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BizTools for Australian Freelancers + Sole Traders
If you're freelancing or sole-trading in Australia, the practical questions are pricing, tax, and which software actually fits a solo workflow. Everything on this page is curated for AU freelancers + sole traders — calculators you can use today and software comparisons that don't fence-sit.
On this page
- Calculators for hourly rate, service pricing, BAS set-aside.
- Honest software comparisons (Hnry vs Rounded vs Xero vs MYOB).
- Plain-English guides for GST, tax, and structure decisions.
- Bank accounts most AU sole traders actually use.
Calculators
Calculators for freelancers actually use
Built for the decisions you make every week — pricing, quoting, costing, GST, payroll.
Calculator
Hourly Rate Calculator
Work out a defensible hourly rate that covers your cost base, overheads, and target take-home.
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Calculator
Service Pricing Calculator
Set a price for a service job that covers labour, overhead, and a target margin — not just guessing what the market tolerates.
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Calculator
BAS Set-Aside Calculator
Work out the exact GST to ring-fence from every invoice before BAS day.
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Calculator
GST Calculator AU
Quick GST inclusive / exclusive checks before sending a quote or invoice.
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Calculator
Cash Flow Runway Calculator
Check how long your current cash covers expenses if invoices stop landing this month.
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Calculator
Invoice Late Fee Calculator
Calculate fair late fees on overdue AU invoices.
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Guides + comparisons
Practical reading
Plain-English explanations + honest software comparisons for your persona.
Comparison
Best invoicing software for AU sole traders
Hnry vs Rounded vs Xero vs MYOB — the full 4-way comparison.
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Head-to-head
Hnry vs Rounded
Direct head-to-head: automated tax service vs sole-trader-shaped accounting software.
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Comparison
Best bank accounts for AU sole traders
Up, Macquarie, Wise, ANZ Plus, Hnry Account — fees + bucketing + international.
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Guide
How much tax to save as sole trader
Rules of thumb per income bracket — the simplest workflow that actually gets done.
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Guide
GST registration threshold AU
When the $75,000 rule kicks in + what happens when you cross it.
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Guide
Sole trader vs Pty Ltd: when to switch
Tax math + asset protection + when the switch actually pays off.
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Recommended tools
Software AU freelancers actually use
The lightest legitimate setups for solo AU freelancers — pick by whether you want to outsource tax or control it yourself.
Hnry
Sole trader tax + invoicing on autopilot
Australian sole-trader service that handles invoicing, GST, BAS, income tax, and super so you can stop juggling spreadsheets at quarter-end.
Rounded
Invoicing + accounting for AU freelancers
Lightweight invoicing, expense tracking, GST and BAS reporting built specifically for Australian freelancers and small operators.
Xero
Accounting software for growing businesses
The most widely used cloud accounting platform in Australia — invoicing, GST, payroll, BAS, and integrations with most banks and POS systems.
See the full comparison: best invoicing software for AU sole traders →
BizTools.au may earn a small commission if you start a paid plan after clicking an affiliate link. The commission does not change the price you pay and does not influence which tools we recommend — see our disclaimer for the full version.
FAQ
Common questions
- What's the simplest setup for a brand-new AU freelancer?
- ABN (free, takes 15 minutes at abr.gov.au), a no-fee everyday account (Up or Macquarie), and an invoicing approach. Below the $75k GST threshold you don't need to register for GST — just keep invoices simple and set aside a % of every payment for tax (see our 'How much tax to save' guide). When you cross $75k, you must register for GST within 21 days.
- Hnry or Rounded — which one should I start with?
- Hnry if you genuinely dislike tax admin and want it outsourced (1% capped at $1,500/yr, lodges your BAS + tax return). Rounded if you want clean invoicing + accounting and prefer to control your tax yourself (or via an accountant) at a flat $23.95/mo. We have a head-to-head dedicated to this exact decision.
- Do I need a separate business bank account as a sole trader?
- Legally no — you and your business are the same legal entity. Practically yes — mixing personal and business transactions makes BAS and tax painful. Most AU freelancers use a no-fee everyday account (Up or Macquarie) as a dedicated 'business' account.
- When should I switch from sole trader to a Pty Ltd?
- Usually when your profit consistently exceeds ~$120k AND you can leave some of it in the company, when your liability exposure increases, or when a customer requires it. Below that, the admin cost of a Pty Ltd usually wipes out the tax saving. Full decision logic in our sole-trader vs Pty Ltd guide.
Disclaimer
A note on the recommendations
Important note
BizTools.au is designed to make business numbers easier to check, but calculator outputs still need judgment and real-world context.
- Calculator results are general estimates only and depend on the figures entered.
- Examples and summaries are provided for general information, not legal, tax, accounting, payroll, or financial advice.
- Before relying on a result for a real decision, check your assumptions and get qualified advice where needed.