Health, beauty & wellness
MTD software for personal trainers.
Build a tax routine you can stick to.
Gym sessions, outdoor boot camps and online coaching can create several income streams. Avona helps you organise client packages, floor rent and coaching costs with a regular review instead of a year-end scramble.
- Who it is for
- Personal trainers 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.
Monthly packages and one-off sessions all contribute to gross income. Gym rent, coaching apps and equipment reduce profit, not the sales figure used for the MTD threshold.
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 one-to-one training sessions.
Bring the evidence into Avona, review the suggested categories and check the figures before submitting. These three examples show the records behind your one-to-one training sessions, shared purchases and a prepaid personal-training block.
| What you bring | How you use Avona | What you check |
|---|---|---|
| £400 for your one-to-one training sessions £100 spent on gym floor rent | Connect your bank or import the payment, then upload the invoice or receipt for gym floor rent. Review the income and the purchase as separate records. | Keep £400 as the sale and the £100 cost separately. The £300 left after this cost is not turnover. Check that the spending is eligible for your business. |
| £100 mixed purchase £80 for resistance bands for client sessions; £20 for equipment kept solely for your own workouts | Upload the itemised receipt and review the suggested category. Identify resistance bands for client sessions separately from equipment kept solely for your own workouts. | 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. |
| £240 paid for a block of sessions Payment received before all sessions take place | Keep the booking and payment evidence for a prepaid personal-training block. Reconcile the receipt with the bank entry and retain any later refund details. | A prepaid block and its individual appointments are not separate sales to count twice. Apply your accounting method to payment timing; attendance alone does not show whether the client has paid. |
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 personal trainers. Claim only eligible business costs; mixed use, equipment and your accounting method can change the treatment.
Gym floor rent
CIMSPA membership
Relevant coaching CPD
Resistance bands and weights
Public liability insurance
Client tracking software
One thing to watch
Ordinary gym clothing is not normally deductible
Trainers and workout clothes can serve a personal purpose even when worn for coaching. Do not treat everyday sportswear like protective equipment or a qualifying uniform.
HMRC: clothing expenses ↗Fit the admin around the work
A routine around your one-to-one training sessions.
Review recurring client payments against gym charges, capture coaching supplies and separate personal workouts from business spending before filing.
Capture the supporting documents
Upload receipts or invoices for gym floor rent. Keep the date, supplier and amount legible, and distinguish resistance bands for client sessions from equipment kept solely for your own workouts.
How document capture works →Reconcile your one-to-one training sessions payments
Review each customer receipt against the work it covers. Keep the breakdown for a prepaid personal-training block 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 one-to-one training sessions income is complete, and remove duplicate or personal spending. Keep the evidence for a prepaid personal-training block ready for your annual-return review too.
Before you get started
Questions from personal trainers.
Does MTD apply to everyone in this profession?
No. This page covers personal trainers 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.
Are my gym clothes automatically a business expense?
No. Ordinary sportswear is not automatically deductible because you wear it to coach. Keep it distinct from eligible teaching equipment and other business costs.
How do I record a prepaid personal-training block?
Example: £240 paid for a block of sessions (payment received before all sessions take place). A prepaid block and its individual appointments are not separate sales to count twice. Apply your accounting method to payment timing; attendance alone does not show whether the client has paid.
Which bookkeeping issue should I watch for?
Ordinary gym clothing is not normally deductible. Trainers and workout clothes can serve a personal purpose even when worn for coaching. Do not treat everyday sportswear like protective equipment or a qualifying uniform.
Can I keep using my existing spreadsheet?
Yes. Bring your one-to-one training sessions income records and evidence of gym floor rent 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
Build your personal training tax routine.
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.