FreeAgent vs BQE Core

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Our analysts compared FreeAgent vs BQE Core based on data from our 400+ point analysis of Accounting Software, user reviews and our own crowdsourced data from our free software selection platform.

FreeAgent Software Tool
BQE Core Software Tool

Product Basics

FreeAgent is a cloud-based accounting software designed for small businesses and freelancers. It streamlines tasks like invoicing, expense tracking, and tax filing, offering a user-friendly interface and mobile app for on-the-go management. FreeAgent shines for its intuitive design and automation features, making it ideal for those with limited accounting knowledge. Key benefits include automatic bank feeds, expense categorization with receipt scanning, and HMRC-compliant VAT returns. Popular features like project tracking and time billing further cater to freelancers and service-based businesses. Compared to similar products, user reviews praise FreeAgent's ease of use and excellent customer support. However, its focus on simplicity may lack the advanced features sought by larger businesses or those with complex accounting needs. Pricing starts at a monthly subscription fee, with additional costs for features like multiple users or payroll. FreeAgent offers a free trial to allow potential users to test its capabilities before committing.

Pros
  • Easy to use
  • Mobile app access
  • Automated tasks
  • Freelancer-friendly
  • Good customer support
Cons
  • Limited features for complex needs
  • Higher cost for multiple users
  • Not ideal for large businesses
  • Invoice customization limited
  • Reporting could be more robust
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BQE Core streamlines accounting processes for mid-sized businesses, simplifying tasks like bookkeeping, invoicing, and financial reporting. Its intuitive interface and automation features cater to users with varying accounting expertise, making it suitable for both in-house accountants and bookkeeping teams. The software boasts strong general ledger functionality, multi-currency support, and real-time financial insights, enabling better decision-making. Popular features include bank reconciliation tools, inventory management, and project accounting capabilities. Users appreciate BQE Core's scalability and customizability, allowing it to adapt to specific business needs. While subscription pricing varies based on company size and required modules, it generally falls within the mid-range compared to similar accounting software. BQE Core prioritizes ease of use and automation, making it a solid choice for businesses seeking to streamline their accounting operations and gain valuable financial insights.

Pros
  • Intuitive interface
  • Time-saving automation
  • Comprehensive features
  • Flexible customization
  • Scalability for growth
Cons
  • Limited mobile app
  • Occasional bugs reported
  • Steeper learning curve
  • Customization requires effort
  • Pricing can be complex
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$6.50 Monthly
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$19.95/User, Monthly
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Tailored to your specific needs
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Windows
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Linux
Android
Chromebook
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Cloud
On-Premise
Mobile
Cloud
On-Premise
Mobile

Product Assistance

Documentation
In Person
Live Online
Videos
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Live Online
Videos
Webinars
Email
Phone
Chat
FAQ
Forum
Knowledge Base
24/7 Live Support
Email
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Chat
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Forum
Knowledge Base
24/7 Live Support

Product Insights

  • Effortless Time Saving: Automate tasks like invoicing, expense tracking, and tax filing, freeing up time for what matters most.
  • Simplified Organization: Stay on top of your finances with a clear overview of income, expenses, and cash flow, all in one place.
  • Enhanced Accuracy and Compliance: Reduce errors and ensure compliance with automatic bank feeds, VAT returns, and HMRC filing.
  • Mobile Access on the Go: Manage your finances from anywhere with the convenient mobile app, perfect for busy freelancers and entrepreneurs.
  • Streamlined Collaboration: Easily share invoices, track project progress, and collaborate with clients and team members.
  • Peace of Mind and Support: Gain confidence knowing your finances are in order, backed by excellent customer support whenever you need it.
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  • Beefed-Up Security: The software runs on the cloud, so users can rest assured that they can access data from any location with a Wi-Fi signal. Their information also has an extra layer of security. 
  • Artificial Intelligence: Users can stay in the know about their company's financial data, daily agenda and more to make informed business decisions with the AI-powered Core Intelligence tool. Core Intelligence becomes smarter and offers enhanced results when users ask more questions.  
  • Automatic Data Conversion: Currency, numbers and dates are always formatted to company preferences. A user's current location has no impact on the company's currency, numeric values or dates. 
  • Monitor Human Resources: Users can oversee their HR department information including salary, incidents, benefits, forms, sick and vacation time, retirement packages and more. 
  • Manage Employees' Responsibilities: BQE Core allows users to allocate ideal tasks and responsibilities to the right employees. Users can also restrict permissions on recording tasks and expenses to diminish errors. 
  • Compile Bill Schedules: Users can generate bills for a project's entire lifecycle or the preliminary stages. Users can set time for other tasks when they set up recurring billing for projects.  
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  • Estimates: Send estimates and invoices via email and keep a tab on the approval and rejection. Convert accepted estimates into invoices. Manage outstanding amounts with the Invoice Timeline. 
  • Expenses: Save photos of the receipt directly from the mobile phone. Keep a tab on the running balance for reimbursement by tracking employee expenses. Track payments using live bank feeds or by importing bank statements.  
  • Tracking: Keep a record of when work was completed. Create an invoice for unbilled time and send it to the client. Check where time is spent across the active projects with timesheet reports.Payment tracking can be done by uploading a picture of the receipt through the mobile app. Reminders for making payments are sent automatically by setting up recurring invoices. Track invoices, taxes, estimates, alongside expenses. 
  • Dashboard: Monitor profit and loss with cash flow reports and the invoice timeline. 
  • Project Management: Create a project by adding billing rates, tasks, default currency, budget, start and end date. Attach charges and billable and non-billable time to projects and invoice the cost to customers. 
  • Expense Management: Categorize charges by currency and link them to a particular activity. Track and document expenses once the invoice is settled. Forgo the need to upload bank statements with the feed enabled. Include bank statements in the reporting after uploading. 
  • Navigation: Display data and keep track of the business’s financial health. Access invoices, time slips, estimates and projects from the dashboard. 
  • Payment: Integrate with PayPal, Stripe and GoCardless to pay bills easily. Make direct payments and add links to the payment system in the invoice templates. Conduct transactions in more than 80 countries around the globe. 
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  • Vigilant Dashboard: The dashboard module enables users to pick and choose which key performance indicators (KPIs) are displayed. Users also receive immediate data updates so they can act quickly if problems arise. 
  • Develop and Edit Several Dashboards: Users can create several dashboards to fit the needs of their business. They can also modify pie charts, bar graphs and interactive lists in each dashboard. 
  • Work with Various Currencies: Users can attach receipts and document expenses in multiple currencies for any oversea transactions. 
  • Record and Manage Time: Simple timers and timesheets allow users to record their time quickly and more efficiently. Users can easily alternate between various timers. This module is mobile-friendly, so users can track and record time on any device. 
  • Supervise and Forecast Projects: Users can oversee the financial progress of projects and prioritize the most valuable projects with the project management tool. Users receive prompt answers to the essential project and performance-related questions.  
  • Several Billing Methods: The billing module permits users to choose different forms of billing such as hourly, fixed, retainer and more. Users can also process bills in batches or immediately on a pre-set schedule.  
  • Detailed Reports: Users receive elaborate insights on the financial and operational statuses of their company with the report accessory. Users can design and share reports as PDFs, Word documents or Excel files with the automatic sharing component. 
  • Instant Bank Feeds: The accounting tool authorizes users to develop financial reports such as balance sheets and profit and loss reports based on class or individual projects for intricate insights.  
  • Monitor Employee Performance: Users can utilize Core HR's employee journal to evaluate employees by documenting overall performance, outstanding achievements, conversations and more. 
  • Diverse Integrations: BQE Core integrates with other software like Google Drive, MYOB AccountRight, QuickBooks, Amazon and more.  
read more...

Product Ranking

#86

among all
Accounting Software

#158

among all
Accounting Software

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Analyst Rating Summary

82
85
89
97
84
95
79
100
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Platform Security
Financial Statements and Revenue Management
Mobile Support
Project Accounting
Tax Management
Banking and Cash Management
Financial Statements and Revenue Management
General Ledger and Chart of Accounts
Project Accounting
Accounts Payable

Analyst Ratings for Functional Requirements Customize This Data Customize This Data

FreeAgent
BQE Core
+ Add Product + Add Product
Accounts Payable Accounts Receivable Banking And Cash Management Budget And Expense Management Financial Statements And Revenue Management General Ledger And Chart Of Accounts Integration And Extensibility Inventory Management Journal Entries Mobile Support Multi-company Accounting And Asset Management Platform Capabilities Project Accounting Reporting And Analytics Tax Management 89 84 79 68 98 88 85 78 81 97 70 89 97 70 95 97 95 100 93 100 100 58 50 67 80 80 78 100 93 96 0 25 50 75 100
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83%
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31%
85%
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Analyst Ratings for Technical Requirements Customize This Data Customize This Data

33%
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User Sentiment Summary

Great User Sentiment 200 reviews
Great User Sentiment 354 reviews
87%
of users recommend this product

FreeAgent has a 'great' User Satisfaction Rating of 87% when considering 200 user reviews from 3 recognized software review sites.

86%
of users recommend this product

BQE Core has a 'great' User Satisfaction Rating of 86% when considering 354 user reviews from 4 recognized software review sites.

4.3 (29)
4.2 (30)
4.4 (125)
4.3 (209)
n/a
4.8 (17)
4.3 (46)
4.25 (98)

Synopsis of User Ratings and Reviews

Intuitive interface: Users consistently praise FreeAgent's user-friendly design, making it easy to navigate and find features even without accounting expertise.
Automated tasks: FreeAgent automates many time-consuming accounting tasks, such as bank reconciliation, VAT calculation, invoice creation, and mileage tracking.
Comprehensive features: The software offers a wide range of features to manage all aspects of accounting, including invoicing, expenses, projects, taxes, and payroll.
Mobile app: FreeAgent's mobile app allows users to manage finances on the go, access key features, and capture receipts with ease.
Excellent customer support: Users consistently rate FreeAgent's customer support highly, with quick and helpful responses to queries.
Integrations: FreeAgent integrates with various popular business tools, such as bank accounts, payment gateways, and expense management apps.
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Intuitive Interface: Easy to learn and navigate, even for non-accountants.
Automation Powerhouse: Saves time and reduces errors with automated tasks like bank reconciliation and invoice generation.
Scalability and Flexibility: Adapts to growing businesses and diverse accounting needs with customizable modules and features.
Actionable Insights: Real-time dashboards and reports provide clear financial visibility for informed decision-making.
Collaboration Booster: Shared workspaces, task assignments, and approval workflows streamline team accounting processes.
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Limited customization options: While FreeAgent offers some customization, users report feeling restricted in terms of branding and layout compared to other accounting software.
Learning curve for complex features: Some users find FreeAgent's advanced features, like inventory management or project accounting, have a steeper learning curve compared to basic functionalities.
Higher pricing for larger businesses: FreeAgent's pricing scales with the number of users and features needed, making it potentially expensive for larger businesses with complex accounting requirements.
Limited integrations with some industry-specific tools: While FreeAgent integrates with popular business tools, some users in specific industries might miss integrations with specialized software they rely on.
Occasional bugs and glitches: Some users report encountering occasional bugs or glitches within the software, although FreeAgent's customer support is generally praised for responsiveness.
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Limited Mobile App: Functionality lags behind desktop version, hindering on-the-go access.
Occasional Bugs: Users report occasional bugs and glitches, impacting workflow.
Steeper Learning Curve: Interface can be less intuitive compared to some competitors, requiring more training.
Customization Effort: In-depth customization can be complex and require technical expertise.
Pricing Complexity: Tiered pricing structure and optional modules can make cost calculations intricate.
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FreeAgent carves a niche for itself in the accounting software world, earning enthusiastic praise from users seeking an intuitive and automated solution to manage their finances. Its user-friendly interface and wealth of automated features like bank reconciliation and VAT calculation, often cited as lifesavers, make it ideal for solopreneurs and small businesses who want to ditch spreadsheets and manual data entry. This convenience, however, comes with a trade-off: some users feel limited by FreeAgent's customization options, especially compared to the robust branding and layout control offered by competitors like Xero. FreeAgent's strengths truly shine in its mobile app and excellent customer support. Users adore the on-the-go access and quick, helpful resolutions to queries. This agility differentiates FreeAgent from some software giants notorious for sluggish mobile experiences and frustratingly long wait times for assistance. However, power users with complex accounting needs might find FreeAgent's advanced features, like project accounting, less intuitive than Xero's, requiring a steeper learning curve. Ultimately, FreeAgent's user reviews paint a picture of a friendly, efficient, and mobile-first accounting solution. It excels at simplifying finances for non-accountants and automating tedious tasks, but its customization limitations and potential learning curve for advanced features might make larger businesses or those seeking extensive control look elsewhere. In the quest for simplicity and time-saving automation, FreeAgent stands out as a top contender, especially for solopreneurs and small businesses just starting their financial journey.

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BQE Core users praise its intuitiveness and automation features, saving them time and reducing errors. It's lauded for its scalability and flexibility, adapting to growing businesses and diverse needs, which some users find lacking in simpler rivals. Real-time insights and seamless collaboration features are also appreciated, empowering informed decision-making and team efficiency. However, a limited mobile app and occasional bugs can disrupt workflow, drawing comparisons to competitors with more robust mobile experiences. While BQE Core's extensive customization options are admired, some find it steeper to learn and configure compared to user-friendly alternatives. Pricing can also be complex, requiring careful consideration of modules and user licenses, unlike competitors with clearer upfront costs. Ultimately, BQE Core shines for its ease of use, automation, and scalability, but users must weigh occasional technical hiccups and intricate pricing against its strengths. Those seeking a mobile-first or simplified experience might explore other options, while BQE Core excels for businesses prioritizing customization and growth potential.

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