The best Coconut alternative depends on which job you want it to do. If you want somewhere to log income, expenses and receipts, TaxSnapper gives you that without a monthly subscription. If you use Coconut to send quarterly updates or file at year end, choose who will take over filing before you move your records.
TaxSnapper wrote this guide and is one of the products compared. We used published provider information and HMRC guidance. Comparison checked on 6 November 2026.
Coconut alternatives at a glance
| Option | Best fit | Cost model |
|---|---|---|
| TaxSnapper | Simple bookkeeping and pay-per-report CSV exports | £6.99 quarterly or £9.99 year-end export. No monthly subscription. |
| FreeAgent | One system for bank feeds, invoicing and MTD | Free with eligible business accounts or paid subscription. |
| QuickBooks Sole Trader Plus | Bank feeds, invoicing and day-to-day accounting tools | Monthly subscription, plus VAT at the advertised rate. |
| Spreadsheet with compatible bridging software | Keeping a spreadsheet and sending MTD updates | Bridging fees vary. Check what is included at year end. |
| Coconut | Sole traders who want bank-connected books or a filing service | Separate plans for different combinations of bookkeeping and filing. |
What Coconut does well
Coconut is designed around the needs of sole traders and landlords. On bookkeeping plans with bank feeds, transactions can flow in from the bank and be categorised as you go. Its MTD Bridging plan takes a different approach. You keep the spreadsheet and use Coconut to send quarterly updates. Coconut’s own comparison shows that the bridging plan’s standard features do not include the annual MTD submission. Its pricing page shows a separate year-end add-on. Read Coconut’s plan comparison and check its current pricing.
Four ways to replace Coconut
1. TaxSnapper for keeping your books without a subscription
If you’re a gardener, cleaner or freelancer who wants to note what was paid, photograph a receipt and check how much to put aside, that’s the part TaxSnapper is built for. You add records as you go without connecting a bank account. At year end you can download a summary of your business figures to help prepare your Self Assessment.
A quarterly CSV report costs £6.99 and an end-of-year Self Assessment CSV report costs £9.99. Four quarterly exports and one year-end export cost £37.95 in total. That figure covers the files themselves. Any separate filing costs are additional.
2. FreeAgent for doing the books and filing in one place
FreeAgent is a stronger fit if your bank feed and direct filing are part of your normal routine. Check whether an eligible bank account covers access. FreeAgent supports MTD for Income Tax. Check FreeAgent’s filing and account eligibility FAQs.
3. QuickBooks for a business that sends a lot of invoices
If you send several invoices a week and want to see unpaid amounts alongside the books, look at QuickBooks’ sole trader offering. It also lists mileage, receipts and CIS tracking for subcontractors. Try the invoicing and expense screens with a representative job before committing to another subscription. If you only send the occasional invoice, try the free TaxSnapper invoice generator. See the QuickBooks sole trader features.
4. A spreadsheet and bridging software if your records are already organised
If you only use Coconut’s bridging service, compare it with other compatible options before moving the bookkeeping itself. Test your existing spreadsheet with the proposed replacement, including the columns or categories it expects. Check both quarterly updates and the year-end return, as the price may cover different parts of the process. Read HMRC’s guide to choosing compatible software.
A decision to make before comparing prices
Decide whether to keep bookkeeping and filing separate or handle both in one app. If you’re unsure whether quarterly updates apply to you, start with the TaxSnapper Making Tax Digital checker and confirm your position with HMRC’s guidance.
If Making Tax Digital for Income Tax applies to you, you or your agent need compatible software to keep digital records, send quarterly updates and submit your tax return. TaxSnapper does not send anything to HMRC. Before relying on an export, check which file formats your filing software accepts and how it keeps your records digitally linked. Read HMRC’s software guidance.
How to switch from Coconut
- Export the date ranges and income streams you need. Coconut’s app can export transactions, and Coconut Web offers report and invoice downloads. Check that your export isn’t missing entries because of a filter. See Coconut’s data export instructions.
- Download receipt images separately and open the archive to check the files are there. Save copies of invoices and check which ones are unpaid.
- Record which quarterly updates have been sent and keep the confirmations available. Agree who will complete the remaining updates and the year-end submission.
- Pick a cut-off date, compare totals by category and test the new workflow before ending Coconut access. Ask your filing software provider what historical records it needs if you move mid-year.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use TaxSnapper instead of Coconut MTD Bridging?
TaxSnapper can organise your bookkeeping and produce CSVs. If you currently use Coconut to send updates to HMRC, you still need a compatible submission route and should check whether your new provider accepts your records.
What is the difference between a year-end report and filing?
A year-end report gives you figures from your records. Filing is the separate step of completing and submitting the return through the appropriate route. Confirm which of those jobs the advertised price covers.
Should I switch if Coconut is already working for me?
Keeping Coconut makes sense if its bank feeds or filing features regularly save you time. TaxSnapper is a better fit if you enter a manageable number of transactions and want to buy a report only when you need it.
Compare more options QuickBooks alternatives for UK sole traders and FreeAgent alternatives for UK sole traders.