BAS and bookkeeping for content creators and influencers, without the Sunday-night spreadsheet
A creator’s bank statement is a mix nobody else has: an AdSense payment in dollars converted from US cents, a Twitch or Patreon payout that arrived after a platform fee you never saw, a brand deal paid by an Australian agency with GST on it, an affiliate commission from an overseas store, a camera body, three lights, a subscription to every editing tool ever made, and a box of products a brand sent you that the ATO considers income. Some of that is GST-free, some is taxable, and all of it is assessable.
FlowFi reads the statement you already have, categorises every deposit by where it came from so platform payouts and brand deals sit on separate lines, sorts the gear from the subscriptions, and builds the quarter’s BAS. You check it, confirm which income is a GST-free export, copy the labels into ATO Online, and get back to filming.
General information only, not tax advice. Check your own situation with a registered tax agent or the ATO.
What FlowFi does for content creators and influencers
Sorts gear from subscriptions
Cameras, lenses, lights and microphones are flagged as equipment so you can write them off or depreciate them. Editing software, stock music, hosting and cloud storage land as monthly running costs with their GST worked out.
Shows platform income and brand deals separately
Payments from overseas platforms for advertising and licensing are usually GST-free exports, but they still count toward the $75,000 registration threshold. Brand deals with Australian businesses carry GST. FlowFi categorises each deposit by its source, so the two kinds of income are visible as separate lines when you review the quarter.
Handles foreign currency deposits
Platform payouts arrive already converted, so the Australian dollar amount that hit your account is the amount to report. FlowFi records the deposit as income on the date it landed, and you keep the platform’s own statement for the gross figure and the fee.
Keeps the home studio honest
Internet, power, and the room you film in are claimed at the business share for the hours you work. FlowFi categorises the bills so the percentage is applied to real figures, not a guess in June.
Builds your BAS from the bank statement
Upload the quarter, review the pre-filled G1, 1A and 1B, and copy them into ATO Online. Check the 1A figure against your GST-free platform income before you lodge, because on a creator’s BAS that one label is where the money is.
How it works
Upload your bank statement
Export a CSV or PDF from your bank (CBA, Westpac, NAB, ANZ, Macquarie and most others) and drop it into FlowFi. No bank login, ever.
AI sorts every transaction
Income, expenses, equipment and transfers are categorised, GST is worked out on each line and likely deductions are flagged for you to confirm.
Review and lodge your BAS
Check the pre-filled labels, copy them into ATO Online in about five minutes, or export the pack for your accountant. FlowFi does not lodge for you.
Common deductions for content creators and influencers
Expenses content creators and influencers often claim. FlowFi flags these categories as they appear in your statement so you can confirm each one.
- Cameras, lenses, lighting, microphones, tripods, gimbals and computers, written off in the year or depreciated
- Editing, design and streaming software, stock footage and music licences, hosting, domains and cloud storage
- Phone and internet at the business share, and the running costs of a home studio for the hours you work there
- Platform and payment fees taken out of payouts, and agency or management commissions
- Props, sets, consumables and products bought specifically to feature in content, at the business share
- Travel and accommodation when the trip is for filming, apportioned for any private days
- Contractors: editors, thumbnail designers, virtual assistants, with their invoices and ABNs on file
- Advertising, giveaways run for the channel, professional development and industry memberships
General information only, not tax advice. Check your own situation with a registered tax agent or the ATO.
Email me the quarterly BAS checklist
The checklist now, then a few short notes on getting your BAS done. No spam, unsubscribe any time.
Pricing
Flat monthly pricing. No percentage of your income, no lock-in, cancel any time. Every account starts with 14 days of Pro free, no card needed.
Pro
or $290 a year (two months free). 14-day free trial, no card.
- Unlimited transactions and uploads
- Unlimited invoices with automatic reminders
- Full AI categorisation and deduction flags
- BAS preparation with a copy-guide for ATO Online
- Receipt scanning, mileage and cash-flow forecast
- One-click accountant export
Business
or $590 a year (two months free). For anyone with a bookkeeper or partner in the books.
- Everything in Pro
- Unlimited bank accounts
- Up to 5 users with role-based access
- Advanced AI insights
- AI support and API access
Questions content creators and influencers ask
A brand sent me products in exchange for a post. Is that income?
Yes. When you receive goods or services in return for promoting them, the market value of what you received is assessable income, and if you are registered for GST the promotion you supplied is a taxable sale at that value. A gift with no obligation attached is different, so keep the email that shows there were no strings. Record the value the day it arrives so it is not forgotten in June.
My income is mostly YouTube and Twitch, paid in US dollars. Is it GST-free?
Payments from an overseas platform for advertising or licensing are generally a GST-free export of services, so no GST is collected on them. They still count toward your GST turnover, so once you pass $75,000 in a rolling twelve months you must register even if most of your sales are GST-free. Report the Australian dollar amount that arrived in your account.
Can I claim clothes, makeup and hair for filming?
Usually not. Ordinary clothing, grooming and makeup are private even when you wear them on camera. Costumes and items that are specific to a performance and unsuitable for everyday wear can be deductible. Products bought to review or feature in a video are a business expense to the extent they are used for that, not for you afterwards.
Am I a business or is this a hobby?
Regular uploads, sponsorships, a plan to grow and an intention to make a profit point to a business, which means the income is assessable and the expenses are deductible. A hobby has neither. If it is a business and it lost money this year, the non-commercial loss rules decide whether the loss offsets your other income. See the hobby versus business guide linked below.
General information only, not tax advice. Check your own situation with a registered tax agent or the ATO.
Keep reading
FlowFi for related trades
Finish the books before the next upload
Upload one bank statement and see platform payouts, brand deals, gear, subscriptions and GST already categorised.
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