Hnry review UK 2026: the all-in-one sole trader tax app

Hnry is an all-in-one tax service for UK sole traders. Your self-employed income goes into a Hnry Account, Hnry takes off the tax due, pays it to HMRC and files your returns. It costs 1% plus VAT of what you earn, capped at £600 plus VAT a year, with no monthly subscription (prices checked on 6 November 2026).

What is Hnry?

Hnry started in New Zealand and opened a UK waitlist aimed at the UK’s estimated 4 million sole traders, led in the UK by Chartered Management Accountant Manasé Mtopa. It calls itself “an all-in-one tax automation and accounting service, just for sole traders”. The UK business is Hnry (UK) Ltd, company number 14307093.

Unlike Xero or Sage, Hnry is not software you run yourself. It combines an account, an app and a team of tax staff who do the filing.

How does Hnry work?

Hnry works by sitting between your clients and your own bank account.

1. You give clients your Hnry Account details. Your self-employed income is paid in there.
2. Hnry works out the tax. Each time a payment lands, it calculates the Income Tax and National Insurance due.
3. Hnry sets it aside and pays HMRC. The tax is held back and paid when due.
4. The rest goes to you. Hnry passes the balance to your personal account, or to savings and pensions through its Allocations feature.
5. Hnry files your returns. It files your Self Assessment, MTD quarterly updates and VAT returns.

You can join part way through the tax year. Hnry says it moves your earnings history and VAT across.

How much does Hnry cost?

Hnry charges 1% plus VAT of every payment into your Hnry Account, according to its pricing page. The fee is capped at £600 plus VAT a year. Payments under £50 have a minimum fee of £0.50 plus VAT each.

Hnry says there is no subscription, no card needed to join and no fee to leave. It also says it has never raised its prices. Hnry says it claims the fee as a business expense for you automatically.

Compare that with flat monthly software on our accounting software prices page. Xero Ignite, for example, is £18 a month excluding VAT after its introductory offer, or £216 a year.

What features does Hnry include?

The fee covers everything Hnry lists. Nothing is sold as an add-on.

• Hnry Account: an e-money account for your business income
• Automatic tax payments: Income Tax and National Insurance worked out and paid for you
• Self Assessment filing: Hnry files your return when it is due
• Making Tax Digital: digital records and quarterly updates to HMRC
• VAT returns: filed under MTD for VAT if you are registered
• Invoices and quotes: unlimited, with scheduled sending and late payment chasing
• Expenses: logged in the app to reduce taxable profit
• Hnry Business Mastercard: raises expenses as you spend
• Allocations: automatic transfers to savings, pensions or charities
• Reports: income summaries Hnry says banks and brokers accept
• Support: a UK team of sole trader tax specialists

Is Hnry ready for Making Tax Digital?

Hnry says it is “fully MTD compliant” and submits quarterly updates and the year-end return for you. Its MTD page sets out the thresholds: £50,000 from April 2026, £30,000 from April 2027 and £20,000 from April 2028.

The page does not cite a formal HMRC listing. GOV.UK says all products in its MTD software finder have been through HMRC’s recognition process, so check Hnry appears there for your income types before you rely on it. See who must join MTD in April 2027.

Is your money safe with Hnry?

Your money is held as e-money, not as a bank deposit. Hnry (UK) Ltd is a registered agent of Prepay Technologies Ltd (PPT), an Electronic Money Institution authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority under the Electronic Money Regulations 2011 (FRN 900010). Hnry’s site says PPT safeguards customer funds.

Safeguarding is different from the Financial Services Compensation Scheme, which protects bank deposits. Check Hnry’s terms if this matters to you.

Who does Hnry suit?

• If you are a sole trader who wants tax handled for you, Hnry is built for that.
• If your income is irregular, paying tax as you earn avoids a large bill in January. Compare how to pay tax as a freelancer.
• If you do not want to learn bookkeeping software, Hnry’s staff do the filing.
• If you run a limited company or a partnership, Hnry is not designed for you.
• If you earn well above £60,000, the fee stops rising at £720 including VAT.
• If you have rental income, Hnry’s MTD page counts property income towards the thresholds but does not describe landlord features. Ask Hnry before joining.

What are the limits?

• Clients must pay into your Hnry Account for the automation to work.
• On low incomes, a percentage fee can cost more than free MTD software.
• The fee is charged on every payment in, including payments under £50 at the £0.50 minimum.
• The pricing page does not say whether the 1% applies to VAT you charge clients; ask before you register for VAT.
• Payroll and limited company accounts are not among the features Hnry lists.

For a side-by-side view, read Hnry vs Xero vs Sage.

Frequently asked questions

How much does Hnry cost in the UK?

Hnry charges 1% plus VAT of every payment into your Hnry Account, capped at £600 plus VAT a year. That is a maximum of £720 a year including VAT, as checked on 6 November 2026.

Does Hnry file my Self Assessment tax return?

Yes. Hnry says it files your Self Assessment return when it is due, and sends MTD quarterly updates and VAT returns, all within the fee.

Can a limited company use Hnry?

Hnry describes itself as a service just for sole traders. Its UK site does not offer a limited company service.

Is Hnry a bank?

No. The Hnry Account is an e-money account provided through Prepay Technologies Ltd, an FCA-authorised Electronic Money Institution (FRN 900010).