Self Assessment Direct vs Zoho Books
Both are full cloud accounting tools for Making Tax Digital for Income Tax.
Self Assessment Direct and Zoho Books start at the same true annual cost (£0, VAT included), so the choice comes down to fit rather than price.
| Self Assessment Direct | Zoho Books | |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | 2026-07-01 | 2026-07-01 |
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
Zoho Books
Full cloud accounting with a genuinely free plan for all business types (with invoice limits) — rare among the serious tools. Strong if you're already in the Zoho ecosystem.
- Anyone wanting free full accounting
- Existing Zoho users
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 1 July 2026 (catalogue reconciled 1 July 2026). Links are affiliate links and never affect ranking. Not affiliated with HMRC; not tax advice.