Clear Books is the ledger for a UK sole trader, landlord, or small company. You record income and expenses, send invoices, and file to HMRC from this file. Paid plans add bank feeds and bill and receipt capture. MTD for Income Tax quarterly updates are on the free sole trader and property plans. MTD VAT submissions are on Sole Trader Plus and on the Medium and Large organisation plans. The site has said it is UK software since 2008.

Xero and QuickBooks Online are the ledgers many accountants already know. Kick is a US replacement ledger. Dext, Hubdoc, and Veryfi capture documents and publish them into Xero or QuickBooks Online. Nanonets and DocuClipper extract invoices or statements for those same files. Clear Books is the books, not a capture add-on. Invoices, bank matching, VAT, CIS, and dividends live here, with hard plan gates. A US shop will not find 1099s in this file.

People who stay want UK support and one file that can start as a free MTD Income Tax record for a simple sole trader or a single property, then add invoicing and bank feeds. You can invite an accountant on the free plans. Limited companies, partnerships, and charities move to the organisation plans when they need journals, user permissions, dividends, and the fuller report set.

Sole Trader Free, Property Free, and Foreign Property Free cover HMRC-recognised MTD Income Tax quarterly updates and year-end filing, with no transaction cap, and you can invite an accountant. MTD VAT, the flat-rate scheme, and domestic reverse charge start on Sole Trader Plus. On organisation plans, MTD VAT submissions start on Medium. Small does not include them.

File MTD from the plan that includes it

Sole Trader and the organisation plans create and email invoices, including recurring invoices and reminders. Stripe and GoCardless are on the feature list for card and direct debit. Instant Bank Payments is an optional open-banking add-on. The pricing page does not show that add-on's price.

Invoice and collect in the same file

Paid sole trader and property plans include automated bank feeds and bill and receipt scanning. Organisation plans include a bank feed with automated matching on Small and up. The feature list also names an Auto Code pass over bank lines. The bank-feed provider is not named.

Match a bank feed and capture bills

Medium adds purchase orders, CIS reporting and submissions, and budgets, plus MTD VAT. Large adds project accounting, multi-currency with XE.com rates unless you override them, employee expense claims, mileage, and fixed assets. Stock tracking is marked on Small, Medium, and Large.

Step up for VAT, CIS, projects, and currency

The feature list says you can pay bills and payroll from Clear Books through Revolut Business. Payroll is a separate add-on with RTI submissions to HMRC and a 30-day trial. Its price is not on the pricing page. Auto Bills is included on paid sole trader and property plans and listed as an add-on on Small, Medium, and Large.

Pay bills or run payroll as add-ons

Organisation plans include journals, an audit log, user permissions, and period locks. Reports include profit and loss, balance sheet, cash flow, and trial balance, with CSV or PDF export. The accountant works in this file. There is no QuickBooks Online or Xero sync on the pages opened.

Lock a period and hand the file to an accountant

Clear Books is a UK ledger. Free MTD Income Tax plans exist. Paid plans start at £5/mo plus VAT. VAT filing is not on every plan.

Clear Books Review: UK Ledger, MTD Plans, and VAT Gates

Clear Books

Sole Trader Free

Sole Trader

Sole Trader Plus

Property Free

Property

Foreign Property Free

Foreign Property

Small

Medium

Large

OnPay provides a platform that merges user-friendliness with functionalities typically available only to bigger companies. It includes features such as unlimited pay runs, W-2 and 1099 filings, and assistance with federal and state tax filings, making payroll management streamlined for users. OnPay is ideal for smaller companies (500 employees or less) looking for a simple and straightforward payroll process, along with HR support.

Users can run payroll as often as needed without restrictions.

Unlimited Pay Runs

OnPay handles the filing of W-2s and 1099s for users.

W-2 and 1099 Filings

Provides help with federal and state tax filings.

Tax Filing Assistance

OnPay

Patriot Software offers accounting and payroll solutions designed specifically for small businesses. Their platform is known for its ease of use and affordability, providing tools for invoicing, financial reporting, and payroll management all under one login. Users can access the software securely from any device with internet connectivity, making it convenient for business owners on the go.

Invoicing

Run unlimited payrolls with free direct deposit.

Payroll Management

Generate robust financial reports to track your business performance.

Financial Reporting

Access your accounting and payroll software from any device.

Mobile Access

Receive free support from knowledgeable staff.

USA-based Support

Patriot Software

Accounting Basic

Payroll Basic

KashFlow is an intuitive cloud-based accounting software designed for small business owners. Founded in 2005 by Duane Jackson, it aims to simplify the accounting process, allowing users to manage their accounts anytime, anywhere. The software includes features for invoicing, VAT management, and payment processing, making it suitable for sole traders and small businesses.

Create and send customized invoices quickly and easily.

Easy Invoicing

Automatically manage and submit VAT online.

VAT Management

Link bank accounts to match actual bank statements.

Bank Reconciliation

Get paid faster with integrated payment solutions.

Payment Processing

Manage your accounts on the go with a mobile app.

KashFlow

Starter

Business

Deel is a global platform that simplifies payroll, compliance, and HR solutions for companies hiring internationally. It allows businesses to hire, manage, and pay employees and contractors in over 150 countries, ensuring compliance with local laws and regulations. Deel supports payroll in 150+ currencies, including cryptocurrency, and offers a range of services from hiring to benefits administration.

Manage payroll for employees and contractors in over 150 countries.

Global Payroll

Ensure compliance with local labor laws and regulations.

Compliance Management

Easily set up and manage employee benefits across different regions.

Benefits Administration

Streamline the onboarding process for new hires.

Automated Onboarding

Support payments in over 150 currencies, including crypto.

Multi-Currency Payments

Deel

Hire Employee of Record - Standard

Hire Contractors - Standard

Rippling is a comprehensive workforce management platform that unifies HR, IT, finance, and payroll operations into a single system. It enables businesses to manage the entire employee lifecycle, from onboarding to benefits administration, while automating various HR tasks. The platform is designed to help companies grow faster by providing a seamless experience across multiple functions.

Manage and automate all workforce operations from onboarding to offboarding.

Unified Workforce Management

Unlock business-critical insights and delegate tasks to AI tailored for HR, Payroll, IT, and Finance.

AI-Driven Insights

Create custom workflows and applications tailored to unique business needs.

Custom Applications

Run accurate payroll for employees and contractors worldwide in minutes.

Role-based permissions and approvals that govern access across all applications.

Dynamic Permissions Management

Rippling

Gusto operates as a cloud-based payroll, benefits, and HR software designed for small and medium-sized businesses. It provides a comprehensive solution to manage payroll and HR needs effectively. Gusto aims to support businesses as they grow, ensuring they can scale their payroll services without excessive costs.