LOVAT vs VAT MTD

LOVAT provides tax and compliance tools for businesses selling across borders. Its products cover VAT, sales tax, EPR, tax registration, marketplace tax and e-invoicing. The platform calculates VAT and sales tax across 111 countries and supports 123 currencies. It can calculate VAT in more than 100 countries and submit returns to tax authorities; its sales-tax product calculates and files returns online for 37 US states. EPR tools automate compliance checks in Germany, France, Spain, the UK and other countries. The e-invoicing service generates compliant invoices in more than 30 countries and is a certified Peppol provider. Integrations include marketplaces, commerce platforms and accounting services, including Amazon, Shopify, WooCommerce, Sage, SAP and Xero. Android and iOS apps can collect sales-channel data, prepare and file returns, track thresholds, send deadline notifications and show ten years of sales and return data. LOVAT runs on Android, iOS and web, and offers API access. It requires an internet connection and stores software data in the cloud. Plans include a free option, paid plans from €27/mo and a 14-day trial.

VAT MTD is a bridging app for submitting spreadsheet-based VAT returns to HMRC under Making Tax Digital. It imports figures from Excel and Numbers, with users mapping the spreadsheet cells for nine VAT totals that must be on one sheet. The maker says the app is recognised by HMRC as a compliant submission method and is suitable for individuals, organisations, and agents. Users can view VAT periods in an HMRC MTD account at no cost, but submitting returns requires a subscription. The maker says the app sends HMRC only the nine return totals and does not read digital records. Its App Store description says financial data is processed on-device without third-party servers and spreadsheet figures are not stored. Login is passed to Safari, so the app cannot see login details. One limitation is that the iOS app does not support Apple Numbers; the website suggests using its Excel spreadsheet instead. Single VAT Number plans include £9.49 a month, £17.99 a month, and £37.99 a year options. Agent plans include £18.99 a month, £35.99 a month, and £95.99 a year options.