Bookkeeping app built for UK freelancers, with no US tax filing.
Typical price
Check current pricing
Why we pick it
- Works with
FreeAgent files UK returns only, so it does not suit a US seller. For US books, use the Sage pick on this page, or any app that exports a Schedule C summary for your tax preparer.
Our approved alternative for the same job: QuickBooks
The guide
Each step in the order you'll need it.
A UK tool, listed for comparison
FreeAgent is built for small businesses in the UK and connects to UK banks and the UK tax office. It has no US edition, no 1099-K import and no Schedule C report.
If you sell on eBay, Poshmark or Mercari from the US, skip it and pick a bookkeeping app that supports US accounts and tax categories.
Features a US seller would miss
Invoices, receipt scanning and bank feeds all exist in FreeAgent, but the bank list and tax forms are British. A US checking account will not connect.
Sales tax on US marketplaces is collected by the platform in most states, so your books mainly need income, fees, shipping and cost of goods. A US app sorts those into the lines your tax return uses.
Setting up US books instead
Open a separate checking account for selling, connect it to a US bookkeeping app, and add categories for inventory, shipping labels, supplies and platform fees.
Download the yearly sales report from each platform in January. Your 1099-K, if you get one, shows gross payments, so you need the fee and refund totals to reach your real profit.
Sage, Xero or QuickBooks for the US
Sage, the fallback here, serves small US businesses. QuickBooks is the common pick among US tax preparers, and Xero suits a seller who wants a cleaner bank reconciliation screen.
All three charge a monthly fee in the US; compare the current plans on each site before you start the tax year.
Kit for this step
Filing your US return
Most home sellers report resale income on Schedule C with their Form 1040. A bookkeeping app gives you the totals; you or a tax preparer file the return.
The IRS 1099-K reporting threshold has changed several times, so check irs.gov for the current year before you plan around it.
Common mistakes
Each one costs you money or reviews, and each has a fix.
- Signing up for a UK app from the US leaves you with the wrong tax forms. Pick one with US support.
- Treating the 1099-K total as profit overstates your income; subtract fees, refunds and the cost of what you sold.
- Mixing personal and selling spending in one account makes January slow, so open a second checking account.
- Skipping receipts for inventory loses your largest deduction. Photograph each one when you buy.
Questions
Straight answers to what sellers ask about this.
Does FreeAgent work in the US?
No. It supports UK businesses and UK tax filing only.
What should a US reseller use instead?
A US bookkeeping app such as Sage, QuickBooks or Xero, or a spreadsheet if your volume is small.
Do I need bookkeeping software to sell on eBay?
Not at low volume. A spreadsheet of sales, fees and costs works until the monthly reconciling takes more than an hour.
Does my platform handle sales tax?
In most states, marketplaces collect and remit sales tax for you. Your state revenue site confirms the rules where you live.
Will I get a 1099-K?
Platforms send one when you pass the IRS threshold for that year. irs.gov lists the current figure.
Alternatives
Other picks for the same job, cheaper and pricier.
QuickBooks
Suits you if your reselling has become a business and you want income, costs and a running tax estimate in one place. It pulls in your bank and card transactions and sorts them into Schedule C categories.
Typical priceCheck current pricing
Visit site
Sage
Sage sells an accounting plan in the US, but its free starter plan is a UK product. For a US seller we point to QuickBooks, which more US tax preparers use and which groups costs the way Schedule C does.
Typical priceCheck current pricing
Xero
Suits you once your shop has inventory, invoices and maybe a helper. It pulls details from receipts you photograph, and your accountant can see the books live.
Typical priceCheck current pricing
Visit site