MTD for Income Tax lands April 2026. Get your records sorted now.
The best accounting software for the self-employed
We compared the UK's leading tools on price, ease of use and Making Tax Digital readiness. Tell us who you are and we will show the ones that actually fit, with honest notes on where each one shines.
Honesty note: some links below are partner links. If you sign up we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. It never changes our rankings or what we recommend, and every tool here has a genuine free trial or free tier you can test first.
Show me tools for:
FreeAgent
The freelancer and contractor favourite, free with some bank accounts.
From £0 with a NatWest, RBS or Mettle account, otherwise about £19/mo
- Free forever with a NatWest, Royal Bank of Scotland, Ulster or Mettle business account
- Built-in Self Assessment and MTD for Income Tax filing
- Time tracking and project profitability, loved by contractors
QuickBooks
The big all-rounder with the deepest MTD track record.
From about £10/mo, frequent 90% off intro offers
- Sole Trader plan built specifically for Self Assessment and MTD
- Snap and store receipts, automatic bank feeds
- Scales up to full payroll and VAT as you grow
Xero
The scale-up choice once you have staff, stock or VAT.
From about £15/mo
- Huge app marketplace and the accountant industry standard
- Strong for VAT, payroll and multi-user limited companies
- MTD for VAT and Income Tax ready
Coconut
Tax-first app built for sole traders and landlords.
From about £6/mo
- Designed around MTD for Income Tax from the ground up
- Live tax estimate as money comes in and out
- Simple enough for people who hate accounting software
Crunch
Free bookkeeping software plus real accountants on tap.
Free software tier, paid accountancy from about £29.50/mo
- Free bookkeeping software with no time limit
- Add a named accountant when you want the returns done for you
- Popular with limited-company contractors
At a glance
| Tool | From | Free option | MTD ready | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FreeAgent | From £0 with a NatWest, RBS or Mettle account, otherwise about £19/mo | Yes | Yes | Sole trader / freelancer, Contractor (IR35), Limited company |
| QuickBooks | From about £10/mo, frequent 90% off intro offers | No | Yes | Sole trader / freelancer, Limited company, Landlord |
| Xero | From about £15/mo | No | Yes | Limited company, Landlord |
| Coconut | From about £6/mo | No | Yes | Sole trader / freelancer, Landlord |
| Crunch | Free software tier, paid accountancy from about £29.50/mo | Yes | Yes | Limited company, Contractor (IR35), Sole trader / freelancer |
Prices are indicative and change often, especially intro offers. Always confirm the current price and free-trial terms on the provider's own site before you sign up.
How to choose in 30 seconds
- Freelancer or contractor: start with FreeAgent. If you bank with NatWest, RBS or Mettle it is free, which is unbeatable value.
- Landlord or simple sole trader: Coconut or QuickBooks Sole Trader keep MTD for Income Tax painless.
- Limited company with staff or VAT: Xero or QuickBooks scale best, or Crunch if you want an accountant included.
- Not sure you need software yet? Work out your likely bill first with our free calculator, then decide.
Rather have someone else file it?
If bookkeeping is not your thing, these services hand your Self Assessment to a real accountant or walk you through it step by step.
TaxScouts
A real accountant files your return for one fixed fee.
Fixed fee, typically about £169 per return
Get my return doneGoSimpleTax
DIY Self Assessment software that checks for missed savings.
From about £54.99 per tax year
File it myselfOpen a business bank account
A separate account makes MTD records and Self Assessment far easier. These are free to open, and Mettle even bundles free FreeAgent.
Mettle
Free NatWest-backed account that unlocks free FreeAgent.
Free, and includes free FreeAgent
Open MettleStarling Business
A full UK bank account with award-winning app.
£0 monthly for the core account
See StarlingKeep more of it: tax-free saving and investing
Once the tax is paid, an ISA or pension shelters your future growth. Your ISA allowance is £20,000 a year and it resets every 6 April.
InvestEngine
Commission-free ETF ISA with no platform fee on DIY.
£0 platform fee on the DIY portfolio
Open an ISAMoneybox
Round-up saving app with Stocks and Shares ISA and LISA.
Small monthly fee plus fund costs
See MoneyboxPensionBee
Combine old workplace pensions into one simple plan.
Annual fee from about 0.50% to 0.95%
Combine my pensionsCapital at risk. Investments can go down as well as up and you may get back less than you put in. Tax treatment depends on your circumstances and rules can change. This is information, not financial advice.
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TaxFly's calculators and guides are free. To keep them that way, some links on this page are affiliate links, which means we may earn a commission if you sign up. We only feature tools we would recommend to a friend, our editorial scores are set before any commercial deal, and we always point you to free official routes first where one exists. You never pay more for using our links.