HMRC's own free tool vs QuickFile
Side-by-side comparison for Making Tax Digital for Income Tax.
HMRC's own free tool
The government's own MTD tool, free, but basic.
HMRC has its own free software for simple MTD Income Tax cases. No bank feeds, no receipt scanning, no fancy dashboards, but for a sole trader or landlord with straightforward affairs, it does the legal minimum at zero cost.
Visit HMRC's own free toolQuickFile
UK-built, genuinely free under 1,000 transactions/year.
QuickFile is a UK cloud accounting platform with a generous free tier, free for small businesses with fewer than 1,000 nominal transactions in a year. Full MTD support for VAT and Income Tax.
Visit QuickFileFull feature comparison
| HMRC's own free tool | QuickFile | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing & compliance | ||
| Price from | Free | Free |
| Free tier | ✓ | ✓ |
| HMRC-recognised | ✓ | ✓ |
| Features | ||
| Bank feeds | – | ✓ |
| Mobile app | – | – |
| Receipt scanning | – | – |
| CIS support | – | – |
| Furnished holiday let support | – | – |
| VAT submission | – | ✓ |
| Bridging software | – | – |
| Invoicing | – | ✓ |
| Multiple properties | – | – |
| Accountant access | – | ✓ |
| Best suited to | ||
| Sole Traders | ✓ | ✓ |
| Landlords | ✓ | ✓ |
| Airbnb / Short-let Hosts | – | – |
| CIS Subcontractors | – | – |
| Uber & Gig Drivers | – | – |
| Freelancers | – | ✓ |
| Spreadsheet Users | – | – |
| Simple Affairs | ✓ | ✓ |
| Accountants | – | – |
| VAT-Registered | – | ✓ |
✓ = supported. Based on each provider's published plans; check their site for the latest details.
HMRC's own free tool verdict
If your affairs are simple and you're cost-sensitive, start here. You can always upgrade later.
QuickFile verdict
The best free option for sole traders who've outgrown HMRC's basic tool.