---
title: UK accounting & business software media reputation tracker – H1 2026
canonical_url: https://www.omniscan.ai/benchmarks/uk-accounting-software-2026-h1
type: dataset
publisher: Omniscan
sector: UK Accounting & Business Software
period: H1 2026
coverage_start: '2026-01-01'
coverage_end: '2026-06-30'
date_published: '2026-09-01'
last_updated: '2026-09-01'
organisations: 7
articles_analysed: 1147
mentions: 452
data_download: https://www.omniscan.ai/benchmarks/uk-accounting-software-2026-h1/data.json
summary: Sage had the highest average monthly share of coverage (42.6%) among 7 providers
  in UK earned media from 1 January 2026 to 30 June 2026, ahead of Xero (17.4%) and
  Intuit QuickBooks (15.2%).
---

# UK accounting & business software media reputation tracker: H1 2026 (1 January 2026–30 June 2026)

> Sage had the highest average monthly share of coverage (42.6%) among 7 providers in UK earned media from 1 January 2026 to 30 June 2026, ahead of Xero (17.4%) and Intuit QuickBooks (15.2%). The Access Group had the most favourable net tone (+71). Omniscan analysed 1,147 articles containing 452 mentions of the providers tracked.

Interactive version: https://www.omniscan.ai/benchmarks/uk-accounting-software-2026-h1

## UK Accounting & Business Software ranking by share of coverage, H1 2026

| Rank | Organisation | Average monthly share of coverage | Mentions | Positive | Neutral | Negative | Net tone |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | Sage | 42.6% | 197 | 60% | 25% | 15% | +46 |
| 2 | Xero | 17.4% | 78 | 31% | 46% | 23% | +8 |
| 3 | Intuit QuickBooks | 15.2% | 66 | 65% | 21% | 14% | +52 |
| 4 | IRIS Software Group | 10.8% | 47 | 13% | 28% | 59% | −47 |
| 5 | The Access Group | 5.3% | 24 | 75% | 21% | 4% | +71 |
| 6 | Dext | 4.8% | 23 | 70% | 26% | 4% | +65 |
| 7 | FreeAgent | 4.0% | 17 | 18% | 70% | 12% | +6 |

## Monthly share of coverage, UK Accounting & Business Software

| Organisation | January 2026 | February 2026 | March 2026 | April 2026 | May 2026 | June 2026 |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Sage | 48.9% | 45.2% | 37.5% | 35.3% | 56.3% | 32.4% |
| Xero | 15.9% | 19.4% | 16.7% | 17.6% | 12.5% | 22.1% |
| Intuit QuickBooks | 11.4% | 12.9% | 16.7% | 21.6% | 11.3% | 17.6% |
| IRIS Software Group | 8.0% | 7.5% | 11.1% | 15.7% | 15.0% | 7.4% |
| The Access Group | 6.8% | 4.3% | 2.8% | 2.0% | 1.3% | 14.7% |
| Dext | 6.8% | 6.5% | 9.7% | 2.0% | 3.8% | 0.0% |
| FreeAgent | 2.3% | 4.3% | 5.6% | 5.9% | 0.0% | 5.9% |

## Providers in detail

### Sage

**Sage leads coverage as AI and financial scrutiny alternate**

Sage ranked 1st of 7 by average monthly share of coverage (42.6%) in the UK Accounting & Business Software benchmark for H1 2026, with 197 mentions and a net tone of +46.

Its share nevertheless moved widely, from 48.9% in January to 35.3% in April, before rising to 56.3% in May. January coverage combined first-quarter revenue growth with the HSBC digital tax-reporting launch and scrutiny of Sage’s cloud-led prospects. February retained the lead at 45.2% while independent reporting examined an AI-related software sell-off, directors’ share purchases and new Sage Intacct AI agents. By March and April, the agenda had shifted towards practical AI, embedded tax services and Sage Future announcements, including workflow agents, the Doyen AI acquisition, expanded AWS collaboration and a PwC implementation partnership. May’s 21-point rise to 56.3% coincided with first-half results, an expanded Making Tax Digital agent and two senior executive appointments. Share then fell by 23.9 points to 32.4% in June, although stories included the UK launch of Sage Intacct for Accountants and an AI-skills partnership with Google and Multiverse. January 2026: HSBC and Sage launched an embedded digital tax-reporting tool for small businesses, reported by UKTN. February 2026: share fell 3.7 points to 45.2% and volume decreased by one to 42; stories included Sage Intacct’s new AI agents and Financial Times reporting on directors buying shares amid AI concerns.

Key messages:

- January 2026: HSBC and Sage launched an embedded digital tax-reporting tool for small businesses, reported by UKTN.
- The article title reports that Sage's underlying revenue rose through growth across its key regions.
- The article considers whether Sage shares are attractive, citing the software group's cloud-product revenue as a potential driver of the stock.
- PaperLess describes its AI-powered invoice capture and two- and three-way matching integration for Sage environments. The article presents the integration as improving accounts-payable efficiency and control.
- Sage Intacct’s R1 2026 release introduces AI agents and analytics for financial close, cash management, invoice matching and data imports. Some features, including Finance Intelligence Agent and Close Analytics, are entering UK early-adopter programmes.
- Reports that Sage shares fell 1.5% as investors reacted to Anthropic's new AI tool and its potential disruption of software and data businesses. The article frames the decline as part of a wider AI-related market sell-off.

Leading themes:

- Financial & analyst: 36.5% of Sage's coverage (theme index 15.53, net tone +15)
- Product & AI: 29.4% of Sage's coverage (theme index 0.93, net tone +66)
- Making Tax Digital & HMRC: 18.8% of Sage's coverage (theme index 0.83, net tone +68)

Notable positive coverage:

- 27 January 2026, wsj.com: [Sage Group Underlying Revenue Rises on Growth Across All Key Regions](https://www.wsj.com/business/retail/sage-group-underlying-revenue-rises-on-growth-across-all-key-regions-762d6c49). The article title reports that Sage's underlying revenue rose through growth across its key regions.
- 28 January 2026, thetimes.com: [Is now a good time to buy shares in Sage?](https://www.thetimes.com/business/companies-markets/article/is-now-a-good-time-to-buy-shares-in-sage-kvglgvhnk). The article considers whether Sage shares are attractive, citing the software group's cloud-product revenue as a potential driver of the stock.
- 30 January 2026, uktech.news: [HSBC and Sage launch digital tax tool ahead of new requirements - UKTN](https://www.uktech.news/fintech/hsbc-and-sage-launch-digital-tax-tool-ahead-of-new-requirements-20260130). HSBC UK and Sage have launched a Sage-powered digital tax-reporting tool within HSBC business accounts. It is intended to help eligible small businesses comply with incoming MTD requirements.

Notable negative coverage:

- 23 February 2026, independent.co.uk: [FTSE 100 drifts lower amid new tariff uncertainty](https://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/donald-trump-aim-jd-sports-gold-supreme-court-b2925982.html). Sage shares fell 4.4% in London amid wider investor concern about AI disruption to software stocks.
- 13 February 2026, dailymail.co.uk: [Is it time to log off from old-school software firms?](https://www.dailymail.co.uk/money/investing/article-15558425/Is-time-log-old-school-software-firms.html). An investment feature examines AI-driven pressure on software shares and cites Sage's decline and hold rating. It notes investor concern that AI could reduce software providers' pricing power.
- 6 February 2026, reuters.com: [Global software, data firms slide as AI disruption fears compound jitters over $600 billion capex plans](https://www.reuters.com/business/global-software-data-firms-slide-ai-disruption-fears-compound-jitters-over-600-2026-02-06/). Reuters reports that Sage shares fell nearly 4% as global software and data stocks sold off over potential AI disruption and heavy hyperscaler AI spending.

- [Sage deep dive](https://www.omniscan.ai/benchmarks/uk-accounting-software-2026-h1?entity=sage&view=deep-dive)
- [Sage PDF report](https://www.omniscan.ai/benchmarks/uk-accounting-software-2026-h1/reports/sage.pdf)

### Xero

**Making Tax Digital & HMRC shaped Xero's media profile during H1 2026**

Xero ranked 2nd of 7 by average monthly share of coverage (17.4%) in the UK Accounting & Business Software benchmark for H1 2026, with 78 mentions and a net tone of +8.

It ranked second in six months, slipping to third in April and May before recovering in June. February’s share rose to 19.4%, alongside independent reporting on no-cost automated receipt, invoice and reconciliation features and Morningstar’s assessment of the Melio integration. May’s 12.5% share was the period low, while independent results coverage reported record revenue, lower statutory profit after Melio-related costs and 26% UK revenue growth. Xero returned to second in June as stories ranged from a Making Tax Digital masterclass and financial-education research to subscription-price changes and Xerocon-related partner publicity, the latter including press-release and contributed copy. January 2026: Xero launched Syft-powered analytics within its core platform, reported by AccountingWEB. April 2026: share rose 0.9 points to 17.6% but rank moved from second to third; contemporaneous independent reporting covered Xero’s partnership with Anthropic on automated accounting workflows. March 2026: Xero data showed UK small-business sales growth alongside constraints on hiring and investment, reported by BelfastLive. The article describes invoice-capture, extraction, matching and approval automation integrated with Xero for SMEs. It presents the PaperLess-Xero integration as a way to reduce manual processing and improve audit trails. Xero launched Xero Analytics, embedding Syft-powered dashboards, cashflow forecasting and AI-generated insights into eligible subscription tiers. The article also examines potential effects of Xero's forthcoming usage-based API pricing on third-party analytics providers.

Key messages:

- January 2026: Xero launched Syft-powered analytics within its core platform, reported by AccountingWEB.
- The article describes invoice-capture, extraction, matching and approval automation integrated with Xero for SMEs. It presents the PaperLess-Xero integration as a way to reduce manual processing and improve audit trails.
- Xero launched Xero Analytics, embedding Syft-powered dashboards, cashflow forecasting and AI-generated insights into eligible subscription tiers. The article also examines potential effects of Xero's forthcoming usage-based API pricing on third-party analytics providers.
- Expensify and Xero expanded their partnership with reciprocal introductory discounts and joint marketing campaigns for small businesses. The collaboration promotes their expense-management and accounting integration.
- Xero will introduce AI receipt, invoice and bank-reconciliation automation for UK customers at no extra cost from March. The rollout is positioned to help small businesses prepare for Making Tax Digital for Income Tax.
- Xero has partnered with Anthropic to integrate agentic AI capabilities, including its JAX assistant, with Claude. The collaboration aims to automate complex accounting workflows while retaining human oversight for deterministic and tax-critical tasks.

Leading themes:

- Making Tax Digital & HMRC: 28.2% of Xero's coverage (theme index 1.45, net tone +14)
- Product & AI: 24.4% of Xero's coverage (theme index 0.76, net tone +11)
- Accountants & channel: 11.5% of Xero's coverage (theme index 1.73, net tone +56)

Notable positive coverage:

- 2 January 2026, accountingweb.co.uk: [Xero Invoice Processing Automation: Smarter Invoice Capture and](https://www.accountingweb.co.uk/community/industry-insights/xero-invoice-processing-automation-smarter-invoice-capture-and-matching). The article describes invoice-capture, extraction, matching and approval automation integrated with Xero for SMEs. It presents the PaperLess-Xero integration as a way to reduce manual processing and improve audit trails.
- 20 January 2026, accountingweb.co.uk: [Xero rolls out Syft-powered analytics baked into its core platform](https://www.accountingweb.co.uk/tech/accounting-software/xero-rolls-out-syft-powered-analytics-baked-into-its-core-platform). Xero launched Xero Analytics, embedding Syft-powered dashboards, cashflow forecasting and AI-generated insights into eligible subscription tiers. The article also examines potential effects of Xero's forthcoming usage-based API pricing on third-party analytics providers.
- 12 February 2026, cityam.com: [Expensify and Xero Enhance Partnership to Support Small Businesses](https://www.cityam.com/expensify-and-xero-enhance-partnership-to-support-small-businesses/). Expensify and Xero expanded their partnership with reciprocal introductory discounts and joint marketing campaigns for small businesses. The collaboration promotes their expense-management and accounting integration.

Notable negative coverage:

- 23 June 2026, accountingweb.co.uk: [Another Xero Price Increase](https://www.accountingweb.co.uk/any-answers/another-xero-price-increase). An AccountingWEB community post reports Xero subscription-price increases effective 1 September 2026, affecting several plans. The post presents the changes negatively.
- 23 June 2026, accountingweb.co.uk: [Sage to Xero with multicurrency historical balance](https://www.accountingweb.co.uk/any-answers/sage-to-xero-with-multicurrency-historical-balance). An accounting practitioner seeks help resolving an unrealised foreign-exchange difference after migrating multicurrency balances from Sage 50 to Xero.
- 23 June 2026, accountingweb.co.uk: [Stock Management Systems](https://www.accountingweb.co.uk/any-answers/stock-management-systems). A business seeking stock-management software says it cannot use Xero without changing its stock-costing method and asks for alternatives or workarounds.

- [Xero deep dive](https://www.omniscan.ai/benchmarks/uk-accounting-software-2026-h1?entity=xero&view=deep-dive)
- [Xero PDF report](https://www.omniscan.ai/benchmarks/uk-accounting-software-2026-h1/reports/xero.pdf)

### Intuit QuickBooks

**QuickBooks ranked third as product coverage gave way to MTD issues**

Intuit QuickBooks ranked 3rd of 7 by average monthly share of coverage (15.2%) in the UK Accounting & Business Software benchmark for H1 2026, with 66 mentions and a net tone of +52.

QuickBooks opened in third place at 11.4%, then reached second place in March and April as its share rose to 16.7% and 21.6% respectively. The company fell to fourth at 11.3% in May despite continued independent coverage of Intuit Accountant Suite and QuickBooks Online’s automation features. It returned to third at 17.6% in June, when stories included the UK payroll range and independent reporting based on Intuit’s AI Impact Report. Visibility peaked in April 2026 at 21.6%, compared with 11.3% in May 2026. January 2026: FinTech Magazine independently reported QuickBooks’ five-point whitepaper for businesses seeking to scale beyond £1m. March 2026: share rose 3.8 points to 16.7% and rank improved to second; contemporaneous independent coverage detailed Sole Trader Plus, Income Tax AI, bank-feed automation and the Hammock integration. April 2026: share rose 4.9 points to 21.6% while rank remained second; stories included independent coverage of Intuit for Education’s UK launch and QuickBooks’ connected practice ecosystem. February 2026: Accountancy Age independently covered the launch of Intuit Accountant Suite for UK accounting firms. Hammock and Intuit QuickBooks announced an integrated MTD for Income Tax workflow for accountants managing landlords and sole traders with complex income sources. The partnership was unveiled at Intuit's London Get Connected event.

Key messages:

- Visibility peaked in April 2026 at 21.6%, compared with 11.3% in May 2026.
- January 2026: FinTech Magazine independently reported QuickBooks’ five-point whitepaper for businesses seeking to scale beyond £1m.
- Intuit has launched Intuit Accountant Suite for UK accounting partners as a replacement for QuickBooks Online Accountant, with QBOA due to close at the end of 2026. The platform adds practice-management, AI insights and batch close capabilities, with paid functionality planned after testing.
- Accounting professionals describe using Intuit Accountant Suite to consolidate practice information, identify priorities and streamline workflows. The article says the platform can reduce administrative work and give firms more time for client service and growth.
- Intuit QuickBooks unveiled UK updates including QuickBooks Sole Trader Plus, Income Tax AI, improved bank-feed automation and a Hammock integration ahead of MTD for Income Tax. Intuit says its UK product is now on the same release sequence as US products.
- Hammock and Intuit QuickBooks announced an integrated MTD for Income Tax workflow for accountants managing landlords and sole traders with complex income sources. The partnership was unveiled at Intuit's London Get Connected event.

Leading themes:

- Product & AI: 47.0% of Intuit QuickBooks's coverage (theme index 1.68, net tone +87)
- Making Tax Digital & HMRC: 21.2% of Intuit QuickBooks's coverage (theme index 1.01, net tone +43)
- Pricing & subscriptions: 10.6% of Intuit QuickBooks's coverage (theme index 2.41, net tone 0)

Notable positive coverage:

- 11 February 2026, accountingweb.co.uk: [Intuit launches new firm hub as QBOA replacement](https://www.accountingweb.co.uk/tech/accounting-software/intuit-launches-new-firm-hub-as-qboa-replacement). Intuit has launched Intuit Accountant Suite for UK accounting partners as a replacement for QuickBooks Online Accountant, with QBOA due to close at the end of 2026. The platform adds practice-management, AI insights and batch close capabilities, with paid functionality planned after testing.
- 17 February 2026, accountingweb.co.uk: [Introducing Intuit Accountant Suite: Boost efficiency and streamline](https://www.accountingweb.co.uk/community/industry-insights/introducing-intuit-accountant-suite-boost-efficiency-and-streamline). Intuit has launched Intuit Accountant Suite, a next-generation practice-management platform built on QuickBooks Online Accountant. It includes firm-management tools and AI-enabled features such as anomaly detection, client insights and task automation.
- 17 February 2026, accountancyage.com: [Intuit Launches AI-Native Accountant Suite to Scale UK Firms](https://accountancyage.com/2026/02/17/tech-intuit-accountant-suite-launch-uk-ai-practice-management/). Intuit has launched Intuit Accountant Suite for UK accounting firms, combining client management, collaboration, service delivery, planning and team-management capabilities. The platform includes embedded AI agents, client insights and a books-to-tax integration with Intuit ProTax, and is initially free to UK firms.

Notable negative coverage:

- 15 June 2026, accountingweb.co.uk: [Quickbooks Accountant Account Transfer](https://www.accountingweb.co.uk/any-answers/quickbooks-accountant-account-transfer). An accountant reports that their longstanding QuickBooks Accountant account was suspended and they were told to migrate to another service. They say moving 14 years of data would be highly disruptive.
- 9 June 2026, accountingweb.co.uk: [Expense without VAT box 7](https://www.accountingweb.co.uk/any-answers/expense-without-vat-box-7). A QuickBooks Online user asks how to include a gross expense with no VAT evidence in VAT return box 7. The user says the available VAT codes do not meet this requirement.
- 27 April 2026, accountingweb.co.uk: [Quickbooks Online](https://www.accountingweb.co.uk/any-answers/quickbooks-online-5). An accountant reports that QuickBooks Online appears to have changed Simple Start user-access enforcement, affecting accountant and client access. The writer is frustrated by the change and is considering moving clients away from QuickBooks.

- [Intuit QuickBooks deep dive](https://www.omniscan.ai/benchmarks/uk-accounting-software-2026-h1?entity=intuitquickbooks&view=deep-dive)
- [Intuit QuickBooks PDF report](https://www.omniscan.ai/benchmarks/uk-accounting-software-2026-h1/reports/intuitquickbooks.pdf)

### IRIS Software Group

**IRIS finished fourth as coverage shifted around MTD readiness**

IRIS Software Group ranked 4th of 7 by average monthly share of coverage (10.8%) in the UK Accounting & Business Software benchmark for H1 2026, with 47 mentions and a net tone of −47.

January and February centred on practitioner scrutiny of IRIS Elements reliability, pricing and migration, alongside IRIS’s contributed instruction for PTP and Keytime users to move to Elements. Share rose from 7.5% in February to 11.1% in March and 15.7% in April, while stories included IRIS’s independent commentary on MTD capacity and repeated community reports about migration, HMRC integration and CT600P availability. May brought 12 mentions and a rise from fourth to second despite a slight share decline to 15.0%. Independent May coverage broadened the profile through IRIS executives’ discussion of practice operations and the future role of professional judgement, while community reports continued to document service and filing problems. June volume fell to five and rank to fifth, although independent news included IRIS’s income-verification partnership with Teal. January 2026: an accountant reported repeated IRIS Elements failures during filing season in AccountingWEB. April 2026: share rose 4.6 points to 15.7% while AccountingWEB users reported unavailable CT600P functionality in IRIS Elements. May 2026: volume increased by four to 12 and rank improved from fourth to second while AccountingWEB covered IRIS executives’ practice-operations discussion at IRIS Connect. March 2026: IRIS outlined MTD workload and capacity pressures for practices in Accountancy Age.

Key messages:

- January 2026: an accountant reported repeated IRIS Elements failures during filing season in AccountingWEB.
- Accountancy firm tgfp describes using IRIS Anywhere and IRIS Accountancy Suite to support growth, integrated workflows, remote access and security. The case study presents IRIS as a long-term technology partner.
- IRIS announces its attendance at Accountex 2026 alongside Dext, where it will demonstrate portfolio developments for accountancy firms. The event takes place at ExCeL London on 13-14 May.
- A sole-practitioner case study describes migrating from IRIS Keytime to IRIS Elements, citing lower costs, cloud access and easier navigation. It also notes included Making Tax Digital functionality.
- IRIS Software Group has partnered with Teal to provide real-time income and employment verification through its UK payroll systems. The integration will enable lenders and fintechs to verify employees paid via IRIS platforms.
- IRIS executives at an IRIS Connect event in Manchester discuss how accountancy practices can improve operational visibility, time recording, workflow and profitability. The article presents integrated practice systems as supporting stronger performance and valuations.

Leading themes:

- Service, security & outages: 31.9% of IRIS Software Group's coverage (theme index 10.77, net tone −100)
- Product & AI: 19.1% of IRIS Software Group's coverage (theme index 0.6, net tone −11)
- Accountants & channel: 17.0% of IRIS Software Group's coverage (theme index 2.65, net tone +13)

Notable positive coverage:

- 18 March 2026, accountingweb.co.uk: [Flexibility Without Compromise: 3 Reasons tgfp Trusts IRIS Anywhere](https://www.accountingweb.co.uk/community/industry-insights/flexibility-without-compromise-3-reasons-tgfp-trusts-iris-anywhere-and). Accountancy firm tgfp describes using IRIS Anywhere and IRIS Accountancy Suite to support growth, integrated workflows, remote access and security. The case study presents IRIS as a long-term technology partner.
- 11 May 2026, accountingweb.co.uk: [Meet IRIS and Dext at Accountex 2026: Insights, innovation and](https://www.accountingweb.co.uk/community/industry-insights/meet-iris-and-dext-at-accountex-2026-insights-innovation-and). IRIS announces its attendance at Accountex 2026 alongside Dext, where it will demonstrate portfolio developments for accountancy firms. The event takes place at ExCeL London on 13-14 May.
- 18 June 2026, accountingweb.co.uk: [How JDS Roberts cut costs and gained cloud freedom with IRIS Elements](https://www.accountingweb.co.uk/community/industry-insights/how-jds-roberts-cut-costs-and-gained-cloud-freedom-with-iris-elements). A sole-practitioner case study describes migrating from IRIS Keytime to IRIS Elements, citing lower costs, cloud access and easier navigation. It also notes included Making Tax Digital functionality.

Notable negative coverage:

- 16 June 2026, accountingweb.co.uk: [Alternatives to Bright Tax/BTC Software?](https://www.accountingweb.co.uk/any-answers/alternatives-to-bright-taxbtc-software). A practitioner criticises the forced migration from BTC Software to BrightTax and seeks alternative personal-tax software supporting the FIG regime.
- 5 June 2026, accountingweb.co.uk: [Iris Elements MTD ITSA](https://www.accountingweb.co.uk/any-answers/iris-elements-mtd-itsa). An IRIS Elements user reports that registered MTD clients are not appearing in the software despite HMRC authorisation and an established integration. The post seeks a fix for the MTD ITSA connection issue.
- 29 May 2026, accountingweb.co.uk: [Trouble connecting to HMRC in Iris AccountingSuite](https://www.accountingweb.co.uk/any-answers/trouble-connecting-to-hmrc-in-iris-accountingsuite-0). A user reports HMRC connection and data-retrieval errors in IRIS Accountancy Suite after upgrading to version 26.1.10.61 for MTD Income Tax readiness.

- [IRIS Software Group deep dive](https://www.omniscan.ai/benchmarks/uk-accounting-software-2026-h1?entity=irissoftwaregroup&view=deep-dive)
- [IRIS Software Group PDF report](https://www.omniscan.ai/benchmarks/uk-accounting-software-2026-h1/reports/irissoftwaregroup.pdf)

### The Access Group

**Acquisitions punctuated an uneven H1 and year-to-date profile**

The Access Group ranked 5th of 7 by average monthly share of coverage (5.3%) in the UK Accounting & Business Software benchmark for H1 2026, with 24 mentions and a net tone of +71.

Visibility was uneven, with a 6.8% share and fifth place in January followed by progressively smaller shares through May. January’s profile combined the MaxOptra acquisition, Jon Jorgensen’s promotion to co-CEO and Access PayWise+ research on employee financial wellbeing. February coverage narrowed to the Enthuse acquisition and its expansion of Access’s charity-software capabilities. March and April replaced acquisition-led coverage with workplace AI research, Aravinda Gollapudi’s appointment as Access Hospitality chief technology officer and an Earth Day sustainability hackathon. May contributed industry-insight copy promoting Access Paycircle was the sole captured article, giving the month a narrower and less independent evidence base. The measured high point came in June, when share reached 14.7% and rank improved to fourth; contemporaneous stories included the acquisition of Ordo’s open-banking infrastructure, Sally Johnson’s appointment as chief financial officer and discussion of the Paycircle partner programme. June also contained an explicitly contextual mention concerning Edinburgh Council’s delayed deployment of Mosaic, which contributed to measured visibility but was not a company-focused development. Across the window, acquisitions supplied the strongest recurring editorial thread, while leadership, research, skills initiatives and payroll-channel material broadened the profile without sustaining June’s concentration of coverage. January 2026: The Access Group agreed to acquire route-optimisation platform MaxOptra, reported by Insider Media.

Key messages:

- January 2026: The Access Group agreed to acquire route-optimisation platform MaxOptra, reported by Insider Media.
- The Access Group's Access PaySuite division has agreed to acquire the open-banking infrastructure of closed payments platform Ordo. The deal is intended to embed open banking natively across Access PaySuite platforms.
- The Access Group's Access PaySuite acquired Ordo's pay-by-bank technology for an undisclosed sum. The technology will be integrated with its card and direct-debit payment frameworks.
- The Access Group appointed Sally Johnson as CFO from 1 June 2026, succeeding retiring CFO Rob Binns. The company said the appointment supports its growth and AI ambitions.
- The Access Group discusses payroll-bureau capacity constraints, automation and integrated HR and payroll services. The article promotes its Paycircle partner programme as a route to referral income and broader client services.
- Edinburgh Council has delayed deployment of The Access Group's Mosaic social-work case-management software until late autumn for further testing and workstream completion. The implementation is being integrated with CGI.

Leading themes:

- M&A, ownership & investment: 50.0% of The Access Group's coverage (theme index 71.33, net tone +83)
- Leadership & workforce: 20.8% of The Access Group's coverage (theme index 12.74, net tone +80)
- Product & AI: 16.7% of The Access Group's coverage (theme index 0.53, net tone +50)

Notable positive coverage:

- 16 January 2026, insidermedia.com: [The Access Group swoops for route planning and optimisation software firm](https://www.insidermedia.com/news/midlands/the-access-group-swoops-for-route-planning-and-optimisation-software-firm). The Access Group has agreed to acquire MaxOptra, a cloud route-optimisation and delivery-management platform. The deal expands Access's supply-chain software capabilities for mid-market operators.
- 18 June 2026, businesscloud.co.uk: [Ordo's tech snapped up by Access Group after its closure](https://businesscloud.co.uk/news/ordos-tech-snapped-up-by-access-group-after-its-closure/). Access PaySuite, a division of The Access Group, acquired Ordo's open-banking technology after Ordo ceased trading. The deal expands Access PaySuite's payments and account-data infrastructure.
- 18 June 2026, insidermedia.com: [Access Group swoops for open banking infrastructure of shut down payments platform](https://www.insidermedia.com/news/midlands/access-group-swoops-for-open-banking-infrastructure-of-closed-payments-platform). The Access Group's Access PaySuite division has agreed to acquire the open-banking infrastructure of closed payments platform Ordo. The deal is intended to embed open banking natively across Access PaySuite platforms.

Notable negative coverage:

- 5 June 2026, edinburghlive.co.uk: [Edinburgh Council software tool for social workers delayed again as 'more time needed'](https://www.edinburghlive.co.uk/news/edinburgh-news/edinburgh-council-software-tool-social-34074945). Edinburgh Council has delayed deployment of The Access Group's Mosaic social-work case-management software until late autumn for further testing and workstream completion. The implementation is being integrated with CGI.

- [The Access Group deep dive](https://www.omniscan.ai/benchmarks/uk-accounting-software-2026-h1?entity=theaccessgroup&view=deep-dive)
- [The Access Group PDF report](https://www.omniscan.ai/benchmarks/uk-accounting-software-2026-h1/reports/theaccessgroup.pdf)

### Dext

**Product & AI shaped Dext's media profile during H1 2026**

Dext ranked 6th of 7 by average monthly share of coverage (4.8%) in the UK Accounting & Business Software benchmark for H1 2026, with 23 mentions and a net tone of +65.

Dext was fifth in both January and February, with shares of 6.8% and 6.5% respectively. Independent January coverage centred on Dext’s research into financial and compliance errors arising from general-purpose AI, alongside a practice beta-testing Dext Solo for MTD bookkeeping. February broadened the product story through the launch of Dext Payments for UK customers using Xero. Dext’s share reached 9.7% in March while its rank remained fifth; contemporaneous company-focused coverage included the AI Assist launch, an MTD pricing guide and a community discussion about Dext Solo charges and limitations. Share then fell to 2% and rank to sixth in April, when the sole article was contributed material describing AI Assist use cases. May brought a partial recovery to 3.8% and fifth place, alongside contributed Accountex coverage featuring IRIS and Dext. Dext recorded no measured mentions in June, so no rank or themes can be assigned for that month. Overall, independent editorial reporting supplied the strongest launch and research evidence, while contributed, community and contextual material became more prominent outside the January-to-March run. Visibility peaked in March 2026 at 9.7%, compared with 0% in June 2026. March 2026: Dext launched AI Assist to learn bookkeeping workflows and support reviewed automation, reported by FinTech Global.

Key messages:

- Visibility peaked in March 2026 at 9.7%, compared with 0% in June 2026.
- January 2026: Dext research on losses and compliance errors linked to general-purpose AI was reported by City AM.
- Dext has launched Dext Payments for UK Xero users, enabling invoice-capture data to flow into payment approval and settlement workflows. The product is supported by Airwallex and has payroll payments, spend cards and invoice-payment links on its roadmap.
- Dext has launched AI Assist, which learns firm-specific bookkeeping decisions and suggests transaction treatments with explanations. It is included in Dext Solo for MTD, while other package pricing will include a subscription and usage-based element.
- Dext has launched AI Assist, an AI agent that learns bookkeeping workflows and automates routine categorisation and data-structuring decisions with human review. It is rolling out across the platform with a free trial until 23 April.
- Dext outlines UK accounting-firm use cases for Dext AI Assist, including receipt and invoice processing, reduced manual work and support for MTD for Income Tax. The article stresses professional oversight of AI-supported accounting decisions.

Leading themes:

- Product & AI: 69.6% of Dext's coverage (theme index 2.43, net tone +69)
- Making Tax Digital & HMRC: 17.4% of Dext's coverage (theme index 0.82, net tone +75)
- Accountants & channel: 8.7% of Dext's coverage (theme index 1.17, net tone +100)

Notable positive coverage:

- 2 February 2026, accountingweb.co.uk: [Dext closes the loop with launch of payments feature](https://www.accountingweb.co.uk/tech/accounting-software/dext-closes-the-loop-with-launch-of-payments-feature). Dext has launched Dext Payments for UK customers, enabling invoice payment workflows within its bookkeeping platform. The product launches first for customers using Xero and is priced at £10 per client per month.
- 2 February 2026, accountancyage.com: [Dext Launches Payments, Game-Changer for UK Accountant Workflows?](https://accountancyage.com/2026/02/02/dext-launches-integrated-payments-uk-accountants/). Dext has launched Dext Payments for UK Xero users, enabling invoice-capture data to flow into payment approval and settlement workflows. The product is supported by Airwallex and has payroll payments, spend cards and invoice-payment links on its roadmap.
- 23 March 2026, accountingweb.co.uk: [Dext launches AI Assist tool: Supplier rules on steroids?](https://www.accountingweb.co.uk/tech/accounting-software/dext-launches-ai-assist-tool-supplier-rules-on-steroids). Dext has launched AI Assist, which learns firm-specific bookkeeping decisions and suggests transaction treatments with explanations. It is included in Dext Solo for MTD, while other package pricing will include a subscription and usage-based element.

Notable negative coverage:

- 26 March 2026, accountingweb.co.uk: [Dext Solo - Rental Statement Extraction Is Extra!](https://www.accountingweb.co.uk/any-answers/dext-solo-rental-statement-extraction-is-extra). An accountant raises concerns about Dext Solo's forthcoming rental-statement extraction charges and several product limitations for landlord and self-employed clients preparing for MTD. The post also questions support for jointly held properties, uploads, reminders, reconciliation and bank-feed continuity.

- [Dext deep dive](https://www.omniscan.ai/benchmarks/uk-accounting-software-2026-h1?entity=dext&view=deep-dive)
- [Dext PDF report](https://www.omniscan.ai/benchmarks/uk-accounting-software-2026-h1/reports/dext.pdf)

### FreeAgent

**FreeAgent’s MTD profile broadened through products and practitioner issues**

FreeAgent ranked 7th of 7 by average monthly share of coverage (4.0%) in the UK Accounting & Business Software benchmark for H1 2026, with 17 mentions and a net tone of +6.

January’s two articles were contextual mentions rather than FreeAgent developments, while February and March introduced company-focused community discussions about inactive-client access, MTD authorisation and subscriptions for rental income. In April, independent Daily Record coverage reported FreeAgent research on sole-trader preparedness and its campaign with Dominic Littlewood. Visibility then fell to zero in May, after a 5.9% share and fifth place in April. June restored a 5.9% share and widened the agenda through the independently reported launch of an AI-powered rental-statement tool and FreeAgent’s tax guidance for freelancers travelling to the World Cup. February 2026: share rose by 2.0 points to 4.3% and rank improved from seventh to sixth; an AccountingWEB community discussion examined read-only access for an inactive FreeAgent client. FreeAgent launched an AI-powered rental-statement capture and categorisation feature for landlords. The product is positioned to help bookkeepers and accounting firms prepare landlord clients for UK Making Tax Digital requirements. An accountancy practitioner compares FreeAgent and Xero handling of a sole trader’s separate rental income under MTD. FreeAgent requires a second subscription, while Xero can accommodate it in one organisation only on a higher plan. Two Bedford accountants are launching a construction-focused practice ahead of the Universal Studios development, using automation to scale operations. They are beta testing Dext Solo for MTD bookkeeping and also discuss Xero, QuickBooks and FreeAgent.

Key messages:

- April 2026: Daily Record independently reported FreeAgent research on sole-trader MTD preparedness and its campaign with Dominic Littlewood.
- FreeAgent launched an AI-powered rental-statement capture and categorisation feature for landlords. The product is positioned to help bookkeepers and accounting firms prepare landlord clients for UK Making Tax Digital requirements.
- An accountancy practitioner compares FreeAgent and Xero handling of a sole trader’s separate rental income under MTD. FreeAgent requires a second subscription, while Xero can accommodate it in one organisation only on a higher plan.
- Two Bedford accountants are launching a construction-focused practice ahead of the Universal Studios development, using automation to scale operations. They are beta testing Dext Solo for MTD bookkeeping and also discuss Xero, QuickBooks and FreeAgent.
- The article explains the April 2026 rollout of Making Tax Digital for Income Tax and its quarterly filing requirements for higher-income sole traders and landlords. It includes FreeAgent survey findings and comment on low awareness of the changes.
- An accountancy practice asks how to place a former sole-trader client’s FreeAgent account into free read-only status while retaining access for cessation accounts.

Leading themes:

- Making Tax Digital & HMRC: 64.7% of FreeAgent's coverage (theme index 3.35, net tone +18)
- Product & AI: 11.8% of FreeAgent's coverage (theme index 0.37, net tone +50)
- Service, security & outages: 11.8% of FreeAgent's coverage (theme index 2.05, net tone −50)

Notable positive coverage:

- 23 June 2026, finovate.com: [FreeAgent Unveils New AI Tool for Landlords](https://finovate.com/freeagent-unveils-new-ai-tool-for-landlords/). FreeAgent launched an AI-powered rental-statement capture and categorisation feature for landlords. The product is positioned to help bookkeepers and accounting firms prepare landlord clients for UK Making Tax Digital requirements.

Notable negative coverage:

- 12 March 2026, accountingweb.co.uk: [FRS client with rental income - 2nd sub?](https://www.accountingweb.co.uk/any-answers/frs-client-with-rental-income-2nd-sub). An accountancy practitioner compares FreeAgent and Xero handling of a sole trader’s separate rental income under MTD. FreeAgent requires a second subscription, while Xero can accommodate it in one organisation only on a higher plan.

- [FreeAgent deep dive](https://www.omniscan.ai/benchmarks/uk-accounting-software-2026-h1?entity=freeagent&view=deep-dive)
- [FreeAgent PDF report](https://www.omniscan.ai/benchmarks/uk-accounting-software-2026-h1/reports/freeagent.pdf)

## Methodology

- **Share of coverage**: an organisation's mentions divided by all mentions of the organisations tracked in the same sector that month, in UK earned media. It is the central measure of media visibility in Omniscan benchmarks. "Average monthly share" is the mean of the monthly shares across the reporting period.
- **Mention**: one article that covers an organisation, classified as positive, neutral or negative in tone. Articles are deduplicated, and an organisation's own websites and passing sponsorship name-checks are excluded, so only earned media counts.
- **Net tone**: positive mentions minus negative mentions, as a percentage of all mentions (range −100 to +100).
- **Themes**: every article is assigned to one of the sector's editorial themes. A theme index above 1 means the organisation is covered on that theme more than its peers are; below 1 means less.
- **Calculation**: every figure is computed directly from the classified articles; narrative summaries are checked against those figures.
- **Sources**: UK national and international, trade and specialist, regional and local, and aggregator and syndication earned media.

## Other UK Accounting & Business Software editions

- [UK accounting & business software media reputation tracker – 2026 year to date](https://www.omniscan.ai/benchmarks/uk-accounting-software-2026-ytd.md)
- [UK accounting & business software media reputation tracker – July 2026](https://www.omniscan.ai/benchmarks/uk-accounting-software-2026-07.md)
- [UK accounting & business software media reputation tracker – August 2026](https://www.omniscan.ai/benchmarks/uk-accounting-software-2026-08.md)
- [UK accounting & business software media reputation tracker – September 2026](https://www.omniscan.ai/benchmarks/uk-accounting-software-2026-09.md)
- [All Omniscan media benchmarks](https://www.omniscan.ai/benchmarks.md)

## How to cite

Omniscan, "UK accounting & business software media reputation tracker", H1 2026 (1 January 2026–30 June 2026), published 1 September 2026. https://www.omniscan.ai/benchmarks/uk-accounting-software-2026-h1