About SoleTraderGuide

Who We Are

SoleTraderGuide.co.uk is an independent editorial website dedicated to helping UK sole traders, freelancers, and landlords navigate Making Tax Digital for Income Tax. We are not affiliated with HMRC, any accountancy body, or any software provider. Our content is produced by an editorial team with a background in UK tax and personal finance journalism.

We built SoleTraderGuide because we found that most available MTD guidance was either too technical (written for accountants) or too vague (marketing copy from software companies). We wanted to create a resource that gives sole traders the plain-English answers they actually need.

What We Do

We produce three types of content on SoleTraderGuide:

• Plain-English guides — covering MTD deadlines, eligibility rules, quarterly updates, record-keeping requirements, and the End of Period Statement.
• Software comparisons and reviews — independent evaluations of the main MTD-compatible accounting software options, including Xero, QuickBooks, Sage, and FreeAgent.
• Free tools — including an MTD eligibility checker and a software recommender, designed to help sole traders understand their situation and make informed decisions.

Our Editorial Approach

We follow an editorial-first model: our content decisions are made independently of commercial considerations. No software provider can pay for a positive review, a higher rating, or preferential placement in a comparison table. We assess all software against the same criteria — MTD compatibility, ease of use, value for money, features, and customer support — using a documented scoring methodology.

We regularly review and update our content to reflect changes in HMRC rules, software pricing, and features. When we discover errors, we correct them promptly and note the update.

Read our full editorial policy →

How We Review Content

Every guide and review published on SoleTraderGuide is cross-checked against HMRC's official guidance before publication. Our review process covers four areas:

• HMRC verification — all MTD thresholds, deadlines, and rules are verified against gov.uk before publication and updated whenever HMRC announces changes.
• Pricing accuracy— software pricing is checked against each provider's website before publication. All pages show the date prices were last verified.
• Balanced assessment — software reviews assess all providers against the same criteria. No provider receives favourable treatment due to affiliate relationships.
• Quarterly updates — content is scheduled for review every quarter. Material changes are noted inline with an updated date.

How We Make Money

SoleTraderGuide is funded primarily through affiliate commissions. Some links on our site — particularly those pointing to software providers — are affiliate links. If you click one of these links and subscribe to the software, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.

We are transparent about this arrangement. Affiliate relationships do not affect our editorial ratings or the objectivity of our reviews. You can always visit software providers directly if you prefer not to use our links.

Read our affiliate disclosure →

Who We Write For

Our primary audience is UK sole traders — self-employed individuals who run their own business without incorporating as a limited company. We also write for:

• Freelancers and contractors working outside IR35
• UK landlords with property rental income
• People who are both employed and self-employed
• Accountants and bookkeepers seeking plain-English resources to share with clients

Contact Us

We welcome questions, corrections, and feedback. You can reach us at [email protected]. We aim to respond to all enquiries within 3–5 working days.

Visit our contact page →