FreeAgent

An Edinburgh-based accounting software company for freelancers and small businesses, founded in 2007 and now part of NatWest Group.

About FreeAgent

FreeAgent makes online accounting software for people who run their own small business: freelancers, contractors, sole traders, landlords and small companies, plus the accountants and bookkeepers who look after them. Its software handles invoices, expenses, bank feeds, payroll and tax, and can send tax information to HMRC, including under Making Tax Digital, the government's move to keep tax records on digital software. Its website says it serves over 250,000 small businesses.

FreeAgent started in Edinburgh in 2007. Its three co-founders, Ed Molyneux, Olly Headey and Roan Lavery, were freelance designers or developers who wanted a better way to handle invoices, spreadsheets and receipts. The company hired its first employee in 2008, joined the AIM stock market in 2016, and in early 2018 was bought by NatWest Group (then the Royal Bank of Scotland Group). FreeAgent says it remains operationally independent of the bank. Roan Lavery has been chief executive since 2021, and the firm's registered address and headquarters are in Edinburgh. Its About page says it has over 200 employees.

FreeAgent's stated goal is "making businesses happier and more successful by putting them in control of their finances". It also says it wants to spotlight what matters and cut admin so small businesses can focus on higher-value work. Its careers site sets out three values: "Own it!" (take accountability and keep customers in mind), "Enjoy it!" (collaborate, respect each other and make sure every voice is heard) and "Be proud of it!" (do high-quality work, stay curious and keep learning).

The main product is the FreeAgent accounting platform, with tools for invoicing, expenses, projects, payroll, banking and tax. For accountants there is a Practice Dashboard, plus tools for clients who work under the Construction Industry Scheme (a tax scheme for builders and contractors) and for landlords. It connects to business banking, including NatWest. FreeAgent says it won a silver award at the 2024 UK Customer Experience Awards, and holds the Cyber Essentials Plus security certification and a Plain English Campaign mark.

FreeAgent describes itself as a friendly, high-performing and diverse team, and a chief accountant on its careers page says everyone is "welcomed and accepted for exactly who they are". A 2017 article on working there mentioned hands-on work from the start, a training budget, hack days twice a year for fun projects, Friday lunches and a Pride community, but that article is old, so benefits may differ now. Roles span engineering, product, design, marketing, sales and customer support. We found no formal graduate scheme or apprenticeship, although an earlier Edinburgh graduate customer support accountant vacancy mentioned in-house learning and support for further study. Check careers.freeagent.com for current openings.

What they do

• {'desc': 'Invoicing, expenses, bank feeds, projects and reports in one place.', 'title': 'Accounting for small businesses'}
• {'desc': 'Self Assessment, VAT and Making Tax Digital filing to HMRC.', 'title': 'Tax tools'}
• {'desc': 'Paying staff and handling the related tax filings.', 'title': 'Payroll'}
• {'desc': 'Practice Dashboard, plus Construction Industry Scheme and landlord features.', 'title': 'Tools for accountants'}

Key facts

• Founded 2007 in Edinburgh by Ed Molyneux, Olly Headey and Roan Lavery
• Part of NatWest Group since 2018; says it remains operationally independent
• Over 250,000 small business customers and over 200 employees (own About page)
• Values: Own it, Enjoy it, Be proud of it
• Roan Lavery chief executive since 2021

Website: www.freeagent.com