What's the best Making Tax Digital software for landlords in 2026?
Six HMRC-recognised tools compared on what their official listing actually says, what they really cost, and who they suit.
The short answer: for a hands-on landlord with a few properties, get Hammock. It files your quarterly updates and final declaration, handles foreign property and costs £8 a month plus VAT for up to three properties. If you want full property management and phone support, pick Landlord Vision. Keeping a spreadsheet? Coconut bridges it from £49.99 a year. And with a NatWest or Mettle account, FreeAgent is free for UK property.
Making Tax Digital for Income Tax replaces the single annual return with digital records, four quarterly updates and a final declaration, all sent from HMRC-recognised software. It applies from the 2026 to 2027 tax year above £50,000 of gross qualifying income, then £30,000 and £20,000 in the following two years. HMRC lists 165 products and recommends none, so we read every listing to find out which ones do the whole job for a landlord.
Some links may be affiliate links. The ranking is editorial: a sponsored spot is always labelled on its entry, and no affiliate link changes a score.
The best MTD software for your kind of landlord
Quarterly and tax return, from £8 a month
Property management and supportTenancies, tenants and a human on the phone
Keep your spreadsheetExcel bridging from £49.99 a year
Free with your bank£0 with NatWest, RBS or Mettle
Working with an accountantFull HMRC listing, foreign property included
Near-free quarterly updates£5 per submission up to 3 properties
6 MTD tools for landlords compared
The column that matters most is the second one: what HMRC's own listing says the software can do. A product can be recognised for quarterly updates only, without the tax return, or for UK property only. Click a tool to read its entry.
| Best for | HMRC listing | Free plan | Team size | Visit | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hammock | Best for a small portfolio | Quarterly + tax return, UK and foreign | 4.4/5 | £8/mo + VAT (1-3 properties) | — | 1-20 properties | Visit → |
| 2 | Landlord Vision | Most complete, with the best support | Quarterly + tax return, UK and foreign | 4.3/5 | £7.99/mo + VAT for 2 years | — | 4-25 tenancies | Visit → |
| 3 | Coconut | Best if you want to keep your spreadsheet | Quarterly + tax return, UK and foreign | 3.9/5 | £49.99/yr (bridging) | — | Spreadsheet landlords | Visit → |
| 4 | FreeAgent | Free with a NatWest, RBS or Mettle account | Quarterly + tax return, UK only | 3.8/5 | £10/mo + VAT, £0 with NatWest | ✓ | UK property only | Visit → |
| 5 | Xero | Best if your accountant uses Xero | Quarterly + tax return, UK and foreign | 3.8/5 | £18/mo + VAT | — | Landlords with an accountant | Visit → |
| 6 | Landlord Studio | Cheapest quarterly updates up to 3 properties | Quarterly only, UK only | 3.4/5 | £0 + £5 per submission | ✓ | 1-3 properties | Visit → |
Prices exclude UK VAT (20%) where the vendor says so, read on official pricing pages in 2026.
Is your tool missing from this page? Email us: hello@hackceleration.com
How we compared and scored
We started from the only list that counts: HMRC's software finder, which shows 165 products recognised for MTD for Income Tax. We recorded what each listing declares: quarterly updates, tax return, UK property, foreign property, free version. Of the 136 products that handle UK property, 89 also file the tax return, 80 handle foreign property and 33 have a free version.
We then kept the tools landlords use most, read their official pricing pages and their recent customer reviews, starting with the worst ones. HMRC recommends no product, so this ranking is ours. We left out tools whose price we couldn't read anywhere on the vendor's own site.
- MTD coverage (quarterly, tax return, foreign property)What the HMRC listing says: the full MTD year, for property wherever it is. It decides whether you stay compliant.30%
- Landlord featuresPer-property records, joint ownership, tenancies, finance costs kept separate.20%
- CostYearly price for three properties, after promotions, add-ons included.20%
- Ease of useSetup, bank feeds, spreadsheet bridging.15%
- SupportReaching a person, read in customer reviews.15%
Some links may be affiliate links. The ranking is editorial: a sponsored spot is always labelled on its entry, and no affiliate link changes a score.
Hammock
Hammock is accounting software built only for landlords, and that focus is why it tops this list. Rent and costs land against the right property, bank feeds pull transactions in, and the software sends your four quarterly updates and your final declaration. Every plan includes both submissions, so there's no upgrade waiting at year end.
Its HMRC listing ticks every box a landlord needs: quarterly updates, tax return, UK property and foreign property. It also works as bridging software if you already keep a spreadsheet. That combination is less common than vendors suggest: of the 136 products listed for UK property, only 61 cover both the tax return and foreign property.
Pricing follows portfolio size. Three flats cost £8 a month plus VAT, or £76.80 a year if you pay upfront (20% off). Four to ten properties move you to £15 a month. That's the cheapest landlord-specific tool we compared.
The weak spot is support. Reviews are strong overall (4.5 out of 5 from 100 reviews), but the most common complaint is that you can't reach a person by phone, and some emails go unanswered. One landlord says they had to cancel through their bank. If you want phone support, look at Landlord Vision.
- Final declaration included on every plan
- UK and foreign property on its HMRC listing
- Priced by property band, from £8 a month
- Bridging mode for an existing spreadsheet
- ✓Built only for landlords
- ✓Cheapest option at three properties
- ✓Covers the whole MTD year in one tool
- ✗Hard to reach by phone
- ✗Year-end reports called messy by some users
- ✗Beyond plan price needs your property count
The best pick for a hands-on landlord with up to 20 properties who wants the full MTD cycle for the least money. Expect support by email, not phone.
Landlord Vision
Landlord Vision is property management software with MTD built in. Beyond quarterly updates, it tracks tenancies, tenants, maintenance and compliance dates. If you manage your own lets without an agent, it does the most of anything here.
Its HMRC listing is complete: quarterly updates, tax return, UK property, foreign property and self-employment. Handy if you run a side business next to your rentals. MTD comes at no extra cost on every plan.
Read the pricing page twice. It mixes launch prices and full prices: Starter costs £7.99 a month plus VAT for two years (60% off), then £19.97. On the bigger plans, the prices shown don't match the advertised discounts, so ask for the exact figure before you commit. Limits count tenancies, not properties: an HMO let as one joint tenancy counts once, and archived tenancies don't count.
Support is the selling point: 4.8 out of 5 from 368 reviews, a free onboarding call and unlimited phone support. The recurring gripe is the learning curve and clunky bank reconciliation. Block out an evening for setup.
- Tenancy, tenant and maintenance tracking
- Full HMRC listing, self-employment included
- Onboarding call and phone support
- Limits by tenancy, not property
- ✓Best-rated support of the six
- ✓Real property management, not just books
- ✓Handles rentals and a side business
- ✗Confusing promo vs full pricing
- ✗Steeper learning curve
- ✗Bigger plans hard to price
Choose it if you want full property management with MTD included and someone to call. Note the full price before the promotion ends.
Coconut
Been keeping rent in a spreadsheet for years? Coconut is the easiest way to stay with it. Its MTD Bridging plan, at £49.99 a year, reads your spreadsheet and sends the quarterly totals to HMRC in one click.
The catch: the bridging plan only covers quarterly updates. The year-end declaration costs another £49.99. The MTD filing plan, at £129.99 a year, does both and adds an in-year tax estimate. Run the numbers: bridging plus the declaration is £99.98, cheaper than MTD filing if your spreadsheet does the job.
On the HMRC list, Coconut covers the tax return, UK property and foreign property. A free version is also listed, and Coconut is free for two years if you open a Zempler bank account through the app.
Coconut grew up serving the self-employed, so landlord features stay basic. Reviews (4.0 out of 5, 796 reviews) praise how easy it is, but flag no phone support, incomplete bank feeds and occasional HMRC sync errors.
- Spreadsheet bridging at £49.99 a year
- Foreign property on its HMRC listing
- In-year tax estimate
- Free for 2 years with Zempler
- ✓Cheapest way to keep your spreadsheet
- ✓Clear annual prices
- ✓Covers self-employment too
- ✗Final declaration is extra on bridging
- ✗Basic landlord features
- ✗No phone support
The right call if your spreadsheet works and you just need to be compliant. Budget for the final declaration from day one.
FreeAgent
FreeAgent has a plan for unincorporated landlords at £10 a month plus VAT, or £100 a year. It tracks income and costs per property, sends quarterly updates and files the final declaration. With a NatWest, RBS or Ulster Bank business account, or a Mettle account with at least one transaction a month, it's free.
Here's what most roundups skip: FreeAgent's HMRC listing covers UK property only, not foreign property. If you also let a flat in Spain or France, that income needs another product. HMRC lets you use different software for different submissions, but not two products for the same one.
The tool is simple and you can reach a human, which reviewers like (4.6 out of 5 from about 3,045 reviews). Complaints mention chatbot replies and an unexpected renewal.
- Landlord plan at £10 a month
- Free with NatWest, RBS, Ulster Bank or Mettle
- Per-property income and costs
- Final declaration included
- ✓Often free
- ✓Easy to learn
- ✓Human support
- ✗No foreign property on its HMRC listing
- ✗Free only with a partner bank
- ✗No tenant management
Hard to beat if you already bank with NatWest, RBS or Mettle and only let UK property. Skip it if you have rentals abroad.
Xero
Xero isn't landlord software, it's general accounting software. But a lot of UK accountants work in it, and its HMRC listing is complete: quarterly updates, tax return, self-employment, UK and foreign property.
Ignite costs £18 a month plus VAT, so £216 a year once the six-month £1.80 offer ends. Every plan is MTD-ready. It's the most expensive option here at three properties, but it's probably the one your accountant already uses: give them access and they check each update before it goes.
The downside for landlords: nothing is built for property. No ready-made property records, no tenancy tracking. You set up your own categories or tracking per property, and the price jumps after the promo.
- Full HMRC listing, foreign property included
- Widely used by UK accountants
- Every plan MTD-ready
- ✓Covers rentals, business and VAT
- ✓Easy accountant access
- ✓Huge app marketplace
- ✗£216 + VAT a year after the promo
- ✗Nothing landlord-specific
- ✗Per-property setup is on you
A good fit when an accountant keeps your books, or when rentals sit next to a business. For a solo landlord, Hammock does more for less.
Landlord Studio
Landlord Studio is a property management app with a free MTD Go plan for up to three properties. You pay £5 per submission to HMRC, so £20 for four quarterly updates. Pro plans include submissions and add bank feeds. It also splits income and costs by each owner's share, which helps with joint ownership.
Check its HMRC listing, though: Landlord Studio is listed for quarterly updates only, and for UK property only. It doesn't file the final declaration, so you'll need another product or an accountant at year end. It's not alone: 47 of the 136 products that handle UK property don't file the tax return.
The Pro price isn't clear: the plan cards and the comparison table on the pricing page show different figures. Confirm it at sign-up. The few public reviews are negative.
- Free plan up to 3 properties
- Splits figures by ownership share
- Mobile property management app
- ✓Near-free quarterly updates
- ✓Solid property management
- ✓Handles joint ownership
- ✗No final declaration on its HMRC listing
- ✗No foreign property
- ✗Inconsistent published prices
Useful if your accountant files the final declaration and you just want cheap quarterly updates. Otherwise pick a tool that covers the whole year.
MTD for landlords: are you in, and from when?
Before you pick software, check whether you need it yet. The start year depends on your gross income two tax years earlier and on where you live. To run the day-to-day side of your lets too, see our ranking of software for small landlords.
The timeline
Over £50,000 of qualifying income in 2024 to 2025: MTD from 2026 to 2027. Over £30,000 in 2025 to 2026: from 2027 to 2028. Over £20,000 in 2026 to 2027: from 2028 to 2029. Under £20,000, you stay on the annual return.
What counts toward the threshold
Gross rent before costs, plus self-employment turnover. Not salary, pensions or dividends. For joint property, only your share.
Foreign property
If you're UK resident, rent from property abroad counts and goes through MTD. Pick software whose HMRC listing ticks foreign property: FreeAgent and Landlord Studio don't.
Non-resident landlords
Only UK rental income counts. If your 2024 to 2025 return included the residence pages (SA109), you're exempt for 2026 to 2027. If not, you can apply if you expect to be non-resident.
Automatic exemptions
No National Insurance number before the tax year started, qualifying income of £20,000 or less, or a trust. Digital exclusion (age, health, no internet) has to be applied for, and HMRC won't accept unfamiliarity with software as a reason.
The rhythm of the year
Four updates, due 7 August, 7 November, 7 February and 7 May, then the tax return by 31 January. You send an update even if no rent came in.
- Work out gross rent for the reference year, only your share if jointly owned
- Check whether your last return included the SA109 pages
- Find your software on HMRC's finder and read its listing: tax return and foreign property
- Choose standard or calendar update periods before your first update
- Open a bank account just for your rentals so feeds stay clean
- Give your accountant access if they file the tax return
Six MTD traps that cost landlords money
Switching to MTD rarely fails because of the software itself. It fails on a misread HMRC listing, a threshold worked out on profit, or mortgage interest in the wrong box. Here are six to check, with the fix.
Picking software that can't file the tax return
Most commonOn HMRC's list, 47 products that handle UK property only send quarterly updates. You find out at year end, when the tax return is due.
The fix: on the HMRC finder, check the "Submission type" line. It should read "Quarterly updates, Tax return". If not, budget for an accountant or a second product.
- Tools without tax return
- 47 of 136
Forgetting property abroad
If you're UK resident, a flat let in Spain or France is part of MTD. Yet 56 of 136 products don't handle foreign property, FreeAgent and Landlord Studio among them.
The fix: check "Foreign property" on the HMRC listing, and keep separate records for each foreign property.
- Tools with foreign property
- 80 of 136
Working out the threshold on profit
The threshold uses gross rent. With £32,000 of rent and £20,000 of costs, you're over £30,000 even though your profit is £12,000.
The fix: add up all rent received in the reference tax year, before costs, and only your share of joint property.
Lumping mortgage interest in with other costs
Residential mortgage interest isn't a normal expense: it gives a basic-rate tax reduction. It has to stay on its own line, even if you use consolidated expenses for everything else.
The fix: set up a finance costs category at setup, and split interest from capital on a repayment mortgage.
Choosing update periods too late
By default, quarters follow the tax year (6 April, 6 July…). Calendar quarters (1 April, 1 July…) match monthly statements better. But you choose in the software before your first update, and you're locked in for the year.
The fix: decide before your first submission. Deadlines don't move: the 7th of the month after each quarter.
Paying for software while you're exempt
Non-residentsPlenty of landlords living abroad subscribe without knowing they're exempt for 2026 to 2027 (SA109 residence pages), or for good if they have no National Insurance number.
The fix: check your last return. If the exemption isn't automatic, apply to HMRC and keep the written answer.
Making Tax Digital for landlords: common questions
Is there free Making Tax Digital software for landlords?
Yes. 33 products on HMRC's list have a free version. FreeAgent is free with a NatWest, RBS, Ulster Bank or Mettle account, and Landlord Studio charges £5 per submission for up to three properties. Check that the free version also files the final declaration, because many don't.
Can I keep using a spreadsheet for MTD?
Yes, through HMRC-recognised bridging software that reads your spreadsheet and sends the totals. Coconut does it for £49.99 a year. Keep the spreadsheet as your single record: no copying figures by hand between files.
Is the £50,000 threshold based on rent or profit?
Gross rent, before any costs. A landlord taking £32,000 in rent with £20,000 of mortgage interest and repairs is over the £30,000 threshold. Salary, pensions and dividends don't count.
How does MTD work for jointly owned property?
Each owner counts only their share. A property let for £50,000 and owned 50/50 gives you £25,000 of qualifying income. Each owner sends their own updates, and you can send income only during the year and add expenses at year end by resending the fourth update.
Do non-resident landlords have to use MTD?
Not in the first year if their 2024 to 2025 return included the residence pages (SA109): they're exempt for 2026 to 2027. Only UK rental income counts toward their threshold. Above £30,000, MTD applies from 2027 to 2028.
What happens if I miss a quarterly deadline?
For the 2026 to 2027 tax year, late quarterly updates don't get penalty points. After that, each late update earns a point and 4 points mean a £200 penalty. A late tax return is penalised from year one.
Should I pick quarterly or calendar update periods?
Calendar periods (1 April to 30 June and so on) line up with monthly bank statements, which many landlords find easier. You must choose in your software before the first update, and you can't switch for the rest of the tax year. Deadlines stay the same: the 7th of the month after each quarter.
Does MTD apply to property held in a limited company?
No. MTD for Income Tax covers individuals. A company pays Corporation Tax and reports separately. Partnerships will join later, on a timeline HMRC hasn't set yet.