AFTER HMRC'S FREE SERVICE CLOSED · Supplier information checked 27 September 2026
What can replace HMRC's free CT600 filing service?
HMRC's free joint filing service closed on 31 March 2026. Compare replacements by the filings they support, not just their headline price. There is no single best replacement for every company.
01 / THE SERVICE CLOSURE
What changed on 31 March 2026
HMRC's free “File your accounts and Company Tax Return” joint service, often called CATO, closed on 31 March 2026. Companies now file a CT600 using commercial software or an agent. Online Company Tax Returns generally require iXBRL accounts and a tax computation, subject to the applicable filing rules and exceptions. Companies House accounts remain a separate filing.
- Before 31 March 2026Joint free service available for eligible companies.
- 31 March 2026The service closed.
- From 1 April 2026Returns filed through commercial software or an agent.
Read the GOV.UK closure guidance and our detailed guide to the closure.
02 / WHO NEEDS A NEW ROUTE
Who is affected
If you previously used the joint service, your next step depends on your company's filings and the records you prepare.
Dormant companies
Check whether HMRC has issued a notice to deliver a CT600 that remains in force. Dormant Companies House accounts are a separate obligation.
Micro-entities with simple affairs
Check that your software supports the accounts type you use, including FRS 105 where applicable.
Small companies preparing their own accounts
Check support for your accounts presentation, tax computation and both filing destinations.
Directors who used the service each year
Plan a new filing route and retain prior returns and acknowledgements for reference.
03 / COMPARE THE ACTUAL SCOPE
What to check in any replacement
A CT600 submission tool does not necessarily prepare accounts or file them with Companies House. Check each requirement before paying.
- HMRC CT600 Version 3 submission
- Companies House accounts filing as a separate destination
- Your accounts type: FRS 105 micro, FRS 102 Section 1A or dormant
- Generation of the required iXBRL accounts and computation
- The supplementary pages you need, such as CT600A or CT600E
- Tax calculation, including Marginal Relief and associated companies where relevant
- Submission receipts and separate status tracking
- Total price including VAT, and whether both filings are included
04 / PUBLISHED SUPPLIER INFORMATION
Compare published supplier pricing and scope
Supplier information checked 27 September 2026. Prices and product scope can change. We do not quote an unverified amount: use each supplier's current pricing page for the payable total and VAT treatment. Tax Optimiser's published entry price was lower than WeFile's at the check date; WeFile is not presented as the cheapest option. A lower entry price does not establish that two products include the same filings.
Current prices are unavailable here. Confirm them before purchase.
| Supplier | Pricing | What to verify | Supplier site |
|---|---|---|---|
| WeFile | See current pay-per-filing pricing | CT600 and supported Companies House accounts in one workflow | View WeFile |
| Andica | Confirm current price on the supplier's pricing page | Check the relevant Corporation Tax and accounts products | Visit Andica |
| Tax Optimiser | Published entry price lower than WeFile's when checked | Check whether the quoted price includes both filings | Visit Tax Optimiser |
| Easy Digital Filing | Confirm current price on the supplier's pricing page | Check the filing destinations and accounts types supported | Visit Easy Digital Filing |
This is a WeFile-published comparison, not an independent review. Supplier-list inclusion is evidence of supported filing capability, not HMRC or Companies House endorsement.
For a wider comparison, see CT600 software options for directors and accountants.
05 / MATCH THE ROUTE TO YOUR COMPANY
Find the right route for your company
Answer four questions for an indicative checklist. Check the product's scope against your own filing requirements before proceeding.
Check your filing route
Select one answer for each question. This is an indicative scope check, not a determination of your tax or accounts obligations.
Answer all four questions to see your indicative route and checklist.
06 / THE TWO WORKFLOWS
How WeFile covers what the old service did
WeFile is commercial software, not a like-for-like government service. The comparison below describes supported WeFile workflows; check the former service's scope in the GOV.UK closure guidance.
| Consideration | Former HMRC joint service (closed) | WeFile |
|---|---|---|
| Availability | Closed 31 March 2026. | Available for supported filings. |
| Price | Free for eligible companies. | Confirm the price before purchase. |
| CT600 submission | Available within the former service's scope. | CT600 Version 3 for supported returns. |
| Companies House accounts | Joint filing for eligible accounts. | Same workflow, with a separate accounts submission where eligible. |
| Accounts preparation | Figures entered through the former service's forms. | Generated from your figures for supported FRS 105 or FRS 102 Section 1A accounts, with reconciliation checks. |
| Tax calculation | Figures entered through the former service's forms. | Calculated from your P&L and adjustments, including Marginal Relief where applicable. |
| Imports | — | Xero, QuickBooks Online, FreeAgent and CSV. |
| Supplementary pages | Check GOV.UK for the former scope. | CT600A and CT600E supported; CT600B–D and CT600F–P not supported. |
WeFile appears on HMRC's Corporation Tax commercial software suppliers list. Inclusion is not an endorsement.
07 / FROM RECORDS TO RESULTS
Switch in five steps
Gather your records
Locate your accounts, tax workings, company UTR, Corporation Tax-enrolled Government Gateway access, Companies House authentication code where needed and previous returns. Do not assume a draft in the old service transfers automatically.
Check your separate deadlines
Corporation Tax is normally payable nine months and one day after the tax period ends, outside the instalment-payment regime. A CT600 is normally due 12 months after its accounting period ends. Private-company accounts are normally due nine months after the accounting reference date; first accounts generally have a different deadline.
For CT600 returns with a filing date on or after 1 April 2026, fixed late-filing penalties are £200 when late and a further £200 after more than three months. Following three successive late returns, those amounts rise to £1,000 each. Companies House late-accounts penalties are separate: private-company penalties range from £150 to £1,500 according to how late the accounts are and double if accounts are late two years in a row.
Choose software covering both destinations
Check the return, accounts type, supplementary pages, filing destinations and total payable price before you commit.
Prepare and review
Reconcile the accounts, review the computation and check the generated documents against your records.
Submit and keep both acknowledgements
Track the HMRC result and, where you file accounts, the separate Companies House result. Retain both acknowledgements. Sending a filing does not guarantee acceptance.
For more guidance, read how to file a CT600 and accounts without an accountant and the director's Company Tax Return guide.
QUESTIONS, ANSWERED
HMRC free filing alternative FAQs
Ready to file without HMRC's free service?
Check your company's requirements, review your figures and track each submission separately.
This guide provides general information, not accounting, legal or tax advice. Check the rules for your company and seek professional advice where needed. This comparison is published by WeFile, not an independent review. Inclusion on a software suppliers list does not imply HMRC or Companies House endorsement.