Creative freelancers, consultants and solo service providers — here's the shortlist once you cross the MTD threshold.
Freelancers typically need strong invoicing, expense tracking and client management on top of MTD compliance. FreshBooks leans into this market; Xero and FreeAgent also handle it well.
8 providers match this situation. Free options first.
Free if you have a NatWest Group business account — otherwise £19–£33/mo.
FreeAgent is a polished UK-built accounting platform owned by NatWest. It's free if you hold a business current account with NatWest, Royal Bank of Scotland or Ulster Bank, or a free Mettle business account — and you make at least one transaction a month. Outside that, it's a paid subscription. Strong for sole traders and landlords wanting automation.
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.
Free tier for small turnover, part of a huge ecosystem.
Zoho Books is part of Zoho's wider business suite. UK edition is HMRC-recognised for MTD and has a permanent free tier for businesses under a turnover threshold.
Free MTD tool — requires a (free) Starling business account.
Starling offers free MTD Income Tax software for customers of its business current account. The account itself has no monthly fee (for sole traders and limited companies), so this is a genuinely zero-cost path — provided you're willing to bank with Starling. Tight integration with your transactions.
Mobile-first personal tax app.
Untied is a mobile-first UK personal tax app that handles Self Assessment and MTD Income Tax. Good for sole traders and side hustlers.
The accountants' favourite. Simple plan is good value.
Xero is the most widely used cloud accounting platform among UK accountants. The £7/mo Simple plan is the cheapest entry from a major provider and covers most sole trader or landlord needs for MTD.
Big US brand with strong UK MTD support.
QuickBooks Online is Intuit's cloud accounting product. Regular heavy discounts (often 90% off for 6 months) make it effectively cheap to start. Full MTD VAT and Income Tax support.
Strong on invoicing for freelancers.
FreshBooks leans into the freelancer and small-agency market with strong invoicing and time-tracking. MTD Income Tax support included on UK plans.