# Bench vs FreeAgent

**Leader by Vioscale score:** Bench

| Attribute | Bench | FreeAgent |
|---|---|---|
| **Vioscale score** | 53.1 (58% (medium)) | 45.2 (62% (medium)) |
| deployment.options | `{"cloud":true}` | `{"cloud":true}` |
| description.long | Bench is an online bookkeeping service that combines automated software with dedicated professional bookkeeping experts to provide monthly books, financial reporting, and tax preparation for small businesses. | FreeAgent is cloud-based accounting software for small businesses and landlords in the UK, with integrated Making Tax Digital (MTD) compliance, property management, automated bank feeds, and practice collaboration features. |
| features.capabilities | `{"bank_feeds":"aggregator","deployment":"cloud","tax_compliance":"Federal income tax filing","payments_capture":true,"accountant_collab":true}` | `{"api_access":"full","bank_feeds":"direct","deployment":"cloud","multi_entity":"multi_entity","tax_compliance":"MTD for Income Tax compliance with quarterly updates and final declarations","accountant_collab":true}` |
| integrations.count | 16 | 3 |
| integrations.list | `[{"name":"Plaid"},{"name":"Square"},{"name":"QuickBooks Online"},{"name":"Drake"},{"name":"FileThis"},{"name":"Stripe"},{"name":"Salesforce"},{"name":"AWS"},{"name":"Azure OpenAI"},{"name":"Mailchimp"},{"name":"Marketo"},{"name":"Stream Chat"},{"name":"Appcues"},{"name":"DataDog"},{"name":"Rollbar"},{"name":"Retool"}]` | `[{"name":"Syft"},{"name":"Hiscox"},{"name":"HMRC"}]` |
| market.availability | `{"primaryMarkets":["US"],"availabilityScope":"regional","availableCountries":["US"],"notAvailableCountries":[]}` | `{"hqCountry":"GB","primaryMarkets":["GB"],"availabilityScope":"regional","availableCountries":["GB"],"notAvailableCountries":[]}` |
| platform.support | `{"web":true}` | `{"ios":true,"web":true,"android":true}` |
| pricing | `{"type":"subscription","plans":[{"free":false,"name":"Bookkeeping Grow","summary":"$199/mo or $1,910/year (20% discount)","features":["Dedicated bookkeeping experts","Accurate monthly books and year-end tax-ready financial packages","P&L, balance sheet and 1099 reporting","Pre-scheduled communication touchpoints with your bookkeeping team","Custom categorizations"],"components":[{"kind":"fixed","amount":1910,"period":"year","currency":"USD"},{"kind":"fixed","amount":199,"period":"month","currency":"USD"}],"description":"An accessible, lighter-touch plan built for lean businesses seeking financial clarity and confidence as they grow.","contactSales":false},{"free":false,"name":"Bookkeeping Core","summary":"$399/mo or $3,830/year (20% discount)","features":["Dedicated bookkeeping experts","Accurate monthly books and year-end tax-ready financial packages","P&L, balance sheet and 1099 reporting","Unlimited communication with your bookkeeping team","Custom categorizations"],"components":[{"kind":"fixed","amount":3830,"period":"year","currency":"USD"},{"kind":"fixed","amount":399,"period":"month","currency":"USD"}],"description":"Reliable bookkeeping to cover your basic financial reporting needs.","contactSales":false},{"free":false,"name":"Bookkeeping Core + Tax","summary":"$5,750/year","features":["Dedicated bookkeeping experts","Accurate monthly books and year-end tax-ready financial packages","P&L, balance sheet and 1099 reporting","Unlimited communication with your bookkeeping team","Dedicated team of licensed tax professionals to file your income tax return on time","Annual income tax filing for businesses (partnerships, S corps, C corps)","Annual income tax filing for individuals (sole proprietors, contractors)"],"commitment":"annual","components":[{"kind":"fixed","amount":5750,"period":"year","currency":"USD"}],"description":"Full-service bookkeeping with income tax filing and advisory to manage your financials seamlessly.","contactSales":false},{"free":false,"name":"QBO Certified Bookkeeper","summary":"$55/hour + $1,200 onboarding","features":["QuickBooks native support","A true team extension","On-demand flexibility","Fully customizable scope"],"components":[{"kind":"per_unit","unit":"hour","amount":55,"currency":"USD"},{"kind":"one_time","amount":1200,"currency":"USD"}],"description":"Expert QuickBooks support that works inside your existing account.","contactSales":false}],"summary":"From $199/mo for Bookkeeping Grow. Free trial available.","currency":"USD","freeTier":false,"sourceUrl":"https://www.bench.co/pricing","retrievedAt":"2026-08-13T17:04:06.683Z","startingPrice":{"amount":55,"period":"month","currency":"USD"},"billingPeriods":["month","year"]}` | `{"type":"quote","summary":"Free Practice Dashboard for accountants; client licence pricing available on request. Discounted options available through Partner Programme.","currency":"GBP","freeTier":true,"sourceUrl":"https://www.freeagent.com/accountants/resources/navigating-mtd-for-income-tax/mtd-pricing/","retrievedAt":"2026-08-13T16:49:04.914Z"}` |
| pricing.free_tier | no | yes |
| pricing.model | commercial | quote |
| pricing.price_level | mid | low |
| pricing.transparent | yes | no |
| reliability.status_page | - | yes |
| security.disclosure_policy | - | yes |
| security.soc2 | yes | - |

## Capabilities (Accounting Software)

| Capability | Bench | FreeAgent |
|---|:--:|:--:|
| **Core** |  |  |
| Double-entry GL | - | - |
| Multi-entity | - | Multi-entity |
| Multi-currency | - | - |
| Bank feeds | Aggregator | Direct feeds |
| **Modules** |  |  |
| AP automation | - | - |
| AR / invoicing | - | - |
| Inventory | - | - |
| Fixed assets | - | - |
| Project accounting | - | - |
| **Compliance** |  |  |
| Tax compliance | Federal income tax filing | MTD for Income Tax compliance with quarterly updates and final declarations |
| **Workflow** |  |  |
| Accountant collaboration | ✓ | ✓ |
| **Payments** |  |  |
| Payments capture | ✓ | - |
| **Ecosystem** |  |  |
| API access | - | Full |
| **Deployment** |  |  |
| Deployment | Cloud | Cloud |

*Source: Vioscale. Generated 2026-09-01T16:36:16.953Z. "-" = undocumented, not absent.*