Health, beauty & wellness
MTD software for tattoo artists.
Focus on the artwork. Keep the books clean.
Day sessions, guest spots and studio splits mean the deposit in your bank rarely tells the whole story. Avona helps tattoo artists keep supplies, fees and customer payments organised between sittings.
- Who it is for
- Tattoo artists 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.
Day rates, smaller pieces and other business receipts accumulate before booth rent and studio percentages. Net settlements alone may understate the sales to use when checking MTD.
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 tattoo appointments.
Bring the evidence into Avona, review the suggested categories and check the figures before submitting. These three examples show the records behind your tattoo appointments, shared purchases and a custom tattoo booking.
| What you bring | How you use Avona | What you check |
|---|---|---|
| £720 for your tattoo appointments £180 spent on studio rental | Connect your bank or import the payment, then upload the invoice or receipt for studio rental. Review the income and the purchase as separate records. | Keep £720 as the sale and the £180 cost separately. The £540 left after this cost is not turnover. Check that the spending is eligible for your business. |
| £100 mixed purchase £80 for ink and needles for client work; £20 for personal art materials | Upload the itemised receipt and review the suggested category. Identify ink and needles for client work separately from personal art materials. | 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. |
| £200 booking payment, then £600 £800 agreed total | Keep the agreement for a custom tattoo booking and review both customer receipts against it. Bring in the payments through your bank feed or statement import. | The two payments account for the £800 total. Do not count the full invoice again as another receipt. Use your accounting method for timing, and retain evidence of any later cancellation or refund. |
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 tattoo artists. Claim only eligible business costs; mixed use, equipment and your accounting method can change the treatment.
Studio booth fees
Needles and cartridges
Tattoo inks
Autoclave testing
Barrier film
Council registration charges
One thing to watch
Understand the studio split before recording net pay
Check who contracts with the customer and who collects the fee. Where the full sale is yours, record it separately from the studio charge rather than treating only your share as turnover.
HMRC: keeping business records ↗Fit the admin around the work
A routine around your tattoo appointments.
Keep studio settlement statements, record cash appointments and attach supply receipts so a bank payout can be traced back to the work.
Capture the supporting documents
Upload receipts or invoices for studio rental. Keep the date, supplier and amount legible, and distinguish ink and needles for client work from personal art materials.
How document capture works →Reconcile your tattoo appointments payments
Review each customer receipt against the work it covers. Keep the breakdown for a custom tattoo booking 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 tattoo appointments income is complete, and remove duplicate or personal spending. Keep the evidence for a custom tattoo booking ready for your annual-return review too.
Before you get started
Questions from tattoo artists.
Does MTD apply to everyone in this profession?
No. This page covers tattoo artists 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.
How do I reconcile income when the studio retains a share?
Keep the studio agreement and settlement details. They establish whether you receive your own sales less charges or a separate fee from the studio, so do not guess from the bank amount.
How do I record a custom tattoo booking?
Example: £200 booking payment, then £600 (£800 agreed total). The two payments account for the £800 total. Do not count the full invoice again as another receipt. Use your accounting method for timing, and retain evidence of any later cancellation or refund.
Which bookkeeping issue should I watch for?
Understand the studio split before recording net pay. Check who contracts with the customer and who collects the fee. Where the full sale is yours, record it separately from the studio charge rather than treating only your share as turnover.
Can I keep using my existing spreadsheet?
Yes. Bring your tattoo appointments income records and evidence of studio rental 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
Get your tattoo studio records straight.
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.