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MTD software vs full accounting software
Full accounting suites do everything MTDFox does, and a great deal more. Whether that's an advantage depends entirely on whether you need the rest.
| Full accounting suites | MTDFox | |
|---|---|---|
| Built for | Trading businesses with payroll, VAT and invoicing | Landlords and sole traders with a handful of income sources |
| Files MTD updates | Yes | Yes |
| Learning curve | Chart of accounts, reconciliation, journals | Add a property, import a CSV, review |
| Section 24 | Usually a manual adjustment | Handled as a 20% credit automatically |
| Joint ownership split | Manual, or a workaround | Set a percentage; figures split themselves |
| Payroll, VAT, invoicing | Yes | No — deliberately |
| Typical cost | £15–30 a month | From £4.99 a month |
Choose full accounting suites if…
If you run a trade alongside the property, employ anyone, or are VAT registered, a full suite is the right tool and the extra cost buys something real.
Choose MTDFox if…
If your tax year is rent in, costs out, four updates and a final declaration, most of a full suite is surface area you pay for and never open.
Other comparisons
Competitor details were checked on 2026-09-07 and are summarised from each provider's own public pages. Prices change — check theirs before deciding.