Xero vs FreeAgent: Which Is Better Accounting Software?

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

Xero vs FreeAgent Basics

	Xero	FreeAgent
Software Website	Xero Website	FreeAgent Website
HMRC MTD Status	Approved	Approved
Who Can Use It?	Agents and businesses	Agents and businesses
HMRC Listed Features	Digital record keeping, Updates to HMRC for self-employment, Tax estimates from HMRC based on provided updates, Updates to HMRC for UK property	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 Xero or FreeAgent has better user reviews. We compared them below.

	Xero	FreeAgent
Trustpilot Rating	4.3	4.6
Number of Trustpilot Reviews	6017	2180
iPhone App Rating	4.7	4.8
Number of iPhone Reviews	12700	9600
Android App Rating	4.6	4.8
Number of Android Reviews	11900	1130

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

Which is cheaper Xero 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.

	Xero	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	Yes	Yes
Employee Time Tracking	Yes	Yes
Projects	Yes	Yes
Bank Feed Integration	Yes	Yes
End of Year Filings	Yes	Yes
Capture Bills And Receipts	Yes	Yes
Bulk Reconcile Transactions	Yes	Yes
Track Inventory & Stock Levels	Yes	Yes

	Xero	FreeAgent
Pros	User Friendly User Interface Saves Time Integrations Cloud Based	User Interface User Friendly Saves Time Customer Service Meets Business Needs
Cons	Expense Report Issues Not User Friendly Expensive Room for Improvement Technical Issues	Pay As You Earn (PAYE) software More bespoke accounting categories based on particular industries Quicker updating of tax return info