13 min read
Tax season is here, and you are probably busy getting your papers in order for your Self Assessment tax return. While HMRC regularly shares updates and tips to simplify the process, we still cannot call it easy. If you are like most people, poring over rows of Excel entries and trying to make sense of tax rules on your own is not your favourite activity. It is not our idea of fun either, which is why we recommend letting technology take over! There are several top-notch tax return platforms that help you file your taxes with a few clicks and are fully updated with all the latest requirements to keep you compliant.Automated calculations, pre-filled fields, and data import options in the Self Assessment tax return software significantly reduce the time taken to complete a tax return, especially for businesses with complex financial situations.
Plus, many leading solutions often offer additional tools and features such as expense tracking, financial dashboards, and integration with other business software, providing a more holistic financial management experience. You do not need to be a tax expert to navigate and understand any Self Assessment tax return software. Such tools are designed to make your life easier – simple. So even though there is an associated cost, the time saved, potential tax savings, and avoidance of penalties can lead to a positive return on investment on your tax return software.Top Self Assessment tax return software in 2025
Whether you are a sole trader or a limited company, these are the best tax return software options to complete your Self Assessment returns in 2025:
1. GoSimpleTax
Designed for the everyday taxpayer, GoSimpleTax comes equipped with plenty of one-click shortcuts to help you prepare accurate returns. The best part – it helps you focus on only those aspects of the tax return that are relevant to you. If you are new to filing Self Assessment returns on your own, this tax return software will have you covered.
Features
- Free tailored guide emailed to you after you register so you can get started right away without any hiccups
Automatic tax calculations that tell you any benefits or deductions you might be eligible for - Receipt uploading system that captures and records details of paper receipts and invoices
- Expense categorisation system to sort out business and personal expenses
Prepare returns for free – only pay for submitting to HMRC - A handy tool for creating and tracking invoices
- Fully prepares users for Making Tax Digital (MTD) for Income Tax (ITSA) with quarterly summary submission features integrated
- Offers real-time tax estimate adjustments based on income changes
Pros
- One-click shortcuts to fill up only those parts of the Self Assessment tax return that are relevant to your business
- Affordable plans for small businesses and sole traders
- Simple to set up and navigate
- Helpful customer service
Cons
- Wording on the Self Assessment tax return can be difficult to interpret in some situations
- Interface and responsiveness of the tool can be improved
- Can be difficult to use for expats to use
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2. QuickBooks
QuickBooks is one of the most reliable tax return software options on the market and a great choice as you prepare for the HMRC Self Assessment deadline. With its powerful auto-calculating features and real-time monitoring of your inflow and outflow, QuickBooks will ensure that you are fully set without any of the last-minute panic. Plus, it is one of the oldest players in the software market.Features
- Tax estimates based on your uploaded transactions to help you budget in advance
- AI that benchmarks your expenses against those in similar businesses to tell you whether yours are above, below or at par with the average
- Auto-uploading of customer details for easy on-the-go invoicing and tracking
- Innovative receipt capture and real-time bank feeds
- Offers AI-powered end-of-year checklists for Self Assessment preparation
- Includes benchmarking and insights tailored for freelancers and sole traders
Pros
- Save hours of admin effort with real-time expense and income tracking
- Cloud-based tax return software to manage return filing on the go
- 7-day access to support from human agents
- Easy to set up and use
Cons
- Software can involve a learning curve for those unfamiliar with basic accounting concepts
- Plans can be expensive for businesses with more employees
3. Xero Tax
Xero Tax is one of the best-known tax return software choices for businesses alike. You can manage your tax returns and easily submit them to HMRC, especially when you sync up with your bookkeeping data on the Xero platform.
Features
- Gather tax returns and reports to securely share with clients for digital signatures from within the tool.
- Secure data flow between books, accounts, and tax returns with minimum data entry required
- Access and e-sign documents from the portal and update their status in real-time
- Easy to populate tax return statements with bookkeeping data pulled from Xero
- Prepare and file company and personal tax returns
Pros
- Easily import bookkeeping data from Xero
- File taxes with HMRC directly from Xero Tax
- Streamlined accounts preparation even for those new to the process
- Offers real-time alerts and tracking for missing information and filing deadlines
- Includes e-signature capabilities for faster approval
Cons
- Difficult to use unless you also use Xero for your bookkeeping
- Limited customer support
As a certified Xero partner, we boast a team of experienced accountants ready to assist you in transitioning your accounts to Xero, ensuring you fully harness its features.
Prepare to have enhanced control over your business with real-time financial insights. Log in from any location and any device, craft professional invoices, and sync with your business bank account for automated data retrieval.
Our Xero accountants are also on hand to provide regular management reports, offering clear insights into your business’s performance on the platform.
4. TaxCalc
TaxCalc is a tax return software that promises to make the tax filing process easy for businesses of all sizes. Its highly intuitive and feature-packed interface makes this a favourite among UK businesses.
Features
- Unique validation tool to ensure that everything tallies and to address any potential areas of discrepancy
- Intelligent prompting tool to help you fast-forward to only the relevant parts of your tax return
- Covers multiple tax scenarios including foreign income tax relief and income from pensions
- Option to run TaxCalc on your business computer or on the cloud
- Fully updated with latest Self Assessment features
Pros
- Frequently updated with relevant HMRC forms to help you stay compliant
- Free unlimited support from experienced team members
- Powerful features on a simple interface
Cons
- Requires software installation that can initially take a bit of time
- Can be expensive for smaller businesses
5. FreeAgent
FreeAgent was designed to help small businesses file their Self Assessment returns directly to HMRC with zero hassle. Whether you are a sole trader or a limited company director, this tax return software works in the background to ensure that you are always on time and compliant.
Features
- Clear overview of liabilities so you know how much tax you owe at any time (ie no last-minute surprises)
- Detailed breakdown of your tax position, which you can use with some lenders if you are applying for a self-employed mortgage
- Tax Timeline that keeps an eye on upcoming deadlines and can be synced to your digital calendar
- Auto-population of the Self Assessment form based on data
- Supports filing the 2024/25 Self Assessment return directly to HMRC
- Adds digital calendar reminders for key filing dates
Pros
- Free, if you have a business current account with NatWest, Royal Bank of Scotland, or Ulster Bank NI
- Built-in support to understand what each step of the form means
- Auto-filling of data for an easier tax preparation process
- Dedicated phone and email support
Cons
- Plans can be expensive for sole traders or small businesses
- Software can occasionally be slow to load and enter data
- Sign-up process is quite lengthy
6. ZohoBooks
Small UK-based businesses can rejoice – if your turnover is below £35,000 per annum, ZohoBooks offers you a free version of its tax return software! With features to cover everything from invoicing to VAT filing, it is an excellent way to stay on top of your tax returns year after year – while you are scaling your business.
Features
- Dedicated accounting portal to manage transactions and journal entries in a consolidated way
- Insightful financial reporting to help you make better business decisions
- Reconcile recorded transactions with your bank feeds
- Option to set up multilingual invoices
- Easy VAT return generation
Pros
- Quickly and easily track your expenses and receipts
- Easy integration with multiple payment gateways
- Easy data sharing with multi-user functionality
- Android and iOS apps for on-the-go accounting
Cons
- Limited third-party integrations, hence difficult to use if you do not use other Zoho apps
- Lower user limits than many of its competitors
- Bank statements need to be manually imported
7. ClearBooks
ClearBooks is a top-notch tax return software that makes Self Assessment easy and hassle-free for sole traders and landlords. You can now track and manage your transactions from one simple platform, saving you time and allowing you to focus on running your business.
Features
- Powerful reporting software that generates simple reports to show where your business stands
- Auto-generated Self
- Assessment returns based on the sales and purchases you record
- Tax estimate displayed for an “at-a-glance” understanding
- Take pictures of receipts for automatic data capture
- Features real-time collaboration (multi-user editing)
- Improved dashboard customisation and multi-currency support for diverse users
Pros
- Affordable tax return software option for small and medium businesses
- Easy-to-use and visually appealing dashboard
- Directly linked with HMRC
Cons
- Customer support can be improved
- Software can run slow at times
8. Sage Accounting
Sage accounting offers robust solutions for Self Assessment tax return preparation. Tailored especially for sole traders, freelancers, and small business owners, Sage simplifies the process through automation and real-time insights.
Features
- Automated record-keeping for income and expenses, simplifying your tax preparation
- Create and send unlimited sales invoices, and track what you’re owed
- Connect bank feeds for automatic transaction imports and categorisation
- Making Tax Digital (MTD) ready for VAT and with functionality for MTD for Income Tax Self Assessment (ITSA) when required
- Free mobile app for on-the-go accounting and receipt management
Pros
- Comprehensive accounting and tax features in one platform
- Award-winning customer support available via chat and online community
- Scalable plans to grow with your business needs
- Regular deals and free trials available
Cons
- The website navigation can be extensive, potentially overwhelming new users
- Some advanced features might require higher-tier plans
9. FreshBooks
FreshBooks is a cloud-based accounting software designed with freelancers, contractors, and service-based small businesses in mind. It excels in invoicing, expense tracking, and time management, making it a great choice for those who need a straightforward and jargon-free solution for their Self Assessment.
Features
- Professional invoicing with customisable templates and automated reminders for late payments
- Easy expense tracking and receipt capture, linking directly to bank accounts
- Time tracking for billable hours, ideal for service-based businesses
- Integrated payment processing for faster payments from clients
- Reporting tools to understand your financial health and prepare for tax season
Pros
- Intuitive and user-friendly interface with minimal accounting jargon
- Strong focus on invoicing and expense management, crucial for Self Assessment
- Making Tax Digital (MTD) compliant
- Free trial available to test the features
Cons
- Less comprehensive for businesses with complex inventory or payroll needs
- Pricing can be higher compared to some basic accounting software
10. Capium
Capium is an all-in-one cloud-based accounting software popular among accountants and business owners alike. It offers a specific module for Self Assessment tax return filing that integrates easily with other financial processes.
Features
- Online Self Assessment tax module for preparing and submitting SA100, SA800, and more
- Integrated bookkeeping, payroll, and accounts production tools
- Real-time tax liability estimation
- Fully compliant with HMRC standards
- Client portal for accountants and businesses to collaborate and share documents securely
Pros
- Designed for both accountants and business owners
- Efficient Self Assessment workflow
- Comprehensive suite of tools in one package
- Affordable pricing for small firms
Cons
- User interface can feel cluttered for beginners
- Mobile functionality is limited
- Best suited for those using multiple modules (not just tax)
11. Dext Prepare
This is not a tax return software, but it is an excellent tool for handling expense management – and as such, fits in perfectly with your accounting needs! You can integrate Dext Prepare with your favourite tax return software to further lubricate your financial operations and free up your time.
Features
- Upload invoices from bank feeds, emails or as drag-and-drop attachments
- Generate reports for real-time overviews of your business
- Set rules to manage and approve expense reports
- Scan and manage paper receipts on the go
- Advanced AI-powered “Vault” for secure document storage in 2025
- Smart automation rules now support invoice categorisation and payment tracking
- Enhanced AI OCR now supports new formats like rental statements and detects duplicates more accurately
Pros
- Collects and extracts paperwork with 99% accuracy
- Bank-level encryption to safeguard your data
- Automated data entry for greater efficiency
- Easy expense management on the go
Cons
- Can be difficult to classify expenses
- Data capture times can be slow
