RentalBux vs. Forbes MTD
Which MTD Software Is Better for UK Landlords and Sole Traders?
Overall Winner: RentalBux
RentalBux is the more complete MTD solution 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. Forbes MTD is a strong alternative for landlords and sole traders who already use Excel, Sage, or VT Transaction+ and want the cheapest possible route to MTD compliance without changing their existing workflows. However, its narrow focus on bridging submissions — with no bookkeeping, property management, or reporting features — makes it far less versatile for landlords who need more than a filing tool.
At-a-Glance MTD Software Comparison
Key differences between RentalBux and Forbes MTD across MTD compliance, property management, bookkeeping, pricing, and landlord-specific features.
| Feature | RentalBux | Forbes MTD |
|---|---|---|
| Software Type | Property/Landlord Platform | Bridging Software (Standalone Windows App) |
| Target Users | Landlords, Sole Traders, Letting Agents | Landlords, Sole Traders, Accountants |
| 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) | No free plan |
| MTD Quarterly Updates to HMRC | Yes | Yes |
| Final Declaration | Yes | Yes |
| Bank Reconciliation | Yes | No |
| Automated Bank Feeds | Yes | No |
| Invoice Creation | Yes | No |
| 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 | No |
| Spreadsheet Import/Export | Yes | Yes |
| Platform | Web, iOS, Android | Windows desktop application only |
| GDPR Compliant | Yes | Yes |
What Is RentalBux? What Is Forbes MTD?
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 Forbes MTD?
Forbes MTD is a standalone Windows desktop application that provides bridging software and full bookkeeping solutions for individuals and businesses using Excel, Sage, VT Transaction+, or other accounting packages. It is one of the best-known bridging tools for Making Tax Digital for Income Tax alongside VitalTax and 123 Sheets, and is HMRC-recognised for quarterly updates and final declarations across sole trader, UK property, and foreign property income.
Forbes MTD's approach differs fundamentally from full accounting platforms: rather than creating or maintaining your financial records, it acts as a digital bridge between records you have already created in your existing software and HMRC's MTD systems. You export your data as a CSV file from your spreadsheet or accounting software, import it into Forbes MTD, review the figures, and submit. This workflow requires virtually no learning curve for existing Excel or Sage users and imposes no obligation to change established record-keeping habits.
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
- HMRC-recognised for all three MTD income types
- Works with existing Excel, Sage, VT Transaction+ workflows
- Low annual cost — £40 + VAT (single company
- Agent licence covers unlimited companies (£195 + VAT)
- No subscription — flat annual fee, no per-property charge
- Compatible with multiple legacy accounting packages
- Works offline; internet only needed at point of submission
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
- Bridging only — does not create or maintain digital records
- Windows desktop only — no web, iOS, or Android
- No property management, tenant management, or rent tracking
- No bank feeds or automated transaction matching
- No bookkeeping, chart of accounts, or financial reporting
- No invoice creation or expense categorisation
- Manual CSV export/import required each quarter
- No free plan; phone support not available
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 Forbes MTD Handles MTD Compliance
Forbes MTD supports quarterly updates and final declarations for sole trader, UK property, and foreign property income across both standard and calendar tax periods. The critical distinction is that Forbes MTD does not create or maintain HMRC-compliant digital records — that responsibility remains entirely with the user in their spreadsheet or external software. Forbes MTD provides the digital link between those records and HMRC's API. Agent filing is supported but requires a separate, higher-cost agent licence.
| Feature | RentalBux | Forbes MTD |
|---|---|---|
| HMRC Recognised (MTD ITSA) | Yes | Yes |
| MTD Quarterly Updates | Yes | Yes |
| Final Declaration | Yes | Yes |
| Digital Record Keeping | Yes | No |
| 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 — Both cover all three income types, but RentalBux creates and maintains compliant digital records automatically, while Forbes MTD relies on the user to do this separately. Agent filing is included in RentalBux with no additional licence cost.
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.
Forbes MTD: No Property Management Features
Forbes MTD has no property management functionality whatsoever. It does not track tenancies, manage rent, record compliance deadlines, allocate expenses to individual properties, or provide any landlord-specific workflows. All property administration must be managed separately.
| Feature | RentalBux | Forbes MTD |
|---|---|---|
| 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 — Forbes MTD has no property management features. RentalBux provides a full landlord management suite including tenancy management, rent tracking, HMO support, joint ownership profit-splitting, and compliance alerts.
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.
Forbes MTD: No Bookkeeping — Bridging Submission Only
Forbes MTD performs no bookkeeping functions. It does not record transactions, categorise expenses, reconcile bank statements, or produce financial reports. The user's existing spreadsheet or accounting software is their digital record; Forbes MTD's sole function is to import that data via CSV and transmit it to HMRC.
| Feature | RentalBux | Forbes MTD |
|---|---|---|
| Cash Basis Accounting | Yes | No |
| Chart of Accounts (Pre-built, Landlord-Tailored) | Yes (pre-built + custom) | No |
| Journal Entries | Yes | No |
| Bank Reconciliation | Yes | No |
| Automated Bank Feeds | Yes (Major UK banks) | No |
| Open Banking Integration | Yes | No |
| Double-Entry Bookkeeping | Yes | No |
| HMRC Box Pre-Mapping | Yes | Partial |
| Xero Integration | No | No |
| Spreadsheet Import/Export | Yes | Yes |
| Digital Record Storage | Yes | Partial |
Winner: RentalBux — Forbes MTD performs no bookkeeping. RentalBux provides a complete landlord-tailored accounting backbone including chart of accounts, journals, bank reconciliation, and automated bank feeds.
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.
Forbes MTD: No Expense Tracking or Invoicing Features
Forbes MTD takes no active role in expense management. As a bridging submission tool, it does not record, categorise, or process any expense data — that work is entirely the responsibility of the user, carried out in their spreadsheet or existing accounting software before Forbes MTD is ever opened. There are no automation features, no receipt scanning, and no invoice creation capabilities. For landlords with well-organised records who are already disciplined about categorising expenses correctly in Excel or Sage, this is not a problem — but it does mean Forbes MTD offers no assistance in maximising allowable deductions or reducing bookkeeping time.
| Feature | RentalBux | Forbes MTD |
|---|---|---|
| Invoice Creation & Sending | Yes | No |
| Invoice Customisation/Branding | Yes | No |
| Online Payment Collection | Yes | No |
| Payment Tracking/Reminders | Yes | No |
| Expense Tracking | Yes | No |
| Receipt Capture (OCR/Photo) | Yes | No |
| Expense Categorisation | Yes | No |
| Automated Transaction Matching | Yes | No |
| Mileage Tracking | No | No |
| AI Auto-Categorisation | Coming soon | No |
Winner: RentalBux — Forbes MTD has no invoicing, expense tracking, or automation features. RentalBux's AI-powered OCR, automatic expense categorisation, and branded invoicing give it a decisive advantage for landlords who want to maximise allowable deductions under MTD.
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.
Forbes MTD: No Reporting or Financial Insights
Forbes MTD generates no financial reports of any kind. Once data has been imported via CSV and transmitted to HMRC, the software's function is complete. There is no dashboard, no profit and loss summary, no tax estimate, and no portfolio overview. Any financial analysis, reporting, or tax forecasting must be performed entirely within the user's external spreadsheet or accounting software, before or after the Forbes MTD submission workflow.
| Feature | RentalBux | Forbes MTD |
|---|---|---|
| Profit & Loss Report | Yes (formal) | No |
| Balance Sheet | Yes | No |
| Trial Balance | Yes | No |
| Dashboard/Overview | Yes | No |
| Real-Time Financial Data | Yes | No |
| Cash Flow Reporting | No | No |
| Tax Estimate/Forecast | Yes | No |
| AI-Powered Features | Coming soon | No |
Winner: RentalBux — Forbes MTD produces no financial reports. RentalBux leads on all reporting metrics including P&L, balance sheet, trial balance, and a real-time portfolio dashboard.
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.
Forbes MTD: Single-User, Desktop-Only Access
Forbes MTD's collaboration capabilities are limited by its design as a single-user Windows desktop application. While an agent version is available, it requires the purchase of a separate, higher-cost licence and is oriented towards accountants running submissions on behalf of multiple clients from their own desktop — not towards shared, real-time access between a landlord and their adviser. There is no mobile app, no web access, and no multi-user functionality within a single licence.
| Feature | RentalBux | Forbes MTD |
|---|---|---|
| Accountant/Advisor Portal | Yes | Yes |
| Multi-User Access | Yes | No |
| Agent Filing on Behalf | Yes | Yes |
| Bank Integration | Yes | No |
| Platform | iOS, Android | Windows desktop application only |
| Web Browser Access | Yes | No |
| FCA Regulated | Yes | No |
| GDPR Compliant | Yes | Yes |
Winner: RentalBux — Web and mobile access, multi-user collaboration, and agent filing included as standard. Forbes MTD is single-user, Windows-only, with a separate higher-cost agent licence.
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.
Forbes MTD: Functional Desktop Tool with Email-Only Support
Forbes MTD is a functional, no-frills desktop application designed for users who are already comfortable with Excel, Sage, or similar accounting software. Its interface reflects its origins as a tool built by accountants for accountants — straightforward and task-focused, but not designed to guide a first-time user through bookkeeping or MTD compliance from scratch. Customer support is available via email only, with no phone or live chat option. Data is stored locally on the user's own hardware rather than in the cloud, which may appeal to users with data sovereignty concerns but removes the accessibility benefits of cloud-based platforms.
| Feature | RentalBux | Forbes MTD |
|---|---|---|
| Phone Support | Yes | No |
| Chat Support | Yes | No |
| Email Support | Yes | Yes |
| Help Centre/Knowledge Base | Yes | Partial |
| 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 Forbes MTD Offers
Compatibility with legacy accounting software
Forbes MTD connects to Excel, Sage, and VT Transaction+ via CSV. Ideal for accountants and businesses not yet migrated to cloud platforms.
Flat-fee annual licence — no monthly subscription
£40 + VAT for a single company, with no per-property charges and no feature tiers. Predictable annual cost for simple, spreadsheet-based records.
Agent licence covering unlimited companies
£195 + VAT per year for accountancy practices managing large numbers of clients with existing desktop software setups.
Windows application — works offline
Data preparation can occur without internet; connection required only at the point of HMRC submission. Suits low-connectivity environments.
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 Forbes MTD?
Forbes MTD is the better choice for:
Existing Excel or Sage users with well-organised records
If your records are accurate and structured and you simply need the cheapest compliant submission mechanism, Forbes MTD is low-disruption and cost-effective.
Accountants managing large volumes of desktop-software clients
The agent licence (£195 + VAT) covers unlimited client companies — strong value for practices with many clients using legacy desktop software.
Landlords seeking a minimal-disruption interim solution
Forbes MTD meets the April 2026 deadline without requiring migration to a new platform, making it viable while a full software evaluation is underway.
Users in low-connectivity environments
As a Windows desktop application, Forbes MTD can prepare submissions offline, requiring internet only for the HMRC transmission.