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Side hustle income tracker for Australians
Payouts from marketplaces, delivery apps and freelance sites add up faster than people think, and they all count. A simple tracker shows your real profit and keeps tax time painless.
Does side hustle income count?
Generally, yes. The ATO has a page on reporting all the income you earn online and a section on the sharing economy and tax. Whether something is a hobby or a business depends on your circumstances, so check those pages or ask a registered tax agent.
What to log
- Income: date, platform or client, gross amount, fees the platform took, amount that hit your bank.
- Expenses: date, supplier, what it was for, amount, and the business-use share if it's also personal.
- Monthly view: income minus expenses for each month and for the July-to-June financial year.
Watch the GST threshold
Once your GST turnover reaches $75,000 you must register for GST, according to the ATO's Registering for GST page. The ATO also says ride-sourcing drivers must be registered for GST before their first trip, whatever they earn (ride-sourcing registrations). A running 12-month total in your tracker shows you when you're getting close.
Set money aside
Nobody withholds tax from side-hustle payouts. A simple habit is to move a fixed percentage of every payout into a separate savings account. The right percentage depends on your income, so treat it as a savings habit, not a tax calculation.
General information only, not tax advice. Rules and rates change, so check the linked ato.gov.au page for the current version, or ask a registered tax agent about your situation.
- GST calculator: add or remove 10% GST — runs in your browser, nothing is sent anywhere.
- Tax set-aside calculator for 2026–27 — runs in your browser, nothing is sent anywhere.
Want it done for you? Side Hustle Income Tracker Australia (.xlsx)
Log every payout and expense and see profit by month and financial year, with a GST Watch tab that flags the $75,000 line and ride-sourcing.
- 7 tabs including Income, Expenses, Monthly, FY Summary and GST Watch
- 500 income and 500 expense rows; rename the sources
- Set-aside helper at your own % (no tax rates)
- Tested in LibreOffice Calc
US$8.99 one-time on Whop. Instant download.
See it on Whop →Related guides
- GST and BAS tracker spreadsheet for Australian sole traders
- Car logbook and mileage log: cents per km vs logbook method
- How much should I charge as a sole trader in Australia?
General information only, not financial, tax or legal advice. Check the official pages linked above, or ask a registered tax agent, before you rely on anything here. Last checked 16 Nov 2026.