Clear Books vs Fortnox: Complete Comparison (2026)
An in-depth comparison of Clear Books and Fortnox to help you choose the right tool for your business.
Last updated: November 2026
Clear Books
5.9/10
UK cloud accounting software for sole traders, landlords, small companies and accountants, with HMRC Making Tax Digital filing, bank feeds, invoicing and payroll.
Fortnox
6.5/10
Swedish cloud accounting platform covering bookkeeping, invoicing, payroll, supplier invoice approval and reporting for small and mid-sized Swedish businesses and accounting firms.
Feature-by-Feature Comparison
| Feature | | |
|---|---|---|
| Scores | ||
| Overall Rating | 5.9/10 | 6.5/10 |
| Analytics | 5/10 | 5/10 |
| Compliance | 8/10 | 7/10 |
| Cost | 8/10 | 6/10 |
| Customization | 4/10 | 5/10 |
| Ease of Use | 7/10 | 7/10 |
| Integration | 4/10 | 8/10 |
| Scalability | 3/10 | 6/10 |
| Security | 5/10 | 6/10 |
| Support | 7/10 | 7/10 |
| Pricing | ||
| Free plan | Yes | No |
| Cheapest paid plan | £5/mo Property | SEK 238/mo Mini |
| Estimated cost for 10 users | Free Property Free | SEK 238/mo Mini |
| Features | ||
| Accountant Access | ||
| Accounts Payable | ||
| Expense Management | ||
| Financial Reporting | ||
| General Ledger | ||
| Invoicing | ||
| Payroll | ||
| Audit Trail | Not listed | |
| Bank Reconciliation | Not listed | |
| Budgeting and Forecasting | Not listed | |
| Corporate Cards | Not listed | |
| Multi-currency | Not listed | |
| Online Payments | Not listed | |
| Tax Compliance | Not listed | |
Clear Books vs Fortnox cost by team size
| Team size | Clear Books | Fortnox |
|---|---|---|
| 1 user | FreeProperty Free | SEK 238/moMini |
| 5 users | FreeProperty Free | SEK 238/moMini |
| 10 users | FreeProperty Free | SEK 238/moMini |
| 25 users | FreeProperty Free | SEK 238/moMini |
| 50 users | FreeProperty Free | SEK 238/moMini |
The plan that fits each team size, billed monthly, before add-ons and usage charges. Each cost opens that tool's pricing calculator for the team size.
Which One Should You Choose?
Why choose Clear Books
- Has a free plan (Fortnox does not)
- Higher Cost score (8/10 vs 6/10)
- Higher Compliance score (8/10 vs 7/10)
Why choose Fortnox
- Higher Integration score (8/10 vs 4/10)
- Higher Scalability score (6/10 vs 3/10)
- Better fit for accountants and bookkeepers (9/10 vs 6/10)
Pros & Cons
Clear Books
Pros
- Free MTD Income Tax plans for sole traders and landlords have no transaction limits.
- It is on HMRC's list of MTD-compatible software for both VAT and Income Tax Self Assessment.
- CIS reporting is built in, which suits UK construction contractors and subcontractors.
- Company plans cost £16 to £44 a month, with up to 20% off for two-year billing and no setup or per-invoice fees.
- Trustpilot reviewers rate it 4.3 out of 5 from 477 reviews and often praise quick, friendly support.
Cons
- It follows UK tax rules only, so it does not suit businesses outside the UK.
- Multi-currency, expense claims and project accounting require the top £44 Large plan.
- Users report that editing or deleting entries is awkward and that voiding is the workaround.
- Its integration ecosystem is small compared with Xero or QuickBooks.
- Some reviewers say email support replies can be slow.
Fortnox
Pros
- More than 500 integrations, and one 189 kr licence covers all of them.
- A single platform covers bookkeeping, invoicing, payroll, supplier invoice approval, payments and a company card, which suits Swedish SMEs.
- Accounting firms get a dedicated bureau package for working in their clients' books.
- New companies get six months free, and every new subscription has a 30-day open purchase period.
- Trustpilot and Shopify app reviewers frequently praise customer service and sync reliability.
Cons
- Usage fees for invoices, paid employees and interpretations, plus an Access fee that scales with activity, make total cost hard to predict.
- Three-month agreements cost 15 percent more than the 12-month list prices.
- The product is Swedish-focused, and users have asked for an English interface.
- Some users call the reporting tools dated and say neobank integrations such as Revolut are missing.
Not sold on either?
Frequently Asked Questions
Fortnox scores higher on our Finance Software criteria: 6.5/10 against 5.9/10 for Clear Books. The largest gap is in Integration: 4/10 for Clear Books and 8/10 for Fortnox.
Clear Books has a free plan; Fortnox does not list one.
Fortnox is the better fit for accountants and bookkeepers: we rate it 9/10 for them, against 6/10 for Clear Books.
