No. HMRC does not charge for Making Tax Digital, and it says free software is available for people with simple tax affairs, usually with some limits. On 27 September 2026 its software finder listed 36 products with a free version for sole traders and landlords. Whether free is enough for you depends on your income sources, how many properties you have, and how much help you want.
What your software has to do
- keep digital records of your self-employment and property income and expenses;
- send a quarterly update for each business (each trade, your UK property business, any foreign property business);
- let you add your other income and submit the tax return by 31 January.
You can use more than one product if they work together, for example one for records and quarterly updates and another for the tax return.
When free is enough
- You have one self-employment, or UK lettings, or both, and nothing unusual.
- A free plan covers all your income sources and both the quarterly updates and the tax return.
- You are happy with any condition that keeps it free, such as a bank account you already hold or a limit you are well within.
- You do not need VAT returns, payroll or company accounts.
What free plans commonly leave out
From the providers' own pages, as at 27 September 2026:
- The tax return. GetGround's free plan, Landlord Studio's MTD Go and Starling's tool send quarterly updates only for now.
- Bank feeds. Clear Books Free has none; Sage's free plan allows one bank account.
- Volume. RentalBux Free covers one property or one business; Landlord Studio's free tier covers up to three units and charges £5 per MTD submission.
- Time. ANNA's free offer covers the 2026/27 filings. RentalBux Free runs until March 2028.
- The whole feature. QuickFile's free tier does not include MTD for Income Tax, which needs its Power User subscription at £60 a year plus VAT.
- Bank choice. FreeAgent, Monzo, Starling and Tide are free only with their own or a partner bank's account.
When paying makes sense
- Foreign property, if your free option does not cover it.
- VAT, payroll or a limited company alongside your personal MTD filing.
- Your accountant works in a particular product and would charge less if you used it.
- A larger portfolio that goes beyond a free plan's limits.
- You want help rather than just a tool, such as an AI assistant or more automation, and the time saved is worth the price.
Paid entry prices we found for MTD for Income Tax start at about £7 to £10 a month plus VAT: Xero Simple and Sage Sole Trader at £7, and FreeAgent's landlord plan and QuickBooks Sole Trader Plus at £10.
Where VoxaMTD fits
VoxaMTD files quarterly updates for self-employment and UK property on its free plan, with one bank connection through open banking, CSV and Excel uploads and no cap on properties or transactions. The year-end final declaration is coming before April 2027, in time for the 2026 to 2027 tax year (first due 31 January 2028). Filing stays free on every plan. What you pay for is on top: more bank connections and tenancies, landlord compliance tools, receipt scanning and Alex, an AI accountant you can talk to by voice. Landlord plans start at £8.99 a month.
What VoxaMTD does not do yet: foreign property, calendar update periods, or other income such as savings interest. It files directly to HMRC's live Making Tax Digital service.
Start free, no card needed · See VoxaMTD's plans
Provider details are taken from each provider's own website and HMRC's software finder on 27 September 2026, and prices exclude VAT unless stated. This is general information, not financial advice.