FreeAgent

Free if you bank with NatWest, RBS, Ulster Bank or Mettle, or £19/month (currently 50% off for 6 months) for everyone else.

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At a glance

FreeAgent is UK-built accounting software that’s completely free if you bank with NatWest, RBS, Ulster Bank or Mettle, and fully featured with no restrictions either way.

Free

£19/m

Standalone (50% off for 6 months)

With NatWest/RBS/Mettle

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What is FreeAgent?

FreeAgent is UK-built accounting software designed specifically for freelancers, contractors and sole traders. It was founded in Edinburgh in 2007 and has been owned by NatWest Group since 2018, which is why it comes free to NatWest, Royal Bank of Scotland, Ulster Bank and Mettle business account holders.

Unlike some UK accounting tools that started as international products and added UK features later, FreeAgent was built from the ground up for UK self-employment, tax and MTD requirements.

Key features

Send professional invoices and get paid faster with online payment links
Track expenses and snap receipts on the go
Real-time Self Assessment tax estimate throughout the year
File your Self Assessment return directly to HMRC
Connect your bank account for automatic feeds and reconciliation
Time tracking built in, useful if you bill by the hour
Corporation Tax and Companies House filing (for limited companies)
Free practice dashboard for accountants and bookkeepers

Pricing

FreeAgent has one genuinely excellent route to free, and a straightforward paid price for everyone else.

Free with NatWest, RBS, Ulster Bank or Mettle

If you hold an eligible business bank account with NatWest, Royal Bank of Scotland, Ulster Bank, or use Mettle (NatWest’s app-based business account), you get the full FreeAgent platform at no cost. There’s no feature restriction and no time limit - it’s the complete product, free for as long as you hold the account.

Standalone - £19/month, currently 50% off for 6 months

If you don’t bank with one of the above, FreeAgent costs £19/month (excl. VAT) for the Sole Trader plan, routinely discounted by 50% for your first six months, working out at roughly £9.50/month initially. There’s a 30-day free trial on all paid plans.

Full invoicing, expenses and bank reconciliation
Real-time tax estimates
Self Assessment filing to HMRC
Time tracking
Mobile app

This is a current promotional rate - always check FreeAgent’s pricing page for the latest terms before signing up.

Is FreeAgent MTD compatible?

Yes. FreeAgent is HMRC-recognised for both MTD for VAT and MTD for Income Tax, and has one of the longer track records in the MTD for Income Tax pilot of any major UK provider. Quarterly updates and your final submission can both be done directly from FreeAgent without separate bridging software.

Pros and cons

Pros:

Genuinely free, full-featured product for NatWest, RBS, Ulster Bank and Mettle customers - no restrictions
Built specifically for UK sole traders and freelancers from the outset
Strong, long-standing MTD track record for both VAT and Income Tax
Real-time tax estimate helps you budget for your bill throughout the year
Also handles Corporation Tax and Companies House filing if you incorporate later

Cons:

Standalone price (£19/month) is on the higher end compared to Sage Sole Trader or QuickBooks Sole Trader
Only free if you bank with a NatWest Group brand - not an option if you’re with another bank and don’t want to switch
Some users find the interface has more going on than a very simple sole trader needs

Who is FreeAgent best for?

FreeAgent is the strongest option available if you already bank, or are willing to bank, with NatWest, Royal Bank of Scotland, Ulster Bank or Mettle - you get a fully-featured, HMRC-recognised accounting product at zero cost. If you’re not with one of those banks and don’t want to switch, it’s still a solid MTD-ready choice, but at £19/month it’s worth weighing against cheaper dedicated sole trader tools like Sage Sole Trader if you don’t need FreeAgent’s fuller feature set.

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Frequently asked questions

Is FreeAgent really free, or is it a trial?

It’s genuinely free and fully featured for as long as you hold an eligible NatWest, RBS, Ulster Bank or Mettle business account - not a time-limited trial. Without one of those accounts, you pay the standard £19/month rate after any trial or introductory offer ends.

Does FreeAgent support Making Tax Digital?

Yes, for both MTD for VAT and MTD for Income Tax. FreeAgent is HMRC-recognised for both and has been part of the MTD pilot programme since its early phases.

Do I need to switch banks to get FreeAgent for free?

You need an eligible business account with NatWest, Royal Bank of Scotland, Ulster Bank, or Mettle. If you’re not with one of these already, you could switch via the free Current Account Switch Service, though that’s a decision worth weighing on its own merits, not just for the software.

Can FreeAgent handle a limited company as well as a sole trader?

Yes. FreeAgent has separate plans for sole traders, partnerships/LLPs and limited companies, including Corporation Tax and Companies House filing for limited companies.

What happens to my FreeAgent account if I switch away from an eligible bank?

You’d move from the free tier to the standard paid pricing, since the free access is tied to holding one of the qualifying business accounts.

Compare accounting software for sole traders

FreeAgent is one option among several worth comparing. Browse the full Accounting and Bookkeeping directory to compare it against Sage, Zoho Books, Xero and other options.

Prices and offers correct at time of publication. Always check the FreeAgent website for current pricing and promotional terms before signing up.