FreeAgent vs Zoho Books Comparison 2026
FreeAgent is UK accounting that files self assessment and VAT straight to HMRC, £33 a month unless a NatWest, Royal Bank of Scotland, Ulster Bank or Mettle account makes it free. Zoho Books gives any solo business a real free plan for one user, no bank required, with 1099 contractor tracking and a client portal, then $20 a month, or $15 billed yearly, once you add users. The question is whether your filing is a UK HMRC one FreeAgent can do for you, or whether you just want a free ledger that works anywhere.
Accounting built around UK sole traders
Free accounting for a one person business
At a glance
- Zoho Books starts cheaper, at $20.
- Only Zoho Books has a free tier.
Side by side
FreeAgent | Zoho Books | |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price (they differ) | From $33 | From $20 |
| 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 | None |
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.
Zoho Books
Free accounting for a one person business
Zoho Books gives a solo business a genuinely free plan with invoices, expenses, bank reconciliation and 1099 tracking on it, which is more than most vendors put behind their cheapest paid tier. It is worth the trade if you already use anything else Zoho makes. On its own it is a heavier, more form-driven thing to learn than the tools built for freelancers first.
Our note
Why people weigh these two
- Zoho Books instead of FreeAgent
- Zoho Books covers the same bookkeeping for a one person business with a free plan to start and paid tiers from $20.
- FreeAgent instead of Zoho Books
- FreeAgent is built specifically around UK sole traders, at $33 with no free tier, worth it over Zoho Books if the accounting rules that matter are the UK's own.
Which one should you pick
Pick FreeAgent if you are a UK sole trader or limited company that wants the self assessment and Making Tax Digital VAT return filed to HMRC without a second tool. At £33 a month it is not the cheap option unless you already bank with NatWest, Royal Bank of Scotland, Ulster Bank or Mettle, in which case it costs nothing for as long as the account is open.
Pick Zoho Books if you want a free plan that is not conditional on your bank: one user plus an accountant, invoices, expenses, bank reconciliation and 1099 tracking, with no time limit. Standard is $20 a month, or $15 billed yearly, once a second user joins. It does no UK filing, so a UK sole trader who needs HMRC submission is still better served by FreeAgent.
Common questions
- Which one has a free plan anybody can use?
- Zoho Books. Its free plan covers one user plus an accountant, with invoices, expenses, bank reconciliation and 1099 tracking, and it is not a trial. FreeAgent's free option only applies to customers of NatWest, Royal Bank of Scotland, Ulster Bank or Mettle; everyone else pays £33 a month.
- Does Zoho Books file a UK VAT return the way FreeAgent does?
- The listing does not describe Zoho Books filing with HMRC or handling Making Tax Digital VAT. FreeAgent's entire product is built around submitting self assessment and VAT returns to HMRC directly, which is what a UK sole trader is actually paying for.
- What does Zoho Books cost after the free plan?
- Standard is $20 a month, or $15 a month billed yearly, once you need more than one user, recurring bills or extra automation. FreeAgent has no low-cost second tier: it is £33 a month flat, or free through a qualifying bank account, with nothing in between.
- Is Zoho Books harder to learn than FreeAgent?
- The editorial note calls Zoho Books heavier and more form-driven, built by a company with fifty other products. FreeAgent is scoped tightly around UK sole trader bookkeeping and filing, which likely makes it the more direct tool for that one job.
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.