Paying £16–£47/month for Xero? Switch to £24 per HMRC filing.
Xero is a strong product — but for a UK sole trader who needs MTD ITSA quarterly updates and Self Assessment, you're paying £192–£564/year for functionality you may never use. EasyTax charges £24 per HMRC submission — nothing more.
What does Xero actually cost a sole trader?
Xero Starter costs £16/month + VAT but limits you to 20 bank transactions per month — most sole traders quickly move to Standard at £33/month + VAT. That's £475/year inc. VAT. EasyTax charges £24 per HMRC submission. Four MTD quarterly updates plus one Self Assessment = 5 submissions × £24 = £120/year total.
Xero Standard (est.)
£475 / year
Monthly subscription. Starter tier limits you to 20 bank transactions/month — most sole traders need Standard or above.
EasyTax
£24 per submission
You only pay when you file with HMRC. Free to connect your bank and HMRC accounts, free to use the dashboard.
Side-by-side: Xero vs EasyTax
EasyTax
£24 / filing
Xero
£16–£47/mo+VAT
Price
Xero Starter billed monthly; Standard £33/mo, Premium £47/mo
No monthly subscription
EasyTax is pay-per-submission, not a recurring fee
No card required to sign up
MTD ITSA quarterly updates
Self Assessment (SA100, SA103, SA105)
MTD VAT submission
CT600 Corporation Tax filing
Limited company P&L and Balance Sheet
Open Banking auto-import
AI expense categorisation
EasyTax uses Claude to categorise and reconcile
AI bank reconciliation chat
Full double-entry bookkeeping
EasyTax focuses on tax filing, not a full ledger
Built-in invoicing
EasyTax pairs with GrumpyWhales (free) for invoicing
Payroll (Xero Payroll)
Add-on in Xero; not in EasyTax
Multi-currency
Xero Premium only
Xero pricing reflects standard UK plans as of mid-2026. We are not affiliated with Xero. Xero is a registered trademark of Xero Limited.
Honest tradeoffs
Where EasyTax wins
- Pay only when you file — no monthly commitment.
- AI bank reconciliation chat — type what the transaction was, it gets categorised.
- No bank transaction limits — connect and import as many transactions as you need.
- Simpler interface — built for tax filing, not for accountants.
Where Xero wins
- Full double-entry accounting and detailed trial balance.
- Professional invoicing with payment links and automated reminders.
- Xero Payroll add-on for managing employees.
- Multi-currency support on Premium.
- Large accountant ecosystem — most UK accountants know Xero.
Xero is worth the subscription if your accountant uses it, if you need multi-currency, or if you have employees to pay. But if you are a sole trader or landlord who mainly needs to file quarterly and annually with HMRC, EasyTax does that job for a fraction of the cost.
FAQ
How much does EasyTax cost?+
EasyTax charges £20 + VAT (£24 inc. VAT) per HMRC submission. No monthly subscription — you only pay when you file. Users who sign up during our early-access period lock in this founder price for life.
My accountant uses Xero. Can I still use EasyTax?+
If your accountant needs Xero access for year-end work, you may want to keep Xero for that relationship. EasyTax is the right fit if you want to handle your own quarterly MTD updates and Self Assessment without paying a monthly subscription — or if you're looking for a simpler tool alongside a Xero-using accountant.
How do I migrate from Xero?+
Export your transaction history from Xero (Accounting → Reports → Account Transactions, export to CSV). Email them to hello@easytax.vip and we'll load them into your account. Connect your bank via Open Banking and EasyTax starts auto-importing from today.
Xero Starter is £16/month — isn't that almost as cheap?+
Xero Starter limits you to 20 bank transactions per month. Most sole traders have more than that and quickly move to Standard (£33/month + VAT = £475/year). EasyTax has no transaction limits and charges per submission, not per month.
When does MTD ITSA become mandatory?+
From 6 April 2026 for sole traders and landlords with income over £50,000. From 6 April 2027 for income over £30,000. EasyTax is built on the HMRC MTD API for MTD ITSA quarterly updates and the final declaration.
Stop the monthly subscription.
Pay £24 when you file. Not before.
No card required to start. Early signups lock in the founder price.