Guidance

Choose the right software for Making Tax Digital for Income Tax

Find out what commercial software you will need to report self-employment and property income to HMRC.

From:
HM Revenue & Customs
Published
25 February 2019
Last updated
530 March 2026 — See all updates

When you need to use software

From 6 April 2026, some sole traders and landlords must startuse using compatible software to report their income underusing Making Tax Digital for Income Tax.

You should choose your software before you sign up for Making Tax Digital for Income Tax.

Before you choose your software, find out if and when you need to use Making Tax Digital for Income Tax.

What your software will need to do

You, or an agent on your behalf, will need to use commercial software that works with Making Tax Digital for Income Tax to:

  • create, store and correct digital records of your self-employment and property income and expenses
  • send your quarterly updates to HMRC
  • submit your— taxthese returnare bysummaries 31of Januaryyour theself-employment followingand year

Theproperty governmentincome hasand setexpenses, outthey plansare tonot introducetax legislationreturns

  • add to requireany customersother toincome submitsources theiryou taxhave returnand submit your throughtax theirreturn by Making31 TaxJanuary Digitalthe forfollowing Incomeyear

    • Creating Taxdigital software.

    records

    You only need to create digital records of your self-employment and property income and expenses.

    You do not need to create digital records for other income sources, but youryou software must be able to report them on your tax return.return using your software. This may include income such as from pensions, a share of profit from a partnership as an individual partner, savings or dividends.

    You can find furtherout guidanceabout on submitting your tax return using software.

    Types of software

    There are different types of software to help you use Making Tax Digital for Income Tax. You can get software that either:

    • creates digital records
    • connects to your existing records, such as those held in spreadsheets

    Software that creates digital records

    This type of software lets you create your self-employment and property digital records by either:

    • linking to your business bank account to import transactions automatically
    • scanning receipts and invoices 
    • manually entering your income and expenses

    ThisThese might be right for you if you want one software productproducts that will usually meet all the requirements —and let most of these products will also let you both you:

    • send quarterly updates and
    • submit your tax returns to HMRC.

      return

    Some of the software that creates digital records also letlets you connect to your existing records in other software.

    Software that connects to your records (bridging software)

    This type of software will connect to existing records kept in spreadsheets or other accounting tools. There are bridging software products available that let you send quarterly updates and submit your tax returns to HMRC.

    ThisIt mightis besometimes rightreferred for you if you want to keepas using‘bridging your current software and adapt your record keeping for Making Tax Digital for Income Tax.software’.

    For example, if you use spreadsheets to record income and expenses, bridging software can connect to them and make your submissions to HMRC.

    Choosing more than one product

    DependingThere onare thesome typebridging of software youproducts choose,available youthat canlet use either:you:

    • onesend compatiblequarterly softwareupdates
    • submit productyour thattax does everythingreturn

    Choosing more than one product

    If thatyou workprefer, togetheryou can choose —to foruse example,more than one forsoftware product, creatingbut you digitalcan recordsonly anduse anotherone product for submittingeach informationseparate tosubmission HMRC

    Usingthat moreyou thanneed oneto typemake ofto softwareHMRC. mightFor workexample, betterif foryou’re youa if:

    • landlord, you wantcannot to use specificmore than one software forproduct oneto send quarterly updates of your property income sources
    • youor needexpenses.

      You or preferyour differentagent softwarecan products foruse differentmore tasks,than one product, for example oneif foryou:

      • have creatingmore recordsthan one income source and onewant to use a separate product for submissions
      • youeach haveone — you’re a anbuilder and a agent,landlord and theywant willto use different products to meet somethe ofneeds theof each requirementsbusiness
      • want onto use different products for each task — one for creating records and sending your behalfquarterly updates and theyanother usefor submitting your differenttax softwarereturn

      If you use more than one product, you’ll need to make sure they can work together to meet all your Making Tax Digital for Income Tax requirements.

      How to choose the right software features

      After choosing the type of software that’s right for you, check it has all the features you need.

      The software product or products that you choose will need to:

      • support all your income sources coveredfor by Making Tax Digital for Income Tax (self-employment, UK property, foreign property)
      • let you make your submissions to HMRC — to send quarterly updates and submit your tax return
      • allow you to report all your other income sources to complete your tax return
      • work with your accounting period (standard tax year, calendar update periods or neither)

      Find out more about using standard and calendar update periods.

      If your business is VAT registered, you will already be using software to keep digital records and submit your VAT Returns. You should either check if your VAT software will also be compatible with Making Tax Digital for Income Tax or that your chosen software can meet your VAT needs.

      You should also consider whether the software:

      • allows multiple agents if you have more than one
      • has HMRC Assist built in — this feature provides feedback and highlights errors for your tax return using: 
        • information in your submissions to HMRC
        • the data HMRC holds
      • offers pricing that suits your budget —— free someproducts freeare productsavailable mayfor havethose restrictionswith onsimple howtax theyaffairs but there may be limits on how the product can be usedused, for example they could have a limited number of transactions

      If you think your income sources will change

      You should check if your software will support that income source in the future. For example, if you’re a landlord but you are thinking of starting a business.

      Find the right software

      You can use our software finder tool to help:

      • find compatible software that meets your needs
      • search for your existing software to check if it works with Making Tax Digital for Income Tax

      You’ll be asked a few questions to get a personalised list of software options for your specific needs.options.

      All software listed has been through HMRC’s recognition process. HMRC does not recommend any product or software provider.

      Software products in development

      More software providers are building software that works with Making Tax Digital for Income Tax. You can contact these providers about the features and services they plan to offer. You can find details about these providers on:

    Updates to this page

    Published 25 February 2019
    Last updated 530 March 2026 + show all updates

    1. 'Choosing more than one product' has been updated to clarify that you can only use one software product for each separate submission you need to make to HMRC. Section 'How to choose the right software features' has been updated to to confirm if you're VAT registered you should check if your software has HMRC Assist built in to help you with your tax affairs. The details of 3 software suppliers have been removed from the 'Software in development' section.

    2. The details of one software supplier has been removed from the 'software in development' section.

    3. The details for one software supplier have been added in the ‘software products in development’ section.

    4. The details for one software supplier have been added and one other amended in the ‘software products in development’ section.

    5. The guidance has been updated to explain that if you get a share of profit from a partnership as an individual partner, your chosen software must be able to report this on your tax return.

    6. The details of one software supplier has been removed from the 'software in development' section.

    7. The details for 2 software suppliers have been added in the ‘software products in development’ section.

    8. The details for one software supplier have been added in the ‘software products in development’ section.

    9. The details for 2 software suppliers have been added, and 3 software suppliers have been removed in the ‘software in development’ section.

    10. The details for one software supplier have been added in the ‘software products in development’ section.

    11. The section 'How to choose the right software features' has been updated to confirm software will need to work with the chosen accounting period (standard tax year, calendar update periods or neither).' The section 'software in development' is now called 'software products in development'.

    12. The details for one software supplier have been added in the ‘software in development’ section.

    13. The details of one software supplier have been removed from the 'software in development' section.

    14. The details of 3 software suppliers have been removed from the 'software in development' section.

    15. The details of one software supplier have been removed from the 'software in development' section.

    16. The details for one software supplier has been added, one software supplier has been updated and one software supplier has been removed in the ‘software in development’ section.

    17. The details for one software supplier have been added in the ‘software in development’ section. One software supplier's details have been updated. One software supplier has been removed.

    18. The details for one software supplier have been added in the ‘software in development’ section.

    19. The details for one software supplier have been added in the 'software in development' section.

    20. The details for 4 software suppliers have been added to the 'software in development' section.

    21. The details for one software supplier have been added in the 'software in development' section.

    22. The details for 2 software suppliers have been added in the 'software in development' section.

    23. The details of 3 software suppliers have been removed from the 'software in development' section.

    24. The details for one software supplier have been added in the 'software in development' section. One software supplier has been removed from the 'software in development' section.

    25. A link to a new software finder tool to get a personalised list of software options for your specific needs has been added. Information about the 2 main types of software has been added. A new section on choosing software features has been added. The table of software listings has been removed. The updated guidance confirms requirements apply from 6 April 2026 for some sole traders and landlords.

    26. The details for one software supplier have been added to the ‘software available now’ section.

    27. The details for one software supplier has been added in the ‘software available now’ section. One software supplier has been removed from the 'software in development' section.

    28. The details for one software supplier have been added in the 'software in development' section.

    29. The details for 2 software suppliers have been updated in the ‘software available now’ section. One software supplier has been removed from the 'software in development' section.

    30. The details for one software supplier have been added to the ‘software available now’ section.

    31. The details for 3 software suppliers have been added to the 'software available now' section. 2 software suppliers have been removed from the 'software in development' section.

    32. The details for one software supplier have been added to the ‘software available now’ section.

    33. Information about what your software that works with Making Tax Digital for Income Tax will need to do has been updated. The details for one software supplier has been added to the 'software available now' section. One software supplier has been removed from the 'software in development' section.

    34. A software supplier's details have been added in the 'software in development' section. A software supplier's details have been removed from the 'software available now' section.

    35. The details for one software supplier has been added to the 'software available now' section. One software supplier has been removed from the 'software in development' section.

    36. A software supplier's details have been added in the 'software in development' section.

    37. One software supplier have been added and another updated in the ‘software available now’ section. One software supplier have been added and another has been removed from the 'software in development' section.

    38. The website address for 'Iris Accountancy Suite ' has been updated.

    39. The details for one software supplier has been added to the 'software available now' section.

    40. A software supplier's details have been added in the 'software in development' section.

    41. The details for one software supplier has been added to the 'software available now' section. The details for one software supplier's details have been updated in the ‘software available now’ section. One software supplier has been removed from the 'software in development' section.

    42. The details for one software supplier has been added to the 'software available now' section. One software supplier has been removed from the 'software in development' section and one software supplier has been added.

    43. The details for one software supplier has been added to the 'software available now' section. One software supplier has been removed from the 'software in development' section.

    44. A software supplier's details have been updated in the ‘software available now’ section.

    45. The details for one software supplier has been added to the 'software available now' section. One software supplier has been removed from the 'software in development' section.

    46. The details for 2 software suppliers have been added to the 'software available now' section. One software supplier has been removed from the 'software in development' section.

    47. 2 software supplier's have been added and 1 updated in the ‘software available now’ section. 2 software supplier's have been removed from the 'software in development' section.

    48. Guidance updated to include information about submissions in 2025 to 2026 and which products offer this for quarterly updates, Self Assessment tax returns, or both. Further guidance also added to support users to choose the software that best meets their needs.

    49. A software supplier's details have been added in the 'software in development' section.

    50. A software supplier's details have been added to the ‘software available now’ section.

    51. A software supplier's details have been added in the 'software in development' section.

    52. A software supplier's details have been added to the ‘software available now’ section.

    53. A software supplier's details have been added to the ‘software available now’ section.

    54. A software supplier's details have been updated in the ‘software available now’ section.

    55. A software supplier's details have been added in the 'software in development' section.

    56. Information on what your software should be capable of doing has been updated. A software supplier has been added to the list of software available now and software supplier's details have been removed from the list of software in development.

    57. A Welsh version of this page has been added.

    58. Information about what software to use has been updated.

    59. Information on what software to use and how to choose software has been updated. Software available now and software in development has been updated.

    60. A software supplier's details have been added in the 'software in development' section.

    61. A software supplier's details have been added in the 'software in development' section.

    62. A software supplier's details have been added in the 'software in development' section.

    63. A software supplier's details have been removed from the ‘Software in Development’ section.

    64. A software supplier's details have been added to the ‘software in development’ section.

    65. Added translation

    66. A software supplier's details have been added to the ‘software in development’ section.

    67. A software supplier's details have been added to the ‘software available now’ section.

    68. A software supplier's details have been updated in the ‘software available now’ section.

    69. A software supplier's details have been added to the ‘software in development’ section.

    70. A software supplier has been added in the 'Software in development' section.

    71. A software supplier's details have been updated in the ‘software available now’ section.

    72. A software supplier's details have been updated in the ‘software available now’ section.

    73. A software supplier's details have been added to the ‘software available now’ section.

    74. A software supplier's details have been added to the ‘software available now’ section.

    75. Two software supplier's details have been added to the 'Software available now' and 'Software in development' sections.

    76. Information about contacting developers directly for more information about joining the Making Tax Digital for Income Tax Self Assessment pilot and using their products and services has been updated.

    77. A software supplier's details have been added to ‘Software in development’. One supplier has been moved from 'Software in development' to 'Software available now'.

    78. A software supplier's details have been added to the ‘Software in development’ section.

    79. APARI Software Ltd is now APARI. Information about who can use APARI has been updated.

    80. A software supplier's details have been added to the ‘software in development’ section.

    81. A software supplier's details have been added to the ‘software in development’ section.

    82. A software supplier's details has been added to the ‘software in development’ section.

    83. New software in development has been added to the page, detailing developers and products currently in the process of gaining HMRC recognition.

    84. Added translation

    85. We have added information on what software compatible with Making Tax Digital for Income tax does.

    86. A software supplier's details have been updated.

    87. A software supplier's details has been added to the ‘software in development’ section.

    88. A software supplier's details have been added to the 'software available now' section.

    89. A software supplier's details have been removed from the ‘Software in Development’ section.

    90. 2 new software supplier details have been added to the ‘Software in Development’ section.

    91. Information about who can use APARI Software Ltd and the features for Cirrostratus Exedra Ltd have been updated.

    92. Landlord Vision has been added to the software packages list.

    93. APARI Software Ltd and Rhino features have been updated.

    94. Cirrostratus Exedra Ltd has been added to 'software available now'.

    95. APARI Software Ltd features have been updated.

    96. APARI Software Ltd has been added to 'software available now' and Cirrostratus Exedra Ltd added to 'software in development'.

    97. APARI Software Ltd added to 'software in development'.

    98. The compatible software list has been updated, 9 added and 3 changes.

    99. First published.

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