Bridging software for MTD for Income Tax, compared

You can keep your spreadsheet and still file under Making Tax Digital for Income Tax by adding bridging software. Three HMRC-recognised options cover sole traders and landlords: 123 Sheets, GoFile and AbraTax. None is free to run, so the cheapest ongoing price is shown first below.

Last verified: 13 July 2026. Prices last verified 7 July 2026.

Check for a free route first

Before you pay for bridging, check whether a free route covers you. If you bank with NatWest, RBS, Ulster Bank or Mettle, or with Starling, your bank may include MTD software at no cost. A sole trader who is not VAT-registered may qualify for a free plan too. Any of these beats paying for bridging. Our Software Chooser checks this against your answers, and the free software guide lists who qualifies.

The bridging options, cheapest first

Prices below are each vendor's ongoing price after any intro offer ends. A plus-VAT note means the vendor quotes the price before VAT.

123 Sheets

£39.50/yr +VAT ongoing

Intro offer: £19.75 +VAT first year (50% off); licences bought now run to 30 Jun 2027.

Covers multiple self-employments and property lets per taxpayer; VAT bridging sold separately.

MTD for Income Tax support stated by the vendor, checked 7 July 2026. See current pricing at 123 Sheets
GoFile

£49.99/yr +VAT ongoing

Intro offer: 30-day free trial with full HMRC integration.

Self-employment and property submissions; dividends/interest/pensions/capital gains filings free permanently; VAT bridging sold separately.

MTD for Income Tax support stated by the vendor, checked 7 July 2026. See current pricing at GoFile
AbraTax

£5/mo +VAT ongoing

Intro offer: First return free, no card required.

Excel templates with digital links; self-employment, UK property and foreign property; VAT bridging sold separately.

MTD for Income Tax support stated by the vendor, checked 7 July 2026. See current pricing at AbraTax

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What they have in common

All three keep your existing spreadsheet, are recognised by HMRC for filing Making Tax Digital for Income Tax, and support both self-employment and property income, so they suit sole traders, landlords, and people who are both. 123 Sheets and AbraTax also state that one licence covers more than one business for the same person. Each sells VAT bridging separately, so the price above is for Income Tax filing. Because a spreadsheet plus bridging software is two products, you also need to keep a digital link between them.

Prices change, so check before you buy

The figures here are ongoing prices before VAT, last verified 7 July 2026. Intro offers and first-year discounts expire, and vendors change their prices, so confirm the current price on the vendor's own page before you commit.

Common questions

Is any MTD bridging software free?

Not on an ongoing basis for Income Tax filing. Some offer a first return free or a trial, but you pay to keep filing. If you want a genuinely free route, check whether bank-based software or a free plan for non-VAT sole traders fits you first.

Which bridging option is cheapest?

At the ongoing prices shown here, 123 Sheets is the lowest. Conditions differ between products, so check what each one covers for your situation before you buy.

Do these work for landlords as well as sole traders?

Yes. All three support both self-employment and property income, so they cover sole traders, landlords, and people who are both.

Do I still have to follow the digital link rules?

Yes. Because a spreadsheet plus bridging software is two products, you must keep a digital link between them. See our guide on what HMRC actually requires.