MTDStack

Making Tax Digital for Income Tax went live in April 2026. I needed to pick software for my own self-employed income and spent an afternoon trying to find a clear, independent comparison — and couldn't find one.

Every result I found either copied HMRC recognition claims from the software vendor's own marketing page (not the same as checking the GOV.UK software finder), was written by the tool itself, or buried the actual decision criteria under affiliate-motivated rankings. Nobody was clearly explaining the difference between Phase 1, 2, and 3. Nobody was flagging which tools are genuinely free and which have a catch. Nobody was giving a straight answer on CIS or landlord support.

MTDStack is the site I wanted to find. Every MTD ITSA recognition claim is verified against the GOV.UK software finder — the only authoritative source. Tools without affiliate programmes (FreeAgent, QuickFile) are included and recommended where appropriate, because they are genuinely good options for many users.

How we review tools

Our review methodology — what we verify and how:

• MTD ITSA recognition verified at GOV.UK — not at the tool's own website
• Pricing verified directly from the tool's UK pricing page in GBP
• Screenshots and hands-on assessments in progress — we are working through trial accounts for each tool, specifically testing the MTD ITSA quarterly submission flow
• Landlord and CIS support assessed from official feature documentation and, where available, hands-on testing

We use the term "HMRC-recognised" throughout — not "HMRC-approved" or "HMRC-certified". This reflects the actual GOV.UK language: software is listed as compatible, not endorsed. HMRC does not recommend individual products.

Affiliate disclosure

Some links on this site are affiliate links. If you click through and sign up for a paid plan, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. This is how the site is funded.

Several tools — including FreeAgent and QuickFile — have no affiliate programme. They are featured because they are genuinely good options for many UK sole traders and landlords. We say clearly on each review page whether or not we have a commercial relationship.

For the full policy, see our Affiliate Disclosure page.

Contact

If you spot a pricing error, a change in a tool's GOV.UK listing status, or want to flag something we have got wrong, please get in touch at the email address in our privacy policy.