Taxfiler
UK-focused cloud tax preparation and accounts production software.
About Taxfiler
Taxfiler handles the core UK compliance stack: self-assessment returns, CT600 corporation tax filings, statutory accounts production, and MTD-compliant VAT submissions, all submitted directly to HMRC Gateway or Companies House from within the platform. Sole practitioners and small practices with 20 or fewer clients get the most value here — the interface is built around UK filing deadlines and HMRC requirements, not adapted from a generic international product. Firms running 50 to 200 compliance clients on Taxfiler typically use it as a standalone replacement for desktop tools like Digita or Iris, attracted by the lower per-month cost and no on-premise installation. You can import trial balance data from Excel or CSV and push accounts directly into the statutory accounts templates without re-keying. The limitations are real: there is no AI-assisted data extraction, no workflow automation, and no client portal for document collection. If you already use Xero Tax or Sage for Business Tax, Taxfiler's feature set overlaps significantly without offering a clear advantage. The user community is small, which means slow forum answers when you hit edge-case filing scenarios. This is compliance software that does its job without embellishment — practices that need advisory tools or integrated practice management should look elsewhere.
Best for
UK-based accounting firms needing tax preparation with MTD compliance
Key Features
- Making Tax Digital (MTD) compliance automation
- Corporation tax return preparation
- Statutory accounts production
- Personal tax return filing
- HMRC direct submission
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Submits CT600, self-assessment, and VAT returns directly to HMRC Gateway from one platform without third-party bridging software
- MTD for VAT compliance is built into the VAT module, not bolted on — covers obligation checks, submission history, and HMRC status confirmation
- Statutory accounts templates are formatted to FRS 102 and FRS 105 standards, reducing manual formatting work before Companies House filing
- CSV and Excel import handles trial balance data from most bookkeeping tools, including QuickBooks and FreeAgent exports
- Pricing starts at £15 per month and scales by client volume, making it cost-competitive against Iris and Digita for smaller practices
- Cloud-hosted with no local installation means updates to HMRC forms and rates deploy without manual downloads or IT involvement
Cons
- No free trial or evaluation tier — you pay from day one, which makes it hard to test against your actual client mix before committing
- No native integration with Xero or QuickBooks; you work from exported CSV files, which adds a manual step and introduces reconciliation risk
- Zero AI functionality: no automated data extraction, no anomaly flagging, no predictive filing — purely manual data entry and review
- The user community is small compared to Iris or Digita, so edge-case questions about HMRC form behaviour or workarounds go unanswered for days
- No built-in practice management features — no job tracking, no deadline reminders, no client communication — so you need a separate tool for workflow
- Practices already licensed on Xero Tax or Sage Business Tax will find the feature overlap hard to justify as an additional monthly cost
Ledger Brief Take
This is traditional tax software dressed in cloud clothing — no AI assistance despite the category placement. Built specifically for UK compliance requirements like MTD and statutory filings, making it more specialized than general-purpose alternatives but potentially redundant if you're already using established players like Sage or Xero Tax.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions accountants ask about Taxfiler.
What does the £15 per month entry price actually include?
The entry tier covers a limited number of clients and includes personal tax, corporation tax, and MTD VAT filing. As your client count grows, the monthly cost scales up. There is no free plan and no stated trial period — you commit to a paid subscription from the start to access the full filing tools.
Does Taxfiler integrate directly with Xero or QuickBooks?
No direct integration exists. You export a trial balance from Xero or QuickBooks as CSV or Excel, then import that file into Taxfiler manually. This works but requires you to check that nominal codes map correctly, and any post-import adjustments in the bookkeeping tool mean repeating the import.
How does Taxfiler compare to Xero Tax for a 50-client practice?
Xero Tax integrates natively with Xero bookkeeping, eliminating the CSV import step. Taxfiler is bookkeeping-agnostic, so it suits practices using mixed or non-Xero tools. Taxfiler is generally cheaper at that client volume, but Xero Tax wins on workflow continuity if your clients are already on Xero.
Is Taxfiler suitable for firms that handle both personal and corporate tax clients?
Yes. The platform covers self-assessment for individuals, CT600 returns for limited companies, and statutory accounts production in one subscription. Practices with a mixed client base — sole traders, partnerships, and limited companies — can handle all three compliance types without switching tools.
Where is client data stored and is it GDPR-compliant?
Taxfiler is UK-hosted cloud software and operates under UK GDPR requirements. Specific data centre locations and subprocessor details should be confirmed directly with Taxfiler before onboarding clients with sensitive financial data, particularly if your practice has specific data residency obligations.
Does Taxfiler handle Making Tax Digital for Income Tax (MTD for ITSA)?
Taxfiler currently covers MTD for VAT. MTD for Income Tax Self-Assessment has a phased rollout starting 2026. Check directly with Taxfiler on their ITSA readiness timeline before committing if MTD for ITSA compliance is a near-term requirement for your practice.