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 QuickFileAt a glance
| HMRC's own free tool | QuickFile | |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | Free |
| Free tier | Yes | Yes |
| HMRC-recognised | Yes | Yes |
| Best for | Simple Affairs, Sole Traders, Landlords | Sole Traders, Landlords, Freelancers, Simple Affairs, VAT-Registered |
| Features | — | Bank feeds, Invoicing, Accountant access, VAT submission |
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.