Comparison

HMRC vs SJP

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

SJP

Manage your investments with a secure and user-friendly mobile application. Track the performance of your pension, ISAs, and bonds, view current investment values, and access expert insights and personal documents.

Highlights
  • Biometric sign-in
  • Real-time investment values
  • Performance tracking (pension, ISAs, bonds)
  • Fund breakdown details
  • Expert insights
  • Personal document library
Features
Read full description

The SJP app, a simple, safe, and convenient way to keep track of your investments. As a client of SJP you can benefit from easy access to the following great features: - Simple sign-up process - Biometric sign in - Get current values on your investments including encashment values - See deposits and withdrawals - Track how your pension, ISAs, bonds and more are performing - See more detail with fund breakdowns - Get invaluable information from our experts in the insights section - Read the latest correspondence from us in your personal document library By installing this app, you are agreeing to SJP’s Privacy and Cookies Policy. For more information about how SJP processes your personal data please see SJP’s Privacy and Cookies Policy at https://www.sjp.co.uk/privacy-policy. About St. James’s Place. SJP offers clear financial advice and knowledge to create confidence. We’re here to help you and your money go further ¬– and do better. With us to guide you, you can create a future, and a world, that you believe in. (Please see our website for full terms and conditions. T&Cs apply.) St. James’s Place Wealth Management plc is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Registered Office: St. James’s Place House, 1 Tetbury Road, Cirencester, GL7 1FP. Registered in England No. 04113955

Screenshots

HMRC4 screens
SJP4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: HMRC at 47% against SJP's 18%. HMRC also leads on iOS requirement (15.0 vs 17.0). 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, SJP every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on September 29, 2026 and September 28, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
HMRC versus SJP: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterHMRCSJP
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.8 (583 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews47.5% of reviews — better18.2% of reviews
Number of ratings583 — better—
Update frequencyMonthly — betterEvery 2 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFreeFree
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS15.0 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size34 MB116 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperHMRCSt. James's Place

Customer experience

HMRC

All ratings583 ratings
Positive95.0%
Neutral1.7%
Negative3.3%
Written reviews870 reviews
Positive47.5%
Neutral4.9%
Negative47.6%

SJP

Written reviews66 reviews
Positive18.2%
Neutral9.1%
Negative72.7%

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

SJP

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

HMRC

No in-app purchases

None

SJP

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is HMRC free?
HMRC is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is SJP free?
SJP is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do HMRC or SJP have ads?
Neither HMRC nor SJP shows ads.
Which is updated more often, HMRC or SJP?
HMRC ships an update monthly, and SJP every 2 months. Most recently, HMRC was updated on September 29, 2026 and SJP on September 28, 2026.

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