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Compare FreeAgent with Xero for MTD. Feature comparisons are based on publicly available documentation, official product guides, and practice platform evaluations conducted on 24th August 2026. Comparisons are based on the highest level of functionality for Xero, including any tier levels that may apply. Optional paid add-ons are excluded. Speak to your Account Manager about switching to FreeAgent.
Features for practices
| Trustpilot rating | FreeAgent | 4.6 |
|---|---|---|
| Xero | 4.1 | |
| Quarterly updates | FreeAgent | |
| Xero | ||
| Final declaration | FreeAgent | |
| Xero | ||
| Automated MTD submissions | FreeAgent | |
| Xero | ||
| Bulk MTD submissions | FreeAgent | |
| Xero | ||
| Reconsent bank feeds in bulk | FreeAgent | |
| Xero | ||
| Practice-led MTD permissions | FreeAgent | |
| Xero | ||
| MTD overview dashboard | FreeAgent | |
| Xero | ||
| Dedicated landlord licence type including rental statement capture, joint property splits and no limit to the number of co-owners and properties per portfolio | FreeAgent | |
| Xero | ||
| Construction Industry Scheme (CIS) support for contractors and subcontractors | FreeAgent | |
| Xero | ||
| Free bespoke training | FreeAgent | |
| Xero | Information not published online | |
| UK-based telephone and email support | FreeAgent | |
| Xero | Online and outbound telephone support only | |
| Free licences for clients with NatWest, Royal Bank of Scotland or Ulster Bank business current accounts or Mettle bank accounts* | FreeAgent | |
| Xero |
Landlords functionality
| Dedicated landlord licence type including rental statement capture, joint property splits and no limit to the number of co-owners and properties per portfolio | FreeAgent | |
|---|---|---|
| Xero | ||
| Joint property ownership with multiple co-owners per licence | FreeAgent | |
| Xero | ||
| MTD filing for multiple co-owners within one licence | FreeAgent | |
| Xero | ||
| Automated ownership splits by property | FreeAgent | |
| Xero | ||
| Automated rental statement capture | FreeAgent | |
| Xero | ||
| Automatic co-owner income and expense apportionment | FreeAgent | |
| Xero | ||
| Custom ‘effective from’ dates for property ownership arrangements | FreeAgent | |
| Xero | ||
| Property-level profit and loss reporting | FreeAgent | |
| Xero |
Construction Industry Scheme (CIS) functionality
| Automated MTD submissions | FreeAgent | |
|---|---|---|
| Xero | ||
| Bulk MTD submissions | FreeAgent | |
| Xero | ||
| Reconsent bank feeds in bulk | FreeAgent | |
| Xero | ||
| Contractor support | FreeAgent | |
| Xero | ||
| Subcontractor support | FreeAgent | |
| Xero | ||
| Explain CIS transactions directly from subcontractor bank feeds | FreeAgent | |
| Xero | ||
| Payment and deduction statements | FreeAgent | |
| Xero | ||
| CIS domestic VAT reverse charge | FreeAgent | |
| Xero | ||
| Contractor and subcontractors within one account | FreeAgent | |
| Xero |
*For as long as they retain their account or make Mettle their primary business account in FreeAgent. Optional add-ons may be chargeable.
Compare FreeAgent with QuickBooks for MTD. Feature comparisons are based on publicly available documentation, official product guides, and practice platform evaluations conducted on 24th August 2026. Comparisons are based on the highest level of functionality for QuickBooks, including any tier levels that may apply. Optional paid add-ons are excluded. Speak to your Account Manager about switching to FreeAgent.
Features for practices
| Trustpilot rating | FreeAgent | 4.6 |
|---|---|---|
| QuickBooks | 3.7 | |
| Quarterly updates | FreeAgent | |
| QuickBooks | ||
| Final declaration | FreeAgent | |
| QuickBooks | ||
| Automated MTD submissions | FreeAgent | |
| QuickBooks | ||
| Bulk MTD submissions | FreeAgent | |
| QuickBooks | ||
| Reconsent bank feeds in bulk | FreeAgent | |
| QuickBooks | ||
| Practice-led MTD permissions | FreeAgent | |
| QuickBooks | ||
| MTD overview dashboard | FreeAgent | |
| QuickBooks | ||
| Dedicated landlord licence type including rental statement capture, joint property splits and no limit to the number of co-owners and properties per portfolio | FreeAgent | |
| QuickBooks | ||
| Construction Industry Scheme (CIS) support for contractors and subcontractors | FreeAgent | |
| QuickBooks | ||
| Free bespoke training | FreeAgent | |
| QuickBooks | Information not published online | |
| UK-based telephone and email support | FreeAgent | |
| QuickBooks | Information not published online | |
| Free licences for clients with NatWest, Royal Bank of Scotland or Ulster Bank business current accounts or Mettle bank accounts* | FreeAgent | |
| QuickBooks |
Landlords functionality
| Dedicated landlord licence type including rental statement capture, joint property splits and no limit to the number of co-owners and properties per portfolio | FreeAgent | |
|---|---|---|
| QuickBooks | ||
| Joint property ownership with multiple co-owners per licence | FreeAgent | |
| QuickBooks | ||
| MTD filing for multiple co-owners within one licence | FreeAgent | |
| QuickBooks | ||
| Automated ownership splits by property | FreeAgent | |
| QuickBooks | ||
| Automated rental statement capture | FreeAgent | |
| QuickBooks | ||
| Automatic co-owner income and expense apportionment | FreeAgent | |
| QuickBooks | ||
| Custom ‘effective from’ dates for property ownership arrangements | FreeAgent | |
| QuickBooks | ||
| Property-level profit and loss reporting | FreeAgent | |
| QuickBooks |
Construction Industry Scheme (CIS) functionality
| Automated MTD submissions | FreeAgent | |
|---|---|---|
| QuickBooks | ||
| Bulk MTD submissions | FreeAgent | |
| QuickBooks | ||
| Reconsent bank feeds in bulk | FreeAgent | |
| QuickBooks | ||
| Contractor support | FreeAgent | |
| QuickBooks | ||
| Subcontractor support | FreeAgent | |
| QuickBooks | ||
| Explain CIS transactions directly from subcontractor bank feeds | FreeAgent | |
| QuickBooks | ||
| Payment and deduction statements | FreeAgent | |
| QuickBooks | ||
| CIS domestic VAT reverse charge | FreeAgent | |
| QuickBooks | ||
| Contractor and subcontractors within one account | FreeAgent | |
| QuickBooks |
*For as long as they retain their account or make Mettle their primary business account in FreeAgent. Optional add-ons may be chargeable.
Compare FreeAgent with Sage for MTD. Feature comparisons are based on publicly available documentation, official product guides, and practice platform evaluations conducted on 24th August 2026. Comparisons are based on the highest level of functionality for Sage, including any tier levels that may apply. Optional paid add-ons are excluded. Speak to your Account Manager about switching to FreeAgent.
Features for practices
| Trustpilot rating | FreeAgent | 4.6 |
|---|---|---|
| Sage | 4.0 | |
| Quarterly updates | FreeAgent | |
| Sage | ||
| Final declaration | FreeAgent | |
| Sage | ||
| Automated MTD submissions | FreeAgent | |
| Sage | ||
| Bulk MTD submissions | FreeAgent | |
| Sage | ||
| Reconsent bank feeds in bulk | FreeAgent | |
| Sage | ||
| Practice-led MTD permissions | FreeAgent | |
| Sage | ||
| MTD overview dashboard | FreeAgent | |
| Sage | ||
| Dedicated landlord licence type including rental statement capture, joint property splits and no limit to the number of co-owners and properties per portfolio | FreeAgent | |
| Sage | ||
| Construction Industry Scheme (CIS) support for contractors and subcontractors | FreeAgent | |
| Sage | ||
| Free bespoke training | FreeAgent | |
| Sage | Information not published online | |
| UK-based telephone and email support | FreeAgent | |
| Sage | ||
| Free licences for clients with NatWest, Royal Bank of Scotland or Ulster Bank business current accounts or Mettle bank accounts* | FreeAgent | |
| Sage |
Landlords functionality
| Dedicated landlord licence type including rental statement capture, joint property splits and no limit to the number of co-owners and properties per portfolio | FreeAgent | |
|---|---|---|
| Sage | ||
| Joint property ownership with multiple co-owners per licence | FreeAgent | |
| Sage | ||
| MTD filing for multiple co-owners within one licence | FreeAgent | |
| Sage | ||
| Automated ownership splits by property | FreeAgent | |
| Sage | ||
| Automated rental statement capture | FreeAgent | |
| Sage | ||
| Automatic co-owner income and expense apportionment | FreeAgent | |
| Sage | ||
| Custom ‘effective from’ dates for property ownership arrangements | FreeAgent | |
| Sage | ||
| Property-level profit and loss reporting | FreeAgent | |
| Sage |
Construction Industry Scheme (CIS) functionality
| Automated MTD submissions | FreeAgent | |
|---|---|---|
| Sage | ||
| Bulk MTD submissions | FreeAgent | |
| Sage | ||
| Reconsent bank feeds in bulk | FreeAgent | |
| Sage | ||
| Contractor support | FreeAgent | |
| Sage | ||
| Subcontractor support | FreeAgent | |
| Sage | ||
| Explain CIS transactions directly from subcontractor bank feeds | FreeAgent | |
| Sage | ||
| Payment and deduction statements | FreeAgent | |
| Sage | ||
| CIS domestic VAT reverse charge | FreeAgent | |
| Sage | ||
| Contractor and subcontractors within one account | FreeAgent | |
| Sage |
*For as long as they retain their account or make Mettle their primary business account in FreeAgent. Optional add-ons may be chargeable.
The benefits of FreeAgent vs bridging software
FreeAgent
- Client behaviour: Clients and/or their accountant or bookkeeper use digital software to record taxes, FreeAgent is simple and easy to use.
- Automatic data entry: Connected bank feeds, Smart Capture for receipts and bills and automated rental statement capture (for landlords) means less time spent chasing clients.
- Setup: Dedicated migration support and training provided by FreeAgent.
- Existing processes: Fits into your existing tech stack and can be used alongside bridging software.
- MTD compliance: Fully MTD-compatible. Manage tens, hundreds or thousands of sole trader and landlord clients with minimal manual admin.
- Automated and bulk actions: Automated and bulk MTD submissions means simple and streamlined workflows.
- Insights and reporting: Provide clients with valuable and detailed insights on their businesses and property portfolios.
- Auditability: All historical records logged in a secure, digital platform.
Bridging software
- Client behaviour: Doesn’t require moving clients from spreadsheets, but clients will still need to provide this data five times per year.
- Setup: Typically simple to set up, but digital links must be maintained for each client to avoid broken links.
- Existing processes: Supports tracking income and expenses in Microsoft Excel or Google Sheets.
- MTD compliance: Meets HMRC’s requirements for submitting digital records but becomes complex and manual to manage large volumes of clients using spreadsheets.
Why large practices choose FreeAgent for MTD
No manual corrections. No workarounds. Get MTD done properly.
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