Autobooks vs Crunch vs Gorilla vs FreeAgent
An honest, line-by-line comparison of the main contractor accountancy services in 2025. Price, inclusions, and who each is actually built for.
Side by Side
What you actually get
Every feature that matters for a one-man limited company limited company, compared directly.
| Feature | Autobooks Best Value | Crunch | Gorilla | FreeAgent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly price (excl. VAT) | £89+VAT/month | £149.50+VAT/month | £61++VAT/month (software only) | £19–£35+VAT/month (software only) |
| Built exclusively for contractors | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ |
| Monthly bookkeeping included | ✓ | ✓ | Software only | Software only |
| VAT returns filed for you | ✓ | ✓ | Add-on | ✗ |
| Director payroll managed | ✓ | ✓ | Add-on | ✗ |
| Self-Assessment tax return | ✓ | ✓ | Add-on | ✗ |
| Companies House confirmation statement | ✓ | ✓ | Add-on | ✗ |
| Year-end statutory accounts | ✓ | ✓ | Add-on | ✗ |
| Dividend planning advice | ✓ | ✓ | Limited | ✗ |
| Referral rewards | ✓ Free months (compounding) | £150 cash, once | ✗ | ✗ |
| Contractor mortgage broker access | ✓ Fee-free on Gold+ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ |
| Human account manager | ✓ Named contact | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ |
| Annual saving vs this provider | — | Save £726+VAT/yr | Variable | Not comparable |
Prices verified March 2025. Crunch full-service (Crunch Pro) £149.50+VAT/month. Gorilla Accounting base software plan from £61+VAT; full-service requires multiple add-ons. FreeAgent starts at £19+VAT for sole traders, £35+VAT for limited companies — software only, no accountancy services included. See Autobooks pricing in full →
Provider Breakdown
Who each service is actually for
The fine print most comparison sites don't show you.
Best for Contractors
Autobooks
Autobooks
£89
+VAT per month, all-in
- Exclusively for one-man limited company ltd companies
- Full service — no add-ons needed
- Built by a 30-year contractor
- Referral programme with compounding rewards
- Contractor mortgage broker (Gold+)
- Price fixed at sign-up
The only service built specifically for your situation — not adapted from a general practice.
Crunch
Crunch
£149.50
+VAT per month (Pro plan)
- Large, established business (2009)
- Full-service on Pro plan
- Not contractor-specific
- Serves limited companies, sole traders, landlords
- £726+VAT/year more expensive
- One-off £150 referral only
Solid service, but built for everyone — which means calibrated for no-one in particular. You pay for features you'll never use.
Gorilla Accounting
Gorilla
£61+
+VAT per month (add-ons extra)
- Contractor-focused messaging
- Base plan is software only
- VAT, payroll, SA all add-ons
- Full-service cost not clearly published
- No referral programme
- Comparable at full-service tier
Headline price is misleading — you need multiple add-ons to get a like-for-like service. Total cost often exceeds Crunch.
FreeAgent
FreeAgent
£35
+VAT per month (ltd company)
- Affordable bookkeeping software
- Good MTD-compliant platform
- Not an accountancy service
- You file your own returns
- No human accountant included
- Owned by NatWest Bank
Software, not a service. You still need an accountant. Not a fair comparison to Autobooks — different products entirely.
The Referral Programme
The one feature nobody else offers
Every contractor you refer who signs up earns you one free month per year — for as long as they stay. Refer 12 clients and your Autobooks subscription is free for life.
Crunch pays £150 cash once. That's it. Autobooks compounds forever.
Learn more about referrals →What 3 referrals is worth over 3 years
Crunch: 3 × £150, once
£450 total
Autobooks Year 1 (3 free months)
£267 saved
Autobooks Year 2 (3 free months again)
£267 saved
Autobooks Year 3 (3 free months again)
£267 saved
Autobooks 3-year total saved
£801
All figures +VAT. Based on £89/month Gold plan.
Common Questions
Frequently asked questions
Is Autobooks really cheaper than Crunch for contractors?
Yes. Autobooks Gold costs £89+VAT/month (£106.80 inc VAT). Crunch's equivalent full-service plan (Crunch Pro) costs £149.50+VAT/month. That's a saving of £60.50+VAT per month, or £726+VAT per year, for a fully comparable service — and in many ways a more specialist one.
Is FreeAgent a replacement for a contractor accountant?
No. FreeAgent is bookkeeping software. It helps you track invoices and expenses. It does not file your VAT returns, prepare your Self-Assessment, run your payroll, or submit your year-end accounts to HMRC and Companies House. You would still need to pay a separate accountant to do those things — making the total cost higher, not lower.
What makes Autobooks different from Crunch and Gorilla?
The core difference is specialisation. Crunch and Gorilla serve anyone with a limited company — landlords, sole traders, small businesses with employees, retailers, CIS contractors. Autobooks serves only one type of client: the one-man limited company limited company. That means every process, every piece of advice, every document template is built around your situation. You're not being fitted into a general-purpose system.
Can I switch to Autobooks from Crunch or Gorilla mid-year?
Yes. We handle mid-year switches regularly. We'll request all relevant records from your previous accountant — there's no information you need to transfer yourself. The process typically takes one to two weeks and you won't miss any deadlines during the transition. Book a free call and we'll walk you through it.
Does Autobooks price ever increase?
The price you sign up at is the price you pay. We don't run introductory rates that quietly step up after 12 months. Our pricing page shows the actual monthly cost — no hidden fees, no scope creep charges for standard contractor work.
Related guides
Ready to save £726 a year?
Book a free 20-minute call with Chris. No sales script, no obligation — just honest advice about whether Autobooks is the right fit for you.