Tax for app, game and software makers, worked out from your bank statement
Selling apps, games, plugins or a SaaS? Running a website or forum that earns from ads? Payouts arrive from Apple, Google, Steam or Stripe after the store's cut, often converted from dollars or euros. Debbie reads your bank statement, finds your payouts and the costs you can claim and shows roughly what you owe, so you can file your own tax return.
Built by someone who makes software. Debbie is built by James, a UK sole trader who writes software himself. He made it for people like him.
Self Assessment for software makers in three steps
What you actually do in Debbie. Where we have a real screen from the app, it is shown.
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1
Upload your bank statement
Export a statement from your banking app as a PDF, CSV, OFX or QIF and drop it into Debbie. It treats a row as personal unless there is a reason to think it is business.
Hosting, domains and developer tools such as GitHub, Vercel, AWS, Cloudflare or Namecheap come through as costs.
A real screen from the app. -
2
Check your store and ad payouts
Money in from Apple, Google Play, AdMob, Steam, itch.io, Stripe or Paddle is your sales or ad income. Debbie asks you to confirm the first payout from each instead of guessing, then remembers your answer.
It never quietly hides money in as personal, because leaving income out is the costly mistake.
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3
Add the hours you work from home
Build, test or answer users from home? HMRC's flat rate lets you claim a set amount a month for the hours you work there, no bills or receipts needed: £10 for 25 to 50 hours, £18 for 51 to 100 hours and £26 for 101 hours or more. Log your months in Debbie and it adds up the year. GOV.UK: simplified expenses for working from home.
A real screen from the 2026/27 tax year.
Hosting, domains and subscriptions
Hosting, domains, software subscriptions, developer accounts, AI and API usage, game engines and asset store purchases are business costs when they are for the work. Debbie leans towards business for these, then you check. GOV.UK: expenses if you're self-employed.
Your computer and test devices
A computer, phone or test device you buy for the work counts. Debbie claims it through capital allowances. The Annual Investment Allowance lets you take the full cost off in the year you buy it. If you also use it personally, you claim only the business share. GOV.UK: Annual Investment Allowance.
Payouts in dollars or euros
Stores often pay in another currency and your bank converts it. Debbie books what lands in your bank in pounds, so the figure on your statement is the figure in your records. Keep the store's own payout reports with your records too. GOV.UK: business records if you're self-employed.
App store fees
Apple, Google and Steam pay you after taking their cut, so a payout is less than your sales. For the £1,000 trading allowance it is your sales before fees that count, so your store's sales report matters as well as your bank. GOV.UK: tax-free allowances on trading income.
No construction paperwork
The Construction Industry Scheme is for building work, so Debbie never asks software makers about it. GOV.UK: what the Construction Industry Scheme is.
Making Tax Digital? Most people do not need it yet
Making Tax Digital only starts once your self employment and property money in, added together before costs, is over £50,000 from April 2026, £30,000 from April 2027 and £20,000 from April 2028. GOV.UK: sign up for Making Tax Digital for Income Tax.
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Until then, see your tax estimate and download your Tax Return Pack to file it yourself or have someone file it for you.
A real screen from the app. -
If it does apply, Debbie connects to HMRC and sends your quarterly updates for you, only after you check the figures and tap to confirm.
A real quarterly update screen from a test account, 2025/26 tax year.
How the tax adds up
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Your payouts and costs come together as one profit figure, the figure you pay tax on, with your Income Tax and National Insurance estimate underneath. Payments on account are advance payments towards next year's bill, due 31 January and 31 July. GOV.UK: payments on account.
A real screen from a test account, 2025/26 tax year.
Put tax aside each month
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Debbie works out a monthly amount to put aside so your bill is covered by 31 January, including your first payment on account.
A real screen from a test account.
Software maker tax questions
Do I pay tax on app or game sales in the UK?
Money from app stores, game stores, in-app purchases, subscriptions and ads is trading income. If your trading income for the tax year (6 April to 5 April) is over £1,000 before costs, you need to tell HMRC. GOV.UK: tax-free allowances on trading income.
Is the £1,000 counted before or after the app store takes its cut?
Before. The trading allowance is measured on your sales before any fees or costs, so add the store's cut back on to your payouts. You either take the £1,000 or claim your real costs, not both. GOV.UK: tax-free allowances on trading income.
My payouts arrive in dollars or euros. What does Debbie record?
Debbie books the amount that landed in your bank in pounds, after the store or your bank converted it. Keep the store's own payout reports with your business records as well. GOV.UK: business records if you're self-employed.
Can I claim the computer I build on?
Yes, if you bought it for the work. It goes in through capital allowances. The Annual Investment Allowance lets you take the full cost off in the year you buy it. If you also use it personally, you claim only the business share. GOV.UK: Annual Investment Allowance.
Can I claim for working from home?
Yes. HMRC's flat rate gives £10 a month for 25 to 50 hours, £18 for 51 to 100 hours and £26 for 101 hours or more, with no bills needed. Log the hours each month and Debbie adds up the year. GOV.UK: simplified expenses for working from home.
See every feature Debbie has, for software makers and everyone else, on the full feature list.
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