Sage

Sage publishes UK pricing: £20/mo (Accounting Start) for Accounting Start, £43/mo (Standard) for Standard, and £59/mo (Plus) for Plus. Start covers 1 (Start) user and is aimed at sole traders; Standard adds CIS and unlimited users. Payroll is a separate add-on at Add-on (~£10/mo).

Yes. Sage is Making Tax Digital compatible and files VAT returns directly to HMRC, and it supports MTD for Income Tax Self Assessment. CIS is included from the Standard plan, which matters if you subcontract in construction. Sage does not handle personal Self Assessment returns.

Payroll is available as a separate add-on (Add-on (~£10/mo)) through Sage Payroll. It is not included in the base accounting subscription. Pricing for the payroll add-on is also available by quote.

The base Sage plan includes 1 (Start) user. Additional users are typically available at an added cost, with the specifics dependent on the plan you choose. For teams needing multiple concurrent users, this is worth clarifying when requesting a quote.

The UK is Sage's home market and its accountant network here is among the deepest of any provider on this table, which matters if your accountant already works in Sage. It suits businesses that want a long-established British platform and room to grow into multi-entity and enterprise reporting. The trade-off is that its entry plan is the dearest here at £20/mo (Accounting Start) and payroll is a separate add-on.

Both are fully MTD compatible with strong UK accountant networks, so the decision comes down to cost shape. Xero includes payroll and unlimited users in the plan, while Sage charges 1 (Start) user on Start and prices payroll separately at Add-on (~£10/mo). Sage counters with CIS included from Standard, where Xero charges for it as an add-on. For a business with staff, Xero is usually cheaper all-in; for a construction business, Sage's bundled CIS can close the gap.