Best Free UK Tax Calculators 2026/27

Updated September 2026 · Independent comparison, not sponsored

The best free UK tax calculators for 2026/27 include PayToolkit, GOV.UK, MoneySavingExpert, MoneyHelper, and Which? — all free to use with no sign-up required. PayToolkit stands out for breadth (50+ calculators covering employees, the self-employed, landlords and contractors, versus a handful on most consumer-advice sites) and for including a connected expense tracker most pure calculators lack. Here's an honest look at how PayToolkit compares to 8 other well-known, independent UK tools — official, consumer-advice, and specialist — so you can pick the right one for what you actually need.

	PayToolkit	GOV.UK	MSE	MoneyHelper	Which?	Salary Calc	ListenToTaxman	UK Tax Calcs	Contractor Calc	UK Tax Tools
Free	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓
No signup	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓
No data stored	✓	✓	Some ads/tracking	Some ads/tracking	Some ads/tracking	✓	Some ads/tracking	✓	✓	✓
2026/27 rates	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓
Employee take-home pay	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	Limited	✓
Self-employed tools	✓	✗	Limited	✗	Limited	✗	✗	✓	IR35-focused	✓
IR35 / contractor tools	✓	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✓	✓	Limited
Expense tracking	✓	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗
Reviewed by qualified accountant	Key calculators	Official body	Editorial team	Official body	Editorial team	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗
Breadth of tools	50+	Few (official only)	A handful	A handful	A handful	1 (salary)	A handful	40+	IR35-focused	60+
Mobile friendly	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓

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The GOV.UK calculator is the official source and worth cross-checking against for peace of mind, but it covers only core PAYE calculations. MoneySavingExpert, MoneyHelper and Which? are all trusted, well-established consumer-advice sites, each with a simple salary calculator alongside broader money guidance. The Salary Calculator and ListenToTaxman are long-running, focused take-home-pay tools with no frills beyond the calculation itself. Contractor Calculator specialises in IR35 and contractor scenarios. UK Tax Calculators and UK Tax Tools offer a similarly broad calculator library to PayToolkit.

Where PayToolkit differs is combining that breadth of calculators with a connected Expense Tracker and Tax Dashboard, plus accuracy review by a CIMA-qualified accountant on key calculators — so you're not just calculating a number once, you can track it through the year.

Browse PayToolkit's tax planning tools Best for Employees Best for Landlords

FAQ

Is PayToolkit as accurate as the official GOV.UK calculator?

PayToolkit uses the same official HMRC rates and thresholds as the GOV.UK calculator. For anything important, we recommend cross-checking against gov.uk directly, which we link to in our Tax Calculation Sources page.

Do I need to sign up to use any of these?

No — PayToolkit, GOV.UK, MoneySavingExpert, MoneyHelper, Which?, The Salary Calculator, ListenToTaxman, UK Tax Calculators, and UK Tax Tools are all usable without creating an account.

Which of these is best for contractors and IR35?

Contractor Calculator specialises specifically in IR35 and contractor take-home pay scenarios. PayToolkit also has a dedicated IR35 Calculator reviewed by a CIMA-qualified accountant, alongside broader tax tools most contractor-specific sites do not offer.

Why does this list include so many similar calculators?

Several well-established, independent UK tax calculators exist because different sites focus on different needs — official guidance (GOV.UK), consumer money advice (MoneySavingExpert, MoneyHelper, Which?), pure salary calculations (The Salary Calculator, ListenToTaxman), or specialist scenarios (Contractor Calculator). This comparison is meant to help you pick the right one, not just promote PayToolkit.

Methodology: Comparisons are based on each provider's own published pricing and feature pages as of September 2026. We link out to alternatives fairly and do not accept payment for placement in this comparison. If something here looks out of date, let us know.