RentalBux vs. ANNA Self Assessment
Which MTD Software Is Better for UK Landlords and Sole Traders?
Overall Winner: RentalBux
RentalBux is the more complete solution for landlords who need both MTD compliance and property management in a single platform. It combines full Making Tax Digital compliance across UK property income, foreign property income, and self-employment income with comprehensive property management tools — tenant management, rent tracking, HMO support, joint ownership profit-splitting, automated bank feeds, AI-driven expense categorisation, and a free plan for single-property landlords until March 2028. ANNA Self Assessment — operated by Absolutely No Nonsense Admin Limited, a Cardiff-based fintech founded in 2017 — is a genuinely different product built around a compelling proposition: fully automated MTD compliance that works with any UK bank account, requires no ongoing admin from the user, and is completely free for the 2026/27 tax year including both quarterly updates and the final declaration. Its Auto Accountant AI automatically categorises transactions, prepares MTD filings, and submits quarterly updates without the user lifting a finger. ANNA's MTD Self Assessment is positioned as the lowest-friction, lowest-cost route to MTD compliance for sole traders and landlords who want the process handled for them. However, ANNA has no property management features, no landlord-specific accounting tools, no confirmed support for joint ownership, no tenant management, and its confirmed income coverage for landlords is primarily UK property income and overseas rental income in the context of Self Assessment — without the landlord-specific depth RentalBux provides. For landlords who want compliance plus property management in one place, RentalBux is the clear choice. For sole traders and simple-income landlords who want the most automated, zero-effort MTD experience possible — entirely free in year one — ANNA Self Assessment is worth serious consideration.
At-a-Glance MTD Software Comparison
Key differences between RentalBux and ANNA Self Assessment across MTD compliance, property management, bookkeeping, pricing, and landlord-specific features.
| Feature | RentalBux | ANNA Self Assessment |
|---|---|---|
| Software Type | Property/Landlord Platform | Automated MTD Tax App (part of ANNA Money) |
| Target Users | Landlords, Sole Traders, Letting Agents | Sole Traders, Landlords, Small Businesses |
| Income Sources Supported | Sole Trader + UK Property + Foreign Property | Sole Trader + UK property + Foreign Property |
| Free MTD Software Plan | Free until March 2028 (1 property) | Yes |
| MTD Quarterly Updates to HMRC | Yes | Yes |
| Final Declaration | Yes | Yes |
| Bank Reconciliation | Yes | Yes |
| Automated Bank Feeds | Yes | Yes |
| Invoice Creation | Yes | Yes |
| Receipt Capture (OCR) | Yes | Yes |
| Expense Auto-Categorisation | Coming soon | Yes |
| 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 | No |
| Spreadsheet Import/Export | Yes | No |
| Platform | Web, iOS, Android | Web, iOS, Android |
| GDPR Compliant | Yes | Yes |
What Is RentalBux? What Is ANNA Self Assessment?
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 ANNA Self Assessment?
ANNA Self Assessment is the MTD Income Tax Self Assessment product of ANNA Money; operated by Absolutely No Nonsense Admin Limited (company number 10149389), a Cardiff-based fintech founded in 2017 by Boris Diakonov and Eduard Panteleev. ANNA Money supports over 100,000 UK businesses and is regulated by the FCA (operating via PayrNet Limited, FRN 900594) as an Electronic Money Institution. Its Open Banking connectivity is provided through TrueLayer (FRN 901096).
The product is built on a single compelling proposition: MTD compliance that requires no ongoing admin from the user. Described as the platform where "MTD is mandatory, but your involvement isn't," ANNA's Auto Accountant AI automatically categorises transactions, creates digital records from bank activity, prepares quarterly updates, and files them to HMRC. Users connect their existing business bank account — any UK bank — via Open Banking, and the system takes care of the rest. The model is explicitly designed for "the plumber, the childminder, the freelance designer" — people facing their first compliance obligation who want compliance to simply happen without learning new software.
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
- 2026/27 MTD completely free — 4 quarterly filings + final declaration, no strings
- Fully automated — Auto Accountant AI files without user input
- Works with any UK bank account — no need to switch banks
- Covers quarterly updates AND the final declaration
- UK and overseas rental income both confirmed
- 4.6 stars on Trustpilot from 5,078+ reviews
- 24/7 UK-based customer support in Cardiff — average response under 50 seconds
- VAT filing, payroll, and Corporation Tax also available (Auto Accountant)
- Up to £150 refund if you've already paid for other accounting software
- 100,000+ businesses already using ANNA
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 property management features: no tenant management, HMO tools, or compliance alerts
- Not a bank — e-money institution; funds not FSCS-protected
- No confirmed joint ownership automated profit-splitting
- No confirmed chart of accounts, journal entries, or double-entry bookkeeping
- No confirmed multi-user access or formal agent filing workflow
- MTD pricing beyond 2026/27 for the final declaration not fully confirmed
- Not FSCS-protected (e-money institution)
- Primarily positioned at sole traders; landlord-specific depth is limited
- Requires connecting a bank account for full automation
- No confirmed spreadsheet import, agent filing, or multi-user access
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 ANNA Self Assessment Handles MTD for Landlords and Sole Traders
ANNA Self Assessment delivers MTD compliance through its Auto Accountant AI engine. The confirmed workflow is: sign up for a free ANNA account, connect any UK bank account via Open Banking, and Auto Accountant automatically creates digital records from bank transactions, categorises income and expenses aligned to HMRC requirements, prepares quarterly updates, and files them to HMRC. Users simply review and approve before submission. The platform confirms that the model is designed to require "no ongoing admin, no quarterly panic, and no remember-to-update-your-books routine."
| Feature | RentalBux | ANNA Self Assessment |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | Partial |
Winner: Tie — depends on priorities — Both platforms cover all three MTD income types and the final declaration. RentalBux leads on confirmed agent filing at scale and the depth of its landlord-specific accounting structure. ANNA Self Assessment leads on automation depth and its genuinely free 2026/27 full-year MTD service with no conditions.
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.
ANNA Self Assessment: Tax and Banking Platform — No Property Management Features
ANNA Self Assessment has no property management tools. It is a tax compliance and fintech platform. Tenant management, rent tracking, compliance certificate reminders, HMO unit management, and joint ownership automated profit-splitting are not part of ANNA's confirmed product. Landlords who need operational property management tools must use a separate platform alongside ANNA Self Assessment.
| Feature | RentalBux | ANNA Self Assessment |
|---|---|---|
| Property Portfolio Management | Yes | No |
| Tenant Management | Yes | No |
| Rent Tracking | Yes | No |
| Property Expense Allocation | Yes | Yes |
| Multiple Property Support | Yes | Yes |
| 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 — clear — RentalBux provides a comprehensive, confirmed property management feature set. ANNA Self Assessment is a tax app and does not include any property management tools. Landlords who need more than MTD compliance must use a separate platform alongside ANNA.
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.
ANNA Self Assessment: AI-Driven Automatic Record Creation from Bank Activity
ANNA's approach to bookkeeping is automation-first: digital records are created automatically from bank account activity as soon as a user connects via Open Banking. Auto Accountant AI categorises all transactions continuously, aligned with HMRC's requirements, without the user needing to input or review anything until submission time. The platform confirms a "Bookkeeping Score" that provides tips to keep records tidy and maximise tax savings.
| Feature | RentalBux | ANNA Self Assessment |
|---|---|---|
| Cash Basis Accounting | Yes | Yes |
| Chart of Accounts (Pre-built, Landlord-Tailored) | Yes (pre-built + custom) | No |
| Journal Entries | Yes | No |
| Bank Reconciliation | Yes | Yes |
| Automated Bank Feeds | Yes (Major UK banks) | Yes |
| Open Banking Integration | Yes | Yes |
| Double-Entry Bookkeeping | Yes | No |
| HMRC Box Pre-Mapping | Yes | No |
| Xero Integration | No | No |
| Spreadsheet Import/Export | Yes | No |
| Digital Record Storage | Yes | Yes |
Winner: RentalBux leads on accounting structure: chart of accounts, journal entries, double-entry bookkeeping, and landlord-specific categorisation. It provides HMRC box pre-mapping and spreadsheet import/export.
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.
ANNA Self Assessment: Fully Automated Zero-Touch Tax Filing
ANNA's core automation promise is that once connected, compliance simply happens. Auto Accountant continuously logs every transaction, matches receipts to transactions, applies tax categorisation rules, and prepares MTD filings — all without user intervention. ANNA confirms: "Every transaction logged. Money in, money out, receipts and payments. All logged automatically." and "Every expense claimed. Auto Accountant makes sure you don't miss out on tax savings."
| Feature | RentalBux | ANNA Self Assessment |
|---|---|---|
| Invoice Creation & Sending | Yes | Yes |
| Invoice Customisation/Branding | Yes | No |
| Online Payment Collection | Yes | Yes |
| Payment Tracking/Reminders | Yes | Yes |
| Expense Tracking | Yes | Yes |
| Receipt Capture (OCR/Photo) | Yes | Yes |
| Expense Categorisation | Yes | Yes |
| Automated Transaction Matching | Yes | Yes |
| Mileage Tracking | No | No |
| AI Auto-Categorisation | Coming soon | Yes |
Winner: Tie — RentalBux leads on landlord-specific branded invoicing and structured expense categories tailored for property. ANNA Self Assessment leads on fully automated zero-touch compliance: transactions are recorded and categorised continuously without any user input required, and invoice chasing is automated.
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.
ANNA Self Assessment: Real-Time Tax Estimates and AI Insights
ANNA confirms real-time tax estimates throughout the year, a personalised tax calendar, a Bookkeeping Score with tips to improve tax efficiency, and reports including P&L, balance sheet, and income statement within its +Taxes suite. Auto Accountant also makes sure no tax savings are missed — the platform is described as designed so "every expense is claimed." A smart Tax Pot feature automatically sets aside funds for upcoming tax bills, ensuring users are not caught out by year-end liabilities.
| Feature | RentalBux | ANNA Self Assessment |
|---|---|---|
| Profit & Loss Report | Yes (formal) | Yes |
| Balance Sheet | Yes | Yes |
| Trial Balance | Yes | No |
| Dashboard/Overview | Yes | Yes |
| Real-Time Financial Data | Yes | Yes |
| Cash Flow Reporting | No | No |
| Tax Estimate/Forecast | Yes | Yes |
| AI-Powered Features | Coming soon | Yes |
Winner: ANNA Self Assessment on tax forecasting and smart features — ANNA leads on real-time tax estimates, smart Tax Pots, personalised tax calendar, and automated savings insights. RentalBux leads on formal accounting statements (trial balance) and landlord-specific portfolio reporting.
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.
ANNA Self Assessment's Collaborative Features
ANNA Self Assessment confirms accountant access, stating on its Self Assessment FAQ page: "ANNA keeps your records tidy and ready to go, so your accountant can swoop in and do their thing — fewer emails, fewer spreadsheets, and way less faff." ANNA also offers a dedicated ANNA for Accountants portal. ANNA is accessible via web browser and has both iOS and Android mobile apps. ANNA's 24/7 UK-based customer support in Cardiff is one of its most-praised features, with an average response time of under 50 seconds confirmed on the pricing page.
| Feature | RentalBux | ANNA Self Assessment |
|---|---|---|
| Accountant/Advisor Portal | Yes | Yes |
| Multi-User Access | Yes | Partial |
| Agent Filing on Behalf | Yes | Partial |
| Bank Integration | Yes | Yes |
| Platform | iOS, Android | Web, iOS, Android |
| Web Browser Access | Yes | Yes |
| FCA Regulated | Yes | Yes |
| GDPR Compliant | Yes | Yes |
Winner: Tie — Both platforms offer iOS and Android apps, web access, accountant access, and 24/7 support. RentalBux leads on confirmed formal agent filing at scale for accountancy practices. ANNA leads on support speed (under 50 seconds average).
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.
ANNA Self Assessment's Ease of Use
ANNA Self Assessment has the strongest customer support credentials of any platform in this comparison series. It provides 24/7 UK-based support from its Cardiff team, with an average response time of under 50 seconds confirmed on the pricing page. With 4.6 stars on Trustpilot from over 5,078 reviews, ANNA is consistently praised for ease of use, accessible support, and the speed of human responses. The platform's founding philosophy — "Absolutely No Nonsense Admin" — is reflected throughout the product: no jargon, no complicated forms, no feature overload. ANNA Money has been in business since 2017 and counts over 100,000 UK businesses among its users. As an Electronic Money Institution regulated by the FCA, ANNA's funds are safeguarded in segregated accounts but are not FSCS-protected (unlike a fully licensed bank).
| Feature | RentalBux | ANNA Self Assessment |
|---|---|---|
| Phone Support | Yes | No |
| Chat Support | Yes | Yes |
| Email Support | Yes | Yes |
| Help Centre/Knowledge Base | Yes | Yes |
| FCA Regulated | Yes | Yes |
| Enterprise-Grade Security | Yes | Yes |
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 ANNA Self Assessment Offers
Fully Automated Zero-Touch MTD Compliance
ANNA Auto Accountant AI prepares and files MTD quarterly updates completely automatically from connected bank transactions. Users review and approve; ANNA does the rest. There is no ongoing admin, no manual tagging, and no need to remember deadlines — ANNA sends nudges and keeps everything ready.
Works With Any UK Bank Account — No Bank Switch Required
ANNA explicitly confirms that its MTD service works with all UK bank accounts via Open Banking. Users do not need to open an ANNA business account to use the MTD Self Assessment service.
Entire 2026/27 MTD Service Free — Including the Final Declaration
ANNA's confirmed free offering for 2026/27 covers 4 quarterly filings and the year-end final declaration at no cost, with no strings attached and no hidden conditions. ANNA also offers up to £150 refund (inc. VAT) for customers who have already paid for competing accounting software.
Up-to-£150 Refund for Switching
New customers who have already paid for accounting software for their 2025/26 Self Assessment filing can claim a refund of up to £150 inc. VAT when switching to ANNA and registering for MTD.
Real-Time Tax Estimates and Smart Tax Pots
ANNA provides a continuously updated estimate of the user's tax liability throughout the year, alongside a Smart Tax Pot that automatically sets money aside so there are no surprise bills at year-end.
VAT, Corporation Tax, and Payroll in the Same Platform
ANNA's Auto Accountant covers VAT return calculation and direct HMRC filing, Corporation Tax preparation for first-year businesses, and payroll for 1 director or employee, all in the same platform as the MTD Self Assessment service.
Largest Customer Review Base
ANNA Money has 4.6 stars on Trustpilot from over 5,078 reviews — the largest and most established review base of any platform compared in this series, reflecting nine years of customer experience.
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 ANNA Self Assessment?
ANNA Self Assessment is a good choice for:
Sole Traders and Landlords Who Want Zero Ongoing Admin
ANNA's defining advantage is full automation: once connected, compliance happens without user input. For time-poor sole traders and landlords who want MTD to be invisible, ANNA delivers this better than any other platform in this comparison.
Users Who Don't Want to Switch Bank Accounts
ANNA's MTD service works with any UK bank account via Open Banking. There is no requirement to open an ANNA business account. This removes the friction of a bank switch for users happy with their current banking.
Anyone Wanting Free MTD in 2026/27 Including the Final Declaration
The confirmed free offer — all four quarterly filings plus the final declaration, with no conditions — is the most compelling single-year pricing proposition available.
Users Who Have Already Paid for Other Accounting Software
ANNA offers up to £150 (inc. VAT) refund for users who switch from paid software, reducing the cost of transition to zero.
Sole Traders With Complex Tax Situations (VAT, Corporation Tax)
ANNA's Auto Accountant covers VAT filing, Corporation Tax (first-year businesses), and payroll in the same platform as MTD Self Assessment — a broad tax suite in one product.
Users Who Value Established Support and a Large Customer Base
With 9 years of operation, 100,000+ customers, 4.6 stars on Trustpilot from over 5,000 reviews, and a 24/7 Cardiff team responding in under 50 seconds, ANNA offers the most established customer support track record in this comparison series.