FreeAgent vs Insightly

FreeAgent

FreeAgent is a cloud accounting platform designed specifically for freelancers, contractors, and small businesses in the UK. It offers automatic bank feeds, invoicing, expense management, and self-assessment tax return preparation. FreeAgent is particularly popular with UK freelancers and contractors for its excellent handling of UK tax requirements including Self Assessment and VAT returns.

Paid pricing · Get Pricing →

Insightly

Insightly is a CRM and project management platform designed for growing businesses. It uniquely combines sales pipeline management with post-sale project delivery so teams can manage the full customer lifecycle in one place. Insightly is popular with professional services firms and companies that need to track complex projects alongside their sales pipeline.

Freemium pricing · Get Pricing →

Pros

• ✓Excellent UK tax compliance including Self Assessment and VAT returns
• ✓Designed specifically for freelancers and contractors
• ✓Clean and easy to use interface
• ✓Automatic bank feeds save significant time

Cons

• ✗Primarily suited for UK market — limited value for non-UK businesses
• ✗Less feature-rich than QuickBooks for complex business needs
• ✗Smaller integration ecosystem than larger competitors
• ✗Not suitable for larger businesses with complex accounting needs

Pros

• ✓Unique combination of CRM and project management in one tool
• ✓Good free plan for up to 2 users
• ✓Strong workflow automation on paid plans
• ✓Good fit for professional services businesses

Cons

• ✗Interface feels dated compared to modern CRM tools
• ✗Customer support can be slow on lower tiers
• ✗Mobile app is less polished than competitors

Best For

UK freelancers and contractors wanting simple accounting with strong Self Assessment and VAT tools

Best For

Growing businesses that need CRM and project management in one platform