Guide

Free Making Tax Digital software for a single property

If you let one property, you can keep digital records and file to HMRC for free. Here is exactly what’s included, and where the paid plan begins.

Free Making Tax Digital software for a single property

If you let a single property, or work for yourself, Quarterwise is free. That includes filing to HMRC, not just record-keeping. There’s no card required and no time limit.

This is software for Making Tax Digital for Income Tax: digital records and quarterly updates for your property and self-employment income. It doesn’t file VAT returns, so if you’re VAT-registered you’ll need separate software for MTD for VAT. Quarterwise runs in any web browser, on a Mac, a Windows PC or your phone, with nothing to download.

What’s included on the free plan

  • One property
  • Manual entry and CSV import of rent and expenses
  • Your quarterly updates and your tax return filed to HMRC
  • Deadline reminders so you never miss a date
  • Basic expense categorisation

In other words, a landlord with one property can meet their full Making Tax Digital obligations on the free plan. (There are sensible caps on transaction volume and receipt storage to prevent abuse, which we tune over time.)

Self-employed instead? The same free plan covers one self-employment business in place of a property, with quarterly updates and the tax return filed to HMRC.

A British terraced house with a To Let board

Why it’s free

Free filing already exists in the market, and we think a single-property landlord shouldn’t have to pay to stay compliant.

What to check in free MTD software for landlords

Not every free plan is free in the same way. Check that filing to HMRC is included, not just record-keeping, because some free tiers stop at the records. Check there’s no time limit, so free doesn’t turn into a trial. Check the software is on HMRC’s list of recognised Making Tax Digital software. And check what happens when you buy a second property, so you know the cost before you need it.

When you’d move to a paid plan

You only pay if you want more than one property or business, or the time-saving extras: AI categorisation and a review queue, receipt capture, per-property profit and loss, a live tax estimate, and bank import when it ships. There are just two plans today: Free, and Pro at £12 a month or £99 a year. See pricing for the detail.

Not sure whether you even need MTD yet? Check the income thresholds, or read what Making Tax Digital is first.

Common questions

Is Quarterwise really free for one property?
Yes. One property, manual entry and CSV import, full quarterly updates and tax return to HMRC, and deadline reminders, at no cost and with no time limit.
Can I file to HMRC on the free plan?
Yes. Filing is included in the free tier: both the quarterly updates and the tax return.
How does the free software work?
Add your property or business, then record income and expenses as you go, by hand or from a CSV. Each quarter the figures are totalled into the summary HMRC asks for. You check it, approve it, and it’s filed.
I keep my rent in a spreadsheet. Do I need bridging software?
No. Bridging software sends figures from a spreadsheet to HMRC. Here you export your spreadsheet as a CSV, import it, and file from the free plan. There’s no separate bridging tool to buy.
Do I need a credit card to start?
No. The free plan needs no card and has no time limit. You only add payment details if you choose to upgrade.

Last updated 1 October 2026. Quarterwise is software, not a tax adviser — if you’re unsure how the rules apply to you, check with HMRC or a qualified accountant.

Be ready for Making Tax Digital.

Set up your business or first property in a few seconds. Free for your self-employment or one property, no card needed.