RentalBux vs. Andica Accounting
Which MTD Software Is Better for UK Landlords and Sole Traders?
Overall Winner: RentalBux
RentalBux is the more complete MTD software for landlords and sole traders. It combines full Making Tax Digital compliance across UK property income, foreign property income, and self-employment income with comprehensive property management, automated bookkeeping, AI-driven expense categorisation, joint ownership profit-splitting, and a free plan for single-property landlords until March 2028. Andica Accounting is a solid, established bookkeeping solution with genuine MTD compliance for self-employment and UK property income, but its general-purpose SME design means it lacks landlord-specific features such as tenant management, investment analytics, HMO support, and joint ownership profit-splitting.
At-a-Glance MTD Software Comparison
Key differences between RentalBux and Andica Accounting across MTD compliance, property management, bookkeeping, pricing, and landlord-specific features.
| Feature | RentalBux | Andica Accounting |
|---|---|---|
| Software Type | Property/Landlord Platform | General SME Bookkeeping/Accounting |
| Target Users | Landlords, Sole Traders, Letting Agents | Small Businesses, Accounting Practices, Sole Traders, Landlords |
| Income Sources Supported | Sole Trader + UK Property + Foreign Property | Sole Trader + UK Property |
| Free MTD Software Plan | Free until March 2028 (1 property) | No |
| MTD Quarterly Updates to HMRC | Yes | Yes |
| Final Declaration | Yes | Yes |
| Bank Reconciliation | Yes | Yes |
| Automated Bank Feeds | Yes | Manual batch import |
| Invoice Creation | Yes | Yes |
| Receipt Capture (OCR) | Yes | No |
| Expense Auto-Categorisation | Coming soon | No |
| Property Portfolio Management | Yes | No |
| Tenant Management | Yes | No |
| Joint Ownership & Profit Sharing | Yes | No |
| Payroll | No | Yes |
| HMO Unit-Level Tracking | Yes | No |
| HMRC SA105 Box Pre-Mapping | Yes | Yes |
| Spreadsheet Import/Export | Yes | Yes |
| Platform | Web, iOS, Android | Web browser |
| GDPR Compliant | Yes | Yes |
What Is RentalBux? What Is Andica Accounting?
What Is RentalBux?
All-in-One MTD Software for Landlords and Sole Traders
RentalBux is an all-in-one property management, accounting, and Making Tax Digital compliance platform built specifically for UK landlords, letting agents, and self-employed individuals. Designed with direct input from accountants who specialise in property and sole trader tax, RentalBux covers everything from tenancy management and rent collection to full bookkeeping with a pre-configured chart of accounts tailored to the property sector.
RentalBux is fully HMRC-recognised for Making Tax Digital for Income Tax across all three qualifying income categories: UK property income, foreign property income, and self-employment. This makes it one of the only landlord-specific MTD software platforms that can handle a landlord who also runs a sole trader business, all from a single subscription.
A major differentiator is RentalBux's pricing model: single-property landlords can use the platform completely free until March 2028, making it one of the most affordable HMRC-approved MTD software options for landlords entering the MTD regime.
What Is Andica Accounting?
A cloud based accounting solution for businesses and accounting practices
Andica Accounting Software is a cloud-based bookkeeping and accounting solution developed by Andica Limited, a long-established UK software provider best known for its suite of tax and compliance tools including SA100 Self Assessment, SA800 Partnership, CT600 Corporation Tax, Payroll, P11D, and MTD VAT software. Andica Accounting targets small-to-medium businesses and accounting practices that need a structured double-entry bookkeeping platform alongside MTD compliance.
The software is HMRC-recognised for Making Tax Digital for Income Tax and supports quarterly updates for both self-employment and UK property businesses. It handles the full bookkeeping cycle — from sales and purchase invoicing through bank reconciliation and journal entries — and produces formal financial reports including profit & loss, balance sheet, and trial balance. A comprehensive chart of accounts is provided as standard, and users can create or modify accounts to match their business.
Strengths
- Free MTD software for single-property landlords until March 2028
- Handles sole trader + UK property + foreign property income in one platform
- Joint ownership with automatic profit-sharing split by ownership percentage
- Pre-built chart of accounts tailored for landlords and sole traders
- AI-powered expense auto-categorisation and OCR receipt capture
- Agent filing on behalf of landlords — ideal for accountants and letting agents
- Supports HMO properties with auto-created units
Strengths
- Established software brand with a wide UK tax and compliance product suite
- Full double-entry bookkeeping with chart of accounts, journals, P&L, balance sheet
- HMRC-recognised for MTD quarterly updates (self-employment + UK property)
- MTD VAT submissions and VAT penalties tracking included
- Agent support for VAT and MTD SA submissions
- Tax Adviser module for accountants and bookkeepers
- Excel import for journal/batch transactions
- Companies House accounts submission via add-on
- VAT obligations and penalties tracking
Limitations
- Newer to market compared to established platforms
- No yield or LTV investment analysis tools
- No MTD for VAT support yet
- Some advanced reporting features still in development
- Limited third-party app integrations
- No offline capability
- No tax liability forecasting feature currently
Limitations
- No dedicated iOS or Android mobile app
- No automated open banking/bank feeds — manual batch import only
- No landlord-specific features: no tenant management, property portfolio, or HMO support
- No joint ownership or profit-sharing functionality
- No AI-powered features or OCR receipt scanning
- No free tier — annual licence from £100/year (excl. VAT)
- Foreign property income MTD support not confirmed
- No investment analytics, yield calculations, or tax forecasting
- Annual licence model — cost resets each year
Making Tax Digital Compliance
How RentalBux Handles MTD Compliance
RentalBux supports all three MTD qualifying income categories: sole trader income, UK property income, and foreign property income. This makes it suitable for landlords who also earn self-employment income, eliminating the need for separate software. Most accounts are pre-mapped to HMRC Self-Assessment boxes. RentalBux also supports agent filing, allowing accountants or letting agents to submit MTD returns on behalf of their landlord clients.
How Andica Accounting Handles MTD for Landlords
Andica Accounting supports quarterly updates for self-employment and UK property income, with direct HMRC submission through its MTD SA module. The software requires HMRC authorisation to be granted to the software before quarterly submissions can begin — an account code mapping step allows users to align their nominal accounts to the correct HMRC income/expense categories. Andica also supports MTD for VAT, including VAT digital authorisation for agents submitting on behalf of clients. However, foreign property income is not explicitly listed as a supported MTD income type. Landlords with overseas rental income would need to verify support with Andica directly or use a separate platform. Andica does not support property-specific submission categories (e.g. SA105 rental income boxes) in the same structured way as landlord-dedicated platforms.
| Feature | RentalBux | Andica Accounting |
|---|---|---|
| HMRC Recognised (MTD ITSA) | Yes | Yes |
| MTD Quarterly Updates | Yes | Yes |
| Final Declaration | Yes | Yes |
| Digital Record Keeping | Yes | Yes |
| Digital Links Compliant | Yes | Yes |
| Sole Trader Income | Yes | Yes |
| UK Property Income | Yes | Yes |
| Foreign Property Income | Yes | Yes |
| Multiple Income Streams | Yes | Yes |
| Agent Filing on Behalf | Yes | Yes |
Winner: RentalBux — Broader confirmed income type coverage including foreign property, pre-mapped SA boxes requiring no manual configuration, and a more landlord-focused submission workflow give RentalBux the advantage for landlords preparing for Making Tax Digital.
Property Management
RentalBux: Property Management
RentalBux provides comprehensive property portfolio management with tenant management, rent tracking, property expense allocation, and support for multiple properties. A standout feature is its joint ownership and profit-sharing capability: landlords can define ownership percentages once, and RentalBux automatically splits rental income and expenses. RentalBux also supports HMO properties, automatically creating individual units.
Andica Accounting: No Dedicated Property Management
Andica Accounting is a general bookkeeping platform and does not include property portfolio management, tenant management, rent tracking by property, HMO unit management, or joint ownership profit-splitting. Landlords using Andica would need to manage these functions manually or through a separate property management tool. Income and expenses can be tracked at the nominal account level, but there is no property-level or tenant-level structure built into the software.
| Feature | RentalBux | Andica Accounting |
|---|---|---|
| Property Portfolio Management | Yes | No |
| Tenant Management | Yes | No |
| Rent Tracking | Yes | No |
| Property Expense Allocation | Yes | No |
| Multiple Property Support | Yes | No |
| HMO Property Support | Yes (auto-creates units) | No |
| Joint Ownership/Profit Sharing | Yes (auto-split by %) | No |
| Maintenance Tracking | No | No |
| Tenant Screening | No | No |
| Compliance Document Alerts | Yes | No |
| Arrears Tracking | No | No |
Winner: RentalBux — Andica Accounting has no landlord-specific property management features. RentalBux wins outright on property portfolio management, tenant management, HMO support, and joint ownership automation.
Bookkeeping, Accounting & Digital Record Keeping
RentalBux: Structured Accounting
RentalBux includes a pre-built chart of accounts specifically designed for landlords and sole traders, covering rental income, mortgage interest, insurance, property repairs, professional services, utilities, and tenant deposits. All accounts are pre-mapped to HMRC Self-Assessment boxes. The platform supports cash basis accounting, bank reconciliation, and journal entries.
Andica Accounting: Full Double-Entry Bookkeeping for SMEs
Andica Accounting provides a comprehensive double-entry bookkeeping environment with a general-purpose chart of accounts that can be customised. The platform handles sales and purchase invoicing, journal entries, bank reconciliation, batch receipts and payments, and inter-bank transfers. Bank transactions are managed through manual batch imports rather than automated open banking feeds. The chart of accounts is not pre-configured for landlords but can be set up to track rental income and property expenses at a nominal account level.
| Feature | RentalBux | Andica Accounting |
|---|---|---|
| Cash Basis Accounting | Yes | Yes |
| Chart of Accounts (Pre-built, Landlord-Tailored) | Yes (pre-built + custom) | Yes |
| Journal Entries | Yes | Yes |
| Bank Reconciliation | Yes | Yes |
| Automated Bank Feeds | Yes (Major UK banks) | No |
| Open Banking Integration | Yes | No |
| Double-Entry Bookkeeping | Yes | Yes |
| HMRC Box Pre-Mapping | Yes | Yes |
| Xero Integration | No | No |
| Spreadsheet Import/Export | Yes | Yes |
| Digital Record Storage | Yes | No |
Winner: Tie — RentalBux wins on automated bank feeds and landlord-tailored pre-configuration. Andica wins on batch processing depth and broader SME bookkeeping completeness. For landlords, RentalBux's pre-mapped accounts eliminate manual setup; for accountants managing business clients, Andica's depth may be preferable.
Invoicing, Expense Tracking
RentalBux: Expense Management
RentalBux includes OCR receipt capture, structured expense tracking with landlord-specific categories, auto-categorisation, invoice creation with customisable branding, and payment tracking with reminders.
Andica Accounting: Traditional Invoice and Expense Management
Andica Accounting provides full sales and purchase invoicing, including estimates, batch invoices, credit notes, and payment receipts. At least five customisable invoice templates are available. The platform supports automated payment reminders for outstanding invoices. However, there is no OCR receipt capture, no AI-powered categorisation, and no automated transaction matching. Expense categorisation is entirely manual, aligned to nominal accounts set up by the user.
| Feature | RentalBux | Andica Accounting |
|---|---|---|
| Invoice Creation & Sending | Yes | Yes |
| Invoice Customisation/Branding | Yes | Yes |
| Online Payment Collection | Yes | No |
| Payment Tracking/Reminders | Yes | Yes |
| Expense Tracking | Yes | Yes |
| Receipt Capture (OCR/Photo) | Yes | No |
| Expense Categorisation | Yes | Manual |
| Automated Transaction Matching | Yes | No |
| Mileage Tracking | No | No |
| AI Auto-Categorisation | Coming soon | No |
Winner: RentalBux — OCR receipt capture and automatic expense categorisation give RentalBux a clear edge for landlords wanting to maximise allowable deductions with minimal manual input under MTD. Andica's batch invoicing and estimates capability is better suited to trade businesses than property landlords.
Reporting & Tax Forecasting
RentalBux: Formal Accounting Reports
RentalBux produces structured financial reports including profit & loss statements, balance sheets, journal reports, ledger reports, and trial balances. Smart categorisation helps ensure accuracy.
Andica Accounting: Comprehensive Financial Reporting Suite
Andica Accounting offers a broad range of financial reports: chart of accounts, trial balance, profit & loss, balance sheet, transaction detail by account, cash/bank transactions, bank reconciliation report, customer and debtor reports (ageing, open invoices, statements), supplier and creditor reports, sales and purchase summaries, and full VAT reporting including VAT penalties. Quarterly submission reports are available for self-employment and UK property. Like RentalBux, there is no tax forecasting or investment analytics.
| Feature | RentalBux | Andica Accounting |
|---|---|---|
| Profit & Loss Report | Yes (formal) | Yes |
| Balance Sheet | Yes | Yes |
| Trial Balance | Yes | Yes |
| Dashboard/Overview | Yes | Yes |
| Real-Time Financial Data | Yes | Yes |
| Cash Flow Reporting | No | No |
| Tax Estimate/Forecast | Yes | No |
| AI-Powered Features | Coming soon | No |
Winner: Andica Accounting — Andica's reporting suite is broader and includes creditor/debtor ageing, VAT penalty tracking, and detailed transaction reports suited to accounting practices managing multiple clients. For landlord-specific reporting, the gap is narrower — both produce core P&L, balance sheet, and trial balance.
Collaboration & Mobile Apps
RentalBux's Collaborative Features
RentalBux enables agent filing, which gives accountants and letting agents the ability to submit directly on a landlord's behalf.
Andica Accounting's Collaborative Features
Andica Accounting includes a Tax Adviser module that allows accountants and bookkeepers to record their agent details, which then populate the relevant fields within HMRC submissions. Agent authorisation is supported for both VAT and MTD SA quarterly submissions, enabling accountants to file on behalf of their clients directly through the software. Multi-user access is available, with the admin user able to create additional users and control their access levels based on the licence tier. However, all access is web browser-based — there are no dedicated iOS or Android mobile apps, meaning landlords and their advisers must work from a desktop or laptop. Bank integration relies on manual batch imports rather than automated open banking feeds, which adds a step to the reconciliation workflow compared to platforms with live bank connections.
| Feature | RentalBux | Andica Accounting |
|---|---|---|
| Accountant/Advisor Portal | Yes | Yes |
| Multi-User Access | Yes | Yes |
| Agent Filing on Behalf | Yes | Yes |
| Bank Integration | Yes | No |
| Platform | iOS, Android | Web browser only |
| Web Browser Access | Yes | Yes |
| FCA Regulated | Yes | No |
| GDPR Compliant | Yes | Yes |
Winner: RentalBux — Native iOS and Android apps and automated open banking feeds give RentalBux a decisive mobility advantage for on-the-go landlords. Andica's web-only access and manual bank imports are less convenient for landlords managing properties away from a desk. Both platforms support agent filing.
Ease of Use, Support & Security
RentalBux: Guided Workflows
RentalBux uses guided workflows, clear dashboards, and no accounting jargon. The platform offers phone support, email/chat support, and a help centre with guides and knowledge base articles.
Andica Accounting's Ease of Use
| Feature | RentalBux | Andica Accounting |
|---|---|---|
| Phone Support | Yes | No |
| Chat Support | Yes | Yes |
| Email Support | Yes | Yes |
| Help Centre/Knowledge Base | Yes | Yes |
| FCA Regulated | Yes | No |
| Enterprise-Grade Security | Yes | No |
RentalBux Features
Sole Trader Income Support for MTD
RentalBux is one of the few landlord-focused MTD software platforms that supports self-employment income alongside UK and foreign property income within a single account. Landlords who also run a trade, consultancy, or freelance business can manage all quarterly submissions from one dashboard. Landlord Studio covers property income only.
Custom Chart of Accounts for Landlords
A property-tailored chart of accounts covering rental income, mortgage interest, insurance, repairs, utilities, letting agent fees, and more — all pre-mapped to HMRC Self-Assessment boxes. No setup required; the system is ready to use from day one. Landlord Studio has no equivalent.
Agent Filing on Behalf of Landlords
Letting agents and accountants can submit MTD quarterly updates and the Final Declaration on behalf of landlord clients directly from the platform. Landlord Studio allows accountant access but does not support submission on the landlord's behalf.
Branded Invoice Creation
Invoice creation with customisable branding for service charges and commercial landlords. Not available in Landlord Studio.
AI-Powered OCR Receipt Capture with Auto-Categorisation (Coming soon)
RentalBux's AI will read uploaded receipts and categorise the expense automatically against the pre-built chart of accounts. Landlord Studio's Smart Scan extracts dates and amounts but does not include AI-driven expense categorisation.
Formal Accounting Reports
Balance sheet, trial balance, ledger reports, and journal reports. Landlord Studio does not produce these natively.
Free Plan Including MTD Submissions Until March 2028
RentalBux's free single-property plan includes MTD quarterly submissions. Landlord Studio's free GO plan covers property management for up to three units but requires a paid PRO plan (from £12/month) to access MTD submission functionality.
Unique Features Only Andica Accounting Offers
Full Batch Invoice and Credit Note Processing
Process invoices and credit notes in bulk for multiple customers or suppliers simultaneously — a key feature for accounting practices managing multiple business clients.
Estimates/Quotes Generation
Create professional estimates for products or services before converting to invoices — useful for businesses beyond simple rental income.
VAT Obligations & Penalties Tracking
Retrieve and display VAT liabilities, VAT amounts by year, and all HMRC-imposed VAT penalties in real time — a compliance monitoring feature.
Companies House Accounts Submission (via Add-On)
Andica's broader software suite includes Accounts Production software for submitting iXBRL accounts to Companies House — relevant for landlords operating through limited companies who use Andica's full product range.
Wider Tax Software Ecosystem Integration
Practices already using Andica for SA100, SA800, SA900, CT600, Payroll, and P11D can consolidate bookkeeping within the same vendor — reducing training overhead and data re-entry.
Creditor/Debtor Ageing and Transaction History Reports
Detailed customer and supplier ageing reports, open invoice tracking by due date, and transaction histories — useful for businesses with significant trade creditor/debtor management needs.
Who Should Choose RentalBux?
RentalBux is a strong fit if you:
Landlords with Mixed Income Streams
If you earn from both property and self-employment, RentalBux handles sole trader income alongside UK and foreign property income in a single MTD-compliant platform.
Joint Owners and Family Portfolios
The automated profit-sharing split is a standout feature. Define ownership percentages once and RentalBux calculates each owner's share automatically.
Budget-Conscious Landlords Entering MTD
Free MTD software for single-property landlords until March 2028, with no upfront commitment.
Landlords Who Want Proper Accounting Structure
Chart of accounts, journal entries, profit & loss, balance sheet, and trial balance give RentalBux a structured accounting foundation.
Accountants and Letting Agents
Agent filing on behalf, multi-user access, and spreadsheet import make RentalBux practical for professionals managing multiple landlord portfolios.
Commercial Landlords and HMO Owners
Invoice creation with branding for service charges, plus automatic HMO unit creation and tenant management.
Who Should Choose Andica Accounting?
Andica Accounting is the better MTD software choice for:
Existing Andica Users Seeking Bookkeeping Consolidation
ccounting practices or businesses already using Andica's SA100, CT600, Payroll, or other products can bring their bookkeeping into the same ecosystem — reducing vendor management and benefiting from consistent software interfaces.
Small Business Owners with Rental Income as a Secondary Activity
For sole traders who primarily run a trade business and have a small property income, Andica Accounting's general-purpose double-entry bookkeeping platform covers both income streams adequately without needing a specialist landlord platform.
Accounting Practices Managing Diverse SME Client Bases
Andica's batch invoicing, creditor/debtor reporting, VAT penalty tracking, and broad financial reporting suite serve accounting practices managing a mixed portfolio of SME clients alongside some landlord clients — where a single general-purpose tool is more efficient than maintaining multiple specialist platforms.
Landlords Who Want MTD VAT and MTD Income Tax in One Platform
Andica handles both MTD VAT submissions and MTD SA quarterly updates within the same software — useful for commercial landlords registered for VAT who want one platform for both obligations.
Landlords Comfortable with Traditional Bookkeeping Workflows
Users who prefer a conventional double-entry bookkeeping structure, are comfortable with manual account code mapping, and do not need AI automation or mobile apps will find Andica's approach familiar and reliable.