FreeAgent review: is it the best MTD software if you bank with NatWest?

FreeAgent is UK-built accounting software made for freelancers, sole traders and small businesses. Its big selling point is the price. If you have an eligible NatWest, RBS or Ulster Bank business account, or a Mettle account, you can use it for free. In this review we look at whether it's good enough to choose on merit, not just on price. We checked every price on FreeAgent's own website in October 2026.

Not sure when Making Tax Digital (MTD) starts for you? Our Do I need MTD? checker tells you in about 30 seconds.

Price: how much does FreeAgent cost?

Landlord £10, Sole trader £19, Partnership £27 a month, ex VAT. Free with an eligible NatWest, RBS or Ulster Bank business account, or Mettle with at least one transaction a month.

Prices checked on FreeAgent's website in October 2026, ex VAT. Bank offers and any introductory deals can change, so check the live terms before you sign up.

The price story is simple. If you bank with one of the four eligible providers, FreeAgent is free. If not, the Sole trader plan at £19 a month costs more than Xero Simple (£7) or QuickBooks Sole Trader Plus (£10). In that case, it's worth comparing before you commit.

Is FreeAgent good for MTD for Income Tax?

Yes. FreeAgent supports MTD for Income Tax. It keeps digital records of your income and expenses and sends your quarterly updates to HMRC. Updates are due by 7 August, 7 November, 7 February and 7 May, and your tax return is still due by 31 January (GOV.UK).

One feature stands out for people new to MTD. FreeAgent shows a running estimate of the tax you're likely to owe. That makes budgeting easier and helps avoid a nasty surprise in January.

Here's an illustration. Tom is a freelance copywriter with a NatWest business account. His turnover in 2025 to 2026 was £35,000, so he must use MTD from 6 April 2027, because the threshold for that year is £30,000 (GOV.UK). Because of his bank account, FreeAgent costs him nothing. He gets full MTD software, a tax estimate and a well-rated app without a monthly bill.

A small reassurance: HMRC won't give penalty points for late quarterly updates in the 2026 to 2027 tax year. Our MTD guide for sole traders explains what to do and when.

Is FreeAgent good for landlords?

Yes. Unusually for general accounting software, FreeAgent has a dedicated Landlord plan at £10 a month ex VAT. It's also free with an eligible bank account. That makes it a strong, low-cost choice for landlords with straightforward rental income.

If you have many properties and want tenancy tracking or safety certificate reminders, specialist landlord software may suit you better. Compare options in our best landlord software guide.

FreeAgent key features

• Bank feeds: yes. Bank feeds mean your bank transactions flow in automatically, so you don't type them in.
• Invoicing: you can create and send invoices and see when they're paid.
• Receipts: you can add photos of receipts to your expenses from your phone.
• VAT returns: yes, VAT is supported.
• CIS: not listed in the features we checked. CIS (the Construction Industry Scheme) is where contractors take tax off subcontractors' pay. If you need it, check with FreeAgent first.
• Tax estimate: a running estimate of what you're likely to owe.
• Mobile app: rated 4.8 on the UK App Store and 4.7 on Google Play in October 2026.

Is FreeAgent easy to use?

Based on its features and user ratings, FreeAgent is one of the easiest options for beginners. It was designed for freelancers rather than accountants, so the language is plain. Its apps are rated 4.8 and 4.7, which is among the best scores in our comparisons. If you've never used accounting software before, it's a gentle place to start.

FreeAgent pros and cons

FreeAgent compared with alternatives

Prices exclude VAT unless stated and were checked on each provider's website in October 2026. Introductory offers change often, so always confirm the live price. App ratings are from the UK App Store and Google Play in October 2026.

Xero matches FreeAgent's score and is cheaper if you pay, starting at £7 a month. See FreeAgent vs Xero or our Xero review. QuickBooks suits people who want strong receipt and mileage tools on their phone. See FreeAgent vs QuickBooks. If you want free software without changing bank, Clear Books has free MTD plans, though without bank feeds.

How we reviewed FreeAgent

This is a desk review. We looked at FreeAgent's features and plans as the provider describes them, and checked every price on FreeAgent's website in October 2026. We confirmed FreeAgent appears on HMRC's list of software for MTD for Income Tax (GOV.UK). We checked app ratings on the UK App Store and Google Play. We have not done hands-on testing, so our view is based on features, pricing and user ratings. FreeAgent has no affiliate programme, so we earn nothing from this review. Read how we test.

Final verdict: is FreeAgent worth it?

If you bank with NatWest, RBS, Ulster Bank or Mettle, FreeAgent is very hard to beat. You get full MTD software, a tax estimate and excellent apps for nothing. Landlords also get good value from the £10 Landlord plan. Without a bank deal, the £19 Sole trader plan is fair but not the cheapest, so compare it with Xero first. It scores 4.6 out of 5.

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