Sole Trader
19 pounds plus VAT per month, half price for the first six months.
R450/mo
per month
- Invoicing and expenses
- UK self assessment
- Bank feeds
- Projects and time tracking
FreeAgent vs QuickBooks Online
Verified ratings, feature-by-feature comparison and rand pricing — everything a South African business needs to pick between these two.
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Ratings
Every score, at a glance
Verified user ratings across every dimension — FreeAgent against QuickBooks Online, nothing weighted.
Dimensions won
5 – 0
FreeAgent vs QuickBooks Online, across 5 rating dimensions
Widest rating gap
+0,2
FreeAgent leads on customer service
Verified reviews
391
186 for FreeAgent, 205 for QuickBooks Online
FreeAgent
4,2
186 verified reviews
QuickBooks Online
4,1
205 verified reviews
Ratings by dimension
- FreeAgent
- QuickBooks Online
Overall
4,2
4,1
Ease of use
4,1
4,0
Value for money
4,1
4,0
Customer service
4,1
3,9
Functionality
4,1
4,0
Share of verified reviews
Who South African reviewers actually write about.
- FreeAgent (186)
- QuickBooks Online (205)
Cost to get started
Cheapest paid plan, shown per month.
FreeAgent
R450/mo
QuickBooks Online
R322/mo
QuickBooks Online is the cheaper way in. Lower isn't automatically better — weigh it against the ratings above.
Head to head
Where each one wins
Row by row, with the stronger score highlighted. Straight from verified reviews.
| FreeAgent | QuickBooks Online | |
|---|---|---|
| Overall rating | 4,2 | 4,1 |
| Reviews | 186 | 205 |
| Ease of use | 4,1 | 4,0 |
| Value for money | 4,1 | 4,0 |
| Customer service | 4,1 | 3,9 |
| Functionality | 4,1 | 4,0 |
| Starting price | R450/mo | R322/mo |
| Free trial | Yes | Yes |
Features
Feature by feature, checked off
Everything each product ships, side by side. No marketing gloss.
| Feature | FreeAgent | QuickBooks Online |
|---|---|---|
| Pound invoicing with automatic reminders | ||
| UK VAT returns under Making Tax Digital | ||
| Self assessment and corporation tax tracking | ||
| UK bank feeds | ||
| Expenses and mileage | ||
| Projects and time tracking | ||
| Recurring invoices | ||
| Cash flow view | ||
| Payroll for UK employees | ||
| Accountant access | ||
| Invoicing and quotes | ||
| Bank feeds with automatic categorisation | ||
| VAT tracking at 15% | ||
| Receipt and mileage capture | ||
| Project profitability | ||
| Inventory management | ||
| Budgets and forecasting | ||
| Custom report builder | ||
| Multiple currencies | ||
| Accountant access on every plan |
Pricing
Both price lists, in rand
Every plan from both vendors, priced as South African teams actually pay.
FreeAgent plans
Try it free
Limited Company
33 pounds plus VAT per month for UK limited companies.
R780/mo
per month
- Everything in Sole Trader
- Corporation tax estimates
- Dividend vouchers
- UK VAT filing to HMRC
Free via bank
Free with a NatWest, RBS, Ulster Bank or Mettle business account.
Free
no card needed
- Full product at no cost
- While the account stays open
Straight from the vendor
Get current pricing
These are list prices in rand and vendors adjust them from time to time. Check with FreeAgent Central for the figure you'll actually pay.
QuickBooks Online plans
Simple Start
Build your financial foundation. One user plus your accountant.
R322/mo
per month
- Income and expenses
- Invoices and quotes
- VAT tracking at 15%
- AI transaction categorisation
Essentials
Three users, bills and multiple currencies.
R508/mo
per month
- Everything in Simple Start
- Bill management
- Multiple currencies
- Time entry
Plus
The customer favourite. Five users with stock and projects.
R708/mo
per month
- Everything in Essentials
- Inventory tracking
- Project profitability
- Class and location tracking
Advanced
Twenty five users with automation and custom reporting.
R1 144/mo
per month
- Everything in Plus
- Custom report builder
- Workflow automation
- Role based access
- Backup and restore
Straight from the vendor
Get current pricing
These are list prices in rand and vendors adjust them from time to time. Check with Intuit for the figure you'll actually pay.
Verdict
Our verdict
A mainstream heavyweight against a beloved specialist. QuickBooks Online is the broader product with deeper reporting, inventory options and rand pricing for South African books. FreeAgent is the friendlier product, but it is UK tax software: superb for SA freelancers and outsourcing firms serving British clients, wrong for SARS books. Choose by jurisdiction first and preference second.