RentalBux vs. Provestor for Landlord
Which MTD Software Is Better for UK Landlords?
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. Provestor for Landlords is a strong alternative for UK property landlords who want qualified accountant oversight on every quarterly return built and operated by an established property tax accountancy firm, with a distinctive tiered model offering pure software, software plus accountant review, or fully managed done-for-you filing. But its confirmed lack of sole trader income support, foreign property income support, and spreadsheet import/export, alongside no free plan, no invoicing, no tenant management, and a web-browser-only platform make it a significantly narrower solution for landlords with broader needs.
At-a-Glance MTD Software Comparison
Key differences between RentalBux and Provestor for Landlord across MTD compliance, property management, bookkeeping, pricing, and landlord-specific features.
| Feature | RentalBux | Provestor for Landlord |
|---|---|---|
| Software Type | Property/Landlord Platform | Accountant-Built MTD Software + Service Tiers |
| Target Users | Landlords, Sole Traders, Letting Agents | Landlords, Joint Owners, Property Investors |
| Income Sources Supported | Sole Trader + UK Property + Foreign Property | UK Property (Self-Employment via separate app per Provestor's guidance) |
| Free MTD Software Plan | Free until March 2028 (1 property) | No free plan (£69/year ex-VAT intro, £99/year standard) |
| MTD Quarterly Updates to HMRC | Yes | Yes |
| Final Declaration | Yes | Yes (landlord files on DIY; Provestor accountants file on Assisted/DFY) |
| Bank Reconciliation | Yes | Yes (Open Banking + manual statement upload) |
| Automated Bank Feeds | Yes | Yes (Open Banking connection) |
| Invoice Creation | Yes | No |
| Receipt Capture (OCR) | Yes | Yes (statement and receipt upload + AI read) |
| Expense Auto-Categorisation | Coming soon | Yes (AI categorises transactions) |
| Property Portfolio Management | Yes | Light (MTD-focused, not full property management) |
| Tenant Management | Yes | No |
| Joint Ownership & Profit Sharing | Yes | Yes |
| Payroll | No | No |
| HMO Unit-Level Tracking | Yes | No |
| HMRC SA105 Box Pre-Mapping | Yes | Yes |
| Spreadsheet Import/Export | Yes | No |
| Platform | Web, iOS, Android | Web browser only |
| GDPR Compliant | Yes | Yes |
What Is RentalBux? What Is Provestor for Landlords?
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 Provestor for Landlord?
Property Tax Made Easy for Landlords
Provestor for Landlords is HMRC-recognised Making Tax Digital software offered by Provestor, a UK property tax accountancy firm based in Derby (Provestor Accounts Ltd, Companies House No. 10510713). The underlying software platform is provided by Provestor's parent company, Inni Ltd, and the app runs at app.inni.tax. The product is purpose-built for UK landlords preparing for the 6 April 2026 MTD for Income Tax deadline and is unusual among landlord-specific MTD software in being offered through a tiered service model — landlords can choose pure self-service software, software with quarterly accountant review, or a fully managed done-for-you filing service.
Provestor for Landlords handles the core MTD requirements: digital record keeping, AI-powered transaction categorisation, automatic mortgage interest (Section 24) calculations, joint ownership profit-splitting, quarterly HMRC submissions, and the final declaration. It is operated by qualified property accountants — Provestor is registered at Companies House under SIC 69201 (Accounting and auditing activities) and positions itself as an accountancy practice that has built its own MTD app rather than a pure tech vendor. Provestor's parent business has long served property investors through its limited company accounting service, and Provestor for Landlords extends that expertise to sole-trader landlords filing under MTD ITSA.
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 software, operated by an established property tax accountancy firm
- Three service tiers: DIY, Assisted (accountant review), Done For You
- Mortgage interest (Section 24) handled automatically by the app
- Joint ownership splits handled by ownership percentage
- AI transaction categorisation across all tiers
- Open Banking automated bank feeds + manual statement upload supported
- Letting agent integrations for partner agents (auto-imported rent and fees)
- Provestor accountants prepare and submit final declaration on Assisted and DFY
- Tax calendar dashboard showing every MTD deadline
- Annual subscription with intro pricing in first year; pay nothing until April 2026
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 free plan — paid from £69/year ex-VAT intro
- UK property focus — self-employment requires a separate app per Provestor's own guidance
- No explicit foreign property MTD support advertised
- No native iOS or Android app advertised
- Branded invoice creation not advertised as a core feature
- No tenant management or HMO unit creation
- No real-time investment analytics (LTV, yields, occupancy)
- No formal balance sheet or trial balance advertised
- Property management features lighter than all-in-one platforms
- Single-property landlords pay more than free alternatives
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 Provestor for Landlords Handles MTD for Landlords
Provestor for Landlords is HMRC-recognised for MTD ITSA and is purpose-built around the practical realities of UK property income filings. The platform focuses on property income and handles the most common compliance challenges — mortgage interest (Section 24), joint ownership splits, allowable expense categorisation — automatically. On the Assisted and Done For You tiers, qualified Provestor accountants review or fully handle every quarterly return. Quarterly updates show landlords exactly what HMRC will see before submission, with the ability to drill down into any transaction. For landlords with self-employment income alongside property, Provestor's published guidance tells users to combine Provestor (for property) with a separate app for self-employment income — Provestor's view is that two specialist tools work better than one generalist platform. Provestor's MTD product does not publicly advertise explicit foreign property income support.
| Feature | RentalBux | Provestor for Landlord |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | No |
| UK Property Income | Yes | Yes |
| Foreign Property Income | Yes | No |
| Multiple Income Streams | Yes | No |
| Agent Filing on Behalf | Yes | Yes |
Winner: RentalBux for MTD compliance breadth; Provestor for accountancy depth. Both platforms meet the core MTD ITSA requirements for UK property income. RentalBux wins decisively on compliance breadth: it covers all three qualifying income categories from a single account and supports agent filing by any external accountant or letting agent. Provestor for Landlords wins on accountancy depth: qualified property accountants review or fully handle every filing on Assisted and Done For You tiers, a level of professional oversight no self-service platform can match. For landlords with sole trader income or foreign property, RentalBux is the only viable option of the two.
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.
Provestor for Landlords: Light Property Management, Accountancy-Grade Tax Handling
Provestor for Landlords focuses on the bookkeeping and tax compliance layer rather than full property management. The platform handles transaction categorisation, joint ownership splits, Section 24 mortgage interest calculations, and quarterly filing. Letting agent integrations let rent and fees from partner letting agents flow directly into the platform (where Provestor has a partnership in place; landlords whose agent isn't a Provestor partner can upload agent statements manually). Tenant management, HMO unit setup, rent collection portals, and compliance document tracking (gas safety, EPC, insurance) are not advertised as Provestor features — landlords who need these alongside MTD will use a separate tool or rely on their letting agent.
| Feature | RentalBux | Provestor for Landlord |
|---|---|---|
| Property Portfolio Management | Yes | Light (MTD focus) |
| Tenant Management | Yes | No |
| Rent Tracking | Yes | Yes (via bank feed & agent statement imports) |
| 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 %) | Yes |
| Maintenance Tracking | No | No |
| Tenant Screening | No | No |
| Compliance Document Alerts | Yes | No |
| Arrears Tracking | No | No |
Winner: RentalBux — Provestor for Landlords has no property management features. RentalBux provides a complete property management suite: tenant management, rent tracking, HMO support, compliance document alerts, arrears tracking, and branded invoicing. For any landlord managing multiple properties, tenancies, or joint ownership structures, RentalBux is dramatically more capable on the property management layer.
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, 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.
Provestor for Landlords: AI Bookkeeping with Optional Accountant Review
Provestor for Landlords takes an accountancy-first approach. Landlords upload bank statements and receipts (or connect via Open Banking); Provestor's property tax AI reads every line and categorises transactions automatically. On the Assisted tier, a qualified Provestor accountant reviews each quarterly return before filing, checking categories, spotting errors, and flagging issues. On the Done For You tier, Provestor's accountants do the bookkeeping themselves — landlords upload documents after each quarter and Provestor handles the record keeping and filing entirely. Provestor's MTD product does not publicly advertise a formal chart of accounts, journal entries, balance sheet, or trial balance — categories are pre-mapped to HMRC Self-Assessment boxes rather than presented as a full accounting framework.
| Feature | RentalBux | Provestor for Landlord |
|---|---|---|
| Cash Basis Accounting | Yes | Yes |
| Chart of Accounts (Pre-built, Landlord-Tailored) | Yes | 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 | Yes |
| Xero Integration | No | No |
| Spreadsheet Import/Export | Yes | No |
| Digital Record Storage | Yes | Yes |
Winner: RentalBux for accounting structure; Provestor for accountancy oversight — RentalBux provides a materially more complete accounting framework: a landlord-tailored chart of accounts, journal entries, double-entry bookkeeping, spreadsheet import/export, P&L, balance sheet, and trial balance. Provestor provides cash-basis categorisation with AI assistance and — on higher tiers — qualified accountant review. RentalBux is better for landlords who want structured records they control. Provestor is better for landlords who want a qualified accountant to check or handle everything.
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.
Provestor for Landlords: AI Categorisation, No Branded Invoicing
Provestor's expense management is driven by AI-powered categorisation of uploaded statements and receipts. Rent, fees, and expenses are read line-by-line and categorised automatically; landlords confirm the categorisation before filing. Letting agent integrations let rent flow in directly from partner agents. Mortgage interest (Section 24) is calculated automatically. Provestor does not advertise invoice creation with custom branding as a core feature — the product is focused on bookkeeping and filing rather than commercial invoice production.
| Feature | RentalBux | Provestor for Landlord |
|---|---|---|
| Invoice Creation & Sending | Yes | No |
| Invoice Customisation/Branding | Yes | No |
| Online Payment Collection | Yes | No |
| Payment Tracking/Reminders | Yes | No |
| Expense Tracking | Yes | Yes (AI-categorised) |
| Receipt Capture (OCR/Photo) | Yes | Yes (document upload + AI read) |
| Expense Categorisation | Yes | Yes |
| Automated Transaction Matching | Yes | No |
| Mileage Tracking | No | No |
| AI Auto-Categorisation | Coming soon | Yes |
Winner: RentalBux — RentalBux provides a complete expense management and invoicing toolkit. Provestor provides no invoicing, no online payment collection, and no payment tracking. Both platforms offer AI-powered expense categorisation, but RentalBux's is fully integrated with mobile receipt capture, while Provestor's AI requires a mandatory user review step before any transaction is saved.
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.
Provestor for Landlords: Accountant-Led Tax Oversight
Provestor's platform shows landlords exactly what HMRC will see before each quarterly submission — drilling into any transaction and confirming categorisation. The Assisted and Done For You tiers add qualified accountant review: tax positions are checked, Section 24 is verified, and the year-end final declaration is prepared by a Provestor accountant. This is less about real-time analytics dashboards and more about getting the right tax answer at filing time, with professional review backing it up. Provestor does not advertise a formal balance sheet, trial balance, or per-property P&L within its MTD product in the way structured accounting software does.
| Feature | RentalBux | Provestor for Landlord |
|---|---|---|
| Profit & Loss Report | Yes (formal) | No |
| Balance Sheet | Yes | No |
| Trial Balance | Yes | No |
| Dashboard/Overview | Yes | Yes |
| Real-Time Financial Data | Yes | No |
| Cash Flow Reporting | No | No |
| Tax Estimate/Forecast | No | No |
| AI-Powered Features | Coming soon | Yes |
Winner: RentalBux — RentalBux provides formal accounting reports landlords can use year-round: P&L, balance sheet, trial balance, cash flow, and per-property reporting. Provestor provides no formal accounting reports, only submission records and a pre-filing transaction review. Neither platform currently offers a running in-year tax estimate.
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. It also offers a dedicated iOS as well as an Android app.
Provestor for Landlords: Web App with Embedded Accountancy
Provestor for Landlords is a web app (running on the Inni platform at app.inni.tax) and is mobile-responsive in a browser, but does not advertise dedicated native iOS or Android apps. Accountant access is structured differently from RentalBux: Provestor itself is the accountant on the Assisted and Done For You tiers — qualified Provestor accountants review or file on the landlord's behalf. External accountants — a landlord's own accountant outside of Provestor — do not file through the platform as a third-party agent in the same way the RentalBux model works.
| Feature | RentalBux | Provestor for Landlord |
|---|---|---|
| Accountant/Advisor Portal | Yes | Yes |
| Multi-User Access | Yes | Yes |
| Agent Filing on Behalf | Yes | Yes |
| Bank Integration | Yes | Yes |
| Platform | iOS, Android | Web browser only |
| Web Browser Access | Yes | Yes |
| FCA Regulated | Yes | No (Provestor is an accountancy firm, not FCA-regulated) |
| GDPR Compliant | Yes | Yes |
Winner: RentalBux for collaboration and mobile access — RentalBux wins on native mobile apps, external accountant portal, and the ability for any accountant or letting agent to file on behalf of clients. If you work with your own existing accountant or a letting agent who needs to file MTD returns for you, RentalBux is the only option of the two that supports this. Provestor's in-house accountant service is excellent but only available within Provestor's own team structure.
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.
Provestor for Landlord's Ease of Use
Provestor for Landlords emphasises a 10-minute setup — connect to HMRC, add properties, and review the deadline dashboard. Customer support is via email and phone, with accountant access on the Assisted and Done For You tiers. Provestor's accountancy team is the differentiator — questions about Section 24, joint ownership, or specific MTD treatments can be answered by qualified property accountants rather than a generic support team. Provestor is registered at Companies House (No. 10510713) and operates as a property tax accountancy firm. (Note: Provestor is not FCA-regulated — accountancy firms in the UK are typically supervised by professional accountancy bodies rather than the FCA.)
| Feature | RentalBux | Provestor for Landlord |
|---|---|---|
| Phone Support | Yes | Yes |
| Chat Support | Yes | Limited |
| 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.
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.
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.
Branded Invoice Creation
Invoice creation with customisable branding for service charges and commercial landlords.
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.
Formal Accounting Reports
Balance sheet, trial balance, ledger reports, and journal reports.
Free Plan Including MTD Submissions Until March 2028
RentalBux's free single-property plan includes MTD quarterly submissions until March 2028.
Unique Features Only Provestor for Landlords Offers
Operated by an Established Property Tax Accountancy Firm
Provestor is itself a qualified accountancy firm specialising in property and limited company landlords. The MTD software is operated by working property accountants, embedding domain expertise in how Section 24, joint ownership, and mortgage interest are handled out of the box.
Accountant Review of Every Quarterly Return (Assisted Tier)
The £199/year ex-VAT intro Assisted tier includes review by a qualified Provestor accountant before each of the four quarterly filings. Categories are checked, errors spotted, and issues flagged before submission. This level of professional oversight is unmatched by self-service landlord MTD platforms.
Done-For-You MTD Filing Service
The Done For You tier (£399/year ex-VAT intro, up to 10 properties) hands over bookkeeping and filing entirely to Provestor's accountants. Landlords upload statements after each quarter and Provestor handles all four quarterly updates plus the year-end final declaration. RentalBux does not offer an equivalent in-house accountancy service tier.
Accountant-Prepared Final Declaration Included on Higher Tiers
On Assisted and Done For You, a Provestor accountant prepares and submits the year-end final declaration — replacing the equivalent fee landlords would pay a separate accountant for their self-assessment return.
Mortgage Interest (Section 24) Handled by Accountants
Section 24 is one of the most commonly mishandled areas of landlord tax. Provestor's app applies the 20% basic-rate restriction automatically; on Assisted and DFY this is also reviewed or fully managed by qualified accountants.
Annual Subscription with Intro Pricing
Provestor charges annually rather than monthly — £69, £199, or £399 per year ex-VAT on intro tiers. The annual model suits landlords who prefer to pay tax software costs in one lump.
Tax Calendar Dashboard
Provestor's dashboard surfaces every quarterly MTD deadline alongside the final declaration date — a practical organising feature for landlords managing multiple deadlines.
Pay Nothing Until April 2026
Landlords signing up to Provestor early can set up the account and pay nothing until 6 April 2026, the MTD start date.
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 Provestor for Landlords?
Provestor for Landlords is the better choice for:
Landlords Who Want Accountant Backing Without a Full Accountancy Engagement
Provestor's Assisted tier (£199/year ex-VAT intro) is unusual: a qualified accountant reviews every quarterly return before filing and prepares the year-end final declaration. For landlords who would otherwise hire a separate accountant for self-assessment, this can replace that annual fee.
Landlords Who Would Rather Not Do Their Own Bookkeeping
Provestor's Done For You tier (£399/year ex-VAT intro, up to 10 properties) hands over bookkeeping and all filings to Provestor's accountants. Landlords upload statements; Provestor handles everything. RentalBux does not offer an equivalent in-house accountancy service.
Landlords with Section 24 Complexity
Section 24 is one of the most commonly misunderstood areas of landlord tax. Provestor handles the 20% basic-rate restriction automatically, with accountant review backing it up on higher tiers.
Joint Owners Wanting Accountant Oversight
Both platforms automate joint ownership splits, but Provestor adds qualified accountant review of how the splits are being applied each quarter: particularly valuable for family-owned portfolios where the wrong split can trigger HMRC questions.
UK-Property-Only Landlords Who Value Accountancy Expertise
Provestor is operated by a property accountancy firm. For landlords whose primary need is correct UK property tax filings rather than full property management or multi-income coverage, the embedded accountancy is the headline feature.
Landlords Already Working with Provestor on Limited Company Affairs
Property investors who already use Provestor's limited company accounting service and also hold property personally will find natural alignment in using Provestor for Landlords for the MTD side.
Shreya Bhattarai
Shreya Bhattarai is a digital marketer specialising in content strategy, digital advertising, and website development. She focuses on enhancing brand visibility, engaging target audiences, and delivering data-driven marketing solutions.