Accounting software FAQs UK — 30 direct answers.
SwiftBooks Pro is browser bookkeeping: invoices, expenses, bank CSV and reports from £15/month ex VAT. Stock and projects on Business and above. For MTD and HMRC filing questions, see the MTD context answers below.
Getting started
Signing up, the 30-day trial, first invoice, accountant access.
How do I sign up for SwiftBooks Pro?
Visit swiftbookspro.co.uk/sign-up/, enter your business email and UK postcode. No card for the 30-day trial. Send an invoice from Sales → Invoices on day one. Bank lines come from CSV Smart Bank Import — there is no live Open Banking feed.
Do I need a credit card to start the free trial?
No. The 30-day trial needs a working email and UK postcode. We do not ask for card details until you choose a paid plan. After 30 days the account becomes read-only if you have not subscribed — no surprise charge.
What does the 30-day free trial include?
Bookkeeping on the plan you pick: invoicing, bills, expenses, CSV bank import, and on Business+ stock, projects, bank rules and extra users. Tax filing is not in this login. Trial data carries into your live account if you subscribe.
How do I add my accountant or bookkeeper?
Invite them in Users with their own email and password. Full back-office or Limited to modules you tick. Solo is two users. Business+ is unlimited with no per-seat fee. See the security page.
How long does setup take for a typical UK business?
A sole trader can invoice in about 20 minutes. A limited company with CSV import takes around two hours including chart-of-accounts review. Migration from Xero or QuickBooks is free — timing depends on the ledger. We do not advertise a day-count SLA.
Plans and billing
Solo £15, Business £39, Multi-Company £69, Practice quote-only. No per-seat fee on Business+.
What are SwiftBooks Pro UK pricing tiers?
Solo £15/month ex VAT (two users, one company), Business £39 (unlimited users, one company), Multi-Company £69 (up to five companies), Practice on request. Annual billing is ten times monthly. All prices exclude VAT.
Are there per-user fees on Business?
No on Business, Multi-Company and Practice. Solo is capped at two users. Competitors often charge per seat — SwiftBooks Pro does not on Business and above.
Is there a money-back guarantee?
No. Use the 30-day trial with no card first. After you pay, monthly plans cancel at period end; annual plans run to the paid year end.
Can I get charity or not-for-profit pricing?
Published Solo, Business and Multi-Company prices apply. We do not advertise a standard charity discount on this site. Contact us if you are a registered charity.
How do I cancel my subscription?
Settings → Billing → Cancel subscription. Export your data before closure. See privacy policy and terms for retention.
MTD for VAT and ITSA
Educational UK tax context. Filing is not from this login.
Is SwiftBooks Pro HMRC-recognised for MTD?
No. This login does not file MTD VAT or ITSA. VAT returns are not filed from this login. SwiftBooks Pro is not HMRC-recognised filing software.
Am I in scope for MTD ITSA from April 2026?
UK sole traders and landlords with combined qualifying income above £50,000 joined MTD ITSA on 6 April 2026. The threshold drops to £30,000 from April 2027 and £20,000 from April 2028. Limited companies are not in scope.
How many quarterly submissions are required under MTD ITSA?
Four quarterly updates per income source, plus an annual end-of-period statement and a finalisation replacing the SA100, due 31 January of the following year. This login does not submit them.
What is HMRC MTD penalty regime?
Points-based. Missed submissions earn points; thresholds trigger £200 penalties. This login does not file MTD and does not track HMRC penalty points.
Can I keep using a spreadsheet under MTD?
For MTD VAT, often yes with bridging software. For MTD ITSA the quarterly structure makes spreadsheets harder. Keep digital records here; file with separate HMRC-recognised software or your accountant.
Features and workflow
CSV bank import, users, CIS in the ledger, multi-currency on Business+, browser only.
Which UK banks does Open Banking work with?
There is no live Open Banking feed. Export a CSV from any UK bank and upload in Banking → Smart Bank Import, then Reconcile.
Does SwiftBooks Pro handle CIS for UK construction?
CIS invoices can sit in the ledger on Business+. This login does not verify subcontractors with HMRC and does not file CIS300.
Does SwiftBooks Pro support multi-currency?
Multi-currency invoicing and billing on Business, Multi-Company and Practice. Solo is GBP-only.
Are there native iOS or Android apps?
No native app is live. Use the browser on phone or desktop. Tax filing is not in this login.
Does SwiftBooks Pro integrate with UK payroll?
No native payroll and no payroll sync. Run payroll elsewhere, then post journals here. RTI stays with the payroll provider.
Switching from Xero, QuickBooks and Sage
Free on every plan. What we import. Bank CSV after go-live.
How long does migration from Xero take?
Free on every plan. We connect Xero through the migration tool. Timing depends on ledger size. Re-import bank CSV here. Keep Xero until you have checked the books. This login does not file MTD.
How long does migration from QuickBooks Online take?
Free on every plan via the migration tool. Timing depends on the ledger. Re-import bank CSV here. This login does not file MTD.
How long does migration from Sage 50 desktop take?
Free on every plan. Sage 50 is CSV. Sage Business Cloud is API. We do not advertise a 10–14 day SLA or HMRC filing-record continuity.
Will my accountant lose access to historic Xero or QuickBooks data?
Keep the old subscription until you have checked SwiftBooks Pro. We import records the tool can take — not every historic bank line or HMRC filing record.
Is there a charge to migrate from another UK ledger?
Nothing extra. Free on Solo, Business, Multi-Company and Practice. Multi-Company and Practice migrate every company on the account.
Security and data
HTTPS, hashed passwords, Users roles, export. SWIFT CATALYST LTD.
Where is my UK accounting data stored?
Operated by SWIFT CATALYST LTD (Company No. 17130521, VAT 517276581). See the privacy policy. Access controls are on the security page.
Is SwiftBooks Pro SOC 2 certified?
HTTPS in the browser, hashed passwords, Users you invite. We do not publish ISO, SOC 2 or Cyber Essentials badges.
How are passwords and payment data handled?
Passwords are hashed. HTTPS in the browser. Cards sit with Stripe, PayPal and GoCardless on Business+. Bank lines come from CSV you export — no live bank login stored.
How often is my data backed up?
Hosted books are backed up as part of running the service. We do not publish a self-service restore screen or recovery-time figure. Contact us if you need a restore.
Can I export my data if I close the account?
Export invoices, bills and expenses as CSV. API export for customers, invoices, bills, expenses and payments in Settings → API Access. See privacy policy and terms for retention after closure.
Need menu-path steps?
The Help Centre uses the same labels as the login: Sales → Invoices, Banking → Smart Bank Import, Emails → Payment Reminders. Live chat is on every plan.
Read the FAQ. Try the login.
Same answers in the app. Switching? See the migration guide.