Sage wins for most UK sole traders and landlords

QuickBooks vs Sage: MTD ITSA comparison

Both QuickBooks and Sage are HMRC-recognised for MTD ITSA. Like the Xero vs Sage comparison, the decision often hinges on whether you do CIS work or have significant property income.

The CIS question

If you work under the Construction Industry Scheme, Sage Accounting Plus (£49/month) is the only mainstream platform with end-to-end CIS management. QuickBooks handles basic CIS deduction recording but cannot verify subcontractor status with HMRC or submit monthly CIS returns automatically.

For CIS work, Sage wins.

Ease of use: QuickBooks

QuickBooks is consistently rated the most beginner-friendly accounting platform. The interface is clean, the onboarding is well-designed, and HMRC’s own guidance often references QuickBooks when explaining MTD ITSA.

Sage’s interface is functional but more corporate in feel — better suited to users with some accounting background.

Price comparison

	QuickBooks	Sage
Entry plan	£14/month	£15/month
Mid plan	£28/month	£30/month
Full CIS	Not available	£49/month

Prices are nearly identical at entry and mid level. The meaningful difference is Sage Accounting Plus for CIS.

Landlords

Sage has more developed property income support. QuickBooks handles property income adequately but without dedicated landlord categories or reporting.

MTD ITSA submissions

Both handle quarterly updates, end-of-period statements, and final declarations. Neither is ahead for the submission process.

Our verdict

CIS subcontractors: Sage, clearly.

Landlords with multiple properties: Sage.

Service-based sole traders or freelancers: QuickBooks or FreeAgent — QuickBooks if you want the most intuitive UI.

Budget-conscious sole traders: Zoho Books undercuts both.