The 7 best self-employed accounting software platforms in 2025 Whether you’re self-employed, a freelancer, or a sole trader, the right accounting software can make your life so much easier – here’s our pick of the very best options Written by Eddie Harris Reviewed by Olivia Bond Updated on 25 July 2025 Our Research To recommend the best accounting software, our writers and researchers focused on the factors that matter most to small business owners – ease of use, features, design, scalability, and suitability for the UK taxation system. Written and reviewed by: Eddie Harris Senior Reviews Writer Olivia Bond Research Executive Startups.co.uk is reader supported – we may earn a commission from our recommendations, at no extra cost to you and without impacting our editorial impartiality. The HMRC submission and payment deadline for Q3 is coming up fast in November, so for the self-employed, the best way to be prepared is with top small business accounting software.As a result of in-depth analysis and hands-on testing, we have determined that Zoho Books is the best accounting software for self-employed people. It came out on top thanks to its solid range of features, coupled with unrivaled usability. Best self-employed accounting software at a glance Zoho Books: best overall self-employed accounting softwareFreeAgent: best if you’ve just started your own businessQuickBooks: best for sole traders who want a lot of customisationXero: best for sole traders with a long-term client baseSage: best for sole traders who want to maintain strong branding FreshBooks: best for sole traders who need a simple platform and extra supportClear Books: best for staying compliant with HMRC regulations That’s not to say another software platform won’t have a specific tool or feature that’s more suited to your needs. Read on for our full reviews of the best accounting software for self-employed people, sole traders, and freelancers to find out which is best for you. 💡Key takeaways Zoho Books is the best self-employed accounting software thanks to its simple-to-use invoicing system, helpful tools, and free plan. When choosing software, consider how many clients you have, as most plans will have usage limits. You should always test out the software on a free trial basis before making a financial commitment. A comprehensive mobile app will be a big help to self-employed users, who often find themselves managing their business on the move. Compare self-employed accounting software Swipe right to see more 0 out of 0 backward forward FEATURED PROVIDER BEST OVERALL Xero Zoho Books FreeAgent QuickBooks Sage FreshBooks Clear Books Rating 4.3 Rating 4.8 Rating 4.5 Rating 4.5 Rating 4.2 Rating 4.2 Rating 4.0 Price From £16 per month (excl. VAT)£1.60 per month (excl. VAT) for the first six months Price From Free Price From £10 per month (excl. VAT)£5 per month for the first six months (excl. VAT) Price From £10 per month (excl. VAT)£1 per month (excl. VAT) for the first six months Price From £15 per month (excl. VAT)First three months free Price From £15 per month Price From Free Free Trial Free Trial Free Trial Free Trial Free Trial Free Trial Free Trial Try Xero Get Quotes Get Quotes Try QuickBooks Try Sage Compare Deals Get Quotes Making Tax Digital: what do I need to know before April 2026? Since April 2022, all VAT-registered businesses—including those that are voluntarily registered—are now required to store their VAT accounting records digitally, using HMRC-recognised accounting software.These are the key points you need to know:From April 2026, HMRC plans to expand this regulation to all self-employed people with gross income of over £30,000 per year (HMRC is still deciding how the rules will apply to people who make less than that)MTD for Income Tax will require you to submit quarterly income and expenses reports to HMRCYou will need to submit ‘end of period statements’ at the end of the financial year to replace self-assessment tax returns 1. Zoho BooksBest overall self-employed accounting software Zoho Books Compare Deals Starting price from: free Free trial: 14 days Highly effective importing and exporting capabilities Excellent free plan for solopreneurs and micro-businesses Mobile app for real-time financial management Summary Zoho initially made its name from CRM systems, but has been providing accounting software since 2011. Zoho Books stands out for its clean and modern interface, and seamlessly aligns with the broader Zoho products. While the platform is geared towards small businesses, we would also recommend it to sole traders, as the tools can be used by inexperienced users. Show moreless Suitable if: You’re looking for a free plan You want an easy-to-use platform You want a comprehensive mobile app to manage your finances on the go Not suitable if: You want 24/7 help and support You want to be able to integrate third-party software outside the Zoho ecosystem Is Zoho Books a good choice for the self-employed?Zoho Books was the clear front runner for the most user-friendly platform we tested, and for the self-employed, freelance or sole-trader: ease-of use is going to be a vital consideration. You’ll need to work quickly and efficiently, and Zoho Books provides excellent usability.We really love the design of the Zoho Books interface, which makes it a pleasure to use. Source: Startups.co.ukIn particular, we found the invoicing system to be exceptionally simple. The slick, modern design is really well suited to non-experienced users, so you should be simple to quickly pick up and get to grips with. What our users had to say… “The navigation was straightforward, especially around invoices and quotes – I didn’t really need to leave that section once I was in it.” How much does it cost?Zoho Books stands alongside Clear Books as the only two software providers on the roundup that offer a completely free plan, (which we also named our top choice for free accounting software). But if you want more organisational ability, including custom reports, the Standard plan is only £10 per month. Swipe right to see more 0 out of 0 backward forward Plan Free Plan Standard Plan Professional Plan Premium Cost Free Cost £12 per month (excl. VAT)£10 per month (excl. VAT) Cost £24 per month (excl. VAT)£20 per month (excl. VAT) Cost £30 per month (excl. VAT)£25 per month (excl. VAT) What are the standout features?At-a-glance insights; into your cash flow and paymentsComprehensive mobile app: for managing your finances on the moveCustomer portal: so your clients can view and manage their transactionsVAT tracking and returnsWhat are the disadvantages of Zoho Books?The hours for live chat and phone help are limited to 9am to 6pm, which isn’t ideal if you don’t work within traditional business hours. Xero, by comparison, has 24/7 online support.The payment reminder emails were a little old-fashioned, as you could only add images using a URL. The process of finding and customising payment reminders also left us confused during our testing. 2. FreeAgentBest self-employed accounting software if you’ve just started your own business FreeAgent Compare Deals Starting price from: £10 per month Free trial: 30 days The only software we tested that gives you built-in tax forecasting and planning tools at no extra cost Helpful cash flow alerts about potential surpluses and shortfalls Free plan available with certain qualifying banks Summary Originally launched in 2007, FreeAgent is based in Edinburgh and now helps over 200,000 small businesses, and was acquired by NatWest Group in 2018. Our recommendation is that FreeAgent is best suited to freelancers, sole traders, and novice accountants. It’s a good middle ground for those who need a feature-filled system that’s not overly complex. Show moreless Suitable if: You want software that has intuitive navigation and clear layouts You want comprehensive and reliable tax tools You want cash flow alerts Not suitable if: You want a smooth onboarding experience to hold your hand You want software that will remember account codes for faster entry You want the most budget friendly option Is FreeAgent a good choice for the self-employed?FreeAgent’s a great choice if you’ve just started your own business because it excels at simplifying complicated financial tasks. The layout is nice and clear, and while it might not be quite as modern as Zoho Books, it does exactly what you need it to.FreeAgent has a clear user interface, which makes navigating around the platform easy. Source: Startups.co.ukWe found tasks like quickly adding clients, managing our expenses, and setting up automatic reminders were all handled with ease. It strikes a delicate balance between simplicity and functionality. What our users had to say: “It definitely felt like it understood its audience—maybe novice accountants, freelancers, or sole traders—so it seems to fulfill what it’s aiming for pretty well.” How much does it cost?Starting at £19 per month for the Sole Trader plan, FreeAgent is a pretty costly option for the self-employed. But, if you bank with NatWest, Royal Bank of Scotland, Ulster Bank, or Mettle, you can qualify for a free plan. So if this applies to you, it’s a no-brainer. Swipe right to see more 0 out of 0 backward forward Plan Landlord Plan Sole Trader Plan Partnership/LLP Plan Limited Company Cost £10 per month (excl. VAT)£5 per month for the first six months (excl. VAT) Cost £19 per month (excl. VAT)£9.50 per month for the first six months (excl. VAT) Cost £27 per month (excl. VAT)£13.50 per month for the first six month (excl. VAT) Cost £33 per month (excl. VAT)£16.50 per month (excl. VAT) What are the standout features?User-friendly templates for both invoices and estimatesTools for streamlining your processes such as tax reminders and end-of-year reportsTimeline feature for invoicing giving you a clear look at what stage your invoice is atCash flow alerts will keep you updated about your financesWhat are the disadvantages of FreeAgent?We would have liked FreeAgent to include the ability to remember frequently used account codes. Xero does this, and it can really speed things up when you’re working at a rapid pace.We also found it a little unhelpful for freelancers that the default time unit was set to hours. In general, we felt an improved onboarding experience would massively benefit FreeAgent. 3. QuickBooksBest for self-employed business owners who want a lot of customisation QuickBooks Compare Deals Starting price from: £10 (self assessment only) Free trial: 30 days Automatically flags mismatched balances Cash flow projection tools to help with your financial visibility Custom reports and templates tailored to your business’s needs Summary Part of the American multinational company Intuit Inc, QuickBooks is accounting software that’s specifically designed for SMEs. It currently has 6.5 million subscribers worldwide. We think its intuitive layout combined with detailed features makes it suitable for more advanced business operations. It’s more suited to those working in accountancy rather than small business owners themselves, due to the complexity of the software and steep learning curve. Show moreless Suitable if: You’re looking for extensive and customisable reporting You want cash flow projection tools You already have experience using accounting software Not suitable if: You don’t want to have invest time and effort to master the software You need time-tracking functionality You don’t have experience setting up workflows Is QuickBooks a good choice for the self-employed?QuickBooks is going to be a top choice for self-employed business owners who prefer to have lots of options for customisation. You can tailor the menus to your liking, and you also get access to extensive, customisable reports. With QuickBooks, you can modify your reports and tailor them to your needs. Source: Startups.co.ukWhile there was a steep learning curve (especially compared to FreshBooks), once we got going, what stood out to us was how well-organised the layout was. All of the essential features were logically categorised, which made navigation easy. What our users had to say… “The learning curve is quite steep. Compared to FreshBooks, where you could go in and get started straight away, it takes more time to understand where to do things.” How much does it cost?QuickBooks’ Sole Trader plan starts at a very competitive £10 per month, and there’s currently a promotion where you can get your first six months for just £1 per month. An attractive option, considering there’s no setup fee or hidden costs. Swipe right to see more 0 out of 0 backward forward Plan Sole Trader Plan Simple Start Plan Essentials Plan Plus Plan Advanced Cost £10 per month (excl. VAT)£1 per month for six months (excl. VAT) Cost £16 per month (excl. VAT)£1.60 per month for six months (excl. VAT) Cost £33 per month (excl. VAT)£3.30 per month for six months (excl. VAT) Cost £47 per month (excl. VAT)£4.70 per month for six months (excl. VAT) Cost £115 per month (excl. VAT)£11.50 per month for six months (excl. VAT) Best suited for: Sole traders and single property owners who are registered for VAT Best suited for: Sole traders and small business owners who are managing income tax and VAT Best suited for: Small businesses that are working with suppliers Best suited for: Small businesses that are managing projects and inventories of stock Best suited for: Businesses that need more sophisticated support like custom permissions and tailored insights Features Helps you prepare your Self Assessment tax returnReceive income tax estimates Send out invoices Features MTD compliant – submit your VAT return directly to HMRCChecks your VAT return for errorsGives you VAT deadline reminders Features Bill managementMulti-currency support (over 145 currencies)Employee time tracking so you can invoice your clients accurately Features Track your products, and see what’s selling the mostSee the profitability of each of your projectsSmart budgeting Features Automatic data backupAutomate workflowsCustom charts and customised dashboards What are the standout features?Separate personal and business expenses with AIEasily get all the figures you need when it comes to submitting your self-assessment tax returnEasily convert estimates into invoicesClear, beginner friendly setup guideWhat are the disadvantages of QuickBooks?There’s a reasonable time investment to master all of QuickBooks’ quirks and complexities. In the long run, you’ll get a lot out of it, but it shouldn’t be the first choice for those who need a quick and simple platform, like FreshBooks. 4. XeroBest for self-employed business owners with a long-term client base Xero Try Xero Starting price from: £16 per month Free trial: 30 days Your clients can securely view and interact with their financial data through the Xero Portal Track the depreciation and amortisation of your fixed assets over time Connect with over 1000 possible integrations Summary Based in New Zealand, Xero was founded in 2006 and now boasts 4.2 million subscribers. Xero is tailored mostly towards experienced professionals and accountants, predominantly positioning itself towards high-turnover businesses with long term client bases. We wouldn’t recommend it to new users. Show moreless Suitable if: You have previous accounting experience You have a lot of clients You want to connect your software to a large ecosystem of integrations Not suitable if: You’re looking for an easy-to-use system You want a modern-looking interface You want a straightforward, simple workflow Is Xero a good choice for the self-employed?Xero is best suited to self-employed business owners who have existing, long-term clients. You’ll get a designated, reliable client portal, and the highly useful expenses feature: you can upload receipts, input mileage, and associate expenses with specific clients.Xero is a more complex software, and the overwhelming and slightly outdated look of the platform might put off unexperienced users. Source: Startups.co.ukSo f you’ve got a long list of clients, Xero’s tools can help you effectively manage them. We also found the bills tool very easy to use, as it offers:Straightforward client creationSimple description entryFlexibility over currency settings What our users had to say… “The expenses were really good, better than FreshBooks and Quickbooks. It was really clear where to upload the picture of the receipt. I like that you can put in your mileage and the cost of 45p. It was easy to associate it to the client too.” How much does it cost?While this isn’t the most beginner friendly option, Xero’s probably worth the money if you need something more heavyweight. But if you’re looking to simply calculate a TAX return and file a self-assessment there are lower cost options out there (like Zoho Books free plan). Swipe right to see more 0 out of 0 backward forward Plan Ignite Plan Grow Plan Comprehensive Plan Ultimate Cost £16 per month (excl. VAT)£1.60 per month for the first six months (excl. VAT) Cost £33 per month (excl. VAT)£3.30 per month for the first six months (excl. VAT) Cost £47 per month (excl. VAT)£4.70 per month for the first six months (excl. VAT) Cost £59 per month (excl. VAT)£5.90 per month for the first six months (excl. VAT) What are the standout features?Xero Portal allows clients to securely view and interact with their financial dataAutomated calculationsTrack fixed assets and their depreciation and/or amortisation over timeEnhanced security – Xero is fully GAAP and IFRS compliantWhat are the disadvantages of Xero?Xero comes with a seriously steep learning curve, and many of our testers found the system to be old-fashioned and difficult to use. Its suited to those who already have accounting experience.Even some of the more basic functions were described as being unnecessarily complex and archaic. It lacks the usability of Zoho Books, and the newbie-friendly approach of FreshBooks. What an external accountant had to say… “Xero may look corporate, blue, and unintuitive at first, but it is powerful and offers strong automation at a basic package level.” 5. SageBest self-employed accounting software for maintaining strong branding Sage Try Sage Starting price from: £15 per month Free trial: 30 days Ability to create custom reports that are tailored to your needs Customisable themes and logos to establish a strong brand identity Fully GDPR and PCI compliant ensuring top-tier security and regulatory assurance Summary Based in Newcastle upon Tyne, as of 2017 Sage is the UK’s second largest technology company, the largest supplier to small businesses, and has 6.1 million worldwide customers. We feel its accounting software is best suited for service-based businesses: like builders, contractors, and handymen. While it’s good for managing quotes and invoicing, we feel it may lack the functionality needed by more established businesses. Show moreless Suitable if: You want assistance from AI You want to create custom reports You want to establish your brand using tailored logos and themes Not suitable if: You want detailed time tracking You want to automate client follow-ups You often upload a large volume of expenses Is Sage a good choice for the self-employed?Strong branding can be crucial to successful self-employed businesses, and Sage offers customisable themes and logos for your external documents. So when you send out quotes and invoices to your clients they’ll maintain your businesses branding and style.Sage provides branding tools, like themes and logos, for your external documents. Source: Startups.co.ukWe think Sage is suitable for a range of businesses, thanks to the seamless invoice management. It’s particularly good for freelancers working in service-based roles (like contractors or handymen) thanks to:Customisable invoicingCustomisable profit and loss statementsStrong invoice workflows and quoting What our users had to say… “I found the accounts receivable really straightforward. The whole workflow of creating a quote, converting the quote to an invoice, recording the payment, and then recording a card payment – all done quickly, one after the other, because of the way they’ve set up the platform.” How much does it cost?Sole traders can get started on Sage’s Accounting Start plan, which costs £15 per month. It’s not the cheapest option out there, but it’s about average. There are no hidden or extra fees, though, which is a bonus. Swipe right to see more 0 out of 0 backward forward Plan Accounting Start Plan Accounting Standard Plan Accounting Plus Cost £18 per month (excl. VAT)First three months free Cost £39 per month (excl. VAT)First three months free Cost £59 per month (excl. VAT)First three months free What are the standout features?Top-tier customisabilityAutomatic cloud backupsSeamless integration with the Sage ecosystem, including payrollHigh standard of security and regulatory assuranceWhat are the disadvantages of Sage?Sage’s beauty is only skin deep in some areas. For example trying to access features like the payment reminders and expenses was frustrating, and overall we had mixed feelings on the usability.Completing expense reports was another area we found frustratingly complicated. It might not be the best fit for users that need to upload a large volumes of expenses, as Xero has tools that are better equipped to support this. 6. FreshBooksBest self-employed accounting software for a simple platform with extra support FreshBooks Compare Deals Starting price from: £15 per month Free trial: 30 days (if another business is added, this gets another 30 day free trial) Get support at any hour from the 24/7 customer support chatbot Precise Time Tracking for billable hours Intuitive, user-friendly interface Summary Based out of Toronto, Canada, FreshBooks is designed primarily for SMEs. To date, over 30 million people have used FreshBooks in over 160 countries. We feel that it’s certainly geared towards the needs of small businesses and sole traders, but high-level accountants and larger operations may find it too limited. Show moreless Suitable if: You’re just looking for the basics You want 24/7 assistance from a chatbot You want an aesthetically pleasing interface Not suitable if: You want a mobile app to monitor your financial data from You want custom reporting You want a simple messaging system to contact clients Is FreshBooks a good choice for the self-employed?FreshBooks short learning curve makes it particularly well suited to sole traders with no experience using accounting software. Its intuitive, user-friendly, with a clear appealing interface (especially compared to a software like Clear Books).We found the FreshBooks interface to be user-friendly, giving us quick and easy access to the critical features we needed. Source: Startups.co.ukWe really liked the vertical navigation bar (seen above), which made it fast to find key features, like invoicing. Crucially, if you do find yourself running into any problems you can get support at any time of the day or night from the 24/7 chatbot. What our users had to say… “I did think it was very intuitive to use, and finding things was easy.” How much does it cost?FreshBooks’ Lite plan starts from £15 per month, which is about average when compared to competitors’ similar plans. However, one downside with the Lite tier is that it’s limited to sending invoices to up to just five clients. Swipe right to see more 0 out of 0 backward forward Plan Lite Plan Plus Plan Premium Cost £15 per monthOr £162 per year Cost £25 per monthOr £270 yearly Cost £35 per monthOr £378 per year What are the standout features?Client self-service portalTax time reportsAt-a-glance performance dashboardsUnlimited time trackingWhat are the disadvantages of FreshBooks?FreshBooks’ messaging system could use some work. It feels cumbersome and tricky to use, and considering your clients need to use it for it to work, this could cause some issues.And while the user support chatbot is available round the clock, the phoneline is only open from 1pm until 12am, and is focused on sales calls rather than help for existing customers. 7. Clear BooksBest for staying compliant with HMRC regulations Clear Books Compare Deals Starting price from: Free Free trial: 30 days Well designed search function enables easy access to important information Efficient and easy customisation, such as quote creation Easily create new projects with helpful pop-up feature Summary Started in 2008, ClearBooks is a UK based accounting software firm specifically designed with small businesses in mind. We feel that freelancers, as well as small businesses, could benefit from ClearBooks, mainly thanks to its easy-to-use project creation. Show moreless Suitable if: You want to simplify tax calculations You want a simple and reliable way of submitting VAT returns through MTD You want a platform that prioritises convenience and usability Not suitable if: You’ll want support outside of standard business operating hours You want a platform that’s quick to learn You want to track the status of your invoices Is Clear Books a good choice for the self-employed?Some good news for 2025: Clear Books now provides a free MTD software for the self-employed, sole traders, and landlords. This allows you to:Submit quarterly updates to HMRC with a single clickRecord income and expensesFile end-of-year tax returnUse built-in AI-powered smart codingYou can customise Clear Books’ dashboard to your liking so it displays the key metrics that you need. Source: Startups.co.ukClear Books can help you simplify tax calculations, reducing manual effort and ensuring accuracy. In general, it excels in convenience. The search function, for example, is incredibly intuitive, and we really liked the ‘pop-up’ approach to project creation. What our users had to say… “The dashboard is really clean. The accounts receivable end of it is really straightforward, so it’s really easy to find out who owes you money and turn quotes into invoices.” How much does it cost?Clear Books now has a free MTD software plan, but the paid tiers start form £13.50 per month. However, crucially, if you want MTD VAT and CIS submissions, you’ll need to pay for the Medium plan, which is a heftier £29 per month. This won’t be ideal for sole traders looking to do a VAT return for the cheapest price possible. Swipe right to see more 0 out of 0 backward forward Plan MTD Income Tax Plan Small Plan Medium Plan Large Cost Free Cost £13.50 per month (excl. VAT)£6.75 per month for the first three months Cost £31 per month (excl. VAT)£15.50 per month for the first 3 months (excl. VAT) Cost £41 per month (excl. VAT)£20.50 per month for the first six months What are the standout features“Pop-up” project creator, which is very user friendlyMobile app for managing contacts, invoicing clients, creating quotes, and moreSubmit MTD VAT returns directly to HMRC (only on the Medium plan)Straightforward customisation tools – you can toggle different features to suit your needsWhat are the disadvantages of Clear Books?We did feel there was quite a steep learning curve when getting to grips with Clear Books – more so than more user-friendly options like QuickBooks and Zoho Books, and even more so than Xero.If you do run into difficulties, another limitation of the platform is the support hours. Support is only available 9am to 5pm on weekdays, so if you need support outside of traditional working hours, you’ll be out of luck. Buying guide: How to choose your self-employed accounting softwareRegardless of whether you’re self-employed, a sole trader, or a freelancer: you need to decide what your ‘must haves’ are, and what you can live without.Be realistic about what advanced features you’ll actually end up using. If you’re just using accounting software to submit a self-assessment tax return, there’s no point in paying for complex tools like multi-currency bank accounts.Understandably, you’re going to need to keep overheads low: but don’t just automatically go for the budget option. It might be missing a critical feature you’ll need, like the ability to calculate Construction Industry Scheme (CIS) deductions, for example.Think about usage limits, as some plans will have a cap on client numbers. You should also think about your skill level when it comes to accounting software. If you’re an accounting novice, prioritise a user-friendly platform like Zoho Books.Finally, remember that most providers offer a free trial – it’s always better to take new software for a test drive before you get your credit card out! The top five factors you should consider in software for the self-employed Usability: make sure it’s user friendly! You’re a one-person-band after all, and you need something that’s quick and easy to use.Core functions: these features will be the backbone of your system, so make sure it’s equipped to handle easy and customisable invoicing, clear expense tracking, reliable tax management, and detailed financial reporting.Mobile app: the self-employed often find themselves rushing around, so you’ll want to keep your eyes peeled for accounting software that offers a well-designed mobile app to stay on top of your accounts wherever you are.Seamless bank integration: connecting your accounting software with your bank will make your life so much easier, and import transactions much faster.Scalability: you never know where your self-employed venture will take you, so make sure you have a platform that will be able to grow along with you. How we test accounting software for self-employed business owners in the UKAt Startups, it’s imperative to us that the product recommendations we give to you are useful, accurate, and based on thorough product testing.This is why our dedicated, in-house research team carried out 37 user tests, which amounted to a total of 57 hours of actual testing.We completed a massive 555 tasks on seven different accounting software platforms. These tasks were separated into the six categories we felt were the most essential to accounting software for self-employed people in the UK:The core accounting tools and features of the software.The tools that equip you for financial planning, and visibility over your finances.How efficiently the software helps you run the daily operations of your business, including integrations and mobile apps.What help and support the platform offers, and what hours these are accessible in.The price of the software, including hidden fees and extra costs.And finally, the usability of the platform.Each of these was then given an appropriate weighting that related to how crucial they are for freelancers, sole-traders and self-employed. Jump back into any of our reviews: Compare self-employed accounting software 1. Zoho Books 2. FreeAgent 3. QuickBooks 4. Xero 5. Sage 6. FreshBooks 7. Clear Books Buying guide: How to choose your self-employed accounting software How we test accounting software for self-employed business owners in the UK Startups.co.uk is reader-supported. If you make a purchase through the links on our site, we may earn a commission from the retailers of the products we have reviewed. This helps Startups.co.uk to provide free reviews for our readers. It has no additional cost to you, and never affects the editorial independence of our reviews. Share this post facebook twitter linkedin Tags Topic spotlight Written by: Eddie Harris Senior Reviews Writer Eddie is resident Senior Reviews Writer for Startups, focusing on merchant accounts, point of sales systems and business phone systems. He works closely with our in-house team of research experts, carrying out hours of hands-on user testing and market analysis to ensure that our recommendations and reviews are as helpful and accurate as possible. Eddie is also Startups video presenter. He helps create informative, helpful visual content alongside our written reviews, to better aid customers with their decision making. Eddie joined Startups from its sister site Expert Reviews, where he wrote in-depth informational articles and covered the biggest consumer deals events of the year. And, having previously worked as a freelancer providing screenplay and book coverage in the film and television industry, Eddie is no stranger to the demands of the sole trader. Reviewed by: Olivia Bond Research Executive Olivia is driven by a deep curiosity about what makes people tick and the underlying factors that shape our decisions and behaviours. She honed her qualitative and quantitative skills with a degree in Psychology from UEA, while also contributing to an 18 month project to improve neurodevelopmental diagnostic assessments; an endeavour with potentially life-changing results for some. She now applies the same degree of care to the professional environment, assessing how managers and employees interact to support potentially game-changing results in business. Her core interest in human behavior guides her approach to every project, revealing the true reasons behind effective workplace processes, and ensuring her findings when assessing key products and industries are both truly accurate and deeply insightful. Olivia is dedicated to rigorous research practices, and strives to help business owners find the most reliable solutions to drive the best outcomes for their needs.