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FreeAgent

UK-built accounting for sole traders and contractors, filing Self Assessment and MTD VAT straight to HMRC, free for NatWest and RBS banking customers.

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Per employee
£0 (included)
Base fee
£33/mo (or free w/ NatWest)
CIS
Yes
Global hiring
No

Best for

UK sole traders, contractors and freelancers, especially NatWest, RBS or Mettle banking customers who get it free.

Pricing breakdown

All prices in GBPLast verified 5 August 2026

Every fee we track, grouped by where it applies.

Strengths and trade-offs

Pros

  • Files Self Assessment and MTD VAT directly to HMRC
  • Free for NatWest, RBS, Ulster and qualifying Mettle customers
  • Built-in payroll at no extra cost
  • Strong CIS support for the construction trades

Cons

  • Weak multi-currency handling
  • Does not file the monthly CIS300 contractor return directly
  • Receipt capture capped at 10/mo unless you add the £5/mo unlimited option

About FreeAgent

FreeAgent is a UK-built accounting platform owned by NatWest Group, aimed at sole traders, contractors, and small limited companies. It is priced by business type rather than feature tier and files both MTD VAT and Self Assessment directly to HMRC. Payroll is built in at no extra cost, and CIS is well supported for the construction trades. It is free for life for NatWest, Royal Bank of Scotland, and Ulster Bank business banking customers, and for qualifying Mettle account holders.

FreeAgent was founded in 2007 and is headquartered in Edinburgh, United Kingdom.

How FreeAgent compares

Side-by-side with the closest alternatives by estimated cost.

Base fee plus per-employee costs, based on 4 employees. Quote-only providers are excluded.

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Common questions about FreeAgent

The same questions UK merchants ask before signing up.

  • FreeAgent starts from £33/mo (or free w/ NatWest). Payroll itself carries no additional per-employee charge (£0 (included)). FreeAgent is also free for business customers who bank with NatWest, Royal Bank of Scotland, or Mettle, a distinctive route to a no-cost subscription not offered by other providers in this comparison.

  • Yes. FreeAgent is on HMRC's recognised payroll software list, submits RTI Full Payment Submissions, and handles workplace pension auto-enrolment, integrating with NOW: Pensions and Penfold specifically. Statutory pay and P60/P45 issuance are included as standard.

  • Yes. FreeAgent includes Construction Industry Scheme support for deducting and reporting subcontractor payments to HMRC, relevant to FreeAgent's core audience of sole traders, micro limited companies, and contractors, some of whom work in or engage with the construction sector directly.

  • Limited. FreeAgent's employee self-service and leave management functionality are more basic than dedicated payroll and HR platforms, reflecting its focus on sole traders and very small limited companies rather than growing teams. Businesses expecting to add employees and wanting richer self-service tools may outgrow FreeAgent's payroll module over time.

  • FreeAgent is built for sole traders, micro limited companies, and contractors who want simple bookkeeping and payroll together rather than a dedicated payroll platform. Rated 4.5 out of 5 on Capterra from 175 reviews, it particularly suits businesses that already bank with NatWest or RBS and can access it free, with UK-based support included.

  • FreeAgent includes Smart Capture and Radar, native AI tools for capturing receipts and flagging financial issues such as looming tax bills. Third-party Zapier integrations extend it to broader automation workflows, though FreeAgent does not currently publish an official first-party MCP server for direct AI-agent connections.

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