Airtasker and hipages tax obligations: what taskers and tradies need to know
Airtasker, hipages, Oneflare and the other job platforms are a good source of work for handypeople, cleaners, removalists, tradies and anyone with a skill and a weekend. They are also a source of confusion at tax time, because the platform takes a cut, the customer pays through an app, and nobody sends you a payment summary. This guide sets out what you owe, what you can claim and what the ATO already knows.
Updated 16 September 2026. General information only, not tax advice.
Business income, not pocket money
If you take on tasks regularly, price them to make a profit and treat it as work, you are running a business and the income is assessable, however small. A few one-off favours for neighbours can be a hobby; a weekly stream of paid jobs is not. The line is covered in hobby vs business. If you are on the business side of it, get an ABN, keep records and declare everything.
This is true whether the platform is your main income or a side line next to a job. Wages and platform income go in the same return, and the platform income is taxed on top.
How the platforms work for tax
Airtasker is a marketplace: the customer posts a task, you make an offer, the customer pays into escrow, and Airtasker releases the payment minus its service fee when the task is done. Your income is the full task price; the fee is a business expense. Airtasker is an Australian company and its fee invoices show GST, which you can claim if you are registered.
hipages and similar lead platforms work differently: you pay a subscription or per-lead fee to be sent job enquiries, then quote and invoice the customer directly. The subscription is a deductible marketing cost. The customer pays you, so your invoicing, GST and record keeping are the same as for any other job.
Either way, download the platform’s statements monthly. They are your evidence of gross income and fees.
GST
The ordinary threshold applies: register once your GST turnover reaches $75,000 in a rolling 12 months, or when you expect it to. Turnover is the gross task price before the platform’s fee, plus everything you earn off-platform. Once registered, your task prices include GST, you charge it on off-platform invoices too, and you claim the GST on the platform fee, materials, fuel and tools. See the $75,000 threshold explained.
Below the threshold you do not charge GST, and the platform’s fee is simply an expense including whatever GST is in it.
What you can claim
- Platform service fees, lead fees and subscriptions.
- Tools and equipment, written off in the year if under the instant asset write-off threshold, otherwise depreciated. See tools and equipment deductions.
- Materials bought for jobs, whether or not you on-charge them.
- Travel between jobs during the day, by logbook or cents per kilometre. The trip from home to the first job is usually private, unless you are carrying bulky tools with nowhere secure to leave them.
- Public liability insurance. Airtasker provides some cover for taskers, but your own policy is deductible.
- Protective clothing and boots, sun protection for outdoor work.
- Phone and data at the business share, and any bookkeeping software.
- Police checks or licence renewals required to keep doing the work.
What the ATO already knows
Under the sharing economy reporting regime, task and service platforms have been required to report payments to workers to the ATO since 1 July 2024 (rideshare and short-stay platforms since 1 July 2023). The ATO matches that data to tax returns. If your return shows less than the platforms reported, expect a letter. Declaring the gross figure and claiming the fees is both correct and the easiest way to make the numbers reconcile.
Tax on top of a job
Most taskers also have a job, so the platform profit is taxed at their marginal rate plus Medicare, with no withholding. Set aside a share of each payout, and expect PAYG instalments after your first profitable year. If the platform is your only income, the tax-free threshold and lower rates apply to the profit like any other sole trader. See side hustle tax for the full picture.
Keeping it simple
Use one bank account for platform income and job expenses. Upload the statement to FlowFi each month and the payouts, fees, fuel and tool purchases are categorised, with GST worked out if you are registered. Attach the platform statements and receipts to the matching transactions so the evidence sits with the numbers. At tax time it is a one-page summary rather than a shoebox.
Email me the quarterly BAS checklist
The checklist now, then a few short notes on getting your BAS done. No spam, unsubscribe any time.
Frequently asked questions
Does Airtasker withhold tax from my payments?
No. Platforms pay you the task price minus their fee and leave tax to you. Nothing is withheld, so keep some of every payout aside.
Do I declare the amount the customer paid or the amount I received?
Declare the gross task price and claim the platform fee as an expense. The result is the same profit, but it matches what the platform reports to the ATO.
Can I claim the hipages subscription if I did not win any jobs?
Yes. It is a marketing expense incurred in trying to earn business income, and it is deductible whether or not the leads converted.
General information only, not tax advice. Check your own situation with a registered tax agent or the ATO.
Platform payouts and fees, categorised for you
Upload one bank statement and FlowFi sorts task income, platform fees, fuel and tools, with GST worked out if you are registered.
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