Comparison

HMRC vs Access PayWise+

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

HMRC

Manage your taxes, benefits, and savings securely and easily. Check your tax code, claim refunds, and track your State Pension. Access Self Assessment and Child Benefit information, and find your National Insurance number.

Highlights
  • Quick secure sign-in
  • Check tax code and pay
  • Claim tax refunds
  • View State Pension details
  • Self Assessment payments
  • Manage Child Benefit
  • Find National Insurance number
Features
Read full description

Take control of your money and tax with the HMRC app It’s secure, free to download, and easy to use. Get on it, and join millions of people already saving time with the HMRC app. Key Features: - Quick setup: sign in using face recognition, fingerprint scan, or a six-digit PIN - Stay in control: check your tax code and see your pay before it even shows in your bank, so you know you're paying the right amount - Claim a tax refund: find out if you’re due any tax back from us and quickly claim a refund if you’re owed one - Check your State Pension: see how much State Pension you could get, when you can get it and how to increase it, if you can - Self Assessment: a safe and secure way to make Self Assessment payments and get information you'll need to file - Child Benefit support: claim, manage, and update your Child Benefit details - National Insurance: find and save your National Insurance number so you have it when you need it - Go paperless: opt to receive key messages from HMRC online Download the HMRC app today and stay on top of your money and taxes

About

Access PayWise+

Access earned wages before your payday with this financial wellbeing app. It offers smart money management tools, personalized AI coaching, and savings features to help you build financial resilience and manage your money confidently.

Highlights
  • Earned wage access
  • Real-time accrued wages
  • AI financial coach
  • Savings pots
  • Money management tools
Features
Read full description

PayWise+ Financial Wellbeing Made Simple The free PayWise+ app helps you take control of your finances with earned wage access, smart money management tools, and AI-powered support. Access wages you've already earned ahead of your normal pay date and send the money straight to your bank account. The app shows you real-time accrued wages, how much is available to withdraw, and a history of previous transactions. Plus, get personalised guidance from Penny, our AI financial coach, use savings pots to build financial resilience, and access tools to help you manage your money with confidence. Amounts withdrawn will be deducted from your next pay cheque along with any applicable fees.

Screenshots

HMRC4 screens
Access PayWise+4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Access PayWise+ at 86% against HMRC's 47%. Access PayWise+ also leads on iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.0). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

HMRC ships an update monthly, Access PayWise+ every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 24, 2026 and September 22, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
HMRC versus Access PayWise+: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterHMRCAccess PayWise+
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.8 (583 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews47.3% of reviews86.4% of reviews — better
Number of ratings583 — better—
Update frequencyMonthlyEvery 3 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFreeFree
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.013.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size34 MB39 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperHMRCAccess UK Ltd

Customer experience

HMRC

All ratings583 ratings
Positive95.0%
Neutral1.7%
Negative3.3%
Written reviews857 reviews
Positive47.3%
Neutral5.0%
Negative47.7%

Access PayWise+

Written reviews22 reviews
Positive86.4%
Neutral4.5%
Negative9.1%

Bugs and requests

HMRC

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Endless login loops and redirects
  • App freezing and becoming unresponsive
  • Inconsistent behavior after app updates
  • Issues with Face ID and biometric authentication

Requested features

4 requests
  • Improved notification system for tax updates
  • Ability to view and manage tax details in-app
  • Better integration with banking apps for payments
  • More user-friendly design and navigation

Access PayWise+

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

HMRC

No in-app purchases

None

Access PayWise+

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is HMRC free?
HMRC is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Access PayWise+ free?
Access PayWise+ is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do HMRC or Access PayWise+ have ads?
Neither HMRC nor Access PayWise+ shows ads.
Which is updated more often, HMRC or Access PayWise+?
HMRC ships an update monthly, and Access PayWise+ every 3 weeks. Most recently, HMRC was updated on September 24, 2026 and Access PayWise+ on September 22, 2026.

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