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Verified ratings, feature-by-feature comparison and rand pricing — everything a South African business needs to pick between these two.
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Ratings
Verified user ratings across every dimension — QuickBooks Online Accountant against FreeAgent, nothing weighted.
Dimensions won
5 – 0
QuickBooks Online Accountant vs FreeAgent, across 5 rating dimensions
Widest rating gap
+0,2
QuickBooks Online Accountant leads on overall
Verified reviews
358
172 for QuickBooks Online Accountant, 186 for FreeAgent
172 verified reviews
186 verified reviews
Overall
Ease of use
Value for money
Customer service
Functionality
Who South African reviewers actually write about.
Cheapest paid plan, shown per month.
QuickBooks Online Accountant
Free plan
FreeAgent
R450/mo
QuickBooks Online Accountant is the cheaper way in. Lower isn't automatically better — weigh it against the ratings above.
Head to head
Row by row, with the stronger score highlighted. Straight from verified reviews.
| QuickBooks Online Accountant | FreeAgent | |
|---|---|---|
| Overall rating | 4,4 | 4,2 |
| Reviews | 172 | 186 |
| Ease of use | 4,2 | 4,1 |
| Value for money | 4,3 | 4,1 |
| Customer service | 4,3 | 4,1 |
| Functionality | 4,3 | 4,1 |
| Starting price | Free plan | R450/mo |
| Free trial | No | Yes |
Features
Everything each product ships, side by side. No marketing gloss.
| Feature | QuickBooks Online Accountant | FreeAgent |
|---|---|---|
| Client list with one login for all books | ||
| Bulk reclassify transactions | ||
| Books review workflows | ||
| Write off invoices in bulk | ||
| Practice management and deadlines | ||
| Team assignments and access control | ||
| ProAdvisor training and certification | ||
| Find an Advisor directory listing | ||
| Client subscription discounts | ||
| QuickBooks Ledger access | ||
| Pound invoicing with automatic reminders | ||
| UK VAT returns under Making Tax Digital | ||
| Self assessment and corporation tax tracking | ||
| UK bank feeds | ||
| Expenses and mileage | ||
| Projects and time tracking | ||
| Recurring invoices | ||
| Cash flow view | ||
| Payroll for UK employees | ||
| Accountant access |
Pricing
Every plan from both vendors, priced as South African teams actually pay.
Free for accounting and bookkeeping practices. Sign up with your firm details.
Free
no card needed
Straight from the vendor
These are list prices in rand and vendors adjust them from time to time. Check with Intuit for the figure you'll actually pay.
19 pounds plus VAT per month, half price for the first six months.
R450/mo
per month
33 pounds plus VAT per month for UK limited companies.
R780/mo
per month
Free with a NatWest, RBS, Ulster Bank or Mettle business account.
Free
no card needed
Straight from the vendor
These are list prices in rand and vendors adjust them from time to time. Check with FreeAgent Central for the figure you'll actually pay.
Verdict
QuickBooks Online Accountant edges this comparison on verified user ratings (4,4 vs 4,2), but the right choice depends on your workflows: FreeAgent remains a strong pick where its strengths — UK VAT filed directly to HMRC and Self assessment built up through the year — match your priorities. Shortlist both, take the free trials where offered, and test against a real month of your own data.