Key takeaways
- From April 2028 every UK company must file accounts with Companies House in iXBRL using commercial software, and web and paper accounts filing will close.
- HMRC's free online accounts and Company Tax Return service closed on 31 March 2026, so company accounts for HMRC now need commercial software.
- TaxCalc Accounts Production is priced by client band, from £164 a year for 12 clients to £1,050 for 1,000 clients, checked 6 November 2026.
- Capium Accounts Production costs £20, £40 or £60 a month plus VAT for up to 100, 300 or 500 clients, on a 12-month contract.
- VT Accounts Suite, an Excel add-in with iXBRL filing, costs £175 a year plus VAT for one user and £90 for each extra user.
- Xero Tax, which files accounts to Companies House and HMRC, is free to UK Xero partners through the partner programme.
- IRIS Elements Accounts Production comes in Essentials, Professional and Enterprise editions; IRIS directs buyers to its Marketplace for prices.
Accounts production software turns a client’s trial balance into statutory accounts and files them, tagged in iXBRL, with Companies House and HMRC. UK options for practices run from free (Xero Tax for Xero partners) to banded annual licences such as TaxCalc, monthly subscriptions such as Capium, and quote-based suites. The products below are listed alphabetically with prices from each provider’s own site, checked on 6 November 2026; this is not a ranking.
Why does accounts production software matter more now?
Two changes push every practice onto commercial software. First, HMRC’s joint online service for company accounts and Company Tax Returns closed on 31 March 2026. GOV.UK guidance says commercial software has been needed to file with HMRC since 1 April 2026.
Second, Companies House confirmed on 23 October 2026 that from April 2028 all companies must file accounts in iXBRL using commercial software. Its announcement says web and paper filing will close for accounts, whether a company files itself or through an agent. The requirement for small companies and micro-entities to file a profit and loss account is paused. See Companies House pauses P&L filing.
Accounts production software compared
The table shows the published entry price for each product. Prices exclude VAT unless stated.
| Product | Published price | Pricing basis |
|---|---|---|
| BTCSoftware (BrightTax) | Not published | Monthly subscription, by quote |
| Capium Accounts Production | £20 a month plus VAT | Up to 100 clients |
| IRIS Elements Accounts Production | Via IRIS Marketplace | Monthly or annual plans |
| TaxCalc Accounts Production | £164 a year | Up to 12 clients |
| VT Accounts Suite | £175 a year plus VAT | One user |
| Xero Tax | £0 | UK Xero partners only |
TaxCalc’s shop says VAT is charged according to the prevailing rules but does not say whether listed prices include it.
What each product offers
BTCSoftware. BTCSoftware sells its accounts production through BrightTax on “flexible price plans” with monthly subscriptions. It lists integrations with HMRC, Companies House and bookkeeping software. Prices are not published; its sales line is 0345 241 5030.
Capium. Capium charges £20 a month for 1 to 100 clients, £40 for 101 to 300 and £60 for 301 to 500, all plus VAT, with unlimited users. Firms with 700 or more clients get an Enterprise quote. All plans run on a 12-month contract, paid monthly or annually.
IRIS Elements Accounts Production. IRIS offers three editions. Essentials and Professional cover limited companies (FRS 102 section 1A or FRS 105), partnerships and sole traders. Enterprise adds community interest companies, farm accounts and multi-address practices. All editions tag accounts in iXBRL using the latest FRC taxonomy and file to Companies House.
TaxCalc Accounts Production. TaxCalc prices by client band per year: £164 (12 clients), £368 (50), £744 (150), £885 (250), £919 (500) and £1,050 (1,000). The 50-client band and above include two concurrent users; extra users are £178 each. It covers FRS 105, FRS 102 section 1A, LLPs, sole traders and partnerships. Medium and large company accounts need the FRS 102 add-on, from £82, and charities need the Charity Accounts add-on, from £87.
VT Software. VT Accounts Suite costs £175 a year plus VAT for one user and £90 for each extra user. It includes VT Final Accounts and VT Filer for iXBRL and filing. VT Final Accounts is an Excel add-in and needs the 32-bit desktop version of Excel.
Xero Tax. Xero Tax is available to UK Xero partners only, at no extra cost through the partner programme. It files accounts and corporation tax, partnership and self assessment returns directly to Companies House and HMRC. Xero’s page does not list which accounting frameworks it supports, so check this for your client mix.
CCH Accounts Production from Wolters Kluwer is also widely used, but its pages blocked our checks on 6 November 2026, so it is not covered here. See CCH alternatives.
Which applies to your practice?
- If you are a sole practitioner with a handful of company clients, compare the low-cost options: TaxCalc’s 12-client band, Capium’s smallest band, VT or Xero Tax.
- If most of your clients already use Xero, check whether Xero Tax covers your entity types before you pay for a separate product.
- If you prepare medium or large company or charity accounts, confirm the product supports FRS 102 in full and SORP, and price any add-ons.
- If you have hundreds of clients, compare banded annual pricing against per-month subscriptions on a full-year basis.
Checklist before you choose
- Frameworks: FRS 105, FRS 102 section 1A, full FRS 102, LLP SORP and Charities SORP as your clients need.
- iXBRL tagging: automatic tagging that will meet the April 2028 software-only filing rules.
- Filing: direct submission to both Companies House and HMRC, including amended accounts.
- Bookkeeping links: imports from Xero, QuickBooks, FreeAgent or Sage.
- Users and clients: how many users and client licences the price covers.
- Tax link: whether accounts flow into your CT600 software. See our tax software guide.
For head-to-head comparisons, see IRIS vs CCH and TaxCalc vs BTCSoftware vs IRIS.
Frequently asked questions
What is accounts production software?
It turns a client’s trial balance into statutory accounts that meet UK accounting standards, tags them in iXBRL and files them with Companies House and HMRC.
Is there free accounts production software in the UK?
Xero Tax is free for UK Xero partners. HMRC’s free online accounts and Company Tax Return service closed on 31 March 2026.
How much does TaxCalc Accounts Production cost?
TaxCalc lists £164 a year for 12 clients, rising to £1,050 a year for 1,000 clients, as checked on 6 November 2026.
Do I need iXBRL software to file accounts at Companies House?
From April 2028, yes. Companies House will require all companies to file accounts in iXBRL using commercial software, and web and paper filing for accounts will close.
Which accounts production software is cheapest?
Of the published prices, Xero Tax is free to Xero partners, TaxCalc starts at £164 a year and VT Accounts Suite at £175 a year plus VAT. The right price depends on your client numbers and users.
Sources
Rates, thresholds and rules in this guide were checked against HMRC and GOV.UK guidance on 6 November 2026. Tax rules change, so check the current position on GOV.UK or with a qualified adviser before acting. This guide is general information, not personal advice.