Most AI chatbots will answer generic questions about Making Tax Digital. Alex AI does something different — it reads your actual financial data, including your real transactions, your live tax estimate, your uncategorised expenses, and your upcoming HMRC deadlines, and answers questions about your specific situation in plain English.
Key context: Alex is the AI accountant on VoxaMTD's paid plans. It reads your live transactions, tax estimate and HMRC deadlines, then answers questions about your finances, by voice in the app or on WhatsApp. Explore all VoxaMTD features.
That is the difference between an assistant that knows your figures and a general chatbot.
What is Alex AI?
Alex AI is VoxaMTD's built-in AI accountant, available on the Alex AI and Professional Plus plans, on the paid landlord plans, and during the 2-day free trial every new account gets. He uses he/him pronouns and is designed to feel like a knowledgeable accountant you can call at any time — not a customer support bot.
Alex is built on conversational voice AI and has real-time access to your VoxaMTD account data, including:
- Your transaction history (including bank-imported transactions via Finexer open banking)
- Your income and expense totals by category
- Your current tax estimate and projected National Insurance contribution
- Your uncategorised transactions
- Your quarterly MTD submission status and upcoming deadlines
- Your invoices and outstanding payments
How to talk to Alex
Alex is available through three channels:
In-app voice: Tap the Alex button inside VoxaMTD on web or iOS. Alex speaks directly to you and can hear your spoken questions. The conversation is transcribed and the context of your financial data is injected automatically. WhatsApp: Once you have opted in from your settings, send a message to +44 7455 744383. Alex responds with personalised answers based on your account. This is particularly useful for quick questions on the go — "What do I owe HMRC this quarter?" — without needing to open an app. In-app text chat: Available in the Tax Optimisation section of your dashboard for users who prefer typed conversation.What can you ask Alex?
Because Alex has live access to your data, you can ask specific questions that a generic chatbot simply cannot answer:
- "What is my current tax estimate?"
- "How much National Insurance do I owe?"
- "Which transactions haven't been categorised?"
- "Can I claim my home broadband as a business expense?"
- "When is my next HMRC submission deadline?"
- "What expenses can I claim as a sole trader?"
- "How much have I earned this year compared to last year?"
- "What is my net profit after expenses?"
- "Is my mileage claim up to date?"
Alex and the categorisation engine
One of Alex's most practical capabilities is his connection to VoxaMTD's AI categorisation engine. When you ask Alex about uncategorised expenses, he can trigger the categorisation process directly — reviewing each transaction against HMRC's expense categories and applying the most appropriate classification.
The categorisation engine suggests categories for common sole trader expense types, including:
- Software subscriptions (categorised as allowable business expenses)
- Travel and mileage
- Home office costs (matched to HMRC's flat rate or calculated actual costs)
- Equipment and tools
- Professional subscriptions and training
- Marketing and advertising
Where Alex stops
Alex explains your figures and answers questions. It does not replace professional advice for bigger decisions, such as incorporating or restructuring, and it does not submit anything to HMRC without you confirming it in the app.
Why Alex is different from ChatGPT for tax questions
Ask ChatGPT about Making Tax Digital and it will give you accurate general information — the same kind of information you'd find on GOV.UK. Ask Alex, and the answer is specific to your situation:
ChatGPT: "Your tax estimate depends on your income and allowable expenses for the year." Alex: "Based on your income of £52,235 and £17,986 in categorised expenses, your current tax estimate is £3,240, with National Insurance contributions of £1,180. You have 4 uncategorised transactions totalling £312 that could reduce this further if they qualify as business expenses."That specificity comes from Alex's access to your own figures in VoxaMTD, which a general-purpose chatbot does not have.
Frequently asked questions about Alex AI
Is Alex AI free? Alex is included in the 2-day free trial every new account gets when it signs up (no card needed). You can extend it to 7 days by subscribing in the VoxaMTD iPhone app: Apple gives you the first 7 days free, then the plan renews at its price unless you cancel. After the trial, Alex needs a paid plan: Alex AI (£15 a month) or Professional Plus (£40 a month) for sole traders, or a paid landlord plan from £8.99 a month. Does Alex AI have access to my bank account? Alex reads transaction data imported into VoxaMTD through Finexer, VoxaMTD's open banking provider (FCA authorised, FRN 925695). Alex does not have direct access to your bank account — only to the transaction data already in your VoxaMTD account. Is the conversation with Alex private? Yes. Alex conversations are handled through VoxaMTD's infrastructure and are subject to our privacy policy and GDPR obligations. Your financial data is never shared with third parties for advertising purposes. Can Alex file my MTD submission? Alex can help you review your figures and flag any issues before submission. MTD submissions are filed directly through VoxaMTD's HMRC-connected interface, with Alex available to answer questions during the process. Is Alex available 24/7? Yes. Alex is available at any time, by voice or chat in the app, or on WhatsApp. Unlike a traditional accountant, there are no office hours. Start with the 2-day trial, no card needed →Related resources
Alex is available on VoxaMTD's Alex AI and Professional Plus plans and on the paid landlord plans.