What is MTD bridging software?

Since Making Tax Digital for VAT became mandatory, VAT returns can only be submitted through software that talks to HMRC's API — the old online form is gone. "Bridging software" is the lightweight category of MTD software: it doesn't do your bookkeeping, it takes the figures you've already calculated (usually in a spreadsheet) and files them digitally.

Bridging software vs accounting software

Full accounting packages (Xero, QuickBooks, FreeAgent and friends) manage your invoices, bank feeds and ledgers, and filing VAT is one feature among hundreds — priced accordingly, typically £15–40 a month. Bridging software does one job: it submits the return you've already prepared. If your bookkeeping genuinely lives in a spreadsheet and works for you, bridging software is the proportionate, HMRC-recognised way to stay compliant without changing how you work.

Is a spreadsheet really MTD-compliant?

Yes — HMRC explicitly allows spreadsheets as digital records, provided the journey from spreadsheet to return is digital (the "digital links" rule). What's not allowed is reading a number off your screen and typing it into a submission form. Bridging software satisfies the rule by importing your file and extracting the figures from named cells.

What to look for

• HMRC recognition — the software appears on HMRC's list of compatible software
• Digital links done properly — file upload and cell mapping, not a form you retype numbers into
• A permanent record of your submission receipts
• Deadline reminders — the penalty regime makes missed quarters expensive
• Honest pricing — you're filing four returns a year; you shouldn't pay accounting-package prices

DueFile is bridging software built to that list: £3.99 + VAT per filing or £24 + VAT a year, free during early access.