MTD Radar

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Free MTD for Income Tax software

Short answer: 37 of the 173 products HMRC recognises for Making Tax Digital for Income Tax have a free version. But HMRC’s “free version” label doesn’t say what is free. Some free plans file everything, some only while you hold a certain bank account, and some don’t include the tax return at all.

GOV.UK says free products are available for people with simple tax affairs, “but there may be limits on how the product can be used” (Choose the right software).

What to check before you choose free software

Which free MTD software is actually free?

HMRC's “free version” label doesn't say what the free version covers. We've checked 37 of the 37 products HMRC lists with a free version, plus some that advertise a free plan, against their own websites. Products we haven't researched yet aren't included below.

Genuinely free, including the tax return (final declaration)

Quarterly updates and the tax return are both free, with no bank account, time limit or one-income-source condition.

  • AATAX Really freeFree for individuals, including quarterly updates and the final declaration, with no card or subscription; the free plan includes AI reading of about 100 pages a year.Checked 17 Oct 2026.
  • Clear Books Free Really freeQuarterly updates and final declaration free, described as "forever free", with no bank account needed. No bank feeds on the free plan.Checked 17 Oct 2026.
  • flonancial Really freeQuarterly updates and the year-end tax return are free with no time limit, for supported sole-trader and UK property sources below £90,000.Checked 17 Oct 2026.
  • My Tax Digital (Free) Really freeDescribed as completely free, including record-keeping, quarterly updates and the final declaration.Checked 17 Oct 2026.
  • Pandle Really freeFree plan includes MTD submissions with no time limit or bank account needed. Bank feeds are on the paid plan.Checked 17 Oct 2026.
  • TaxHeaven Really freeThe Angel plan is described as 'Free forever' with 'Full MTD compliance', and the FAQ says all MTD functionality is in the free tier; automated bookkeeping covers one business, and AI receipt scans, categorisations and currency conversions are capped at 3 a month each.Checked 17 Oct 2026.
  • TaxUpdates Really freeFree for individuals, covering quarterly updates and the final declaration; in-app bookkeeping is capped at 1,200 transactions per business per year.Checked 17 Oct 2026.
  • TradeKit Really freeAfter a 30-day trial, the free plan keeps MTD quarterly updates and the Final Declaration, with invoicing capped at 3 a month.Checked 18 Oct 2026.
  • Zoho Really freeFree plan submits quarterly updates and the final tax return, for up to 1,000 invoices a year.Checked 17 Oct 2026.

Free with conditions

Free for both, but only if you meet a condition: a particular bank account, a time limit, or a single income source.

  • AccountsDesk Free with conditionsFree for the first year from sign-up, then £19.75 per year per business; whether the final declaration falls inside the free year depends on when you sign up.Checked 17 Oct 2026.
  • ANNA Self Assessment Free with conditionsFree for the 2026 to 2027 tax year only, and you need an ANNA account.Checked 17 Oct 2026.
  • Coconut Free Free with conditionsFree for 2 years if you open a new Zempler Bank account through Coconut, subject to eligibility.Checked 17 Oct 2026.
  • DIY Tax Free with conditionsFree Edition includes quarterly updates and the final declaration, but only for one business or property and up to 30 invoices or expenses.Checked 17 Oct 2026.
  • EasyTaxer.com Free with conditionsLaunch offer makes the first business free for tax year 2026-27 only (sign up by 5 April 2027); standard price is £49 a year from 2027-28.Checked 18 Oct 2026.
  • FreeAgent for free with Mettle, NatWest & RBS Free with conditionsFree only while you keep an eligible NatWest, RBS, Ulster Bank or Mettle account.Checked 17 Oct 2026.
  • Keepr Free with conditionsFree plan includes quarterly updates and the final declaration for self-employment income, but multiple businesses are listed as a paid Pro feature.Checked 17 Oct 2026.
  • Monzo Free with conditionsFree with a Monzo Business account; cash basis only.Checked 17 Oct 2026.
  • MTDone Free with conditionsQuarterly updates are free with no time limit, but the tax return is free only for the 2026/27 tax year, and paid-plan pricing has not been announced.Checked 17 Oct 2026.
  • Quarterwise Free with conditionsQuarterly updates and tax return are free with no time limit, but only for one property or one self-employment business.Checked 17 Oct 2026.
  • RentalBux Free Free with conditionsFree until March 2028, for 1 property unit or simple self-employment.Checked 17 Oct 2026.
  • Sage Sole Trader & Landlord Free Free with conditionsQuarterly updates and tax return free with no time limit, but only one business is free (a sole trader who is also a landlord pays for the second) and sales invoices are capped at 5 a month.Checked 17 Oct 2026.

“Free” that isn’t, or isn’t confirmed

Listed or advertised as free, but filing everything you need is not free, or not confirmed.

  • 1 1 MTD Bridge Two free filing tokens on sign-up; a full MTD Income Tax year needs 5 tokens, sold from £15.99 (currently discounted).Checked 18 Oct 2026.
  • 100PcMTD The first 3 quarterly updates of the tax year are free; the rest of the year needs a £30 + VAT subscription.Checked 18 Oct 2026.
  • Ablegatio Ftax MTD for IT Free only when turnover does not exceed £10k, below the MTD qualifying-income thresholds; otherwise £25 per tax year.Checked 18 Oct 2026.
  • AbraTax MTD for Income Tax Only the first return is free; after that it costs from £5 a month.Checked 18 Oct 2026.
  • Abridge (MTD for Excel/Sheets) The free plan covers the final declaration only, for 1 income source, not quarterly updates.Checked 17 Oct 2026.
  • Acxite Free plans (one business, up to 50 transactions on Micro Business) include MTD Income Tax filing, but the final declaration is not explicitly mentioned on the pages checked.Checked 17 Oct 2026.
  • Adminsoft Accounts Free Lite mode sends quarterly updates only; the vendor says year-end submissions are not handled and a third-party product is needed for the final declaration.Checked 17 Oct 2026.
  • Affordable MTD Free until 6 April 2027, which covers the 2026-27 quarterly updates; the final declaration is filed after the tax year ends, when the £19.99 a year subscription applies.Checked 17 Oct 2026.
  • Aligned.tax MTD for Spreadsheets Quarterly updates are free; year-end filing is described as in active development.Checked 17 Oct 2026.
  • Bart Quarterly updates are free only up to 5 transactions in total, then £9.99 a month; the final declaration is not yet available.Checked 18 Oct 2026.
  • CIS Invoice The pricing page and terms list quarterly updates and the final declaration on the Free plan, but the help centre says MTD filing is 'rolling out soon'.Checked 17 Oct 2026.
  • Clients Assistant Only the first return is free; after that it costs £5 a month plus VAT.Checked 18 Oct 2026.
  • Duly Filed Record-keeping is free, but each quarterly update costs £18 (or £60 a year), and the tax return is not yet supported.Checked 18 Oct 2026.
  • FileThat! The final declaration is always free, but quarterly updates cost £3.99 to £5.99 each after 4 free sign-up credits, capped at £55 a year for individuals.Checked 17 Oct 2026.
  • GetGround The free Basic plan covers record keeping and quarterly submissions; the final declaration is not confirmed as free, and self assessment filing is listed under the paid Core plan.Checked 17 Oct 2026.
  • iFiler Quarterly updates are advertised as free, but the website does not say iFiler can file the final declaration.Checked 18 Oct 2026.
  • IQ Books Free plan files quarterly updates for self-employment income, but IQ Books does not yet file the final declaration, which needs other software or an accountant.Checked 17 Oct 2026.
  • IRIS Elements Cashbook Free only through an accountant who subscribes to qualifying IRIS products; individuals cannot sign up directly and final declaration filing is not mentioned.Checked 18 Oct 2026.
  • Landlord Studio The Go plan is £0 a month but charges £5 for each MTD submission.Checked 17 Oct 2026.
  • Lloyds Bank Quarterly updates free with a Lloyds Business Account (£10 a month after 12 months); final declaration not documented.Checked 17 Oct 2026.
  • MTD Sheets Only the first quarterly update is free, then each update costs a £2.99 credit (less in bulk); the website does not mention the tax return.Checked 18 Oct 2026.
  • MTDsorted Free plan covers quarterly updates for one income source; the website does not say whether the tax return can be filed.Checked 18 Oct 2026.
  • My Business Finances, powered by Sage Free for 12 months for eligible HSBC business customers who sign up by 30 June 2027, then £5.99 + VAT a month; the website does not confirm the final declaration can be filed.Checked 18 Oct 2026.
  • Neevii Free plan for sole traders includes MTD for Income Tax filing, but the website does not say whether the final tax return is covered.Checked 18 Oct 2026.
  • PaTMa Property Manager Free plan covers quarterly updates for 1 rental unit; submitting the tax return through PaTMa is not mentioned on the pages checked.Checked 17 Oct 2026.
  • Quartax Only the first quarterly update is free; after that it costs £39 a year for one income source or £59 for up to three.Checked 18 Oct 2026.
  • RentalBux Only the first official MTD submission is free; after that, filing needs a paid plan from £6 a month. RentalBux Free is listed separately.Checked 18 Oct 2026.
  • Self Assessment Direct The basic service is free for up to 500 transactions per period, but the site does not confirm the final declaration can be filed.Checked 17 Oct 2026.
  • SimplifyMTD Quarterly updates are free, but final declaration support is a planned feature that is not currently available, so the tax return must be filed with other software.Checked 17 Oct 2026.
  • SmartPropertyManager.com Free Personal Edition covers up to 10 properties, but vendor pages describe MTD quarterly updates only and do not mention the tax return or say MTD is included free.Checked 17 Oct 2026.
  • Starling Quarterly updates free with a Starling sole trader account; end-of-year declarations listed as coming soon.Checked 17 Oct 2026.
  • SumUp Accounting SumUp says its MTD tool is free and covers quarterly updates, but its MTD page does not confirm that the tax return can be filed through SumUp.Checked 17 Oct 2026.
  • Tax Mouse Free for the first year only, then £49 a year; the website does not say whether the tax return can be filed in the app.Checked 17 Oct 2026.
  • TaxBridge UK MTD by Amelia GB The pricing page and FAQ say MTD Free includes the final declaration for one self-employment business (up to 50 transactions), but the user guide says Pro is needed for it.Checked 17 Oct 2026.
  • Tide Accounting Tide says its free business account covers quarterly updates and the final declaration, but HMRC currently lists it for quarterly updates only.Checked 17 Oct 2026.
  • VitalTax Only the first quarterly submission is free; after that you need a £30 + VAT a year licence.Checked 17 Oct 2026.
Filters
Who it's for
Type of software
Features

37 products on this list

HMRC's list last checked 17 Oct 2026.

ProductFromFreeSole tr.UK prop.ForeignRecordsBridgingAgentsCISVATApp
AATAX Really free£0
AccountsDesk Free with conditions£19.75/yr
Acxite £0*
Adminsoft Accounts £0*
Affordable MTD £19.99/yr
Aligned.tax MTD for Spreadsheets £0*
ANNA Self Assessment Free with conditions£0
CIS Invoice £0*
Clear Books Free Really free£0
Coconut Free Free with conditions£0
DIY Tax Free with conditions£0
FileThat! —
flonancial Really free£0
FreeAgent for free with Mettle, NatWest & RBS Free with conditions£0
GetGround —
IQ Books £0*
Keepr Free with conditions£0
Lloyds Bank £0*
Monzo Free with conditions£0
MTDone Free with conditions£0
My Tax Digital (Free) Really free£0
Pandle Really free£0
PaTMa Property Manager £0*
Quarterwise Free with conditions£0
RentalBux Free Free with conditions£0
Sage Sole Trader & Landlord Free Free with conditions£0
Self Assessment Direct £0*
SimplifyMTD £0*
SmartPropertyManager.com £0*
Starling £0*
SumUp Accounting £0*
TaxBridge UK MTD by Amelia GB £0*
TaxHeaven Really free£0
Tax Mouse £49/yr
TaxUpdates Really free£0
Tide Accounting £0*
Zoho Really free£0

Prices are the cheapest plan that can file MTD for Income Tax, from our research (“—” means not researched yet). * A £0 plan that doesn't cover everything: see the product page. What “Really free” means.

Prices come from each provider's own website and can change without notice. We re-check them regularly, but they may not always be 100% accurate, so confirm the price with the provider before you buy. Spotted something wrong? Email us.

Questions

Is there free MTD software for sole traders?

Yes. HMRC lists 37 products with a free version, and several free products cover both quarterly updates and the tax return for sole traders. Check the product's limits, such as a cap on invoices or transactions, before you choose.

Is there free MTD software for landlords?

Yes. Filter the table for UK landlords to see free products that support property income. Some free plans are limited to one property or a single income source, so check the conditions listed for each product.

Does HMRC provide free MTD software?

No. HMRC does not provide its own software. You need commercial software, and GOV.UK says there are both free and paid options. HMRC does not recommend any product.

Is free MTD software free for CIS subcontractors?

Some free products support the Construction Industry Scheme. Tick CIS in the filters to see them. HMRC adds your CIS deductions to your tax return, and you must check them before you submit.

What does free with conditions mean?

The product files your quarterly updates and tax return for free, but only if you meet a condition: for example, opening or keeping a particular bank account, a time limit on the free offer, or a single income source.

Facts on this page last checked against GOV.UK on 17 Oct 2026.

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