FreeAgent vs Starling: Complete Comparison (2026)
An in-depth comparison of FreeAgent and Starling to help you choose the right tool for your business.
Last updated: November 2026
FreeAgent
6.4/10
FreeAgent is UK cloud accounting software for sole traders, limited companies, partnerships, and landlords. It covers invoicing, banking, payroll, and Making Tax Digital filing.
Starling
6.6/10
A UK digital bank business account with built-in invoicing, bookkeeping, and Making Tax Digital tax tools for sole traders and small limited companies.
Feature-by-Feature Comparison
| Feature | | |
|---|---|---|
| Scores | ||
| Overall Rating | 6.4/10 | 6.6/10 |
| Analytics | 4/10 | 4/10 |
| Compliance | 8/10 | 7/10 |
| Cost | 8/10 | 9/10 |
| Customization | 4/10 | 3/10 |
| Ease of Use | 8/10 | 8/10 |
| Integration | 6/10 | 6/10 |
| Scalability | 3/10 | 3/10 |
| Security | 6/10 | 8/10 |
| Support | 7/10 | 7/10 |
| Pricing | ||
| Free plan | No | Yes |
| Cheapest paid plan | £10/mo Landlord | £7/mo Accounting Plus |
| Estimated cost for 10 users | £10/mo Landlord | Free Business Account + Accounting Essentials |
| Features | ||
| Accountant Access | ||
| Bank Reconciliation | ||
| Expense Management | ||
| Invoicing | ||
| Online Payments | ||
| Tax Compliance | ||
| Financial Reporting | Not listed | |
| General Ledger | Not listed | |
| Multi-currency | Not listed | |
| Payroll | Not listed | |
FreeAgent vs Starling cost by team size
Starling costs less at every team size we checked.
| Team size | FreeAgent | Starling |
|---|---|---|
| 1 user | £10/moLandlord | FreeBusiness Account + Accounting Essentials |
| 5 users | £10/moLandlord | FreeBusiness Account + Accounting Essentials |
| 10 users | £10/moLandlord | FreeBusiness Account + Accounting Essentials |
| 25 users | £10/moLandlord | FreeBusiness Account + Accounting Essentials |
| 50 users | £10/moLandlord | FreeBusiness Account + Accounting Essentials |
The plan that fits each team size, billed monthly, before add-ons and usage charges. Each cost opens that tool's pricing calculator for the team size.
Which One Should You Choose?
Why choose FreeAgent
- Higher Compliance score (8/10 vs 7/10)
- Higher Customization score (4/10 vs 3/10)
- Better fit for freelancers (10/10 vs 8/10)
Why choose Starling
- Has a free plan (FreeAgent does not)
- Lower estimated cost for 10 users: Free vs £10/mo
- Higher Security score (8/10 vs 6/10)
- Higher Cost score (9/10 vs 8/10)
Pros & Cons
FreeAgent
Pros
- Free for customers with a NatWest, RBS, Ulster Bank, or qualifying Mettle business account.
- Built-in HMRC filing covers MTD VAT, Self Assessment, and MTD for Income Tax, and the limited company plan adds end-of-year filing.
- Reviewers often praise its UK-based phone and chat support.
- Every plan includes time tracking, projects, and invoicing, which suits freelancers who bill by the hour.
- Multi-currency invoicing and foreign-currency bank accounts are supported, with realised and unrealised gains and losses calculated automatically.
Cons
- Reviewers describe invoice templates as basic and say custom reporting is limited.
- Payroll suits only director-only setups or very small teams.
- Its integration ecosystem is smaller than those of Xero or QuickBooks.
- It has no multi-entity consolidation or advanced controls, so it does not scale to larger firms.
- Some users report out-of-date help articles.
Starling
Pros
- The business account has no monthly fee, and UK transfers, invoicing, and up to five expense cards are free.
- The free Essentials tier includes MTD for Income Tax submissions, which helps sole traders and landlords facing the April 2026 rules.
- VAT returns can be filed to HMRC from inside the banking app for £7 a month until April 2027.
- Bank feeds connect to Xero, QuickBooks, and FreeAgent.
- UK-based support is available 24/7 in the app, and Finder ranked it highly for customer satisfaction in 2026.
Cons
- It is not a full accounting system: there is no general ledger, payroll, or multi-entity support.
- Accountants only get view-only access.
- Only GBP and EUR accounts are available, and new USD account applications are paused.
- Eligibility is strict: directors and people with significant control must be UK residents.
- Overdrafts and loans are not available to new business customers, and there are no branches.
Not sold on either?
Frequently Asked Questions
Starling scores higher on our Finance Software criteria: 6.6/10 against 6.4/10 for FreeAgent. The largest gap is in Security: 6/10 for FreeAgent and 8/10 for Starling.
Starling costs less for 10 users: free on its Business Account + Accounting Essentials plan, against about £10/mo on its Landlord plan for FreeAgent, billed monthly.
Starling has a free plan; FreeAgent does not list one.
FreeAgent is the better fit for freelancers: we rate it 10/10 for them, against 8/10 for Starling.
