TaxCalc vs VAT MTD
TaxCalc
taxcalc.comVAT MTD
vatmtd.comSide by side
| Figure | TaxCalc | VAT MTD |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | £3.50/mo | £3.17/mo |
| Free plan | — | — |
| Free trial | Yes | Yes |
| Open source | — | — |
| Windows | Yes | — |
| macOS | Yes | Yes |
| Linux | Yes | — |
| iOS | — | Yes |
| Plans published | 5 | 6 |
| Spec score · VAT Software | 8.2 (#4) | 7.5 (#16) |
| Headquarters | Wokingham, England, UK | Liverpool, England, UK |
| Integrations | Accounts Production imports year-end trial balances from Xero, QuickBooks or FreeAgent and can export journals and adjustments back. | The app connects to HMRC and imports figures from Excel or Numbers spreadsheets. |
| Support | The company says every licence includes unlimited UK-based support from accountancy-trained specialists by phone and email, Monday to Friday. | The maker advertises free support and says support emails are usually answered within an hour. |
Plans
TaxCalc
- TaxCalc 2026 Individual 6£42 a year
- Engager Practice Management — up to 5 clients£9 a month
- Self Assessment tax software£42, paid once
- Accounts Production 12£164 a year
- Individual 12£187 a year
VAT MTD
- Single VAT Number Monthly£9.49 a month
- Single VAT Number Quarterly£17.99 a month
- Agent Monthly£18.99 a month
- Agent Quarterly£35.99 a month
- Single VAT Number Yearly£37.99 a year
- Agent Yearly£95.99 a year
In their own words
TaxCalc
TaxCalc is a UK accounting software platform for tax compliance, client management, and practice operations. Its products prepare personal, partnership, trust, and company tax returns, as well as statutory accounts. For Self Assessment, SimpleStep guides users through relevant sections, with an option to switch to HMRC-style forms. Calculations update in real time, and Check & Finish reviews a return before submission. Tax products submit directly to HMRC, while Accounts Production files statutory accounts to Companies House. Accounts Production can import year-end trial balances from Xero, QuickBooks, or FreeAgent and export journals and adjustments; integrations differ between products. TaxCalc supports self-employment and investment income, but does not include state filing. It runs on Linux, macOS, and Windows, with mobile access limited to the web. Pricing is paid, from £42, with a free trial and no free plan. TaxCalc says each licence includes unlimited weekday phone and email support from UK-based, accountancy-trained specialists.
VAT MTD
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.