Tide Accounting vs FreeAgent: Which Is Better Accounting Software?

We compare them based on real user reviews, prices and what features they both offer.

Tide Accounting vs FreeAgent Basics

	Tide Accounting	FreeAgent
Software Website	Tide Accounting Website	FreeAgent Website
HMRC MTD Status	Not Included	Approved
Who Can Use It?	Businesses and Self-employed	Agents and businesses
HMRC Listed Features	None	Digital record keeping, Updates to HMRC for self-employment, Updates to HMRC for UK property, Tax estimates from HMRC based on provided updates, Free version available
Platforms	Web-based application, Android, iOS	Web-based application, Android, iOS, Windows phone

Note data for this section comes from HMRC here and here

Wondering if Tide Accounting or FreeAgent has better user reviews. We compared them below.

	Tide Accounting	FreeAgent
Trustpilot Rating	4.3	4.6
Number of Trustpilot Reviews	17984	2180
iPhone App Rating	4.4	4.8
Number of iPhone Reviews	7	9600
Android App Rating	4.5	4.8
Number of Android Reviews	13	1130

Please note ratings we’re accurate at the time of writing but may have since changed

Which is cheaper Tide Accounting or FreeAgent? Here are their prices compared.

Data taken from each company’s website at the time of writing but may have since changed.

Data taken from each company’s website at the time of writing but may have since changed.

Dashboard – See the big picture for your business at a glance with cashflow, profit and loss, invoice timelines and more.
Business Insights with Radar – Get intelligent insights, tailored trend-spotting and personalised tips all in one place.
Estimates – Win more work with professional estimate templates ready to be converted to invoices.
Invoicing – Get paid faster with easy invoicing tools. Send customised invoices, reminders and thank-you emails.
Expenses – Track business costs quickly and easily. Snap receipts and record out-of-pocket expenses on the go.
Projects – Keep tabs on your project income, expenses and profitability – all in one place.
Time Tracking – Track the time you spend on projects, add this to invoices and generate timesheet reports.
Payroll – Run monthly payroll and file auto-calculated PAYE and National Insurance directly to HMRC.
Banking – Set up a bank feed and let all of your transactions flow into FreeAgent automatically.
VAT filing – Generate MTD-compliant VAT returns automatically and file them directly to HMRC in minutes.
Self Assessment – Get a real-time view of how much you owe for your tax return and file it directly to HMRC.

	Tide Accounting	FreeAgent
Payroll Software Integration	Yes	Yes
Track VAT	Yes	Yes
VAT Filing	Yes	Yes
Real-Time Financial Reports	Yes	Yes
Prepare Self Assessment	Yes	Yes
Income Tax Estimates	Yes	Yes
Manage Income & Expenses	Yes	Yes
Create Invoices	Yes	Yes
Forecast Cash Flow	Yes	Yes
Accept and Make Payments In Different Currencies	No	Yes
Employee Time Tracking	No	Yes
Projects	No	Yes
Bank Feed Integration	Yes	Yes
End of Year Filings	No	Yes
Capture Bills And Receipts	Yes	Yes
Bulk Reconcile Transactions	Yes	Yes
Track Inventory & Stock Levels	No	Yes

	Tide Accounting	FreeAgent
Pros	A business account with no monthly fee is available. You can access your account digitally via an app on Android or iPhones and on the Tide website. Tide offers bank accounts provided by ClearBank that are eligible for protection through the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS). Tide offers 24/7 support with the member support team	User Interface User Friendly Saves Time Customer Service Meets Business Needs
Cons	E-money accounts (for some existing customers) from Tide are not protected by FSCS, though Tide is in the process of moving Tide accounts from PPS e-money accounts to ClearBank FSCS-protected bank accounts It is not possible to deposit cheques into a Tide account Business partnerships and charities cannot open a Tide account	Pay As You Earn (PAYE) software More bespoke accounting categories based on particular industries Quicker updating of tax return info