Pulse vs FreeAgent for sole traders

FreeAgent is UK accounting software owned by NatWest Group, and its sole trader plan covers invoices, Making Tax Digital and your tax return. Pulse is built for sole traders too. Here’s an honest side by side, so you can pick the one that fits how you work.

  • Every price includes VAT, because most sole traders can’t claim it back
  • We link to FreeAgent’s own pages, so you can check anything for yourself
  • Where FreeAgent is the better choice, we say so
See the comparison View small business pricing
pulse dashboard laptop

Pulse and FreeAgent at a glance

We’ve compared Small Business Complete with FreeAgent’s sole trader plan. Complete is our closest match because, like FreeAgent, it includes your Making Tax Digital updates and your tax return.

What you get Pulse Small Business Complete FreeAgent sole trader
Price a month, including VAT £16.99The same price every month £22.80Shown as £19 plus VAT. 50% off for the first 6 months, so £11.40 a month to start. Free with some business bank accounts, see below
Invoices UnlimitedPlus quotes that turn into invoices in one click No limit listedPlus estimates that turn into invoices in one click
Customers paying online YesA Pay online button using your own Stripe, SumUp or PayPal.Me link YesThrough Tyl, Stripe, GoCardless or PayPal
Mileage YesLog journeys in the app by postcode or location, and Pulse works out the miles YesYou enter the miles for each claim
Receipt scanning UnlimitedOn Small Business Complete. 25 scans a month on our other packages 10 a monthReceipts and bills. Unlimited is £6 a month more, shown as £5 plus VAT
Making Tax Digital quarterly updates YesSent straight to HMRC, or let Auto MTD send them for you YesListed as HMRC-recognised software
Your tax return IncludedSent to HMRC from Pulse, as part of Small Business Complete IncludedFiled directly to HMRC
VAT returns Our VAT ServiceFor VAT registered members IncludedMTD VAT returns filed directly to HMRC
Support By emailA reply within 24 hours on Small Business Complete Online or by phoneFrom UK-based support accountants

FreeAgent’s prices and features are taken from FreeAgent’s pricing page, free accounting software page, invoicing page, Self Assessment page, MTD for Income Tax page and help article on mileage claims on 27 October 2026. Prices and plans can change, so please check them before you choose.

When Pulse is the better fit

  • You scan a lot of receipts. If you buy supplies most weeks, 10 receipts a month goes quickly. Small Business Complete scans as many as you like, while FreeAgent charges extra for unlimited.
  • You drive for work. Mileage is often one of a sole trader’s biggest claims. Pulse works out the miles from postcodes or your location, and keeps regular places in your Address Book, so you don’t have to look up each journey.
  • You want to pay less once the offer ends. Small Business Complete is £16.99 a month including VAT, with MTD and your tax return. FreeAgent’s sole trader plan is £22.80 a month including VAT after the first 6 months.
  • You’d rather not see the price jump. Our prices include VAT and there’s no introductory offer to run out, so what you pay in month one is what you pay in month seven.

When FreeAgent may suit you better

  • You bank with NatWest, Royal Bank of Scotland, Ulster Bank or Mettle. FreeAgent is free with a NatWest, Royal Bank of Scotland or Ulster Bank business current account “for as long as you retain the account”, or with a Mettle account if you make at least one transaction a month. Optional add-ons may still cost extra.
  • You’d like to talk to someone. FreeAgent offers its “award-winning UK-based support accountants online or over the phone”.
  • You’re VAT registered or take on staff. FreeAgent’s sole trader plan lists VAT returns and payroll, so they sit in the same software for the one price.

If you’re not sure which suits you, ask us. We’ll tell you honestly, even if the answer is FreeAgent.

The Pulse mobile app on three phones, showing the dashboard, income and expenses

Access your accounts on your mobile

Designed for iPhone and Android phones, so you can add a payment, log a journey or scan a receipt between jobs, and check your reports and tax as you go.

See the mobile app

Switching to Pulse partway through the financial year

You don’t have to wait for April. When you join, you can add the earlier months of the tax year, so the whole year sits in Pulse ready for your updates and tax return.

If you’re already in Making Tax Digital, each quarterly update is a running total from 6 April. So once your records are in Pulse, your next update covers the year so far, whichever software sent the earlier ones.

Not sure where you stand? Our guide on when Making Tax Digital starts for you explains the dates.

Switching in three steps

Any time of year

  1. Join PulsePick a small business package. No contract, cancel any time.
  2. Add the earlier monthsIncome, expenses and mileage from 6 April, so the whole year is in one place.
  3. Send your next updateIt covers the year so far, whichever software sent the earlier ones.

Everything in one package

Small Business Complete includes everything on this page. There are no invoice limits, and you can start partway through the year and add the months you've missed.

MalgraBooks is recognised by HMRC for Making Tax Digital. HMRC reference D5P1NR.

Small Business Complete

£16.99 a month, including VAT
  • Bookkeeping, invoicing and mileage in Pulse
  • Unlimited receipt scanning
  • Making Tax Digital quarterly updates
  • Your tax return sent to HMRC
Compare small business packages

Questions about Pulse and FreeAgent

Why do you show FreeAgent’s price with VAT added?
FreeAgent shows its prices without VAT. If you’re a sole trader who isn’t VAT registered, you can’t claim that VAT back, so £19 plus VAT costs you £22.80 a month, or £11.40 a month during the first 6 months at 50% off. Our prices already include VAT, so we’ve put both on the same footing.
Is Pulse recognised by HMRC?
Yes. Pulse is recognised by HMRC for Making Tax Digital for Income Tax, and our HMRC reference is D5P1NR. More about our HMRC recognition
Am I tied into a contract?
No. Small business packages are paid monthly and you can cancel at any time.
Does Pulse work for my trade?
Pulse works for most sole traders, from cleaners and hairdressers to plumbers and online sellers. Find your trade to see what you can claim and how Pulse helps.
How up to date is this comparison?
We checked FreeAgent’s website on 27 October 2026 and link to the pages we used. We review our comparisons regularly, but if you spot something that’s changed, let us know and we’ll put it right.

Got a question that isn't here? Send us a message and the team will get back to you.

This comparison was correct on 27 October 2026, based on the information on FreeAgent’s website that day. FreeAgent is a trade mark of FreeAgent Central Limited. MalgraBooks isn’t connected with FreeAgent.

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