179 days until MTD reaches £30,000 (6 April 2027)✓ HMRC software list checked 9 Oct 2026Independent · no ads
Clarpilot

Making Tax Digital: guides, calculators and comparisons

Everything Clarpilot publishes for the UK in one place: free tools, software comparisons and plain-English guides to Making Tax Digital for Income Tax, checked against GOV.UK.

Free tools

MTD threshold checkerFree 2-minute check: your MTD start date, a dated plan for your calendar, and HMRC-recognised software that handles your income.Self-employed tax calculator 2026/27Work out your 2026/27 Income Tax, Class 4 National Insurance and payments on account as a sole trader or landlord — and how much to save each month.Landlord tax calculatorWork out the tax on your rental income in 2026/27: Section 24 mortgage interest relief, property allowance, joint owners, MTD and the 22% rate from April 2027.

Comparisons and prices

Compare softwareFilter every HMRC-recognised Making Tax Digital for Income Tax product: free version, landlords, sole traders, final tax return, foreign property, VAT.Xero vs QuickBooksXero vs QuickBooks for Making Tax Digital: every HMRC-listed feature side by side, prices checked on both sites, and who each one suits.Sage vs XeroSage vs Xero for Making Tax Digital for Income Tax: HMRC-listed features side by side, free option, prices checked on both sites.FreeAgent vs XeroFreeAgent vs Xero for Making Tax Digital: every HMRC-listed feature compared, bank offers, prices checked on both sites, who each suits.QuickBooks vs SageQuickBooks vs Sage for Making Tax Digital for Income Tax: HMRC-listed features side by side, free option and prices checked on both sites.FreeAgent vs QuickBooksFreeAgent vs QuickBooks for Making Tax Digital: every HMRC-listed feature compared, bank offers and prices checked on both sites.Xero pricingXero UK prices checked 9 October 2026: Simple £7, Ignite £18, Grow £39, Comprehensive £55, Ultimate £70 + VAT. The plan MTD needs, add-ons, cheaper options.QuickBooks pricingQuickBooks UK prices checked 9 October 2026: Sole Trader Plus £10, Simple Start £16, Essentials £38, Plus £56, Advanced £123. Which plan MTD and VAT need.FreeAgent pricingFreeAgent prices checked 9 October 2026: landlord £10, sole trader £19, partnership £27, company £33 + VAT, or free with NatWest, RBS, Ulster Bank or Mettle.Xero alternativesHMRC-recognised MTD software that is free or costs less than Xero and QuickBooks, filtered by what it covers: self-employment, UK and foreign property, VAT.

Guides

Deadlines£50,000 from April 2026, £30,000 from April 2027, £20,000 from April 2028: quarterly deadlines, penalties and exemptions, with HMRC sources.MTD software in numbersWe read all 158 HMRC-recognised MTD for Income Tax products: how many file the tax return, free versions, income types, accessibility. Free CSV.Free MTD softwareAll free Making Tax Digital for Income Tax software recognised by HMRC: which free versions keep records, send the final tax return, and cover landlords.MTD for landlordsDoes MTD for Income Tax apply to your rental income? Joint and foreign property rules, dates, and software that handles property income.MTD bridging softwareEvery HMRC-recognised bridging tool for Making Tax Digital for Income Tax: free versions, final tax return, and when bridging makes sense.MTD for sole tradersMTD for Income Tax for the self-employed: when it starts (£30,000 from April 2027), what changes, quarterly deadlines and software that fits.How to sign up for MTDSign up for MTD for Income Tax on GOV.UK: who must do it and when, what you need, each step, and how to connect your software to HMRC.MTD for limited companiesDoes MTD apply to your limited company? Corporation Tax, MTD for VAT, and when MTD for Income Tax applies to you personally as a director.What is Making Tax Digital?Making Tax Digital explained: who it affects, the 2026, 2027 and 2028 dates, what stays the same, what is new, and answers on pensions and payments.MTD exemptionsWho is exempt from MTD for Income Tax: £20,000 or less, partnerships, digital exclusion, pensions and other income that doesn't count, and how to apply to HMRC.MTD penaltiesHow MTD penalties work: the 4-point threshold, £200 fines, no points for late quarterly updates in 2026 to 2027, late payment rates, and two calculators.