MTD software for landlords and sole traders, compared
Every HMRC-recognised option that fits landlords and the self-employed, with the columns that actually decide it, including how each one handles jointly owned property. Not sure where to start? Use the two-minute picker.
Independent comparison. These “Visit” links earn us nothing – there are no affiliate relationships in place. How this site is funded.
| Tool | From | Free tier | Joint splits | Features | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Xero Simple plan HMRC-recognised Visit Xero (opens in a new tab) | £7 / month +VAT | — | Partial |
|
Landlords whose accountant already works in Xero – the most widely used platform in UK practices. |
| QuickBooks Sole Trader plan HMRC-recognised Visit QuickBooks (opens in a new tab) | £10 / month +VAT | — | Partial |
|
Phone-first bookkeeping with strong automation and AI categorisation. |
| FreeAgent Free via NatWest / Mettle HMRC-recognised Visit FreeAgent (opens in a new tab) | £0–£10 / month +VAT | Yes | Built-in |
|
Co-owning couples who bank with NatWest, RBS or Mettle – automatic ownership splitting from one free account. |
| Landlord Studio GO free / Pro HMRC-recognised Visit Landlord Studio (opens in a new tab) | £0–£12 / month +VAT | Yes | Built-in |
|
Self-managing landlords who want property-specific tools and strong iOS/Android apps. |
| RentalBux Free for 1 property HMRC-recognised Visit RentalBux (opens in a new tab) | £0–£4.50 / month +VAT | Yes | Built-in |
|
Co-owning couples who want property and self-employment income handled together in one filing. |
| Hammock Basic plan, 1–3 properties HMRC-recognised Visit Hammock (opens in a new tab) | £8 / month +VAT | — | Built-in |
|
Landlords who want real-time, per-property tracking with an accountant portal – and co-owners who want each owner's share split and filed automatically. |
| ApariPro Whole tax return in one place HMRC-recognised Visit ApariPro (opens in a new tab) | £144 / year | — | Yes |
|
Landlords with messy, multi-source income who want the whole Self Assessment handled in one place – APARI was the first vendor ever to file an MTD Income Tax return to HMRC. |
| Bridging software 123 Sheets / VitalTax – keep your spreadsheet HMRC-recognised Visit Bridging software (opens in a new tab) | £30 / year +VAT | — | Manual |
|
Confident spreadsheet users who want the cheapest compliant route and don't want to learn new software. |
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Xero
Simple plan
£7 / month +VATHMRC-recognised Partial- Bank feeds supported
- Final decl. supported
- Agent supported
- Mobile supported
Landlords whose accountant already works in Xero – the most widely used platform in UK practices.
-
QuickBooks
Sole Trader plan
£10 / month +VATHMRC-recognised Partial- Bank feeds supported
- Final decl. supported
- Agent supported
- Mobile supported
Phone-first bookkeeping with strong automation and AI categorisation.
-
FreeAgent
Free via NatWest / Mettle
£0–£10 / month +VATHMRC-recognised Free tier Built-in- Bank feeds supported
- Final decl. supported
- Agent supported
- Mobile supported
Co-owning couples who bank with NatWest, RBS or Mettle – automatic ownership splitting from one free account.
-
Landlord Studio
GO free / Pro
£0–£12 / month +VATHMRC-recognised Free tier Built-in- Bank feeds supported
- Final decl. supported
- Agent not supported
- Mobile supported
Self-managing landlords who want property-specific tools and strong iOS/Android apps.
-
RentalBux
Free for 1 property
£0–£4.50 / month +VATHMRC-recognised Free tier Built-in- Bank feeds supported
- Final decl. supported
- Agent supported
- Mobile supported
Co-owning couples who want property and self-employment income handled together in one filing.
-
Hammock
Basic plan, 1–3 properties
£8 / month +VATHMRC-recognised Built-in- Bank feeds supported
- Final decl. supported
- Agent supported
- Mobile supported
Landlords who want real-time, per-property tracking with an accountant portal – and co-owners who want each owner's share split and filed automatically.
-
ApariPro
Whole tax return in one place
£144 / yearHMRC-recognised Yes- Bank feeds supported
- Final decl. supported
- Agent supported
- Mobile not supported
Landlords with messy, multi-source income who want the whole Self Assessment handled in one place – APARI was the first vendor ever to file an MTD Income Tax return to HMRC.
-
Bridging software
123 Sheets / VitalTax – keep your spreadsheet
£30 / year +VATHMRC-recognised Manual- Bank feeds not supported
- Final decl. not supported
- Agent supported
- Mobile not supported
Confident spreadsheet users who want the cheapest compliant route and don't want to learn new software.
Every tool listed submits quarterly updates. Prices are “from” figures and exclude VAT unless noted; free tiers and prices change often – always reconfirm on the provider’s site. Joint-split ratings: Built-in / Yes handle co-owners, Partial / Manual need more work. Last verified 29 July 2026.
What the joint-ownership ratings mean
- Built
- Designed around co-owners: records each owner's share automatically and lets each file their own MTD from one shared account
- Yes
- Supported: can produce separate submissions per owner
- Partial
- Possible but more manual – usually via tracking categories or a higher plan
- Manual
- You split the figures yourself (e.g. in a spreadsheet)
- Check
- Not confirmed from a reliable source – verify with the provider before relying on it
- No
- Not supported
How we keep this honest
- Every factual claim is checked against the provider’s own site or docs – feature claims are never assumed.
- Prices exclude VAT unless noted and change often; the “last verified” date is our forcing function.
- Nothing here earns a commission. Every “Visit” link goes straight to the provider, and none of them pay us.
Last verified 29 July 2026.
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