10 providers match this situation. Free options first.
Free with NatWest / Mettle
FreeAgent
Free if you have a NatWest Group business account, otherwise £19–£33/mo.
FreeHMRC-recognised
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.
bank feedsmobile appreceipt scanninginvoicing
Free tier
QuickFile
UK-built, genuinely free under 1,000 transactions/year.
FreeHMRC-recognised
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.
bank feedsinvoicingagent accessvat included
Free tier
Zoho Books
Free tier for small turnover, part of a huge ecosystem.
FreeHMRC-recognised
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.
bank feedsmobile appinvoicingagent access
Free with Starling
Starling Bank Bookkeeping
Free MTD tool, requires a (free) Starling business account.
FreeHMRC-recognised
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.
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Free tier
Untied
Mobile-first personal tax app.
FreeHMRC-recognised
Untied is a mobile-first UK personal tax app that handles Self Assessment and MTD Income Tax. Good for sole traders and side hustlers.
mobile appbank feedsreceipt scanning
Free tier
Pandle
Free cloud bookkeeping with built-in MTD submission.
FreeHMRC-recognised
Pandle is UK cloud bookkeeping software with a genuinely free, unlimited tier. HMRC-recognised for MTD Income Tax, you keep digital records and submit quarterly updates directly, with no bridging tool needed. The paid Pro tier adds bank feeds and cash-flow forecasting.
bank feedsmobile appreceipt scanninginvoicing
Xero
The accountants' favourite. Simple plan is good value.
From £7/moHMRC-recognised
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.
bank feedsmobile appreceipt scanninginvoicing
Crunch
Accounting software plus access to real accountants.
From £10/moHMRC-recognised
Crunch combines online accounting software with access to real accountants, aimed at freelancers, contractors and small businesses. HMRC-recognised, with full MTD Income Tax support for the April 2026 rollout.
bank feedsmobile appreceipt scanninginvoicing
QuickBooks
Big US brand with strong UK MTD support.
From £12/moHMRC-recognised
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.
bank feedsmobile appreceipt scanninginvoicing
FreshBooks
Strong on invoicing for freelancers.
From £15/moHMRC-recognised
FreshBooks leans into the freelancer and small-agency market with strong invoicing and time-tracking. MTD Income Tax support included on UK plans.
bank feedsmobile appreceipt scanninginvoicing