How it works
This is a decision engine, not an explainer. Here's exactly how it reaches a recommendation — and why you can trust the numbers.
1. We work out your deadline
We add your self-employment and property income to get your qualifying income, then map it to HMRC's phased thresholds: 2026/27 at £50,000+, 2027/28 at £30,000+, 2028/29 at £20,000+. Once you're over a threshold there's no opt-out, so knowing the date matters.
2. We find the tier you'll actually need
Vendors advertise a “from” price for their cheapest plan — but that plan often doesn't cover everything you do. Some tools can't handle property income at all (so they're ruled out as a standalone answer); others reserve it for a pricier tier, while a few have a cheaper dedicated landlord plan most lists miss. We pick the cheapest tier that genuinely covers your income typesand cost that one. When a cheaper tier exists but doesn't fit, we say so on the result.
3. We compute the true annual cost
Monthly prices are annualised (×12). Because most sole traders and landlords aren't VAT-registered and can't reclaim it, we show the VAT-inclusive figure as the headline (with the ex-VAT number alongside). We also fold in things the headline hides:
- Conditional freebies — e.g. FreeAgent is free with a NatWest, RBS or Mettle account.
- Free tiers and first-year offers, shown distinctly from the ongoing price.
4. We rank by true annual cost
Results are sorted cheapest-first on that true annual cost — the whole point of the tool. Fit (record-keeping style, whether you have an accountant, landlord-specialist features) is used to add the Best fit badge and to break ties, never to bury a cheaper option.
5. We keep the data current
Prices, tiers and HMRC recognition change constantly — that's the failure mode of every static “best MTD software” blog post. Our catalogue is reconciled against vendor pricing pages and HMRC's software finder on a schedule. Every product carries its own last-verified date, and the catalogue was last reconciled on 24 June 2026. We currently track 15 products.
Independence:we earn affiliate commission when you sign up through our links. It never changes your price and never changes the ranking — ranking is done purely on cost and fit before any commercial consideration. Accounting software isn't a regulated financial product, and nothing here is tax advice.