FileThat vs QuickBooks for Making Tax Digital.
QuickBooks Sole Trader Plus files Income Tax under Making Tax Digital, and Simple Start adds VAT. FileThat files both, priced per submission. Here is what a year of each costs.
Prices from QuickBooks
Checked 1 October 2026
VAT included
A year of Making Tax Digital: FileThat and QuickBooks
| Software | How you pay | A year, sole trader (4 updates) | A year, VAT registered (4 updates and 4 VAT returns) |
|---|---|---|---|
| FileThat | £3.99 to £5.99 per submission, set by your income. Final declaration and NIL VAT returns free. At most £55 a year. | £15.96 to £23.96 | £31.92 to £47.92 |
QuickBooks Sole Trader Plus Checked 1 October 2026, QuickBooks pricing | £10 a month plus VAT, after 90% off for the first 6 months | £144.00Sole Trader Plus | £230.40Simple Start |
Regular prices, including VAT where the provider quotes without it. A VAT-registered business not on the Flat Rate Scheme can usually reclaim that VAT.
Where QuickBooks is the better choice
Bank feeds
QuickBooks connects to your bank and brings transactions in automatically. FileThat asks you to upload a CSV statement instead.
More users
QuickBooks plans go up to 25 users. A FileThat account is one login.
A wider product
If you expect to grow into a bigger accounting package, starting on QuickBooks avoids a move later.
Every provider side by side: compare MTD software.
Where FileThat is the better choice
VAT without a bigger plan
On QuickBooks, VAT means moving from Sole Trader Plus to Simple Start. On FileThat, a VAT return is one more submission, and a NIL return is free.
Pay for what you file
Four quarterly updates cost £15.96 to £23.96 a year. There is no monthly fee in a quarter when you file nothing.
Never more than £55
Once you have paid £50 in a tax year, everything else you file is free. The most you can pay is £55.
FileThat's prices in full: FileThat pricing.
Straight answers
Which QuickBooks plan do I need for VAT?
Simple Start or above. QuickBooks lists Sole Trader Plus as including Making Tax Digital for Income Tax but not VAT, so a VAT-registered sole trader needs Simple Start, at £16 a month plus VAT at the regular price.
Is FileThat cheaper than QuickBooks?
For filing, usually. A sole trader's four quarterly updates cost £15.96 to £23.96 a year on FileThat, against £144.00 a year on QuickBooks Sole Trader Plus (£10 a month plus VAT, regular price). QuickBooks may still be worth more to you if you need what it does besides filing.
Can I move from QuickBooks to FileThat part way through the year?
Yes. Bring your records for the year so far, by upload or by hand, and connect FileThat to HMRC. Quarterly updates you have already sent stay with HMRC, and because updates are cumulative, your next one covers the whole year to date.
Does FileThat file the final declaration?
Yes, and it is free, as are amendments and NIL VAT returns. FileThat files quarterly updates, the annual submission, the final declaration and VAT returns directly to HMRC. Only a new quarterly update or a VAT return that is not NIL uses a credit.
Does FileThat connect to my bank?
No. There is no live bank feed. You download a CSV of your transactions from online banking and upload it, and FileThat reads it into records. It is a deliberate choice to hold less of your data, and it does mean one more step than a bank feed.
See if per-submission suits you
4 free credits, no card needed. No subscription, and never more than £55 in a tax year.
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