SmartBooks vs Hammock — for UK landlords.
Hammock is property-tax-first software, purpose-built for UK landlords. SmartBooks is general MTD-compliant accounting software with strong property handling. An honest read for landlords preparing for April 2026 MTD ITSA — and for firms with landlord-heavy books deciding between specialised and general.
The short answer
Hammock is the right pick if you’re a property-only landlord, want the cleanest property-tax UX, and need live MTD VAT/ITSA filing in the next 60 days. SmartBooks is the right pick if you have multiple properties at scale, mixed income (property + self-employment + other), or your accountant uses SmartBooks for the rest of their book. Both are correct answers; the choice depends on whether property is your only income or part of a broader picture.
1. Two genuinely different product shapes
Hammock is purpose-built for UK rental property. Every screen, every workflow, every data model is designed around landlords. The focus produces a cleaner UX for the specific case it handles.
SmartBooks is general MTD-compliant accounting software with strong property handling. Property is one of several income types we handle; the workflow is general but the Smart Inbox / MTD / accounts-production chain works the same regardless of which income type is flowing through it.
Neither product is wrong. They’re different shapes for different audiences.
2. Capability comparison
3. When Hammock is the right call
- Property is your only income source. No self-employment, no significant dividends, no other reportable income types. The specialist UX is unambiguous.
- You have 1–10 properties in a portfolio you actively manage yourself.
- You need live MTD VAT or MTD ITSA filing in the next 60 days and SmartBooks production credentials haven’t granted yet.
- You like specialist software and the value of having every screen relevant to your specific use case appeals.
- Your accountant uses Hammock for Accountants and the relationship is working.
4. When SmartBooks is the better call
- You have mixed income. Property + self-employment, property + Ltd company directorship, property + significant other income. You need one product for everything, not two.
- You manage 15+ properties, especially HMOs or commercial. Smart Inbox bulk-handling becomes a material time saving.
- You’re a firm with a mixed client base (landlords + sole traders + Ltd companies). Hammock for Accountants only covers the landlord segment; SmartBooks Firm covers everyone.
- Your accountant uses or is moving to SmartBooks. Same platform = lighter friction.
- You want accounts production built in for any company structure holding property.
- You want Smart Inbox depth — per-field confidence, dedicated review queue, bookkeeper-in-the-loop approval as a default.
5. The pricing reality
For a single landlord with a small portfolio, Hammock and SmartBooks Business are within a few pounds of each other monthly. The right framing isn’t “which is cheaper” — it’s “which workflow saves you more time”.
For firms with landlord-heavy books, the calculus shifts. Hammock for Accountants covers only the landlord segment; you still need software for your Ltd company and sole-trader clients. SmartBooks Firm (£39/mo + £6/client) covers everyone in one platform. For a firm with mixed clients, consolidating onto SmartBooks usually wins on both cost and workflow.
6. If you decide to switch from Hammock
Concierge migration during Cohort 1 pilot. Steps:
- Hammock data export gives us property records, tenant records, transaction history, and current-year figures.
- Map to SmartBooks’ property and contact model, import 12–24 months of historic transactions.
- Re-establish bank feeds via Yapily (or CSV import while connection is being added).
- Section 24 finance-cost setup carried across explicitly.
- Joint-ownership splits configured per property.
- Parallel-running for 1–2 weeks before cut-over at the start of a clean reporting quarter.
Plan: 1–2 weeks for a single landlord; 4–8 weeks for a firm migrating a portfolio of Hammock-using landlord clients.
7. Bottom line
Hammock is excellent at what it does — UK landlords with property income, prepared for MTD ITSA. If property is your only income, Hammock’s focus is a real advantage.
SmartBooks is the right pick for landlords with broader financial pictures, for firms with mixed client bases, and for anyone where the specialist UX is over-spec for their actual situation. The HMRC recognition timing is the one caveat — SmartBooks is sandbox-tested with production pending; Hammock is live today.
If you’re a landlord with mixed income or a firm with a landlord-heavy book, book a 15-minute demo— we’ll walk through your specific portfolio against SmartBooks against your real cohort A list.
Related guides
- MTD ITSA for landlords — the April 2026 mandate
- MTD ITSA April 2026 — what it means for firms
- SmartBooks vs FreeAgent
- SmartBooks vs Xero
- SmartBooks for businesses and finance teams
FAQ
Is Hammock just for landlords?
Yes, deliberately. Hammock is purpose-built for UK landlords with rental property — not a general accounting product retrofitted with property tracking. The whole product is designed around rental income, allowable expenses, Section 24 finance-cost handling, and MTD ITSA quarterly updates. That focus is its strength: the workflow is unambiguous if you only have rental income. It's also its constraint: you can't run a side business through it.
Why would I pick SmartBooks if I'm only a landlord?
Three reasons. (1) Multi-property at scale — Hammock handles multi-property but the workflow gets heavier above 10–15 properties; SmartBooks Smart Inbox is built for high-volume receipt flows. (2) Mixed income — if you also have self-employment, dividends, or other reportable income, you need a product that handles all of it, not just property. (3) Firm relationship — if your accountant uses or is moving to SmartBooks, having you on the same platform is a real workflow win.
Why would I pick Hammock if I'm only a landlord?
Two reasons. (1) The product is purpose-built for property and the UX reflects that — every screen is about rental income, properties, tenants, expenses. Nothing irrelevant. (2) Hammock has been HMRC-recognised for MTD VAT for some time and is shipping live MTD ITSA filing. SmartBooks is sandbox-tested with production pending; if filing in the next 60 days is binding, Hammock is the lower-risk pick today.
How do the prices compare?
Hammock typically prices in the £15–30/month per landlord range, with higher tiers for larger portfolios. SmartBooks Business is anchored at £29/month (single business, including landlord income). For a single landlord with a small-to-medium portfolio, the prices are within a few pounds of each other; the choice is workflow fit, not price.
Does Hammock handle joint property ownership?
Yes, with manual setup. The standard model is that each owner has a separate Hammock account with their share of the rent and expenses; the software calculates the personal-tax position per owner. SmartBooks handles joint ownership similarly but inside a single product where the joint-owner can be granted access to the relevant properties without a separate subscription. For couples filing under Form 17 with unequal income splits, both products work; the convenience varies by personal preference.
What about Section 24 finance costs (mortgage interest restriction)?
Both products handle Section 24 correctly: mortgage interest is captured separately and applied as a 20% tax credit rather than deducted from rental income. Hammock's UX surfaces this prominently because every Hammock user is affected by it; SmartBooks handles it correctly but the UX surfaces are more general because they handle non-property income too. Functionally equivalent on this point.
Can my accountant use Hammock and SmartBooks the same way?
Hammock has 'Hammock for Accountants' which lets an accountant manage multiple landlord clients from one workspace. SmartBooks Firm plan does the same across all client types (landlords, sole traders, limited companies). If your accountant only handles landlords, Hammock for Accountants is a clean fit. If your accountant manages a mixed portfolio, SmartBooks Firm is more practical.
How would I migrate from Hammock to SmartBooks?
Concierge during Cohort 1 pilot. Hammock data export gives us property records, tenant records, transaction history, and current-year figures. We map to SmartBooks' property and contact model, import 12–24 months of historic transactions, and re-establish bank feeds via Yapily. Plan 1–2 weeks for a single landlord; 4–8 weeks for a firm with a portfolio of Hammock-using landlord clients.
A note
Hammock and Hammock for Accountants are trademarks of their respective owners — mentioned here for honest comparison, not endorsed by them. Pricing bands are accurate at the time of writing; check Hammock’s current published pricing before relying on this guide for a specific decision.
Specialist or general?
Book a 15-minute demo if you're a landlord with mixed income, a multi-property portfolio, or running a firm with a landlord-heavy book. We'll be honest about where Hammock is the better pick.
Running a firm? Book a 15-minute demo.