Is Clear Books really free?

Yes — its free plan files MTD for Income Tax quarterly updates and your year-end with no transaction or time limits. Paid tiers add automation.

Does Clear Books cover landlords?

Yes — both self-employment and property income, with a dedicated Property plan for per-property tracking.

What do the paid plans add?

Mainly automated bank-transaction recording and landlord features; the free plan already covers basic filing.

Clear Books review

Full cloud accounting · by Clear Books · HMRC-recognised

£0

true annual cost, VAT incl.

Established UK cloud accounting with a genuinely free plan for sole traders and landlords — MTD for Income Tax quarterly updates and year-end filing at no cost, with low-priced paid tiers that add bank feeds and per-property tracking.

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Our verdict

Clear Books is a long-established UK cloud-accounting provider with a genuinely free plan — you can file MTD for Income Tax quarterly updates and your year-end at no cost, with no transaction or time limits. Paid tiers add bank-feed automation and per-property tracking for very little. For a sole trader or landlord who wants a recognised, no-cost option from a provider that's been around, it's a strong pick.

At a glance

Self-employment: Yes
Property / rent: Yes
Keeps your spreadsheet: No
Accountant access: Yes
Price verified: 2026-08-10
HMRC status: Recognised

Plans & true annual cost

Plan	Self-emp.	Property	Per year (incl. VAT)
Free Free plan for sole traders and landlords with basic needs: MTD for Income Tax quarterly updates and year-end filing, with no transaction or time limits and an accountant invite.	✓	✓	£0
Sole Trader / Property Paid tiers (from £5 + VAT/mo) add automated bank-transaction recording; the Property plan adds per-property tracking for landlords. Bank feeds are a small extra.	✓	✓	£72/yr £60/yr ex-VAT

Pros & cons

What's good

Genuinely free plan with no transaction or time limits
Established UK provider, not a newcomer
Covers both self-employment and property income
Accountant invite included, with a low-cost step-up for bank feeds

What's not

Free plan lacks bank-feed automation (a paid add-on)
Fuller suites have more advanced features
Bank feeds cost a little extra

Who it's for

People who want free cloud accounting from an established UK provider
Sole traders and landlords who may later want bank feeds

Frequently asked questions

Is Clear Books really free?: Yes — its free plan files MTD for Income Tax quarterly updates and your year-end with no transaction or time limits. Paid tiers add automation.
Does Clear Books cover landlords?: Yes — both self-employment and property income, with a dedicated Property plan for per-property tracking.
Is it HMRC-recognised?: Yes, for MTD for Income Tax.
What do the paid plans add?: Mainly automated bank-transaction recording and landlord features; the free plan already covers basic filing.

Alternatives to consider

My Tax Digital Clear Books vs My Tax Digital →
Also free, and covers foreign property income too.
Zoho Books Clear Books vs Zoho Books →
Another free option with a fuller accounting feel.
Pandle Clear Books vs Pandle →
Free cloud bookkeeping with an optional paid automation tier.

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Pricing for Clear Books was last verified on 10 August 2026 against the vendor's page; the catalogue was reconciled 10 August 2026. Its cheapest plan's true annual cost is free. Links are affiliate links and never affect ranking. Not affiliated with HMRC; not tax advice.

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