bench vs FreeAgent

Compare bench and FreeAgent on pricing, features, platforms, and ratings — both Accounting tools, paid vs Subscription pricing to decide which fits your team.

At a Glance

 benchFreeAgent
Primary categoryAccountingAccounting
RatingNot documentedNot documented
Pricing modelpaidSubscription
Starting price$199/monthFrom £9.50/month (introductory rate for sole traders; free for NatWest, RBS, Ulster Bank, and Mettle business account holders)
Free planNot documentedYes
Free trialNot documentedNot documented
PlatformsNot documentedWeb, iOS, Android
Team collaborationNot documentedNot documented
AI featuresNot documentedNot documented
Public APINot documentedYes

Pricing Compared

Starting price reflects the lowest paid tier, not the full cost for every team size or usage level.

bench

No individual plan breakdown documented yet.

FreeAgent

Sole Trader — £9.50/month (intro, first 6 months); £19/month standard monthly
Partnership/LLP — £13.50/month (intro); £27/month standard monthly
Limited Company — £16.50/month (intro); £33/month standard monthly
Landlord — £5/month (intro); £10/month standard monthly
Free (bank customers) — Free free

Pros & Cons

bench

FreeAgent

Pros

  • Purpose-built for UK tax rules, including Making Tax Digital for VAT and Self Assessment
  • Free for business banking customers of NatWest, RBS, Ulster Bank, and Mettle
  • Combines invoicing, payroll, and cashflow forecasting in one subscription
  • Well-established accountant and bookkeeper ecosystem for practices with multiple clients
  • Backed by NatWest Group's resources while still operating as an independent product

Cons

  • Built specifically for UK tax and compliance rules, so it is of limited use outside the UK
  • Introductory discounted pricing reverts to a higher standard rate after the first months
  • Payroll and some add-ons cost extra on top of the base subscription
  • Feature depth for larger limited companies is lighter than dedicated enterprise accounting suites

Use Cases

bench

FreeAgent

  • Freelancer invoicing and tax filing — A freelancer sends invoices, tracks expenses, and submits Self Assessment returns directly from FreeAgent.
  • Small limited company bookkeeping — A limited company reconciles bank feeds, runs payroll, and files VAT returns for MTD compliance.
  • Landlord expense and income tracking — A landlord logs rental income and property expenses and prepares figures for Self Assessment.
  • Multi-client accounting practice — An accountancy firm manages several clients' books and files returns from a single practice dashboard.

Read the full bench review · Read the full FreeAgent review