Pulse vs Sage for sole traders

Sage is one of the best-known names in UK accounting software, and Sage Sole Trader is its software for self-employed people who aren’t VAT registered, with a free plan and a paid one. Pulse is built for sole traders too. Here’s an honest side by side, so you can pick the one that fits how you work.

  • Every price includes VAT, because most sole traders can’t claim it back
  • We link to Sage’s own pages, so you can check anything for yourself
  • Where Sage is the better choice, we say so
See the comparison View small business pricing
pulse dashboard laptop

Pulse and Sage Sole Trader at a glance

We’ve compared Small Business Complete, our closest match, with Sage Sole Trader, Sage’s paid plan for sole traders who aren’t VAT registered. We paired them because both cover your Making Tax Digital quarterly updates and your year-end tax return. Sage also has a free plan, Sage Sole Trader Free, which we cover below.

What you get Pulse Small Business Complete Sage Sole Trader
Price a month, including VAT £16.99The same price every month £8.40Shown as £7 plus VAT. 90% off for the first 6 months, so £0.84 a month to start. Sage Sole Trader Free costs nothing, with 5 invoices a month
Invoices UnlimitedPlus quotes that turn into invoices in one click, and recurring invoices UnlimitedSage lists quotes on its Standard plan, not on Sole Trader
Customers paying online YesA Pay online button using your own Stripe, SumUp or PayPal.Me link Not listed on the Sole Trader planSage mentions low-cost payment options, so check with Sage
Mileage YesLog journeys in the app by postcode or location Not listed on Sage’s plan pageCheck with Sage if you need it
Receipt scanning YesUnlimited on Small Business Complete YesListed as “Snap and scan receipt records”
Making Tax Digital quarterly updates YesSent straight to HMRC, or let Auto MTD send them for you YesListed as “Making Tax Digital ready”
Your tax return YesSmall Business Complete covers MTD and your tax return together YesListed as “Manage and submit Income tax Self-Assessment, both quarterly and at year-end”
VAT returns Our VAT ServiceFor VAT registered members Not includedSole Trader is for businesses that aren’t VAT registered. VAT is on Sage’s Start plan
Support EmailA reply within 24 hours on Small Business Complete WebchatHuman webchat, plus 24/7 help from Sage Copilot, Sage’s AI assistant

Sage’s prices and features are taken from Sage’s Sage Sole Trader page and self-employed page on 27 October 2026. Prices and plans can change, so please check them before you choose.

When Pulse is the better fit

  • You drive for work. Mileage is often one of a sole trader’s biggest claims, and it adds up. Pulse logs your journeys in the app and works out the miles. Mileage isn’t listed on Sage’s Sole Trader plan.
  • You send quotes. In Pulse, a quote turns into an invoice in one click, on every package. Sage lists quotes on its Standard plan, not on Sage Sole Trader.
  • You want to get paid sooner. Pulse has recurring invoices and a Pay online button using your own Stripe, SumUp or PayPal.Me link, so customers can pay as soon as the invoice lands.
  • You’d rather not see the price jump. Our prices include VAT and there’s no introductory offer to run out, so what you pay in month one is what you pay in month seven.

When Sage may suit you better

  • You send 5 invoices a month or fewer. Sage Sole Trader Free is “Completely free, no billing”, and Sage lists Making Tax Digital and Self Assessment on it. If you type in your receipts and don’t drive for work, it may be all you need.
  • You work in construction. Sage lists “Calculate and manage CIS” on Sage Sole Trader, for subcontractors who have tax taken off their pay.
  • You’d like to chat to someone. Sage Sole Trader includes “Human webchat, content and community support”, plus 24/7 help from Sage Copilot.

If you’re not sure which suits you, ask us. We’ll tell you honestly, even if the answer is Sage.

The Pulse mobile app on three phones, showing the dashboard, income and expenses

Access your accounts on your mobile

Designed for iPhone and Android phones, so you can add a payment, log a journey or scan a receipt between jobs, and check your reports and tax as you go.

See the mobile app

Switching to Pulse partway through the financial year

You don’t have to wait for April. When you join, you can add the earlier months of the tax year, so the whole year sits in Pulse ready for your updates and tax return.

If you’re already in Making Tax Digital, each quarterly update is a running total from 6 April. So once your records are in Pulse, your next update covers the year so far, whichever software sent the earlier ones.

Not sure where you stand? Our guide on when Making Tax Digital starts for you explains the dates.

Switching in three steps

Any time of year

  1. Join PulsePick a small business package. No contract, cancel any time.
  2. Add the earlier monthsIncome, expenses and mileage from 6 April, so the whole year is in one place.
  3. Send your next updateIt covers the year so far, whichever software sent the earlier ones.

Everything in one package

Small Business Complete includes everything on this page. There are no invoice limits, and you can start partway through the year and add the months you've missed.

MalgraBooks is recognised by HMRC for Making Tax Digital. HMRC reference D5P1NR.

Small Business Complete

£16.99 a month, including VAT
  • Bookkeeping, invoicing and mileage in Pulse
  • Unlimited receipt scanning
  • Making Tax Digital quarterly updates
  • Your tax return sent to HMRC
Compare small business packages

Questions about Pulse and Sage

Why do you show Sage’s price with VAT added?
Sage shows its prices without VAT. If you’re a sole trader who isn’t VAT registered, you can’t claim that VAT back, so £7 plus VAT costs you £8.40 a month. Our prices already include VAT, so we’ve put both on the same footing.
Sage has a free plan. Why pay for Pulse?
If you send 5 invoices a month or fewer, type in your receipts and have no mileage to claim, Sage Sole Trader Free may be enough, and that’s fine. Pulse costs more because you get unlimited invoices, quotes, receipt scanning and mileage in the app, with a reply from our team by email.
Is Pulse recognised by HMRC?
Yes. Pulse is recognised by HMRC for Making Tax Digital for Income Tax, and our HMRC reference is D5P1NR. More about our HMRC recognition
Does Pulse work for my trade?
Pulse works for most sole traders, from cleaners and hairdressers to plumbers and online sellers. Find your trade to see what you can claim and how Pulse helps.
How up to date is this comparison?
We checked Sage’s website on 27 October 2026 and link to the pages we used. We review our comparisons regularly, but if you spot something that’s changed, let us know and we’ll put it right.

Got a question that isn't here? Send us a message and the team will get back to you.

This comparison was correct on 27 October 2026, based on the information on Sage’s website that day. Sage is a trade mark of The Sage Group plc. MalgraBooks isn’t connected with Sage.

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