My Tax Digital vs Self Assessment Direct
Both are full cloud accounting tools for Making Tax Digital for Income Tax.
My Tax Digital and Self Assessment Direct start at the same true annual cost (£0, VAT included), so the choice comes down to fit rather than price.
| My Tax Digital | Self Assessment Direct | |
|---|---|---|
| True annual cost from | £0 | £0 |
| Self-employment | Yes | Yes |
| Property / rent | Yes | Yes |
| Keeps your spreadsheet | No | No |
| Accountant access | Yes | Yes |
| Type | full cloud accounting | full cloud accounting |
| HMRC status | Recognised | Recognised |
| Price verified | 2026-07-02 | 2026-07-02 |
My Tax Digital
A genuinely free, HMRC-recognised MTD tool from Open Answers. Works as either spreadsheet bridging or simple in-app accounting, and covers both self-employment and property income at no cost.
- Anyone who wants to comply for £0
- Sole traders and landlords with straightforward affairs
Self Assessment Direct
A genuinely free, HMRC-recognised tool from Cirrostratus (the VAT Direct platform): a simple cloud cashbook plus spreadsheet bridging that files MTD for Income Tax for sole traders and landlords — including foreign property — at no cost.
- Anyone who wants to file for £0
- Sole traders and landlords, including those with foreign property
Not sure either is right? Use the finder to get a recommendation ranked by what it will actually cost you.
Prices are each tool's cheapest plan, VAT included, last verified 2 July 2026 (catalogue reconciled 2 July 2026). Links are affiliate links and never affect ranking. Not affiliated with HMRC; not tax advice.