freee
: How to use it, features, and the business problems it solves

What is freee

freee (freee accounting) is an integrated cloud accounting platform and the No.1 cloud accounting software by domestic market share in Japan. It is provided by freee K.K., a company listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange Growth Market (stock code 4478, founded in 2012, headquartered in Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo). It automatically imports transaction data from bank accounts and credit cards, and AI infers the appropriate account category to record journal entries, so even people without bookkeeping knowledge can handle everything from day-to-day bookkeeping through tax filing, financial statement preparation, and electronic filing in one seamless flow. A distinctive feature is that plans are available for every business size, from sole proprietors to listed companies.

Source: freee accounting official site (same for the screenshots below)

Not "accounting you type in" but "accounting that flows"

At the core of freee is the concept of "automated bookkeeping". Conventional accounting software assumed you would manually enter journal entries one at a time while looking at bankbooks and receipts. freee connects with more than 1,000 services, including bank accounts, credit cards, and electronic money, and AI infers the account category for each imported transaction. Users simply review the suggested journal entries and register them, and the books are built for them.

From importing transactions to preparing the tax return, freee's design philosophy is to connect accounting so that it "flows."

freee is not just accounting software

freee is not a product for accounting alone; it is provided as an integrated cloud ERP that connects the entire back office. Built on the same company data, each product works in concert with the others.

How to use

1. Create an account (free trial)

   Register from the official site with your email address or a Google account. No credit card registration is required, and you can try all plans for free.

2. Initial setup

   Configure your business type (individual or corporate), business details, accounting period, and so on, then register your business bank accounts and credit cards.

3. Sync accounts and cards

   Connect with financial institutions and services to import transaction data automatically. More than 1,000 services can be linked.

4. Book entries with "automated bookkeeping"

   Review and register the journal entries that AI suggests for the imported transactions. When you photograph a receipt with the smartphone app, the amount and date are read automatically and linked to the transaction.

5. Filing and closing

   Based on your day-to-day transactions, you can create your tax return and financial statements simply by answering yes/no questions, and submit them directly via electronic filing.

Features

Adoption record and reputation

Market share is from Leadplus, "Industry Analysis Series Decoded from Keywords: Cloud Accounting Software Edition" (August 2022); the number of paying user businesses is as of the end of March 2026 (including sole proprietors). Both are figures published on the official site.

Pricing

Pricing is structured separately for sole proprietors and for corporations. In both cases there is no initial fee, and a free trial is available without registering a credit card. All figures are shown excluding tax (as of August 2026).

For sole proprietors (freee accounting, monthly rate with annual billing)

For corporations (freee accounting, monthly rate with annual billing plus usage-based charges)

Corporate plans incur additional usage-based charges depending on factors such as added members, the number of people submitting expense claims, and the number of order documents sent. Annual billing saves up to about 45% for individuals and up to 25% for corporations. A Minimum plan is also available for solo corporations.

How it differs from other accounting software

Japan's leading cloud accounting products are freee, Money Forward, and Yayoi. freee is designed first and foremost to be "usable even without bookkeeping knowledge," and it stands out in that, with automated bookkeeping and yes/no-format filing, even someone doing accounting for the first time can complete the process.

If you want to compare the surrounding areas of accounting as well, it's worth considering freee alongside Money Forward Cloud, which links the entire back office such as payroll, expenses, and attendance under a single ID, and Yayoi, a proven standard for tax-return software. If you want to automate receiving and paying invoices, Vic.ai, which handles invoice processing with AI, is also a candidate for comparison.

The information on this page is based on the content published on the official site as of August 2026. Please check the official site for the latest specifications and pricing.