ANNA Self Assessment – What You Need to Know
An in-depth look at ANNA Self Assessment — features, strengths, limitations, and who it's best for.
At a Glance
Key facts about ANNA Self Assessment at a glance.
| Feature | ANNA Self Assessment |
|---|---|
| Software Type | Automated MTD Tax App (part of ANNA Money) |
| Target Users | Sole Traders, Landlords, Small Businesses |
| Income Sources Supported | Sole Trader + UK property + Foreign Property |
| Free MTD Software Plan | Yes |
| MTD Quarterly Updates to HMRC | Yes |
| Final Declaration | Yes |
| Bank Reconciliation | Yes |
| Automated Bank Feeds | Yes |
| Invoice Creation | Yes |
| Receipt Capture (OCR) | Yes |
| Expense Auto-Categorisation | Yes |
| Property Portfolio Management | No |
| Tenant Management | No |
| Joint Ownership & Profit Sharing | No |
| Payroll | Yes |
| HMO Unit-Level Tracking | No |
| HMRC SA105 Box Pre-Mapping | No |
| Spreadsheet Import/Export | No |
| Platform | Web, iOS, Android |
| GDPR Compliant | Yes |
What Is ANNA Self Assessment?
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
- 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
- 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 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 | ANNA Self Assessment |
|---|---|
| HMRC Recognised (MTD ITSA) | Yes |
| MTD Quarterly Updates | Yes |
| Final Declaration | Yes |
| Digital Record Keeping | Yes |
| Digital Links Compliant | Yes |
| Sole Trader Income | Yes |
| UK Property Income | Yes |
| Foreign Property Income | Yes |
| Multiple Income Streams | Yes |
| Agent Filing on Behalf | Partial |
Property Management
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 | ANNA Self Assessment |
|---|---|
| Property Portfolio Management | No |
| Tenant Management | No |
| Rent Tracking | No |
| Property Expense Allocation | Yes |
| Multiple Property Support | Yes |
| HMO Property Support | No |
| Joint Ownership/Profit Sharing | No |
| Maintenance Tracking | No |
| Tenant Screening | No |
| Compliance Document Alerts | No |
| Arrears Tracking | No |
Bookkeeping, Accounting & Digital Record Keeping
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 | ANNA Self Assessment |
|---|---|
| Cash Basis Accounting | Yes |
| Chart of Accounts (Pre-built, Landlord-Tailored) | No |
| Journal Entries | No |
| Bank Reconciliation | Yes |
| Automated Bank Feeds | Yes |
| Open Banking Integration | Yes |
| Double-Entry Bookkeeping | No |
| HMRC Box Pre-Mapping | No |
| Xero Integration | No |
| Spreadsheet Import/Export | No |
| Digital Record Storage | Yes |
Invoicing, Expense Tracking
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 | ANNA Self Assessment |
|---|---|
| Invoice Creation & Sending | Yes |
| Invoice Customisation/Branding | No |
| Online Payment Collection | Yes |
| Payment Tracking/Reminders | Yes |
| Expense Tracking | Yes |
| Receipt Capture (OCR/Photo) | Yes |
| Expense Categorisation | Yes |
| Automated Transaction Matching | Yes |
| Mileage Tracking | No |
| AI Auto-Categorisation | Yes |
Reporting & Tax Forecasting
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 | ANNA Self Assessment |
|---|---|
| Profit & Loss Report | Yes |
| Balance Sheet | Yes |
| Trial Balance | No |
| Dashboard/Overview | Yes |
| Real-Time Financial Data | Yes |
| Cash Flow Reporting | No |
| Tax Estimate/Forecast | Yes |
| AI-Powered Features | Yes |
Collaboration & Mobile Apps
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 | ANNA Self Assessment |
|---|---|
| Accountant/Advisor Portal | Yes |
| Multi-User Access | Partial |
| Agent Filing on Behalf | Partial |
| Bank Integration | Yes |
| Platform | Web, iOS, Android |
| Web Browser Access | Yes |
| FCA Regulated | Yes |
| GDPR Compliant | Yes |
Ease of Use, Support & Security
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 | ANNA Self Assessment |
|---|---|
| Phone Support | No |
| Chat Support | Yes |
| Email Support | Yes |
| Help Centre/Knowledge Base | Yes |
| FCA Regulated | Yes |
| Enterprise-Grade Security | Yes |
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 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.