You can keep raising invoices in FreeAgent and have Adfin chase and collect them, even though there's no direct integration between the two. FreeAgent's invoice emails can be forwarded to Adfin with a rule in Gmail or Outlook, and Adfin's collection agents follow each invoice up with a payment link until it's paid. You then record the payment in FreeAgent yourself, usually from the bank feed.
In this article
The short version
- Adfin doesn't integrate with FreeAgent, but FreeAgent invoice emails can be forwarded to it with a Gmail or Outlook rule.
- Adfin reads each invoice, can add a payment link and its collection agents chase until it's paid.
- Switch off FreeAgent's reminders on invoices Adfin is chasing.
- Record payouts in FreeAgent from the bank feed, using Adfin's payout breakdown.
- Mark invoices paid in Adfin when a client pays you directly, so reminders stop.
What FreeAgent does on its own
FreeAgent already covers the basics of getting paid, so it's worth knowing what you have before adding anything.
Its automatic reminder emails can go before or after the due date. You choose how many days, you can set more than one rule, and reminders after the due date can repeat, for example weekly, until the invoice is paid in full. The invoice goes with each one as a PDF, and you pick which FreeAgent user it comes from. You switch reminders on invoice by invoice when you create or edit the draft, and FreeAgent can also send a thank-you email once an invoice is paid.
For taking money, FreeAgent connects to payment providers rather than collecting itself. Stripe, PayPal and Tyl by NatWest handle card payments, and GoCardless handles direct debit and instant bank payments. Each comes with its own account, fees and payouts.
Its reminders go by email, so chasing by SMS or WhatsApp, or changing the approach for a client who always pays late, stays with you.
How FreeAgent invoices reach Adfin by email
Adfin doesn't integrate with FreeAgent. Its two-way sync is with Xero and QuickBooks. What it does have is invoice from email, which lets invoices reach Adfin from any system.
In Adfin, go to Settings, then Invoice settings, then Invoice from email, to find your dedicated Adfin address. Then get each FreeAgent invoice email to that address in one of two ways:
- Add the Adfin address as a Bcc on the email that sends the invoice, if your setup lets you.
- Copy yourself on FreeAgent's invoice emails and set a rule in Gmail or Outlook that forwards those copies to the Adfin address.
Adfin reads each invoice, can add a payment link and hands it to your collection agent. Your client can then pay by card, Apple Pay, Google Pay, pay by bank or bank transfer, and Adfin's collection agents follow up by email, SMS or WhatsApp within rules you approve. Essential credit control, with unlimited reminders on all three channels, is free. Enhanced, which tunes timing, channel and tone for each client and sends from your own email address, costs 0.3% of a paid invoice, only where it's used.
To keep this tidy, forward new invoices only, not FreeAgent's reminder or thank-you emails, which is easiest with a forwarding rule that matches your invoice email's subject line. Also switch off FreeAgent's automatic reminders on invoices that Adfin is chasing, so your client doesn't get two sets of reminders about the same invoice.
How to record payments back in FreeAgent
Without a sync, FreeAgent won't know an invoice has been paid through Adfin until you tell it. It usually takes a few minutes in the bank feed.
Adfin pays out every weekday into your business bank account. Payouts are gross, with Adfin's fee invoiced separately, so the amount that lands equals the invoices paid. One payout can cover several invoices, though. To see which, open the payout in Adfin, where it lists each payment with its invoice and client, or download the payout as a CSV.
In FreeAgent, the payout shows up as an unexplained transaction from your bank feed. Explain it as an invoice receipt and choose the invoices it pays. FreeAgent lets you mark more than one invoice as paid with a single payment.
A client will sometimes pay you directly instead, perhaps by bank transfer to your usual account. Record it in FreeAgent as normal, and in Adfin's Payments view select the invoice and choose Mark as paid, so the reminders stop. Without that step, Adfin has no way of knowing and keeps chasing.
Who this setup suits
It tends to be worth it when chasing takes real time each month, when clients ask to pay by card or bank without a separate provider to set up, or when you'd like reminders by text or WhatsApp and not only email. It also suits you if you'd rather keep FreeAgent for your accounts and tax and don't want to move ledger.
It's less likely to suit you if you need every payment to appear in FreeAgent with no manual step, or if your invoice volume is high enough that explaining payouts would become a job of its own. If you'd consider switching ledger anyway, Xero and QuickBooks both sync with Adfin both ways, so invoices come across and payments go back without anyone posting them.
Related guides
- Collecting payments in Sage: what your options are
- How to create an invoice from a PDF, spreadsheet or photo
- Payment reconciliation: a complete guide
- Credit control: a complete guide
Common questions
Does Adfin integrate with FreeAgent? No. Adfin syncs both ways with Xero and QuickBooks. FreeAgent invoices can reach Adfin by email, and payments are then recorded in FreeAgent by you.
How do FreeAgent invoices get into Adfin? Send them to your dedicated Adfin address, either as a Bcc or with a forwarding rule in Gmail or Outlook. You can also upload invoice PDFs to Adfin directly.
Will FreeAgent show an invoice as paid when my client pays through Adfin? Not automatically. You explain the payout from your bank feed as an invoice receipt, and FreeAgent then marks the invoices as paid.
Should I keep FreeAgent's reminders switched on? Switch them off for invoices Adfin is chasing. Otherwise your client can get reminders from both systems about the same invoice.
What happens if my client pays me directly instead of through Adfin? Mark the invoice as paid in Adfin's Payments view so the reminders stop, and record the payment in FreeAgent as usual.
What does it cost to chase FreeAgent invoices with Adfin? Essential credit control is free, and Enhanced costs 0.3% of a paid invoice only where it's used. Payments cost 1% + 20p, with the percentage capped at £4 on direct debit and bank payments, not cards.
Sources
- FreeAgent Support - Automatic reminder emails before an invoice is due (accurate as of November 2026) https://support.freeagent.com/hc/en-gb/articles/115001223604-How-to-set-up-and-send-automatic-reminder-emails-before-an-invoice-is-due-
- FreeAgent Support - An introduction to payment solutions in FreeAgent (accurate as of November 2026) https://support.freeagent.com/hc/en-gb/articles/10580165097106-An-introduction-to-payment-solutions-in-FreeAgent
- FreeAgent Support - Mark an invoice as paid (accurate as of November 2026) https://support.freeagent.com/hc/en-gb/articles/115001223644-Mark-an-invoice-as-paid
- Adfin - Changelog: product updates (accurate as of November 2026) https://www.adfin.com/resources/changelog
- Adfin Help Centre - My customer paid outside Adfin: how do I stop reminders? (accurate as of November 2026) https://support.adfin.com/en/articles/15082098-my-customer-paid-outside-adfin-how-do-i-stop-reminders
