How Clarpilot compares Making Tax Digital software
Short version: we only use official lists and providers' own websites, we show the date of every check, we never invent ratings, and affiliate links never change the order.
Where the data comes from
- The list of products and what they support comes from HMRC's official tool, Find software that works with Making Tax Digital for Income Tax. For each product, HMRC lists 32 items — free version, digital records or bridging, sole trader, UK and foreign property, salary, dividends, capital gains, CIS and more — each marked "ready now", "in development" or "not included". We reuse this data under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
- The rules (thresholds, quarterly updates, penalties, exemptions, tax rates in our calculator) come from GOV.UK guidance. Each page links to the guidance it relies on.
- Prices are read on each provider's own pricing page — never on another comparison site.
Dates and freshness
Every table, profile and calculator shows when its information was last checked. We collect the HMRC list and the providers' prices again regularly; the date shown on the page is the one that counts. Software changes fast: if a provider adds a feature, HMRC's tool is usually where it appears first.
How we handle prices
Each price we collect gets a confidence level. High: read clearly on the provider's pricing page. Medium: read on the official page, but something was unclear (for example whether VAT is included) — we show it with a warning. Low: we could not read it reliably — we do not show it and send you to the provider's site instead. Promotions are noted separately: we show the normal price.
How products are ordered
HMRC shows products in random order and recommends none. In our comparison table we order them by how often people in the UK search for each brand on Google, then alphabetically. That reflects popularity, not quality — use the filters to find what fits you.
How the MTD threshold checker picks software for you
- It keeps only products that can do what you must do: the self-employment and property income you have (ready now, not "in development"), foreign property if you have it, and the final tax return unless your accountant files it. If you choose "free if possible", it keeps products with a free version or included with your business bank account.
- It then scores each product on your situation: your other income (salary, dividends, capital gains, CIS, pensions, partnership income, savings interest) counts for it when "ready now", a little when "in development", and against it when "not included"; bridging if you work in a spreadsheet; agent access if you have an accountant; MTD for VAT if you are VAT registered; free with your bank's business account.
- Popularity only breaks ties, and we ignore it for brand names that are also generic searches.
Every recommendation shows why it fits and what to check, so you can judge for yourself.
What we never do
- No made-up reviews, star ratings or "editor scores".
- No paid placements: a provider cannot pay to rank higher.
- No sign-up required to use our tools. Your answers stay in your browser.
How we make money
Some links to providers are affiliate links (marked as sponsored in the page code): if you sign up, the provider may pay us a commission. This never changes the order of our tables, the scores of the checker or the data shown. Products without an affiliate programme are listed exactly the same way.
Limits and corrections
Clarpilot gives general information, not tax advice. HMRC confirms by letter whether MTD applies to you. If you spot a mistake, write to contact@clarpilot.com: we check it against the source, correct it and update the date.
Sources: HMRC software finder (Open Government Licence v3.0); GOV.UK guidance on Making Tax Digital for Income Tax. Checked 9 October 2026.