Invoa vs FreeAgent — which is right for you?
If you need invoicing software (not a full accountancy suite), Invoa Pro costs £7.99/mo vs FreeAgent’s £19/mo+VAT. Here’s an honest breakdown of both products.
Try Invoa Free — No Credit CardFree Starter plan — 1 invoice/mo with no commitment.
At a glance
The headline differences between Invoa and FreeAgent across the criteria that matter most to UK freelancers.
When each product wins
Both are legitimate tools. The right choice depends on what you actually need from your software.
Choose Invoa when…
- You primarily need to raise, send, and track invoices — not run a full set of accounts
- Price matters: Invoa Pro saves ~£11/mo vs FreeAgent standard (over £130/year)
- You want a clean, fast interface without navigating accounting menus you'll never use
- You want UK Open Banking to automatically match bank payments against open invoices
- You bill EU clients or need multi-currency support (available on Business plan)
- You're just getting started and want a free plan before committing
Choose FreeAgent when…
- You need double-entry bookkeeping and a full trial balance — not just invoices
- You want to file your Self Assessment tax return directly from the same software
- You run payroll for yourself or employees and need RTI submissions to HMRC
- Expense capture and mileage tracking are core parts of your workflow
- You need time tracking built into the same product as your invoicing
- You want to submit MTD VAT returns directly without bridging software
Pricing comparison
Invoa Pro at £7.99/mo vs FreeAgent at £19/mo+VAT. Over a year, that’s a saving of over £130 — for invoicing-focused freelancers who don’t need a full accounting suite.
Invoa Starter
- 1 invoice/month
- PDF generation
- VAT invoices
- No credit card
Invoa Pro
- Unlimited invoices
- Open Banking sync
- Automatic reminders
- Client portal
FreeAgent
- Full accounting suite
- Payroll & expenses
- Self Assessment
- MTD VAT filing
Feature comparison
A complete side-by-side look at what each product includes.
Invoa: Business plan. FreeAgent: all plans.
Invoa Starter: 1 invoice/mo free
Invoa supports EU currencies and VAT rates
Frequently asked questions
Is Invoa as good as FreeAgent for invoicing?
For invoicing specifically, Invoa matches and in some areas exceeds FreeAgent. Both support HMRC-compliant VAT invoices, automatic payment reminders, PDF generation, and Open Banking bank sync to reconcile payments against invoices. Invoa is designed around the invoicing workflow, so the interface is simpler and faster for freelancers who just need to raise and track invoices. FreeAgent's invoicing is solid but sits inside a larger accounting product — if you want to raise an invoice quickly without navigating a full accounting dashboard, Invoa wins on speed. If you need your invoicing tightly integrated with expense tracking, payroll, and Self Assessment, FreeAgent's joined-up approach is more valuable.
Does FreeAgent have a free plan?
FreeAgent does not offer a standalone free plan. New users pay £19/mo + VAT (approximately £22.80/mo) on the standard plan. FreeAgent was previously available free of charge to NatWest, Royal Bank of Scotland, and Ulster Bank business account holders following NatWest's acquisition of FreeAgent in 2018 — but NatWest ended this arrangement for new customers. Invoa's Starter plan is free and lets you send one invoice per month at no cost, with no credit card required.
Which is better for sole traders?
It depends on your needs. If you are a sole trader who primarily needs to invoice clients and track what has been paid, Invoa Pro at £7.99/mo is the better value — you get unlimited invoicing, automatic reminders, bank reconciliation, and UK Open Banking sync for less than half the price of FreeAgent. If you also need to file your Self Assessment tax return, track business expenses properly, or run payroll for a part-time employee, FreeAgent's full accounting suite is worth the higher price, as it replaces the need for separate accounting software or an accountant to handle the bookkeeping.
Does Invoa support Making Tax Digital?
Invoa keeps MTD-compatible VAT records — your invoices are stored with the required VAT breakdowns that HMRC requires under Making Tax Digital. However, Invoa does not currently submit VAT returns directly to HMRC's MTD API; you would use bridging software or your accountant's software to file. FreeAgent includes full MTD for VAT submission built in, which is a genuine advantage if you file your own VAT returns. If submitting MTD VAT returns directly from your invoicing software is a priority, FreeAgent has the edge here.
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Try Invoa free — no credit card required
Start on the free Starter plan and upgrade when you need to. Invoa Pro is £7.99/mo — less than half the price of FreeAgent, with everything a UK freelancer needs to invoice professionally.
Get Started FreeFree plan available. Upgrade or cancel any time.