections include Open Banking feeds, HMRC, Stripe, PayPal, GoCardless, Basecamp and many listed integration partners. | The privacy policy mentions Google accounts and identifies Stripe as a payment, analytics, and other business service provider. |
| Product | FreeAgent is accounting software designed to automate business admin such as invoicing and expenses, streamline tax reporting and provide business insights and reports. | Open Accounting describes itself as an open source accounting platform. |
| Security | FreeAgent says it is Cyber Essentials Plus certified, uses fault-tolerant infrastructure and follows UK DPA 2018 and UK GDPR requirements. | The privacy policy says the company uses reasonable efforts to protect user information but does not guarantee complete security of data transmission, hosting, or storage. |
| Support | The pricing page says users can contact UK-based support accountants online or by phone. | The pricing page lists email support for Personal Plus and Business, and phone and email support for Enterprise. |
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
Open Accounting
- Personal Plus$0.99 a month
- Business$4.99 a month
- PersonalFree
- EnterprisePriced on request
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.
Open Accounting
Open Accounting has no write-up on Specifiction yet; its figures are above.