Accounted vs Crunch: Full Sole Trader Comparison

Accounted and Crunch represent two fundamentally different approaches to the same problem: helping UK sole traders manage their finances and stay compliant with HMRC. Accounted is AI-powered software that automates your bookkeeping. Crunch bundles software with a dedicated accountant who handles things for you.

The right choice depends on a simple question: do you want a human managing your accounts, or are you comfortable with AI doing the heavy lifting? Both approaches have clear strengths, and being honest about what each does well helps you make the right decision.

How Crunch Works

Crunch offers several tiers, but the core proposition is the managed service. You sign up, Crunch assigns you an accountant (or accounting team), and they handle everything — bookkeeping, Self Assessment filing, MTD submissions, HMRC correspondence, and answering your financial questions.

You still have access to the Crunch software platform, where you can categorise expenses, submit receipts, and view your financial position. But the key difference is that someone is checking your work, cleaning up mistakes, and ensuring everything is filed correctly and on time.

Crunch's accountants are qualified and employed by Crunch directly. They are available by phone, email, and through the platform. You get a named person (or team) who learns your business over time.

For sole traders who are anxious about getting their taxes wrong, or who simply have no interest in learning bookkeeping, this human safety net is genuinely valuable.

What Crunch Does Well

• Human oversight — A qualified accountant reviews your records and catches mistakes. This is particularly valuable for complex situations or when you are unsure about the tax treatment of specific expenses.
• Tax advice — Your accountant can provide tax planning advice, help you understand your options, and suggest strategies to reduce your tax bill legally. Software alone cannot do this with the same nuance. HMRC's guidance on Self Assessment tax returns is comprehensive but not personalised — an accountant fills that gap.
• HMRC communication — If HMRC contacts you, your Crunch accountant handles the correspondence. This alone can be worth the fee for the stress it removes.
• Complete service — From bookkeeping to filing, everything is handled. You do not need to learn how to use software, understand tax categories, or worry about deadlines.

Where Crunch Falls Short

• Cost — Crunch's managed service starts at around £79.50 per month for sole traders. That is £954 per year — a significant ongoing expense for a sole trader watching their margins.
• Dependency — You are dependent on your accountant's availability and responsiveness. During busy periods (January, tax year end), response times can slow down.
• Less control — Some sole traders want to understand their own numbers. With Crunch, you can feel disconnected from your finances because someone else is managing them.
• Not instant — When you need to know your tax position right now — perhaps before accepting a new contract or making a purchase — you may need to wait for your accountant to update your records and respond.

How Accounted Works

Accounted takes the automation approach. Penny, the AI bookkeeper, connects to your bank, pulls in transactions daily, and categorises them automatically. Each categorisation uses a three-tier reasoning system with confidence scores — high-confidence categorisations are applied automatically, while uncertain ones are flagged for your review.

Receipt management works through WhatsApp. Send a photo of a receipt to Penny, and the AI extracts the data, categorises the expense, and matches it to your bank transaction. Tax estimates update in real time as transactions are processed, so you always know roughly what you owe.

Self Assessment filing and MTD quarterly submissions are built in. Because your books are maintained throughout the year, filing is a matter of reviewing Penny's work and confirming the submission.

What Accounted Does Well

• Speed — Your financial position is always current. There is no waiting for an accountant to update your records. Your tax estimate updates as transactions are categorised, which happens within hours of them appearing in your bank.
• Cost — At £12 per month, Accounted costs a fraction of Crunch's managed service. Over a year, that is £144 versus £954+ — a saving of over £800.
• Convenience — WhatsApp receipt capture means you can manage your finances from the app you already use. No portals to log into, no separate apps to download.
• Consistency — Penny does not have bad days, go on holiday, or get overwhelmed during January. The AI categorisation is consistent and available 24/7.
• Learning — Because you review Penny's categorisations (at least the lower-confidence ones), you gradually learn how your business finances work. This understanding is valuable.

Where Accounted Falls Short

• No human accountant — If you need tax planning advice, complex tax structure decisions, or help navigating an HMRC investigation, AI software cannot replace a qualified accountant.
• No invoicing — Accounted does not currently include invoicing. If you need to send invoices, you will need a separate tool.
• Newer platform — Accounted is newer to market than Crunch. Some users prefer the reassurance of an established provider.
• Requires some engagement — While Penny automates most of the work, you still need to review flagged transactions and confirm submissions. It is not entirely hands-off.

Feature-by-Feature Comparison

Bookkeeping

• Crunch: Your accountant manages your bookkeeping, with you providing receipts and categorising expenses through the platform. They review, correct, and finalise everything.
• Accounted: Penny categorises transactions automatically using AI. High-confidence categorisations happen without your input. Lower-confidence ones need a quick review.

Both approaches get the job done. Crunch's advantage is human judgement on edge cases. Accounted's advantage is speed and consistency on routine transactions.

Tax Calculations

• Crunch: Your accountant calculates your tax liability and advises you on what to set aside. The calculation is accurate but may not be real-time — it depends on how recently your records have been updated.
• Accounted: Tax estimates update automatically as transactions are categorised. Income Tax, Class 2 and Class 4 National Insurance, and payments on account are all calculated in real time.

Self Assessment Filing

• Crunch: Your accountant prepares and files your SA100 return. You review and approve before submission.
• Accounted: Your return is pre-populated from a year of automated bookkeeping. You review and submit directly to HMRC from the platform.

Both handle filing, but the experience differs. With Crunch, you trust someone else to get it right. With Accounted, you can see exactly what is being filed and why.

MTD Compliance

• Crunch: Your accountant handles quarterly MTD submissions as part of the managed service.
• Accounted: Quarterly submissions are generated automatically from your live bookkeeping data. You review and confirm.

Both are compliant. Read our Making Tax Digital guide for more on what MTD requires.

Receipt Management

• Crunch: Upload receipts through the platform or mobile app. Your accountant reviews and categorises them.
• Accounted: Send receipt photos to Penny on WhatsApp. The AI extracts data, categorises the expense, and matches it to your bank transaction.

Accounted's WhatsApp approach is more convenient for most users. Crunch's approach adds human verification.

Pricing

• Crunch: From approximately £79.50/month for sole traders (managed service). Self-service plans are cheaper but lose the dedicated accountant.
• Accounted: From £12/month — all features included.

The price difference is substantial. Over five years, the difference is over £4,000. Whether Crunch's human service justifies that premium depends on the complexity of your finances and your confidence in managing your own tax affairs.

Check our pricing page for current Accounted plans.

When to Choose Crunch

Crunch makes sense if:

• Your finances are complex. Multiple income sources, overseas income, complex capital gains, or business structures that benefit from professional advice.
• You want zero involvement. You genuinely want someone else to handle everything and are willing to pay for it.
• You have had problems with HMRC. If you are dealing with penalties, investigations, or disputed assessments, a qualified accountant is essential.
• You value tax advice. An accountant can proactively suggest strategies to reduce your tax bill. AI software can tell you what you owe, but it cannot advise you on restructuring to pay less.

When to Choose Accounted

Accounted makes sense if:

• Your finances are straightforward. Standard self-employment income, normal business expenses, perhaps some rental income. This covers the vast majority of sole traders.
• You want to understand your numbers. Using Accounted means you see your financial position daily. Over time, this understanding becomes valuable for business decisions.
• Budget matters. The £800+ annual saving versus Crunch is significant for most sole traders.
• You want instant access. Your tax position, transaction history, and financial reports are available immediately — no waiting for an accountant to update your records.
• You are comfortable with technology. If you use WhatsApp (most people do), you can use Accounted.

Start a free trial to see how Penny handles your bookkeeping.

The Hybrid Approach

There is a middle ground that some sole traders find ideal: use Accounted for day-to-day bookkeeping and hire a standalone accountant for an annual review and filing. This gives you the automation benefits of Accounted at £12/month, plus professional oversight at tax year end, typically costing £200–£500 for a straightforward sole trader review.

This hybrid approach costs less than Crunch while providing both AI automation and human expertise. Accounted's accountant portal makes it easy for your accountant to access your books, review Penny's categorisations, and make any adjustments needed.

The Bottom Line

Crunch is a good service. If you want a dedicated accountant managing your finances and you are willing to pay for it, Crunch delivers. The human element provides a safety net that software alone cannot replicate, especially for complex situations.

Accounted is a different proposition. It costs less, delivers faster, and handles the routine bookkeeping work with remarkable consistency. For the majority of sole traders with straightforward finances, it is the more practical and affordable choice.

For more comparisons, see how Accounted stacks up against Xero, QuickBooks, and Sage. Or check our best bookkeeping software guide for a wider view of the market.

See how Accounted compares to Xero, Sage, QuickBooks and more — and why sole traders are switching. See the full comparison →