MTD for Income Tax with Excel: what bridging software is and the options
If your income and expenses already live in an Excel spreadsheet, you do not have to move them into accounting software. HMRC allows a middle route: bridging software reads the totals from your spreadsheet and sends them to HMRC. This page explains how that works and what to check before you pay for it.
General information only, not tax advice. Check GOV.UK or ask a qualified adviser about your situation.
What does HMRC say about bridging software?
HMRC's guidance on choosing software says bridging software "will connect to existing records kept in spreadsheets or other accounting tools", and that if you record income and expenses in spreadsheets, bridging software can connect to them and make your submissions to HMRC. HMRC also says you only need digital records of your self-employment and property income and expenses, and that it does not recommend any product.
Who is bridging software for?
This is our reading of HMRC's description, not a test result: bridging can fit someone with simple affairs who already keeps tidy records in a spreadsheet and does not need invoicing, bank feeds or receipt capture. If you want those, full accounting software (see the price table) usually does more, and usually costs more.
Which bridging products are listed here?
Other bridging products exist. We list only products whose own pricing page we read on 1 October 2026. Each vendor states that it is HMRC-recognised; we have not verified that ourselves, so confirm it in HMRC's software finder before paying.
| Product | Price shown by vendor | How it works with Excel | Limits stated |
|---|---|---|---|
| Abridge | £39 a year including VAT for the full version; a free version exists | Add-on or file upload; reads quarterly totals from your spreadsheet, or use its free template | Free version: final declaration only, one income source, no quarterly updates. Paid version: unlimited income sources, properties and VAT registrations |
| VitalTax | £30 a year excluding VAT for one taxpayer (per its page: "All prices are annual and exclude VAT") | Submits from any Excel spreadsheet; "No fixed templates are required"; the vendor says the first quarterly submission is free | Covers self-employment and UK or foreign property; one licence per taxpayer |
The two prices are not directly comparable: Abridge's price includes VAT, VitalTax's does not. At 20% VAT, £30 excluding VAT is £36 including VAT. That calculation is ours.
What should you check before paying?
- Is the product in HMRC's software finder for MTD for Income Tax, and does it cover quarterly updates and the final return, or only one of them?
- Check that it covers every income source you have: self-employment, UK property, foreign property.
- More than one business? Find out whether one licence covers them.
- Tax return: does it handle that too, or only the updates?
- Ask what happens to your data, and how long you keep your spreadsheet records.
Sources
- GOV.UK: Choose the right software for Making Tax Digital for Income Tax
- Abridge (vendor page)
- VitalTax (vendor page)
Last checked: 1 October 2026. Prices change; confirm on the vendor's site before you buy.