QuickBooks review: is it good for sole traders and MTD?

QuickBooks is made by Intuit, a large US software company, and it's one of the most popular accounting tools in the UK. For sole traders, the main draw is Sole Trader Plus, a phone-first plan built around receipts, mileage and a live tax estimate. In this review we explain what it costs, how it handles Making Tax Digital (MTD) for Income Tax, and where it falls short. We checked prices on the QuickBooks UK website in October 2026.

Not sure when MTD starts for you? Our Do I need MTD? checker gives you your date in about 30 seconds.

Price: how much does QuickBooks cost?

Sole Trader Plus £10, Simple Start £16, Essentials £38 a month, ex VAT. Intro offers apply to new customers only. Check the live price on the QuickBooks site.

Sole Trader Plus checked on the QuickBooks website in October 2026. The Simple Start and Essentials prices came from a third-party source, so please check the live price on the QuickBooks site. Intro offers apply to new customers only and change often.

QuickBooks often runs introductory discounts. These can make the first few months much cheaper, but the price then rises to the full rate. Plan your budget around the full price, not the offer. There is no free plan, but there is a 30-day free trial.

Is QuickBooks good for MTD for Income Tax?

Yes. QuickBooks supports MTD for Income Tax. It keeps digital records of your income and expenses and sends your quarterly updates to HMRC. Those updates are due by 7 August, 7 November, 7 February and 7 May each year (GOV.UK).

Here's an illustration. Dan is a self-employed electrician. His turnover in 2025 to 2026 was £46,000, which is over the £30,000 threshold, so he must use MTD from 6 April 2027 (GOV.UK). He spends his days in the van, so he wants to snap receipts and log mileage on his phone. QuickBooks Sole Trader Plus at £10 a month fits that well. Because he isn't VAT registered, he doesn't need a bigger plan.

The live tax estimate is a nice touch. It shows roughly how much tax you may owe as you go, so the January bill is less of a shock. HMRC also won't give penalty points for late quarterly updates in the 2026 to 2027 tax year, which takes some pressure off. Our MTD guide for sole traders covers the rules in plain English.

Is QuickBooks good for landlords?

Only in a limited way. Sole Trader Plus suits landlords with a single property. If you have two or more rental properties, it isn't the right plan.

That makes QuickBooks a good fit for someone who is mainly self-employed and also lets out one flat. It's a poor fit for a landlord with a portfolio. Those landlords will be better served by software built for property, such as Hammock or Landlord Vision. See our best landlord software guide for options.

Is QuickBooks easy to use?

Based on its features and app ratings, QuickBooks is one of the more beginner-friendly options. Sole Trader Plus is designed to be run mostly from your phone. You can check your income, sort transactions and add receipts in a few taps. The ratings of 4.7 and 4.6 suggest most users find the app easy.

The trickier part is choosing the right plan. QuickBooks has several plans with different limits, and offers change often. Before you sign up, check three things: whether you need VAT returns, how many properties you let, and the full price after any offer ends.

QuickBooks key features

• Bank feeds: yes. Bank feeds mean your bank transactions flow in automatically, so you don't type them in.
• Invoicing: you can create and send invoices and track who has paid.
• Receipts: receipt capture on your phone is one of its strengths. Snap a photo and it's attached to the expense.
• Mileage: the app can track business mileage using your phone's GPS, which helps drivers and tradespeople.
• VAT returns: yes, but not on Sole Trader Plus. You need a higher plan.
• CIS: Sole Trader supports CIS for subcontractors, with full CIS on higher plans. CIS (the Construction Industry Scheme) is where contractors take tax off subcontractors' pay. Your software should record CIS deductions, but check the details with HMRC or an accountant.
• Mobile app: rated 4.7 on the UK App Store and 4.6 on Google Play in October 2026.

QuickBooks pros and cons

QuickBooks compared with alternatives

Prices exclude VAT unless stated and were checked on each provider's website in October 2026. Introductory offers change often, so always confirm the live price. App ratings are from the UK App Store and Google Play in October 2026.

Xero is cheaper to start at £7 a month and is a strong all-rounder. Read our Xero review or the head-to-head Xero vs QuickBooks.

FreeAgent may be free if you bank with NatWest, RBS, Ulster Bank or Mettle, so compare FreeAgent vs QuickBooks. Sage Sole Trader has a free plan with limits and a £7 paid plan. See QuickBooks vs Sage.

How we reviewed QuickBooks

This is a desk review. We looked at QuickBooks' features and plans as the provider describes them, and checked prices on the QuickBooks UK website in October 2026. We confirmed QuickBooks appears on HMRC's list of software for MTD for Income Tax (GOV.UK). We checked app ratings on the UK App Store and Google Play. We have not done hands-on testing, so our view is based on features, pricing and user ratings. QuickBooks pays us a commission if you sign up through our links, but this does not affect our score. Read how we test.

Final verdict: is QuickBooks worth it?

If you're a sole trader who lives on your phone, QuickBooks is a very good choice. Sole Trader Plus gives you MTD for Income Tax, receipt capture, mileage tracking and a live tax estimate for £10 a month. Just be aware of its limits. It suits landlords with one property only, and VAT returns need a higher plan. Always check the live price, because offers change often. It scores 4.4 out of 5.

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