RentalBux vs. PaTMa Property Manager
Which MTD Software Is Better for UK Landlords and Sole Traders?
Overall Winner: RentalBux
Both RentalBux and PaTMa Property Manager are purpose-built, HMRC-recognised landlord platforms — a distinction that immediately sets this comparison apart from those against banking tools or general accounting software. Both understand landlord language, both include property management and MTD compliance, and both offer a free plan for single-property landlords. RentalBux is the stronger all-round choice because it provides deeper accounting structure (chart of accounts, double-entry bookkeeping, journal entries, formal P&L, balance sheet, and trial balance), confirmed support for all three MTD income categories including foreign property and sole trader income, AI-powered receipt capture and expense auto-categorisation, and a broader agent filing and multi-user capability. PaTMa is an excellent, well-established landlord platform with outstanding compliance tooling — compliance checklists, HMO licensing guides, AST builder with integrated e-signatures, and a tenant portal — that gives it a genuine edge in day-to-day tenancy management depth. For landlords whose primary focus is compliance and tenancy administration, PaTMa is a compelling choice. For landlords who need the strongest combination of accounting depth, MTD breadth, and property management, RentalBux leads.
At-a-Glance MTD Software Comparison
Key differences between RentalBux and PaTMa Property Manager across MTD compliance, property management, bookkeeping, pricing, and landlord-specific features.
| Feature | RentalBux | PaTMa Property Manager |
|---|---|---|
| Software Type | Property/Landlord Platform | Property/Landlord Platform |
| Target Users | Landlords, Sole Traders, Letting Agents | Landlords, Letting Agents, Property Investors |
| Income Sources Supported | Sole Trader + UK Property + Foreign Property | UK Property (sole trader/foreign property — not confirmed as separate MTD categories) |
| Free MTD Software Plan | Free until March 2028 (1 property) | Free (1 rental unit — permanent free tier) |
| MTD Quarterly Updates to HMRC | Yes | Yes |
| Final Declaration | Yes | Yes |
| Bank Reconciliation | Yes | Yes |
| Automated Bank Feeds | Yes | Yes |
| Invoice Creation | Yes | No |
| Receipt Capture (OCR) | Yes | Yes |
| Expense Auto-Categorisation | Coming soon | No |
| Property Portfolio Management | Yes | Yes |
| Tenant Management | Yes | Yes |
| Joint Ownership & Profit Sharing | Yes | Yes |
| Payroll | No | No |
| HMO Unit-Level Tracking | Yes | Yes |
| HMRC SA105 Box Pre-Mapping | Yes | Partial |
| Spreadsheet Import/Export | Yes | Yes |
| Platform | Web, iOS, Android | Web, Android app |
| GDPR Compliant | Yes | Yes |
What Is RentalBux? What Is PaTMa Property Manager?
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 PaTMa Property Manager?
Less paperwork. Fewer surprises. More clarity
PaTMa Property Manager (Property and Tenant Manager) is a UK-based property management and MTD compliance platform developed by Pither Technologies Ltd (Company No. 05892222), based in Reigate, Surrey. PaTMa has been part of the HMRC MTD for ITSA pilot since May 2022 — one of the earliest landlord platforms to participate — and is HMRC-recognised for Making Tax Digital. Its design philosophy is deliberately non-accounting: landlords use it in "landlord language" without needing to understand accounting terminology or double-entry bookkeeping.
PaTMa's standout strength is its property management and compliance depth. Its step-by-step new tenancy checklist, HMO-specific licensing guidance (tailored to individual councils across England), integrated e-signatures, tenant portal, AST builder, safety certificate storage and auto-reminders, right-to-rent document management, and maintenance tracking create one of the most comprehensive tenancy lifecycle management tools available to self-managing landlords at this price point. PaTMa also supports joint ownership and letting agent workflows on its Pro plan, and integrates with Xero for users who need more advanced accounting.
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 MTD — in HMRC pilot since May 2022
- Outstanding compliance depth: tenancy checklists, HMO licensing, right to rent, EPC/gas/EICR reminders
- Integrated e-signatures (free, no third-party cost) for ASTs, inventories, and safety certificates
- Tenant portal for maintenance reports, document access, and communications
- AST builder with customisable branding
- Council-aware HMO licensing guidance (per council across England)
- Free permanent tier for single-property landlords
- Transparent, scalable per-unit pricing (£1.50/unit after first 5)
- Full data export tool — no lock-in
- Long-established: started HMRC MTD pilot May 2022
- Deal Finder tool available as a separate product for portfolio growth
- UK servers; ICO-registered; GDPR-compliant
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 sole trader income MTD category confirmed within the platform
- No double-entry bookkeeping, chart of accounts, journal entries, or trial balance
- Open banking, tenant portal, and Xero integration are Pro-only (£15/month+)
- No AI-powered expense categorisation
- Balance sheet not available
- iOS mobile app not confirmed
- Foreign property income MTD support not explicitly confirmed
- Financial accounting features less deep than dedicated accounting platforms
- Limited third-party integrations (primarily Xero only)
- No formal balance sheet or trial balance reporting
- Phone support by appointment only (email preferred)
- Receipt capture lacks AI extraction — photo only
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 PaTMa Handles MTD Compliance
PaTMa has been part of the HMRC MTD for ITSA pilot since May 2022, making it one of the longest-standing landlord platforms to be involved in live pilot testing. PaTMa is HMRC-recognised and supports quarterly updates, the end of period statement, and the final declaration, all submitted directly from within the platform. The MTD workflow is designed to follow naturally from normal day-to-day property management: landlords enter income and expense records as standard, and PaTMa prepares the MTD submissions from those existing records — requiring no separate data entry.
PaTMa's documentation explicitly states that MTD applies to income across "property and all sole trader businesses" — acknowledging that sole trader income counts toward the qualifying income threshold. However, PaTMa's core product is designed around UK property income. Whether it supports sole trader income and foreign property income as separate, independently submittable MTD income categories (as required if a landlord has both property and trading income) is not confirmed in PaTMa's published documentation. Landlords with sole trader income or foreign property income alongside their UK property income should verify this with PaTMa before relying on it as their sole MTD tool.
| Feature | RentalBux | PaTMa Property Manager |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | Not confirmed separately |
| UK Property Income | Yes | Yes |
| Foreign Property Income | Yes | Not confirmed separately |
| Multiple Income Streams | Yes | Partial |
| Agent Filing on Behalf | Yes | Yes (Pro plan) |
Winner: RentalBux on income coverage breadth; PaTMa on MTD pilot longevity — RentalBux confirms all three MTD income categories. PaTMa's early entry into the HMRC pilot (May 2022) demonstrates deep integration with HMRC's MTD systems, but its confirmed income coverage is narrower. For landlords with sole trader or foreign property income, RentalBux is the clearer choice.
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.
PaTMa: Deep Tenancy Lifecycle and Compliance Management
PaTMa's property management tooling is its most distinctive strength. Its step-by-step new tenancy checklist is one of the most thorough in the landlord software market — guiding landlords through every required document, disclosure, and compliance step when setting up a new tenancy, and documenting the whole process for future reference. Right-to-rent document management, prescribed information, and customisable tenancy agreements with integrated free e-signatures (requiring no third-party signing service) are all built in.
| Feature | RentalBux | PaTMa Property Manager |
|---|---|---|
| Property Portfolio Management | Yes | Yes |
| Tenant Management | Yes | Yes |
| Rent Tracking | Yes | Yes |
| Property Expense Allocation | Yes | Yes |
| Multiple Property Support | Yes | Yes |
| HMO Property Support | Yes (auto-creates units) | Yes |
| Joint Ownership/Profit Sharing | Yes (auto-split by %) | Yes (manual) |
| Maintenance Tracking | No | Yes |
| Tenant Screening | No | No |
| Compliance Document Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Arrears Tracking | No | Yes |
Winner: PaTMa on tenancy lifecycle and compliance depth; RentalBux on ownership automation and income breadth — PaTMa has the edge in tenancy administration and compliance management: the new tenancy checklist, integrated e-signatures, tenant portal, AST builder, right-to-rent management, and HMO council-specific guidance represent a depth of landlord-specific tooling that RentalBux does not yet fully match. RentalBux wins on automatic ownership profit-splitting and confirmed mixed income stream support.
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.
PaTMa: Landlord-Friendly Bookkeeping Without Accounting Terminology
PaTMa's accounting philosophy is deliberately different. It explicitly states that landlords do not need to learn double-entry bookkeeping or accounting terminology to use it. Income and expenses are entered in landlord-friendly language, and PaTMa calculates and organises the figures behind the scenes. Open banking integration (Pro plan only) pulls rent receipts and expenses directly from the landlord's bank account and automatically matches them to the relevant tenancy and transaction category. Recurring expenses can be automated to save monthly entry. A profit and loss report is available, and a one-click tax return report generates the figures needed for the annual self-assessment.
| Feature | RentalBux | PaTMa Property Manager |
|---|---|---|
| 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 (Pro only) |
| Double-Entry Bookkeeping | Yes | No |
| HMRC Box Pre-Mapping | Yes | Partial |
| Xero Integration | No | Yes (Pro — assisted setup required) |
| Spreadsheet Import/Export | Yes | Yes |
| Digital Record Storage | Yes | Yes |
Winner: RentalBux on accounting depth; PaTMa on accessibility and Open Banking rent matching — RentalBux provides formal accounting structure including chart of accounts, double-entry bookkeeping, balance sheet, and trial balance. PaTMa prioritises ease of use and landlord-friendly data entry, with Xero integration available for those needing more accounting depth. For landlords who want structured financial records without relying on a third-party accounting tool, RentalBux is the more self-contained choice.
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.
PaTMa: Manual Expense Entry with Photo Receipts and Recurring Automation
PaTMa allows landlords to log expenses as they happen, attach photos of receipts via the mobile app, and set up recurring monthly expenses to automate regular costs. There is no AI-powered receipt extraction or auto-categorisation — expenses are categorised manually. For landlords who prefer to keep their own control over categorisation decisions, this is a straightforward workflow. For landlords managing larger portfolios with high transaction volumes, the absence of AI automation can mean more manual work. Open banking integration (Pro plan) reduces this by pulling transactions automatically from the bank account, but final categorisation decisions remain manual.
| Feature | RentalBux | PaTMa Property Manager |
|---|---|---|
| Invoice Creation & Sending | Yes | Yes |
| Invoice Customisation/Branding | Yes | No |
| Online Payment Collection | Yes | No |
| 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 | No |
Winner: RentalBux on automation; PaTMa on mortgage tracking and fixed-rate reminders — RentalBux's OCR receipt capture and auto-categorisation significantly reduce manual data entry. PaTMa's mortgage tracking and fixed-rate expiry reminders are practical features that landlords with mortgages will find genuinely useful.
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.
PaTMa: Portfolio Reports, Market Data, and a Dedicated Deal Finder
PaTMa provides portfolio-level insights and reports including a profit and loss report, a portfolio spreadsheet (exportable for mortgage brokers), a market rents and missing income report, and real-time financial performance data. These are calculated from the categorised transaction records within the platform. PaTMa does not produce a formal balance sheet or trial balance.
| Feature | RentalBux | PaTMa Property Manager |
|---|---|---|
| Profit & Loss Report | Yes (formal) | Yes |
| Balance Sheet | Yes | No |
| Trial Balance | Yes | No |
| Dashboard/Overview | Yes | Yes |
| Real-Time Financial Data | Yes | Yes |
| Cash Flow Reporting | No | Yes |
| Tax Estimate/Forecast | Yes | Yes |
| AI-Powered Features | Coming soon | No |
Winner: RentalBux leads on formal accounting reports including balance sheet and trial balance, which accountants and landlords who need structured financial statements will find valuable.
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.
PaTMa's Collaborative Features
PaTMa's calendar feature — which exposes all tasks, rents, and reminders over iCal for import into Google Calendar or Microsoft 365 — is a practical tool for landlords who want their property management deadlines visible alongside their personal calendar without switching applications.
| Feature | RentalBux | PaTMa Property Manager |
|---|---|---|
| Accountant/Advisor Portal | Yes | Yes (Pro) |
| Multi-User Access | Yes | Yes (Pro) |
| Agent Filing on Behalf | Yes | Yes (Pro) |
| Bank Integration | Yes | Yes |
| Platform | iOS, Android | Android |
| Web Browser Access | Yes | Yes |
| FCA Regulated | Yes | No |
| GDPR Compliant | Yes | Yes |
Winner: Tie — complementary strengths RentalBux wins on iOS mobile access and agent filing depth. PaTMa wins on tenant portal, supplier directory, calendar/iCal integration, Xero integration, and letting agent tools. Both offer full data export with no lock-in.
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.
PaTMa's Ease of Use
| Feature | RentalBux | PaTMa Property Manager |
|---|---|---|
| Phone Support | Yes | Yes |
| Chat Support | Yes | No |
| Email Support | Yes | Yes |
| Help Centre/Knowledge Base | Yes | Yes |
| FCA Regulated | Yes | No |
| Enterprise-Grade Security | Yes | Partial |
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 PaTMa Offers
Outstanding Compliance Depth: New Tenancy Checklist with Full Document Automation
PaTMa's step-by-step new tenancy checklist is one of the most thorough compliance tools in the landlord software market. It guides landlords through every required document, disclosure, and compliance step — including prescribed information, deposit protection, right-to-rent documents, property manuals, and safety certificates — and documents the whole process for reference.
Integrated Free E-Signatures for ASTs, Inventories, and Safety Certificates
PaTMa includes free integrated e-signatures across the platform on the Pro plan, requiring no third-party service. Landlords can collect tenant signatures on ASTs, inventories, safety certificates, and prescribed information with a single click. This is a significant practical saving compared to platforms that require a separate e-signature tool.
AST Builder with Custom Branding
PaTMa includes a fully customisable AST (Assured Shorthold Tenancy) builder with optional custom branding, enabling landlords and letting agents to generate legally appropriate tenancy agreements directly within the software.
Tenant Portal
The PaTMa tenant portal gives tenants direct access to their tenancy documents, rent payment status, and a maintenance ticket channel — reducing landlord admin and keeping all tenant communications in one auditable location.
Council-Aware HMO Licensing Guidance
For each property address added, PaTMa automatically surfaces the specific HMO licensing requirements for that local council, including mandatory licensing thresholds, additional licensing schemes, and fire regulation specifics. This level of jurisdictional detail is unmatched in the landlord software market at PaTMa's price point.
Right to Rent Document Management
PaTMa includes dedicated support for right-to-rent document collection and storage — an area with significant legal consequences if not properly managed.
Mortgage Tracking and Fixed-Rate Expiry Reminders
PaTMa tracks mortgage details per property and sends automatic reminders when a fixed-rate deal is approaching expiry — preventing landlords from accidentally rolling onto a more expensive Standard Variable Rate.
Property Market Data and Deal Finder
For every address added, PaTMa surfaces average rents, local council contact details, and comparable properties. The separately priced Deal Finder product provides a full investment analysis toolkit for portfolio growth decisions, including a browser extension for live property portal analysis.
Supplier Directory with Bank Details
PaTMa includes a supplier directory for storing contractor and tradesperson contact information and bank details, simplifying maintenance management and payments.
Calendar View with iCal Export
All tasks, rent schedules, and compliance reminders are available in a calendar view, exportable over iCal for integration with Google Calendar, Microsoft 365, and other calendar platforms.
Transparent Per-Unit Pricing That Scales Down for Large Portfolios
PaTMa's pricing model scales in the landlord's favour for larger portfolios: additional units above five are £1.50/month each, reducing to £1.20/month for portfolios over 100 units. This is one of the most transparent and scalable pricing structures in the landlord software market.
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 PaTMa?
PaTMa is the better MTD software choice for:
Self-Managing Landlords Who Want Best-in-Class Tenancy Compliance
PaTMa's new tenancy checklist, integrated e-signatures, right-to-rent management, AST builder, and council-aware HMO licensing guidance are the most comprehensive tenancy compliance tools available at this price point. If compliance documentation is the highest priority, PaTMa is the specialist.
HMO Landlords
PaTMa's council-specific HMO licensing guidance — covering mandatory and additional licensing, fire regulations, and HMO compliance checklists per English council — is unmatched among comparably priced landlord platforms.
Landlords Who Want a Permanent Free Tier
PaTMa's free plan has no time limit. For single-property landlords who want a permanent no-cost option beyond March 2028, PaTMa is the only platform in this comparison series to offer that.
Landlords Seeking the Best Portfolio-to-Price Ratio at Scale
PaTMa's per-unit pricing — £1.50/month per additional unit above five, falling to £1.20/month above 100 units — is one of the most competitive and transparent pricing models for larger portfolios.
Landlords Who Use or Plan to Use Xero
PaTMa's Xero integration provides a landlord-focused data feed into full accounting software, combining PaTMa's compliance strengths with Xero's accounting depth. For landlords who already pay for Xero and want their property records to flow in automatically, this is a strong combination.
Landlords Who Want Integrated Property Investment Analytics
The PaTMa Deal Finder (separately priced) and built-in market data per property provide investment insight and deal analysis tools.
Landlords Who Value Tenant Communication and Maintenance Management
The tenant portal, maintenance ticket system, contractor assignment tools, and supplier directory create a complete landlord-tenant operational workflow.