Simple MTD vs Xero for landlords
Xero is well-regarded general accounting software. If you're a landlord whose only reason for needing software is Making Tax Digital, here's the actual difference.
| Feature | Simple MTD | Xero |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £79/year (landlords) | From ~£16/month (~£192/year) and up |
| Built for | Landlords filing MTD quarterly updates | General small business bookkeeping |
| Invoicing, payroll, multi-currency | Not included, not needed for MTD updates | Included on most plans |
| MTD quarterly updates | Core feature, built around it | Supported, as one feature among many |
| Setup for a first-time user | Minutes: add records, categories suggested automatically | Full chart of accounts and bookkeeping setup |
Where Xero makes sense
If you already run a wider business through Xero (invoicing tenants formally, managing multiple entities, or wanting one system for everything), Xero's breadth is a genuine advantage.
Where Simple MTD makes sense
If property income is a side activity alongside a main job, or your only real need is "keep records, file quarterly updates, don't overpay for features I won't use," Simple MTD is built specifically for that, without asking you to learn a full accounting system first.
Pricing shown is approximate at time of writing and changes, check Xero's own pricing page for current figures.