Is there any free Making Tax Digital software for landlords?

Yes. On 16 October 2026, 32 products on HMRC's software finder had a free version ready for UK property income. Check that the free version also sends your year-end tax return, and how many properties it allows.

Making Tax Digital for Income Tax (MTD) means keeping digital records, sending HMRC four quarterly updates a year and filing a tax return from compatible software. The figures below come from our read of every product page on HMRC's software finder on 16 October 2026, published as the MTD software census. HMRC does not recommend any product.

The numbers

Some products count as both record-keeping and bridging software, so the last two rows overlap.

Landlord-only and mixed products

Four free products were listed for UK property income but not sole trader income, which marks them out as built for landlords: PaTMa Property Manager, GetGround, SmartPropertyManager.com and SimplifyMTD. The other 28 cover both, which suits a landlord who is also self-employed. Bank-linked options were among them, including Starling, Monzo, Lloyds Bank and FreeAgent for free with Mettle, NatWest and RBS. A product being free on the finder does not mean every feature is free.

What "free" can leave out

GOV.UK says free products are available for people with simple tax affairs, but there may be limits on how they can be used. Before you choose one, check its own page for:

• The year-end tax return. Some free versions send quarterly updates only.
• How many properties. Some limit the number of lets, or charge from a certain number.
• Jointly owned property. Check it can record your share.
• Foreign property. Only 17 of the 32 were ready for it.
• What happens later. Free tiers can change. Note the date you checked.

Steps to pick one

1. Work out whether, and when, MTD applies to you from your qualifying income.
2. Open HMRC's software finder and filter for UK property and a free version.
3. Decide whether you want to keep records in the software or in a spreadsheet (bridging).
4. On the product's own page, check the tax return, the property limit and any conditions.
5. Sign up for MTD with HMRC and connect the software before your first quarterly update is due.

What you still do each quarter

Free or paid, software only sends what you put in. For each let, a quarter usually means:

• Record the rent. Every payment received, including any from a letting agent after their fees, with the fees shown as an expense.
• Record the costs. Repairs, insurance, agent fees, ground rent and service charges, and any other allowable expense, each with its date.
• Keep the evidence. Receipts, invoices and agent statements, kept for at least 5 years after the 31 January filing deadline for that tax year.
• Send the update. Check the totals and send the quarterly update from the software by its deadline.

At the end of the year you make any final adjustments, add any other income, and send the tax return. Bridging software does the sending; the spreadsheet behind it still has to be kept up to date by you.

What this means for you

If your lettings are simple, free software can meet the rules at no cost, but the work stays with you: recording every rent payment and expense, sending four updates and the return on time. If you would rather check figures than keep the books, a paid managed service is the alternative.

Use the free MTD check to see when MTD starts for you, compare MTD software for landlords, and see the landlords section for more guides.