FreeAgent vs Relay Comparison 2026
Both cover accounting & tax and creator finance. Here is what separates them on price, billing, what you can take with you, and coverage.
Accounting built around UK sole traders
Business banking with twenty checking accounts
At a glance
- Relay starts cheaper, at $30.
- Only Relay has a free tier.
Side by side
FreeAgent | Relay | |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price (they differ) | From $33 | From $30 |
| Pricing model (they differ) | Free trial, then paid | Free plan, paid tiers |
| Free tier (they differ) | No | Yes |
| Billing | Monthly or annual | Monthly or annual |
| Free trial (they differ) | 30 days | 14 days |
| API | Yes | Not stated |
| Data export | Not stated | Not stated |
| Their cut | Not stated | Not stated |
| Runs on |
Shaded rows are where the two answers disagree and both listings have answered. A row where one side has not stated a fact is left plain, because silence is not a difference.
FreeAgent
Accounting built around UK sole traders
FreeAgent covers invoices, expenses, VAT returns and the self assessment filing a UK sole trader has to do anyway, and it files them with HMRC directly. Bank feeds and receipt capture keep the bookkeeping from piling up into an annual weekend of dread. It is UK-only, so it is no use to anybody filing anywhere else.
Our note
The bank-account route is worth checking before paying. If you already bank with NatWest or hold a Mettle account, this is a full accounting package for nothing, and it is the only offer of that shape in the category.
Relay
Business banking with twenty checking accounts
Relay's difference is that it hands you twenty checking accounts rather than one, which is what makes envelope budgeting work on a business rather than on a spreadsheet beside it. Income splits on arrival: tax here, contractors there, what is left is yours. It also issues a stack of cards and connects to the usual bookkeeping tools. The free plan is a real account rather than a trial.
Our note
The free tier is the one most creators should be on, because the paid features are approval workflows for teams and a better savings rate that only matters on a balance large enough to notice. If the interest rate is what tempts you, work out the difference on your actual balance before paying $360 a year for it.
Ratings are the average of reviews readers left. The facts are stated by each tool’s own listing and are not verified by CloutStack. How we make money.