Freelancers

Found is a neobank designed specifically for self-employed workers, freelancers, and sole proprietors, combining business banking with integrated tax tools that address the unique financial management needs of independent workers. The free business checking account provides a Visa debit card, instant payment receipt, and expense categorization. Found's integrated tax feature is the key differentiator — the app automatically sets aside a percentage of income for taxes, calculates estimated quarterly tax payments, tracks deductible expenses throughout the year, and prepares Schedule C and self-employment tax figures at filing time. This automatic tax-aware banking eliminates the common freelancer mistake of spending tax obligations, then scrambling to cover quarterly payments. The expense categorization engine suggests business or personal classifications for each transaction, building a deductible expense record automatically. Invoicing tools allow freelancers to create and send payment requests directly from the Found app. Found Plus adds a high-yield savings account with competitive APY, unlimited invoicing, advanced expense categorization, and year-round CPA access. ACH and wire transfers are supported for client billing and contractor payments. No minimum balance requirements, no monthly fees for the base tier, and no personal credit check for account opening. For freelancers who want to eliminate the separate bank account plus separate tax tracking tool setup with a single integrated solution, Found's banking-plus-tax approach covers the most common pain points in a clean mobile experience.

FreeAgent is a UK-focused cloud accounting platform built specifically for freelancers, consultants, and small businesses navigating the UK's tax system. Its design reflects deep knowledge of UK-specific requirements: Making Tax Digital (MTD) compliance for VAT, Self Assessment tax return preparation, Corporation Tax filing, PAYE payroll, and CIS (Construction Industry Scheme) handling are all built natively rather than added as afterthoughts. The time tracking, project management, and invoicing features are tightly integrated with accounting, creating a seamless workflow from recording billable hours to receiving payment and reconciling bank accounts. FreeAgent calculates estimated Self Assessment liability throughout the year, showing freelancers how much tax to set aside quarterly — a practical feature that prevents surprise tax bills. The dashboard summarizes cash in/out, outstanding invoices, upcoming bills, and tax timeline in a clear overview. Bank connections support most UK banks with automated feed imports. Multi-currency invoicing handles international clients. FreeAgent's free availability for NatWest and Royal Bank of Scotland business account holders is a remarkable benefit, making it effectively free for hundreds of thousands of UK businesses. For the UK market, FreeAgent is among the strongest SMB accounting choices available. International availability is limited, and US-specific features are absent, making it unsuitable for non-UK businesses.

FreshBooks is a cloud accounting platform specifically designed for freelancers, consultants, and small service-based businesses — a focus that shapes every aspect of its design. While it handles full accounting including expense tracking, profit and loss, and bank reconciliation, FreshBooks is especially renowned for its invoicing capabilities: customizable professional invoices, automatic payment reminders, client retainers, recurring billing, and online payment acceptance via credit card or ACH. Time tracking is built natively into the platform, allowing service providers to log billable hours and attach them directly to invoices — a workflow optimized for consultants and agencies. The client portal gives customers a branded experience to view invoices, make payments, and access project updates. FreshBooks handles double-entry accounting from Lite plan onward, though it is less comprehensive than QuickBooks Online for inventory-heavy or transaction-intensive businesses. The mobile apps are highly rated, supporting receipt capture, time tracking, and invoice management on the go. Estimates convert to invoices with one click, and project management features track budgets and profitability. For non-accountants running service businesses, FreshBooks' clarity and workflow optimizations make financial management considerably less intimidating. Its limitation is client count restrictions on lower plans and reduced accounting depth for complex business structures.

HoneyBook is an all-in-one client management platform designed for freelancers, photographers, event planners, designers, and other independent service professionals. It combines invoicing, contracts, proposals, scheduling, and client communication into a single workflow, eliminating the fragmented tool stack most solopreneurs cobble together. The platform's smart files feature merges proposals, contracts, and invoices into a single client-facing document that guides prospects from quote acceptance to payment without friction. Automated payment reminders reduce late payment follow-up, while recurring billing handles retainer clients automatically. HoneyBook Payments processes credit cards, ACH, and bank transfers with instant payout options. The client portal provides a branded experience where customers can view documents, make payments, and communicate with the business. Pipeline views track every project through customizable stages from inquiry to completion. Integrations with QuickBooks, Zapier, Gmail, and Calendly extend the platform's utility. For service businesses billing $50K–$500K annually, HoneyBook replaces five or more separate tools with a cohesive system built around the client relationship lifecycle. The onboarding experience is streamlined, and the mobile app covers core workflows effectively.

Keeper Tax is purpose-built for freelancers, contractors, and gig economy workers who have business expenses eligible as tax deductions but lack the accounting knowledge to identify and document them effectively. The app connects to bank accounts and credit cards, then uses AI to automatically scan transaction history for potential business deductions — flagging purchases that commonly qualify for Schedule C write-offs across hundreds of occupation categories. Keeper's deduction-finding algorithm is trained on IRS guidelines and covers expenses ranging from home office costs and software subscriptions to business meals, vehicle mileage, and professional development. Each flagged transaction is presented for user confirmation, keeping humans in the loop while doing the heavy lifting of identification. The subscription price covers both year-round deduction tracking and actual tax filing at year-end — users don't pay separately for the return. Keeper also offers quarterly tax estimates to help freelancers avoid underpayment penalties. A CPA review option is available for complex situations. The platform's tax filing covers Schedule C, self-employment tax, retirement contributions (SEP-IRA, Solo 401k), home office deduction, and most common freelancer scenarios. For independent workers who previously left thousands of dollars in deductions on the table, Keeper's automated approach often saves significantly more than the subscription cost.

Lili is a banking app for self-employed workers and small businesses that integrates financial management and tax tools directly into the banking experience. The free tier provides a Visa debit card, ACH transfers, and basic expense tagging. Lili's Tax Optimizer automatically sets aside a percentage of incoming deposits into a tax bucket, calculating the recommended set-aside rate based on business income and filing status — addressing the most common financial mistake of self-employed workers who don't reserve funds for quarterly tax payments. The expense management feature categorizes business expenses against tax-deductible categories and generates a year-end expense report that simplifies Schedule C preparation. Lili Pro adds higher APY savings, unlimited invoicing with payment links, unlimited expense categorization, and priority support. Lili Smart includes all Pro features plus an accounting integration with QuickBooks, advanced analytics, and a business checkbook. The invoicing tool allows freelancers to create and send professional invoices directly from the app without a separate tool. Business savings accounts within the Lili platform enable goal-based savings for tax reserves, equipment purchases, and emergency funds. FDIC insurance through Choice Financial Group covers all deposits. Lili's combination of zero-fee basic banking, automatic tax set-aside, and integrated invoicing creates a self-sufficient financial management suite for solopreneurs and micro-businesses who want to consolidate banking and basic bookkeeping in one mobile app.

Wave is a free cloud accounting platform that has served millions of micro-businesses, freelancers, and side hustlers since 2010. The core accounting software — including income and expense tracking, bank reconciliation, double-entry accounting, and financial reporting — is genuinely free with no artificial limits on transactions, users, or invoices. Invoicing and receipt scanning are also included at no cost. Wave's business model monetizes through payment processing fees and optional payroll subscriptions, making it sustainable without charging for the accounting product itself. The platform handles bank connections, automatic transaction import, and basic categorization reasonably well for simple business financials. Reporting covers P&L, balance sheet, and cash flow statements. Wave Payments enables credit card and ACH acceptance via invoices. The payroll module covers full payroll processing with tax filing in select US states. Wave's limitations become apparent as businesses grow: the feature set is significantly thinner than QuickBooks Online, inventory management is absent, the integration ecosystem is small, and customer support for free users is limited to community forums and email with slow response times. For businesses with annual revenues under approximately $250,000 and straightforward financials, Wave delivers professional-grade accounting at unbeatable cost. A natural first step for new business owners before they outgrow its capabilities.