FreeAgent
Edinburgh bookkeeping for UK sole traders, landlords and limited companies, free with a NatWest-group account
Quick Overview
| Company | FreeAgent Central Ltd (NatWest Group) |
|---|---|
| Category | Accounting Software |
| Headquarters | Edinburgh, United Kingdom |
| Founded | 2007 |
| EU Presence | United Kingdom (adequacy decision, outside the EEA) |
| Data Location | Ireland: the security page puts customer data in data centres in Ireland; the sub-processor list also names AWS (US, UK, EU/Ireland), Google Cloud (US, EU) and DigitalOcean (US, EU) |
| Open Source | No |
| Compliance | Cyber Essentials Plus |
| Pricing | Landlords £10 / sole traders £19 / partnerships and LLPs £27 / limited companies £33 per month, excl. 20% VAT; free with a qualifying NatWest, RBS, Ulster Bank or Mettle account |
| Free Option | 30-day free trial |
| Replaces | QuickBooks, Xero |
Detailed Review
FreeAgent prices by what kind of business you are rather than by feature tier: £10 a month for landlords, £19 for sole traders, £27 for partnerships and LLPs and £33 for limited companies, all excluding 20% VAT, with a 30-day trial and a 50% discount over the first six months.
Hold a qualifying NatWest, RBS, Ulster Bank or Mettle account and the software costs nothing at all, which is how a large share of its users arrive; accountants get a practice dashboard free. Priced by legal form, it is the rare package where a landlord is not paying for a limited company's features.
FreeAgent Central Ltd was incorporated in Edinburgh on 19 February 2007, company number SC316774, and has belonged to NatWest Group since 2018, operationally independent by its own account. That ownership is also the explanation for the free tier: this is a retention product for a bank, and the bank is the owner rather than a partner.
Hosting is the weaker part, though less weak than the sub-processor list alone suggests. The security page says customer data is held in data centres in Ireland across multiple availability zones, and FreeAgent is certified to Cyber Essentials Plus.
The sub-processor page still names AWS in the US, the UK and EU/Ireland, Google Cloud in the US and the EU, and DigitalOcean in the US and the EU, so the United States appears for all three providers. The UK itself sits outside the EEA under an adequacy decision, the code is closed, and the product files to HMRC and nowhere else.
What FreeAgent does well
- Prices published per business type, £10 to £33 per month
- Free with a qualifying NatWest, RBS, Ulster Bank or Mettle account
- 50% off the first six months, plus a 30-day trial
- Free practice dashboard for accountants
- Edinburgh company, on the register since 2007
Where FreeAgent falls short
- Primary data in Ireland, but US regions on the sub-processor list
- AWS, Google Cloud and DigitalOcean all listed with US regions
- Owned by NatWest Group, a bank
- Cyber Essentials Plus only; no ISO 27001 for FreeAgent itself on its security page
- UK only, and outside the EEA
Standout feature. Free if you bank with the owner: a NatWest, RBS, Ulster Bank or Mettle account removes the subscription entirely — the strongest offer in this list, and the reason to read the sub-processor page before accepting it.
Pros and Cons
Pros
- Prices published per business type, £10 to £33 per month
- Free with a qualifying NatWest, RBS, Ulster Bank or Mettle account
- 50% off the first six months, plus a 30-day trial
- Free practice dashboard for accountants
- Edinburgh company, on the register since 2007
Cons
- Primary data in Ireland, but US regions on the sub-processor list
- AWS, Google Cloud and DigitalOcean all listed with US regions
- Owned by NatWest Group, a bank
- Cyber Essentials Plus only; no ISO 27001 for FreeAgent itself on its security page
- UK only, and outside the EEA
Alternatives to FreeAgent
Frequently Asked Questions
What is FreeAgent?
FreeAgent prices by what kind of business you are rather than by feature tier: £10 a month for landlords, £19 for sole traders, £27 for partnerships and LLPs and £33 for limited companies, all excluding 20% VAT, with a 30-day trial and a 50% discount over the first six months.
Hold a qualifying NatWest, RBS, Ulster Bank or Mettle account and the software costs nothing at all, which is how a large share of its users arrive; accountants get a practice dashboard free. Priced by legal form, it is the rare package where a landlord is not paying for a limited company's features.
Where is FreeAgent based?
FreeAgent operates from Edinburgh, United Kingdom, which places it under United Kingdom (adequacy decision, outside the EEA). Compliance: Cyber Essentials Plus.
What does FreeAgent cost?
Landlords £10 / sole traders £19 / partnerships and LLPs £27 / limited companies £33 per month, excl. 20% VAT; free with a qualifying NatWest, RBS, Ulster Bank or Mettle account. 30-day free trial.
Who is FreeAgent best for?
UK sole traders, landlords and limited companies, especially NatWest-group customers. Free if you bank with the owner: a NatWest, RBS, Ulster Bank or Mettle account removes the subscription entirely — the strongest offer in this list, and the reason to read the sub-processor page before accepting it.
What are the drawbacks of FreeAgent?
Primary data in Ireland, but US regions on the sub-processor list. AWS, Google Cloud and DigitalOcean all listed with US regions. Owned by NatWest Group, a bank. Cyber Essentials Plus only; no ISO 27001 for FreeAgent itself on its security page. UK only, and outside the EEA.
Is FreeAgent a good alternative to QuickBooks?
FreeAgent is built as a European alternative to QuickBooks: Edinburgh bookkeeping for UK sole traders, landlords and limited companies, free with a NatWest-group account. It will not be a like-for-like feature match in every respect, so check the review above for where the two genuinely differ before switching.
How does FreeAgent compare to other Accounting Software?
FreeAgent is one of several European Accounting Software we cover. It is most often compared with QuickBooks, Xero.