Creative & digital
MTD software for web developers.
Ship the project. Stop maintaining a tax spreadsheet.
Client builds, maintenance retainers and hosting bills can create more admin than expected. Avona helps sole-trader developers organise the records behind their work without turning tax into another side project.
- Who it is for
- Web developers working as sole traders, managing their own business records and MTD for Income Tax updates.
- Available now
- Digital records, bank feeds, statement imports, transaction categorisation and quarterly self-employment updates. Pro adds customer invoicing, VAT accounting and reporting.
- Monthly price
- From £15/month for Lite. Pro is £20/month.
- Free trial
- Full access for 7 days. No credit card required.
- Annual-return limitations
- Quarterly updates do not replace your annual tax return. HMRC lists annual-return items including PAYE income, interest, dividends and pensions as in development. Check the listing and confirm support for your income sources before relying on Avona for your annual return.
Making Tax Digital
It’s what comes in.
Before costs go out.
Day-rate contracts and support retainers can cross MTD thresholds quickly. Cloud bills and hardware purchases reduce profit, not the gross income used to assess whether you must join.
Understand Making Tax Digital →When does MTD apply?
Combined qualifying self-employment and property income, before expenses:
- Over £50,000 in 2024/25
- From 6 April 2026
- Over £30,000 in 2025/26
- From 6 April 2027
- Over £20,000 in 2026/27
- From 6 April 2028
Eligibility and exemptions matter. These are income thresholds, not tax-free allowances.
Check HMRC’s eligibility guidance ↗From the work to your records
Clear records for your website build.
Bring the evidence into Avona, review the suggested categories and check the figures before submitting. These three examples show the records behind your website build, shared purchases and a website-maintenance retainer.
| What you bring | How you use Avona | What you check |
|---|---|---|
| £1,600 for your website build £210 spent on project-specific hosting and software | Connect your bank or import the payment, then upload the invoice or receipt for project-specific hosting and software. Review the income and the purchase as separate records. | Keep £1,600 as the sale and the £210 cost separately. The £1,390 left after this cost is not turnover. Check that the spending is eligible for your business. |
| £100 mixed purchase £80 for hosting for a client website; £20 for hosting for a personal hobby site | Upload the itemised receipt and review the suggested category. Identify hosting for a client website separately from hosting for a personal hobby site. | Only the eligible £80 business portion belongs in business costs. Exclude the £20 personal purchase, and check that importing both the bank transaction and the receipt has not counted the spending twice. |
| £300 monthly service payment An agreement covering a defined service period | Bring the bank payment into Avona and retain the agreement for a website-maintenance retainer. Check which month or service period the receipt covers. | Repeated descriptions can represent legitimate payments for different periods. Check the agreement before treating one as a duplicate, and keep one-off project fees or extra work separately identifiable. |
Keep supporting documents alongside your figures, review business use and apply your accounting method consistently. HMRC: keeping business records ↗
The costs behind your work
Six expenses worth
keeping records for.
Examples for web developers. Claim only eligible business costs; mixed use, equipment and your accounting method can change the treatment.
Business cloud hosting
Domain renewals
Development hardware
IDE subscriptions
Repository service fees
Co-working costs
One thing to watch
Client hosting and your own services need a clear trail
If you resell hosting, keep the client charge and supplier cost visible. Do not assume a recharge is outside turnover simply because it covers a bill you paid.
HMRC: keeping business records ↗Fit the admin around the work
A routine around your website build.
Review recurring retainers and cloud charges, attach hardware invoices and check client reimbursements before sending your quarterly figures.
Capture the supporting documents
Upload receipts or invoices for project-specific hosting and software. Keep the date, supplier and amount legible, and distinguish hosting for a client website from hosting for a personal hobby site.
How document capture works →Reconcile your website build payments
Review each customer receipt against the work it covers. Keep the breakdown for a website-maintenance retainer available alongside the bank entry, so fees, refunds or timing differences can be explained.
How bank review works →Review before you submit
Review Avona AI’s suggested categories, check that your website build income is complete, and remove duplicate or personal spending. Keep the evidence for a website-maintenance retainer ready for your annual-return review too.
Before you get started
Questions from web developers.
Does MTD apply to everyone in this profession?
No. This page covers web developers working as sole traders. Your start date depends on combined qualifying self-employment and property income before expenses, and any exemptions. Employment and limited-company work have different reporting arrangements.
Are hosting recharges part of my records?
Keep the provider invoice and related charge to the client. The contract determines the arrangement; do not simply erase a hosting cost against the customer payment and lose the evidence.
How do I record a website-maintenance retainer?
Example: £300 monthly service payment (an agreement covering a defined service period). Repeated descriptions can represent legitimate payments for different periods. Check the agreement before treating one as a duplicate, and keep one-off project fees or extra work separately identifiable.
Which bookkeeping issue should I watch for?
Client hosting and your own services need a clear trail. If you resell hosting, keep the client charge and supplier cost visible. Do not assume a recharge is outside turnover simply because it covers a bill you paid.
Can I keep using my existing spreadsheet?
Yes. Bring your website build income records and evidence of project-specific hosting and software into Avona using supported spreadsheet uploads. Check dates, categories, personal spending and duplicates against the original documents before you approve the records.
Do quarterly updates complete my annual tax return?
No. You still need the annual tax return and any relevant adjustments or other income. HMRC currently lists annual-return items including PAYE income, interest, dividends and pensions as in development for Avona. Confirm support for your own income sources and circumstances before relying on Avona for the annual return.
Built for the way you earn
Simplify your developer tax workflow.
Choosing Avona
Your questions, answered.
Can I create customer invoices?
Yes. You can create customer invoices with Avona Pro.
What if I am VAT-registered?
Full VAT accounting is available with Avona Pro, so you can manage your VAT-registered business with Avona.
Can my accountant review my records?
Yes. You can connect your Avona account to your bookkeeper or accountant so they can review your records.
Can I use my phone on site?
Yes. Every feature has a mobile-friendly version, so you can manage your accounts from your phone while you are on the move.
Can I keep using my personal bank account?
Yes. Avona supports Open Banking connections and PDF bank statement uploads. You can clearly separate personal and business transactions to keep your business records organised.