Why Landlords Look for Hammock Alternatives
Hammock earned its reputation as the first landlord-specific software HMRC-recognised for Making Tax Digital. It is FCA-registered, Trustpilot users rate it highly, and its real-time bank reconciliation via open banking works well.
But the same focus that makes Hammock good at what it does also creates gaps. Landlords search for alternatives because of these specific limitations, most of which RentalBux addresses:
No sole trader income support
Per HMRC's compatible software register and Hammock's own site, Hammock covers UK and foreign property income only. From 6 April 2026, MTD for Income Tax became mandatory for anyone whose combined sole trader plus property income from 2024/25 exceeded £50,000. The threshold drops to £30,000 in April 2027 and £20,000 in April 2028. Landlords who also freelance, consult, run a trade, or subcontract under CIS need either a second piece of MTD software for that stream, or one platform that covers both.
No agent filing on behalf of landlord clients
Accountants and letting agents cannot submit MTD quarterly updates or the Final Declaration through Hammock for their clients.
HMO features only on the Standard plan and above
Per Hammock's own pricing page (verified 2026), HMO functionality is not included on the Basic plan (1-3 properties, £8/month + VAT). HMO landlords need at least the Standard plan (4-10 properties, £15/month + VAT).
No pre-built landlord chart of accounts
Hammock uses cash-basis accounting only. There is no journal entry facility and no formal balance sheet or trial balance.
No OCR receipt scanning or AI expense categorisation
Receipts can be attached to transactions manually, but Hammock does not read them or auto-categorise expenses using AI.
No automatic joint-ownership profit-splitting
Hammock manages joint, partnership, and limited company ownership structures, but does not automatically split income and expenses by ownership percentage.
Paid-only after the 30-day trial
Per Hammock's own pricing page, plans start at £8 + VAT per month (1-3 properties), rising to £15 + VAT (4-10 properties), £25 + VAT (11-20 properties), and £31.50 + VAT (21+ properties). Annual billing carries a 20% discount. There is no permanent free tier, and MTD submission is not available during the trial.
Product-only customer support
Hammock offers live chat (9am-5pm Mon-Fri) and email support. Complex tax questions are typically referred out to an accountant.
Each landlord's "good enough" looks different. The seven alternatives below cover every common gap, and every one is HMRC-recognised for MTD ITSA.
At-a-Glance: 7 Hammock Alternatives Compared
Software | Income types supported | Starting price | Free plan | HMRC-recognised for MTD ITSA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
RentalBux | UK property, foreign property, self-employment | Free | Free for 1 property/1 business until March 2028 | Yes |
PaTMa Property Manager | UK property | £15/month for 5 units (inc. VAT) | Free for 1 property | MTD-ready per own site; verify HMRC status directly |
Landlord Vision | UK property | £19.97/month + VAT (4 tenancies) | 14-day trial | "In the last stage" per own MTD FAQ; not yet on HMRC list |
Landlord Studio | UK property | GO free (3 units, £5 per MTD submission), PRO from £12/month | GO plan for 3 units | Yes (since 30 March 2026) |
FreeAgent | UK property, self-employment (separate accounts needed) | £10/month + VAT for landlords | Free with NatWest, RBS, Ulster Bank or Mettle business accounts | Yes |
Coconut | UK property, foreign property, self-employment | +MTD plan £129.99/year inc. VAT | Free for 2 years with Zempler business account | Yes |
Untied | UK property, foreign property, self-employment | "untied Pro" £129.99/year inc. VAT | 30-day trial only | Yes |
For comparison: Hammock starts at £8 + VAT per month (1-3 properties). 30-day trial, no permanent free tier. HMRC-recognised for UK property and foreign property.
All prices verified from provider websites in 2026. Always verify HMRC recognition status at gov.uk before subscribing.
1. RentalBux
The Most Complete Hammock Alternative for the Typical UK Landlord
Best for: The typical UK landlord (one property to a fifty-unit portfolio, UK or foreign, with or without other income, whether self-managing or working with an accountant).
Starting price: Free for 1 property (landlord) or 1 business (sole trader) until March 2028. Paid plans for larger portfolios.
HMRC-recognised for MTD ITSA: Yes, across UK property income, foreign property income, and self-employment (confirmed on rentalbux.com).
What RentalBux Does That Hammock Doesn't
RentalBux is the only landlord-first MTD platform in this guide HMRC-recognised across all three qualifying income types within a single subscription. For landlords who also freelance, consult, run a trade, or subcontract under CIS, that means one subscription rather than two.
Beyond broader income coverage, RentalBux includes capabilities Hammock does not:
Automatic joint-ownership profit-splitting. Define ownership percentages once and RentalBux divides income and expenses across owners automatically at every submission.
Automatic HMO unit creation. Add an HMO property and RentalBux creates individual units for each room.
Letting agent statement import. Upload agent statements and RentalBux extracts rent received, management fees, and other charges automatically.
Branded invoice creation for commercial landlords and service-charge billing.
Pre-built chart of accounts for landlords and sole traders, pre-mapped to HMRC Self-Assessment boxes.
Journal entries and double-entry bookkeeping for audit-ready records.
Formal financial reports (profit and loss, balance sheet, trial balance, journal reports, ledger reports).
Support from a qualified UK accountancy team. RentalBux's support includes qualified accountants who can answer MTD compliance questions, tax treatment queries, and complex situations. Hammock's live chat (9am-5pm Mon-Fri) is product-focused.
Built by UK Property Accountants. RentalBux was created by specialists who prepare tax returns for over 1,000 landlords (per rentalbux.com/pricing).
Agent filing on behalf. Accountants and letting agents can submit MTD quarterly updates and the Final Declaration directly for their landlord clients.
Where Hammock Still Has an Edge
To be honest about the comparison, these are the areas where Hammock leads:
Buy-to-let investment analytics. Hammock provides real-time loan-to-value ratios, rental yields, occupancy rates, and per-tenant arrears balances. For portfolio-focused investors monitoring performance across many properties, this dashboard has no direct equivalent in RentalBux.
Running tax bill estimate with savings feature. Hammock's tax forecast updates in real time and offers a "set aside" savings tool. RentalBux focuses on structured accounting reports rather than progressive tax forecasting.
Longer live-filing track record. Hammock was the first landlord software HMRC-recognised for MTD and has more years of live submission history than any landlord-specific alternative.
RentalBux's Minor Gaps
RentalBux is honest about the areas it does not currently cover:
No built-in GPS mileage tracking. Landlords who drive frequently between properties may prefer Landlord Studio or Coconut, both of which include mileage tracking on their mobile apps. Mileage can be logged manually in RentalBux.
No MTD for VAT support. RentalBux is HMRC-recognised for MTD for Income Tax only. Commercial landlords who have opted into VAT need separate VAT software.
AI expense auto-categorisation still in development. OCR receipt capture works today; the AI layer that automatically categorises captured receipts is on the roadmap.
Limited third-party integrations compared to established generalist platforms like Xero or QuickBooks.
Newer to market than Hammock. RentalBux has less accumulated live MTD submission history simply because it launched more recently.
For most UK landlords, none of these gaps affect the day-to-day workflow. But they are real and worth naming.
Verdict
RentalBux is the strongest all-round Hammock alternative for the typical UK landlord in 2026. The free single-property tier until March 2028 removes the cost of trying it, the combination of broader MTD coverage, structured accounting, and property-specific automation covers the vast majority of landlord workflows Hammock cannot, and the qualified UK accountancy team on support means landlords entering MTD for the first time get real tax guidance, not just product help.
→ Compare RentalBux vs Hammock in full → See RentalBux pricing
2. PaTMa Property Manager
Landlord-Specific UK Property Management with MTD Preparation
Best for: Self-managing UK landlords who want landlord-specific compliance tools and are preparing for MTD.
Starting price: Free for 1 property. Pro plan £15/month inc. VAT for 5 units, then £1.50 per additional unit inc. VAT (£1.20 per unit for 101+ units).
HMRC-recognised for MTD ITSA: PaTMa's own site describes the product as "MTD ready" rather than making an explicit HMRC-recognised claim. Their dedicated MTD page states "Making Tax Digital (MTD) is coming soon." Confirm current MTD submission status directly with PaTMa before relying on the software for HMRC quarterly filings.
Where PaTMa Fits
PaTMa is landlord-built software with a focus on UK compliance. It combines tenancy tracking, mortgage management, HMO licensing compliance (England only), fire regulation tracking, and Open Banking integration on the Pro plan. The Xero integration allows landlords who use Xero elsewhere to pass records across.
Trade-offs to Know About
Covers UK property income only. No sole trader or foreign property support.
MTD submission via PaTMa itself is described by PaTMa as "coming soon"; landlords needing to file MTD from April 2026 should verify the current filing capability before subscribing.
No pre-built landlord chart of accounts.
No formal accounting reports (balance sheet, trial balance, ledger reports).
Open Banking is on the Pro plan only.
Xero integration requires an assisted setup.
No branded invoicing.
Support is by email (within one working day) or scheduled phone/video call.
Verdict
PaTMa is a credible landlord-management tool for UK-only landlords who want compliance depth (HMO licensing, fire regulations, safety certificate reminders). Landlords who need MTD submission today should verify PaTMa's current HMRC submission capability directly with the provider before choosing.
3. Landlord Vision
Full UK Landlord Portfolio Management
Best for: Landlords who want deep tenancy management, portfolio accounting, and compliance tools in one platform.
Starting price: Starter £19.97/month + VAT (currently £7.99/month + VAT promotional), 4 tenancies included, billed annually. Standard £34.97/month + VAT (10 tenancies). Premium £39.97/month + VAT. Enterprise plan for larger organisations.
HMRC-recognised for MTD ITSA: Not yet. Per Landlord Vision's own Making Tax Digital FAQ (verified 2026): "Are you on HMRC's recognised/approved software list? We're in the last stage of that process. We'll update customers as soon as HMRC recognition is confirmed, which should be any day now."
Where Landlord Vision Fits
Landlord Vision is a well-established UK-based property management platform with over 15 years of history and a stated 2-year price guarantee on new plans. It handles tenant portals, gas safety and EPC storage, tenancy agreement generation, automated rent reminders, and per-property accounting.
Trade-offs to Know About
Not currently HMRC-recognised for MTD ITSA per their own MTD FAQ. Landlords needing to file MTD from April 2026 should confirm status directly before subscribing.
UK property income only. No sole trader or foreign property support.
90-day money-back guarantee. Starter plan billed annually.
No integration with Xero (Landlord Vision has its own integrated accounting engine).
Investment analytics (yield, LTV, occupancy) are not as prominent as Hammock's.
FCA-registered under FRN 918962 (confirmed on their own pricing page).
Verdict
Landlord Vision has the deepest tenancy and portfolio management features in this guide, backed by a long UK track record and UK-based phone/email support. The critical caveat is that HMRC recognition for MTD is still in progress at the time of writing; landlords needing MTD submission from April 2026 need to confirm current status directly with Landlord Vision before subscribing.
4. Landlord Studio
Mobile-First with Xero Sync and Mileage Tracking
Best for: Landlords who prefer a mobile-first workflow, need GPS mileage tracking, or want Xero sync for accountant workflows.
Starting price: GO plan free (up to 3 units, £5 per MTD submission). PRO plan from £12/month.
HMRC-recognised for MTD ITSA: Yes, since 30 March 2026 (confirmed on Landlord Studio's own site).
Where Landlord Studio Fits
Landlord Studio has a polished mobile app used by over 80,000 landlords globally. It offers GPS mileage tracking, Smart Scan receipt OCR, direct Xero integration, and an Accountant Partner Program for accountants supporting landlord clients.
Trade-offs to Know About
UK property income only. No sole trader or foreign property support.
MTD recognition is very recent (30 March 2026). The live-filing track record is short compared to platforms recognised earlier.
Free GO plan does NOT include free MTD submissions; MTD submissions are £5 each on the GO plan.
Bank feeds and Open Banking are on the PRO plan only, not the free tier.
Landlord Studio is a New Zealand-founded product with a global user base. Independent UK reviewers have noted some UK-tax-specific edges could be sharper.
No pre-built landlord chart of accounts.
No formal accounting reports (balance sheet, trial balance, ledger reports).
No branded invoicing for service charges.
No automatic joint-ownership profit-splitting.
Verdict
Landlord Studio is a strong pick for mobile-first landlords, those who need GPS mileage tracking, or landlords whose accountant works in Xero. UK landlords with mixed income, joint ownership, or an accountant filing on their behalf will find the platform's residential-single-owner focus limits its usefulness for more complex situations.
