Best Accounting Software in the UK 2026

A UK accounting product built for small businesses, sole traders and landlords, with a genuinely free Making Tax Digital plan for the self employed and clean paid tiers above it.

• Free MTD plan for the self employed
• UK built for UK businesses
• Clean, affordable paid tiers
• UK based support

The New Zealand built platform that reshaped UK cloud accounting. Four tiers, bundled payroll from the Grow plan upwards, and a very large app ecosystem.

• Fastest bank reconciliation in the category
• Unlimited users on every tier
• Payroll included from the Grow plan
• Huge app marketplace and strong API

A UK accounting product owned by NatWest, aimed squarely at limited company contractors and sole traders. Free for as long as you bank with the group.

• Free with a NatWest, RBS, Ulster or Mettle account
• Built for UK limited company contractors
• Tax timeline showing what is owed and when
• Corporation Tax and dividend handling

A genuinely free UK bookkeeping product, funded by an optional Pro tier at a flat five pounds a month. Real time bookkeeping and Making Tax Digital at little or no cost.

• Genuinely free and designed to stay free
• Real time error checking
• Making Tax Digital included
• Pro upgrade is only £5 a month

A cut down QuickBooks built for sole traders facing Making Tax Digital for Income Tax, with mileage tracking and Self Assessment preparation.

• Best in class automatic mileage tracking
• MTD for Income Tax ready
• Self Assessment preparation
• Strong mobile app

Intuit's cloud accounting software, sold in four tiers from Simple Start to Advanced. Strong automation, deep app ecosystem, aggressive introductory discounting.

• Strong automated bank categorisation
• CIS from the entry tier
• Project profitability tracking
• Very large app marketplace

A cloud accounting product that grew out of invoicing, popular with freelancers and service businesses that bill by time and project. Strong on getting paid, lighter on heavy bookkeeping.

• Best in class invoicing
• Built for time and project billing
• Approachable for non accountants
• Transparent pricing

Sage's entry level tool for self employed people facing Making Tax Digital for Income Tax. There is a genuinely free tier for non VAT registered sole traders.

• Free tier for non VAT registered sole traders
• MTD for Income Tax ready
• Self Assessment preparation
• UK telephone support

A UK company offering full accounting software free for smaller businesses, with a flat £60 a year charge only once your transaction volume grows.

• Genuinely free below 1,000 ledger entries
• Unlimited users on every plan
• £60 a year at the paid tier, not per month
• UK company holding UK data

Part of the wider Zoho suite. The UK edition files SA100 and CT600, handles MTD and CIS, and starts at nothing for one user.

• Free plan that files Self Assessment
• Corporation Tax filing from Standard
• Property tracking for landlords
• Native Zoho suite integration