QuickBooks Sole Trader UK: Price, Features and Best Deal

QuickBooks Sole Trader Plus at a glance

Who Sole Trader Plus is for

A sole trader is a self employed person who runs a business on their own and pays tax through Self Assessment. There is no separate legal entity, unlike a limited company. If that describes you, or if you are a landlord letting property in your own name, Sole Trader Plus is built for your situation.

Typical users include tradespeople, freelancers, consultants, hairdressers, driving instructors, cleaners, photographers and private landlords. If you run a limited company, skip ahead to Simple Start on our QuickBooks pricing UK page instead.

Features that matter for sole traders

MTD for Income Tax ready

HMRC is phasing in Making Tax Digital for Income Tax from 6 April 2026. If your combined self employment and property income is over £50,000, you must keep digital records and send quarterly updates to HMRC. The threshold falls to £30,000 from 6 April 2027 and £20,000 from 6 April 2028. The mandate is based on qualifying income from self employment and property, and you send quarterly updates plus a final declaration. Confirm your own dates on GOV.UK. Sole Trader Plus handles the quarterly submissions for you. Our QuickBooks MTD for Income Tax guide covers the full timeline.

Self Assessment preparation

The plan sorts your income and expenses into the categories HMRC uses on the self employment pages of your tax return. It also gives you a running estimate of the Income Tax and Class 4 National Insurance you are likely to owe, so the January bill is not a surprise.

CIS for subcontractors

If you work in construction under the Construction Industry Scheme, contractors deduct tax from your payments before paying you. Sole Trader Plus lets you record those CIS deductions so they are offset against your tax bill rather than forgotten.

Mileage tracking

The mobile app can track business journeys using your phone's GPS. It applies HMRC's approved mileage rates, so you can claim simplified expenses without keeping a paper log.

Receipt capture

Take a photo of a receipt and QuickBooks reads the supplier, date and amount, then matches it to the bank transaction. Digital records like these are exactly what HMRC expects under MTD.

Invoices

Create branded invoices, send them by email, add payment links and see when they are viewed. Overdue reminders help you get paid faster without chasing.

The big limitation: no VAT returns

Since April 2022 every VAT registered business must file VAT returns using MTD compatible software. Sole Trader Plus is focused on Income Tax, so it does not include the VAT return feature. Many sole traders sit below the VAT registration threshold and will never need it. But if you are close to the threshold, starting on Simple Start avoids a mid year switch.

Sole Trader Plus vs Simple Start

Is it worth paying for?

A spreadsheet is free, but under MTD for Income Tax a spreadsheet alone is not enough; you would still need bridging software to send quarterly updates. For £1 a month during the promo, Sole Trader Plus handles records, receipts, mileage and the HMRC submission in one place. Most sole traders save more in accountant time and claimed expenses than the subscription costs.

Wondering about the free route? Read is QuickBooks free for the honest answer, or check whether the free trial or discount saves you more.

How to get the sole trader deal

1. Click any deal button on this page.
2. Select Sole Trader Plus on Intuit's UK pricing page.
3. Choose Buy Now, not the free trial, so the 90% discount applies.
4. Create your account and connect your business bank.

Three sole trader examples, costed

Priya, freelance illustrator, not VAT registered

Priya invoices around £28,000 a year from agencies and private clients. She needs invoices, expense tracking and a tax estimate for Self Assessment. Sole Trader Plus fits exactly. Year one on the deal costs her £66 + VAT, and because she is not VAT registered she cannot reclaim the VAT, so her real cost is £79.20. At full price it would be £144.

Dan, CIS subcontractor, plasterer

Dan works for two main contractors who deduct 20% CIS. He also logs about 9,000 business miles a year. Sole Trader Plus records each CIS statement and tracks mileage by GPS, so his deductions and mileage claim are ready for his return. Same cost as Priya: £66 + VAT in year one.

Sarah, VAT registered electrician

Sarah's turnover is above the VAT threshold, so she must file VAT returns through MTD compatible software. Sole Trader Plus cannot do that, so she starts on Simple Start. Year one costs £105.60 + VAT, which she can reclaim as input VAT. At full price it would be £192 + VAT.

Signing up as a sole trader: what you will be asked

1. Click a deal button and choose Sole Trader Plus (or Simple Start if VAT registered).
2. Choose Buy Now so the 90% discount shows in the basket.
3. Enter your trading name. Sole traders can use their own name or a business name.
4. Pick your business type as sole trader or self employed, so QuickBooks sets up the right categories for the self employment pages of your return.
5. Connect your bank. A separate business account is not legally required for sole traders, but it makes categorising far easier.

Sole trader money tips inside QuickBooks

• Simplified expenses: choose HMRC mileage rates for your vehicle, or actual costs. Pick one and stick to it for that vehicle.
• Use of home: record either the flat rate or a fair share of bills.
• Trading allowance: if your total income is small, the £1,000 trading allowance may beat claiming expenses. Your QuickBooks figures make the comparison easy.
• Payments on account: watch the tax estimate so July and January payments are not a shock.

Mistakes sole traders make with QuickBooks

Choosing Sole Trader Plus when VAT registration is close

If your rolling 12 month turnover is approaching the threshold, start on Simple Start. Switching mid promotion can mean losing part of the discount.

Mixing personal and business spending

Using one account for everything means more transactions to exclude. Tag personal items as drawings rather than deleting them, so your bank balance still matches.

Ignoring the trial rule

Starting the free trial removes your eligibility for the discount. For a sole trader that is the difference between £66 and £110 + VAT in year one.