Voice and visuals made with automated software, including AI.
Sometimes. In October 2026, NatWest, RBS, Ulster Bank and Mettle business accounts get FreeAgent free, and Starling and Tide include free tools. Check that the free version also sends your year-end tax return.
Making Tax Digital (MTD) for Income Tax means keeping digital records and sending quarterly updates and a tax return from compatible software. These are the bank deals we could confirm on the providers' own pages on 16 October 2026. Offers change, so check the page before you rely on one.
Want your books sorted?
We sort your books and prepare your quarterly figures. You send them to HMRC yourself with free Making Tax Digital software.
Founding offer on Trades Tax (coming later), first 500 trades clients: £5 a month for your first 3 months, then £35 a month. Cancel any time. We’ll remind you before it changes. Prices include VAT. No payment is taken while you wait.
Are you ready for Making Tax Digital? Check your start date and what to sort first. It’s free and takes a minute.
Bank by bank
| Your business account | Free software | What it covers | The catch |
|---|---|---|---|
| NatWest, Royal Bank of Scotland or Ulster Bank (business current account) | FreeAgent | Full FreeAgent, which says it handles MTD for Income Tax quarterly updates and the final declaration | Free for as long as you keep the account; optional add-ons may be charged |
| Mettle | FreeAgent | As above | At least one transaction a month from the Mettle account, or a subscription is charged |
| Starling | Accounting Essentials | MTD for Income Tax submissions, from the Starling app | End-of-year tax return listed as "coming soon" |
| Tide | Free sole trader tier | Says it files Income Tax and VAT returns through its MTD tool, plus a Self Assessment form generator | Not for sole traders using the construction industry scheme (CIS) |
For comparison, FreeAgent's standard sole trader price is £19 a month plus VAT, with 50% off for the first six months. That is what the bank deal saves you.
If you use more than one account
Bank deals are built around one account. FreeAgent's Mettle page says that if you work with an accountant or bookkeeper, you need to make Mettle your primary bank account in FreeAgent, and that a subscription is charged if you make another account primary or close the Mettle account. It also says that if you have several accounts you may need to enter some data by hand.
That matters for trades who keep a separate account for materials or a card for fuel, and for landlords whose rent goes into a different account from their trade income. Every income and expense has to end up in your digital records, whichever account it went through.
If your bank isn't on the list
You don't need to move banks: MTD doesn't require a particular one. GOV.UK's guidance on choosing MTD software says some products can link to your business bank account to import transactions automatically, and that free products are available for people with simple tax affairs, though there may be limits on how they can be used; our guide to free MTD software goes through them.
Steps to check your bank's offer
- Find your bank's accounting or tax page, or the software maker's page for your bank.
- Check that the product is on GOV.UK's software finder for MTD for Income Tax.
- Check it covers everything you need: quarterly updates, the year-end tax return, property income if you let a property, and CIS if you are a subcontractor.
- Read the conditions: account type, monthly transactions, and what happens if you close the account.
- Count what stays with you. Free software still needs you to sort every transaction, send four updates and the return.
What this means for you
If you already bank with NatWest, RBS, Ulster Bank or Mettle, FreeAgent at no cost is a strong option if you are happy to do the books yourself. If you are a CIS subcontractor, check the CIS point before you pick a free bank tool, because some exclude you. The software being free doesn't mean the work is: you, or someone you pay, still keeps the records and files on time.
Use the free MTD check to see when MTD starts for you, and see the trades and landlords sections for more guides.
Hold your place on the waitlist
We’ll email you when Trades Tax opens, with the founding offer while places last. No payment is taken.
Questions people ask
Do I get FreeAgent free with NatWest?
Yes, with a NatWest business current account. FreeAgent's pricing page says the same applies to Royal Bank of Scotland and Ulster Bank, for as long as you keep the account. Optional add-ons may be charged.
Is FreeAgent free with Mettle?
Yes, if you make at least one transaction a month from your Mettle account. If you don't, FreeAgent says a subscription is charged while you keep using it.
Can Starling's free accounting do my whole MTD year?
Not yet. Starling's free Accounting Essentials includes MTD for Income Tax submissions, but on 16 October 2026 its page listed sending the end-of-year tax return as coming soon.
Can a CIS subcontractor use Tide's free tools for Self Assessment?
No. Tide's page says that to use Tide Accounting for Self Assessment you must be a sole trader who is not using the construction industry scheme.
What if my bank doesn't include any software?
MTD doesn't require a particular bank. GOV.UK says some MTD software can link to your business bank account to import transactions automatically, and that free products are available for people with simple tax affairs, though they may have limits.
Sources
This is general information to help you understand the rules. It isn't tailored to your circumstances, so check your own position before acting on it.
Righto Tax is a trading name of NJG Consultancy Ltd, registered in England and Wales, company number 16095900. Registered office: Jubilee House, East Beach, Lytham St Annes, FY8 5FT.
What happens next
- Use the free Making Tax Digital checker to see your own start date and deadlines.
- See what Righto Tax for Trades does for you, and join the waitlist.
- Questions about this page? Email hello@rightotax.co.uk.