Best Self-Employed Accounting Software (Feb 2026): QuickBooks Recognized as Leading HMRC-Ready Tool for UK Freelancers by Consumer365

NEW YORK, Feb. 18, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Consumer365 has published its latest annual review of accounting platforms for sole traders, freelancers and small business owners in the UK, identifying QuickBooks as a leading digital tool for preparing HMRC Self Assessment and managing tax responsibilities throughout the year. The report focuses on software that supports clarity, compliance and predictable financial planning at a time when more individuals are looking for efficient digital solutions.

Best Accounting Software for the Self-Employed

• QuickBooks – a digital accounting platform designed to help self-employed workers and small businesses track income, organise expenses and stay prepared for HMRC tax requirements throughout the year

Growing Demand for Digital Tax Tools

The UK’s self-employed community continues to expand its reliance on digital record keeping. Individuals managing irregular income streams or multiple sources of revenue increasingly look for software that helps them stay compliant from April to January without needing to become tax experts themselves.

Consumer365 assessed software platforms on criteria such as:

• Accuracy and clarity of tax calculations
• Ease of use for non-specialists
• Real-time financial visibility
• HMRC alignment and support for Making Tax Digital
• Quality and availability of customer support

QuickBooks performed strongly across each of these categories, particularly in areas related to tax estimation and data organisation.

Real-Time Tax Estimates and Predictability

A key factor in the assessment is QuickBooks’ ability to provide ongoing projections of Income Tax and National Insurance contributions. Using the information users upload and categorise, QuickBooks generates estimates throughout the year. This gives self-employed workers more predictability and reduces the risk of sudden tax liabilities at the end of the financial year.

Key strengths identified include:

• Real-time Income Tax and National Insurance estimates
• Automated calculations based on categorised transactions
• A clear overview of income, expenses and upcoming obligations

This structure supports users preparing for Self Assessment and helps ensure they have accurate figures when completing forms such as SA103 or SA105.

Tools That Support Self Assessment Preparation

The review highlights several QuickBooks features aimed at reducing administrative burden and improving accuracy:

• Expense tracking and categorisation
  QuickBooks can distinguish between business and personal expenses and, within its Sole Trader plan, benchmark spending against similar businesses.
• Transaction and invoice visibility
  A real-time dashboard helps individuals maintain organised records throughout the year.
• Cash flow planning
  The 90-day Cash Flow Planner provides an early view of upcoming financial pressures and opportunities.

These tools work together to help users prepare the figures they need for HMRC, even though the software does not yet support direct Self Assessment submission.

Alignment with Making Tax Digital

Consumer365’s assessment also considers how well software supports HMRC’s Making Tax Digital requirements. QuickBooks is already recognised by HMRC for MTD for VAT and supports digital CIS (Construction Industry Scheme) obligations in specific plans. For many users, this provides a consolidated view of compliance tasks within a single platform.

QuickBooks offers:

• MTD for VAT preparation and e-filing
• CIS management tools in QuickBooks Simple Start and above
• Automated error checking for VAT submissions

These capabilities reinforce QuickBooks’ suitability for freelancers and small businesses navigating an increasingly digital tax landscape.

Support and Flexibility for Different Types of Users

Another area where QuickBooks performed well is customer support. Users have access to trained product specialists seven days a week, along with instant chat and screen sharing. This is particularly valuable for individuals transitioning from spreadsheets or manual bookkeeping.

The platform’s flexibility across plans also contributes to its ranking. Users can choose from options such as:

• QuickBooks Sole Trader
  Best suited for individuals not registered for VAT and using simplified expenses on a cash basis.
• QuickBooks Simple Start and higher-tier Online plans
  Appropriate for those who need VAT management, payroll tools or CIS contractor deductions.

Additional features such as receipt capture, mileage tracking and spreadsheet importing create a streamlined environment for managing financial data.

After reviewing a wide range of accounting software tools, Consumer365 concludes that QuickBooks remains a strong choice for UK freelancers, sole traders and landlords looking for a reliable and structured approach to Self Assessment preparation. The platform’s combination of real-time tax estimates, financial organisation tools and MTD alignment provides clarity and reduces uncertainty for those navigating HMRC’s annual requirements.

For the full review, please visit the Consumer365 website.

About Intuit

Intuit is the global financial technology platform that powers prosperity for the people and communities we serve. With approximately 100 million customers worldwide using products such as TurboTax, Credit Karma, QuickBooks and Mailchimp, we believe that everyone should have the opportunity to prosper. We never stop working to find new, innovative ways to make that possible. Please visit us at Intuit.com and find us on social for the latest information about Intuit and our products and services.

About Consumer365.org: Consumer365 provides consumer news and industry insights. As an affiliate, Consumer365 may earn commissions from sales generated using links provided.

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SOURCE Consumer365.org