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Plain-English guide

Which accounting software should a plumbing firm use?

PipeworkHQ runs the work: customers, jobs, certificates, quotes, invoices and payments. Accounting software reconciles the bank and handles tax filing. You may need both, but you should not pay for more accounting software than your firm needs.

Prices below are normal UK monthly prices excluding VAT and temporary introductory offers. Checked 2026-07-26.

The short answer

Check your bank first

If an eligible business account includes FreeAgent, that can be the strongest value. Read the bank conditions before switching.

Already on Xero?

Staying put may be simplest, especially if your accountant works there. Check the invoice limit before connecting any job-management app.

Need VAT or CIS?

Do not choose a non-VAT sole-trader tier. Compare FreeAgent, Xero Ignite or QuickBooks Simple Start against your accountant's actual workflow.

What the main choices really cost

OptionNormal priceSensible forWatch out for
FreeAgent through an eligible bank£0 software subscriptionA small firm happy with an eligible NatWest, RBS, Ulster Bank or Mettle business account.Bank eligibility still applies. Mettle requires at least one qualifying transaction each month and is aimed at sole traders or limited companies with no more than two owners.
FreeAgent bought directly£10 sole trader · £19 partnership/LLP · £33 limited companyA firm that wants bookkeeping, tax tools and payroll in one product without changing bank.Prices exclude VAT. Smart Capture includes 10 receipts or bills a month; unlimited capture costs £5 a month. Cash-basis accounts do not include payroll or stock.
Xero Simple£7 a monthA non-VAT sole trader with very low invoice volume.Limited to 10 invoices. Invoices pushed by an app partner can count towards that allowance.
Xero Ignite£16 now · £18 from 1 September 2026A VAT-registered firm that sends no more than 20 invoices a month.The 20-invoice allowance can include app-partner transactions. Some bank feeds and optional features cost extra.
Xero Grow£37 now · £39 from 1 September 2026A busier firm already using Xero or working with a Xero-based accountant.Payroll, expenses and some other features have usage limits or extra charges. Check the current plan before committing.
QuickBooks Simple Start£16 a monthA sole trader or limited company that needs VAT and CIS support.Payroll is a paid add-on. QuickBooks Sole Trader products are for non-VAT businesses without employees or contractor CIS filing.

Where PipeworkHQ fits

Available now

Create and send invoices in PipeworkHQ, take payment through your connected Stripe account and export Xero-compatible invoice data for your books.

Still in provider testing

One-click posting to Xero, QuickBooks and FreeAgent is not advertised as live until each provider round-trip and plan-limit failure has passed. CSV remains the fallback when a provider rejects an invoice or a plan cap is reached.

Before you choose

  • Ask your accountant which product and plan they support.
  • Confirm whether you are VAT registered and whether you file contractor CIS.
  • Count a busy month's invoices, including anything another app will push.
  • Check payroll, receipt capture, bank feed and extra-user charges.
  • Keep the business owner in control of the subscription and bank connection.

This is product guidance, not tax or accounting advice. Your accountant should confirm the right legal entity, accounting basis and filing setup.

Official sources

Pricing changes. We link to the providers rather than asking you to trust an old screenshot.

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