Professional services & education
MTD software for marketing consultants.
Grow your clients’ businesses. Stay on top of yours.
Retainers, strategy projects and campaign work bring a mix of recurring and one-off payments. Avona helps independent marketing consultants keep business income and spending organised.
- Who it is for
- Marketing consultants 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.
A client payment may cover your consultancy fee and campaign costs you have paid on their behalf. Keep the agreement and supporting evidence so the different amounts are treated correctly.
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 marketing-strategy project.
Bring the evidence into Avona, review the suggested categories and check the figures before submitting. These three examples show the records behind your marketing-strategy project, shared purchases and a marketing-consultancy retainer.
| What you bring | How you use Avona | What you check |
|---|---|---|
| £1,250 for your marketing-strategy project £170 spent on campaign research and presentation tools | Connect your bank or import the payment, then upload the invoice or receipt for campaign research and presentation tools. Review the income and the purchase as separate records. | Keep £1,250 as the sale and the £170 cost separately. The £1,080 left after this cost is not turnover. Check that the spending is eligible for your business. |
| £100 mixed purchase £80 for assets licensed for client campaigns; £20 for assets for a personal project | Upload the itemised receipt and review the suggested category. Identify assets licensed for client campaigns separately from assets for a personal project. | 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 marketing-consultancy 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 marketing consultants. Claim only eligible business costs; mixed use, equipment and your accounting method can change the treatment.
Marketing software
Business research subscriptions
Professional insurance
Website hosting
Business-use phone costs
Eligible client-meeting travel
One thing to watch
Do not confuse advertising with client entertaining
Business advertising and hospitality have different expense rules. Keep a campaign invoice separate from a client dinner and check eligibility rather than treating both as promotion.
HMRC: entertaining and subscriptions ↗Fit the admin around the work
A routine around your marketing-strategy project.
Upload software and campaign invoices, then reconcile retainers and project payments with the relevant client paperwork.
Capture the supporting documents
Upload receipts or invoices for campaign research and presentation tools. Keep the date, supplier and amount legible, and distinguish assets licensed for client campaigns from assets for a personal project.
How document capture works →Reconcile your marketing-strategy project payments
Review each customer receipt against the work it covers. Keep the breakdown for a marketing-consultancy 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 marketing-strategy project income is complete, and remove duplicate or personal spending. Keep the evidence for a marketing-consultancy retainer ready for your annual-return review too.
Before you get started
Questions from marketing consultants.
Does MTD apply to everyone in this profession?
No. This page covers marketing consultants 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.
Is a client's advertising transfer all consultancy income?
Keep the scope of work and advertising statements. Your fee, recharges and money handled for the client need to be distinguishable before deciding the accounting treatment.
How do I record a marketing-consultancy 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?
Do not confuse advertising with client entertaining. Business advertising and hospitality have different expense rules. Keep a campaign invoice separate from a client dinner and check eligibility rather than treating both as promotion.
Can I keep using my existing spreadsheet?
Yes. Bring your marketing-strategy project income records and evidence of campaign research and presentation tools 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
Bring your marketing-business books into focus.
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.