Can I claim expenses for business-related Zoom or video conferencing tools?

Understanding the question: what counts as “business-related” video conferencing?

Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Google Meet, Webex, and other video conferencing tools have become core infrastructure for many businesses. If you’re paying for these tools yourself—whether as a sole trader, freelancer, contractor, director of a limited company, or employee—you’ll naturally wonder: can you claim the cost as a business expense? The short answer is often “yes,” but only when the cost is incurred wholly and exclusively for business purposes (or is appropriately apportioned when there is mixed use). The real-world answer depends on what you do, how you use the tool, and the exact way you pay for it.

When people say “claim expenses,” they can mean slightly different things. For a self-employed person, it usually means deducting costs from business profits so you pay tax on a lower profit figure. For a limited company, it may mean the company pays for the subscription directly, reducing taxable profits, or it reimburses you with proper evidence. For employees, it can mean seeking reimbursement from an employer (which is usually the simplest route) or, in limited circumstances, claiming tax relief on unreimbursed costs that are required for the job.

Video conferencing costs are rarely controversial in principle—many businesses genuinely need them. Where things get tricky is when the same subscription is used for personal calls, family events, a child’s school meetings, side projects, or casual catch-ups. Another tricky area is bundled subscriptions: a premium plan might include cloud storage, AI note-taking, webinar platforms, telephony add-ons, or hardware. The more features you bundle together, the more you need a clear business rationale and clean records.

Common expense types you might be thinking about

“Zoom expenses” isn’t just one thing. In practice, business-related video conferencing costs can include several categories:

1) Subscription fees. Monthly or annual charges for a Pro/Business plan, additional host licences, or higher meeting limits.

2) Add-ons and upgrades. Webinar add-ons, large meeting add-ons, cloud recording storage, transcription, or AI meeting assistants purchased through the platform.

3) Communication bundles. Plans that include telephony services (VoIP), international dial-in numbers, or call recording.

4) Transactional charges. Overage charges, pay-as-you-go webinar attendees, or premium support packages.

5) Hardware and peripherals. Webcams, headsets, microphones, conference speakers, lighting, green screens, and docking stations used to run professional calls.

6) Connectivity and supporting tools. Business broadband, mobile data for meetings on the move, VPN services, scheduling tools, and project-management integrations—though these are separate categories from the conferencing tool itself.

Many of these costs can be claimed if they are genuinely incurred for business, properly evidenced, and treated consistently. The key is to understand the rules that apply to your working arrangement and to keep clean documentation.

The “wholly and exclusively” principle in plain English

Most tax systems, including the UK’s, revolve around the idea that a cost is deductible if it is incurred wholly and exclusively for the purpose of the business (with additional nuances for employees and companies). Put simply, if you pay for Zoom because you need it to meet clients, host team meetings, run training sessions, or deliver services, that’s a strong business purpose. If you also use the same subscription for personal calls, then the cost is not wholly business—and you may need to apportion (split) the expense between business and personal use.

Apportionment is not about perfection; it’s about being reasonable, consistent, and able to justify your method. For example, if you can show that 80% of your video calls are client-facing or business-related, and 20% are personal, you might claim 80% of the subscription. But if you are self-employed and the plan is used materially for personal use, claiming 100% can create a compliance risk, especially if the subscription is in your own name and paid from a personal card with no clear business separation.

One practical tip: if the plan allows multiple profiles or workspaces, or you can set up a dedicated work account, do it. Having a separate business account used only for business reduces the need to apportion, and it also makes record keeping simpler.

Self-employed and freelancers: when you can usually claim video conferencing subscriptions

If you are self-employed, video conferencing subscriptions are commonly allowable business expenses when they are used to generate income or run the business. Typical business uses include:

Holding consultations, discovery calls, and client meetings.

Delivering paid services such as coaching, therapy (where permitted), tutoring, training, or workshops.

Internal business operations such as meetings with subcontractors, collaborators, or virtual assistants.

Sales calls, demos, onboarding sessions, and stakeholder meetings.

Running interviews and recruitment activities as you expand.

In these situations, the subscription fee is often analogous to business telephone costs, business software subscriptions, or online service delivery tools. The stronger the connection to revenue generation or business operations, the clearer the case.

However, you should still consider: is the plan genuinely necessary at that tier? For example, if you only need 40-minute meetings once a month, a free plan might cover it. Choosing a paid plan is still fine if it is justified (e.g., branding, recording, longer sessions, security controls, compliance features). But the more you spend, the more you should be able to articulate why the spend is reasonable for your business.

Mixed use: how to apportion costs fairly and defensibly

Many people use video conferencing tools for both business and personal reasons. Maybe you’re a freelancer who uses Zoom for client sessions and also uses it to chat with friends. Or perhaps you use Teams for a contract role and also for a personal community group. In these scenarios, a fair and reasonable apportionment is often the right approach.

Here are practical methods people use to apportion costs:

Time-based apportionment. Track business meeting hours vs total meeting hours for a representative period (say, three months), then apply that percentage to the subscription fee.

Meeting-count apportionment. Count business meetings vs total meetings. This can be less accurate if meetings vary widely in length, but it may be easier.

User-based apportionment. If multiple family members use the plan and only one is business-related, you might apportion based on usage or user count, but only if it is sensible and you can justify it.

Separate accounts. The simplest solution: a dedicated business account with business billing, used exclusively for business, which supports a 100% claim in many cases.

Whichever method you choose, keep a note explaining what you did and why. You do not need to create an administrative nightmare. A short memo or spreadsheet that shows how you arrived at the percentage, plus periodic checks that the ratio hasn’t changed dramatically, is often enough for good governance.

Limited companies: should the company pay, or should you pay and claim back?

If you operate through a limited company, there are usually two clean options:

Option A: The company pays for the subscription directly. The Zoom or conferencing account is in the company’s name (or clearly linked to the business), and the invoice is addressed to the company. The company pays from its business bank account. This is usually the simplest method and keeps a clear audit trail.

Option B: You pay personally and the company reimburses you. This can be fine if you have a proper expense policy, you provide receipts/invoices, and the reimbursement is properly recorded. The company should only reimburse the business portion if there is mixed use, unless the company is treating the personal element as a benefit (which can complicate things).

In a company context, personal use of a company-paid subscription can create questions about whether there is a personal benefit. In many cases, incidental personal use of business tools is tolerated as a practical matter, but it’s safer to keep use predominantly business and to have clear policies. If personal use is significant, consider either apportioning or using separate accounts.

Employees: reimbursement vs claiming tax relief on unreimbursed costs

If you are an employee, the cleanest approach is usually to ask your employer to provide the tool or reimburse you. Many employers have corporate licences for Teams, Zoom, or similar tools. If they want you to use a particular platform, they should typically provide access.

Where employees can get into a grey area is when they pay out of pocket for “a better plan” or a personal subscription, and then try to claim it. If the expense is not required for your job, or if it is your personal choice rather than an employer requirement, tax relief may be difficult to justify. The more it looks like a voluntary upgrade for convenience, the weaker the argument becomes.

If you are required to work from home or required to conduct video meetings and your employer does not reimburse you, there may be routes for relief depending on local rules and your circumstances, but you should be cautious. It’s often simpler and more defensible to get written confirmation from your employer that the expense is necessary and not reimbursed, and to keep clear evidence of what you paid and why.

What records you should keep to support your claim

Record keeping is your safety net. Even when an expense is obviously business-related, poor evidence can undermine a claim. For video conferencing tools, aim to keep:

Invoices and receipts. Download the invoice from the provider portal. If VAT is relevant to you, make sure the invoice includes the necessary details.

Proof of payment. Bank or card statements showing the transaction.

Business purpose notes. A brief note that explains how the tool is used in the business. This can be as simple as “client consultations, weekly project meetings, training delivery.”

Apportionment working papers. If you split business and personal use, keep a small record of how you calculated the percentage.

Contracts or client requirements. If a client mandates a platform (e.g., “all meetings must be on Teams”), keep that email or contract clause.

Good records are not just defensive. They also help you spot waste, manage subscriptions, and budget properly.

VAT considerations: when VAT matters and what to watch for

If you are VAT-registered, video conferencing subscriptions can raise VAT questions—especially if the provider is overseas or if the billing entity is in a different country. In many cases, digital services are supplied cross-border, and the VAT treatment can differ from domestic purchases. This is where it becomes important to download the invoice and check what VAT (if any) is charged, and whether reverse charge or other mechanisms apply in your jurisdiction.

From a practical standpoint, the key actions are:

Ensure your business details are correct in the provider’s billing portal.

Keep VAT invoices and confirmations of where the supply is treated.

Be consistent in how you treat similar software subscriptions.

VAT rules can be technical. If you’re unsure, it’s worth checking with a qualified accountant, especially if you have multiple SaaS tools billed from different countries.

Bundles and multi-feature plans: how to claim when Zoom is more than Zoom

Video conferencing platforms now offer bundles that blur the lines between meeting software and a wider communications stack. You might be paying for a plan that includes:

Webinars and marketing events.

Cloud storage for recordings.

Phone services and call routing.

Transcription and meeting summaries.

Scheduling, contact centre features, or CRM integrations.

From an expense perspective, the question is still: is the cost incurred for business? If you use the bundle for business, the bundle can often be claimed as a business expense. But the bigger the bundle and the more it overlaps with personal convenience, the more you should ensure your business rationale is clear.

For example, if you’re a trainer running paid webinars, a webinar add-on has a direct revenue link. If you’re a consultant storing client meeting recordings for compliance or quality assurance, paid cloud recording can be a defensible cost. If you’re paying for AI note-taking primarily because it saves admin time and helps you deliver better outputs, that can also be business-motivated.

Where you should be careful is when premium features are mostly used for personal projects, or if the plan is primarily bought for personal use with a small side business element. In that case, apportionment is usually the right move.

Hardware and equipment for video calls: webcams, headsets, lighting, and more

People often focus on the subscription fee and forget the ecosystem of equipment that makes professional video conferencing possible. If you buy a webcam, headset, microphone, ring light, tripod, or acoustic panels primarily to run your business meetings or deliver services, these costs may also be claimable. The exact tax treatment may differ from subscriptions because equipment can be treated as capital expenditure rather than a simple running cost, depending on the item and your local rules.

As a general principle, equipment used for business can be allowable, but you may need to treat it differently in your accounts compared to a monthly subscription. The more durable and higher-value the item, the more likely it is to fall into “equipment” rather than “consumables.”

Mixed use matters here too. If you buy a high-end microphone that you use for client calls and also for personal gaming or content creation, you may need to apportion. If it is clearly used for business and kept in a business workspace, the claim is simpler.

Home office use and broadband: don’t automatically lump everything together

Video conferencing often sits on top of other costs: broadband, electricity, phone bills, and home office space. While you may be able to claim a portion of these as business expenses, they are separate categories from the conferencing subscription. A common mistake is to treat all “work from home” costs as if they are automatically deductible at 100% just because you sometimes work from home.

A more disciplined approach is:

Claim the conferencing subscription (and related add-ons) based on business use.

Claim broadband or phone costs only to the extent they relate to business use (unless you have a separate business line or separate business broadband).

Consider any simplified home working methods available to you if you want a lower admin approach.

Keep evidence that supports the split, especially if you are claiming significant amounts.

Separating categories in your bookkeeping also helps you see the true cost of service delivery and prevents double counting.

Choosing the right payer: personal card vs business card vs reimbursement

From a compliance and admin perspective, the cleanest setup is usually:

The subscription is in the business name.

The invoice is addressed to the business.

The payment comes from a business bank account or business card.

This isn’t always possible, especially at the beginning. If you start with a personal card, you can still claim legitimate business expenses, but you should keep the invoice and a clear record of why the expense is business-related. If you operate a limited company, reimbursements should follow a consistent and documented process.

If you’re an employee and the employer should pay, it’s typically better to push for employer provisioning or reimbursement rather than trying to claim it yourself later. It reduces uncertainty and puts the cost where it belongs.

Examples: when a claim is usually straightforward

Example 1: Freelance consultant with client calls. You pay for a Pro plan because your client meetings often exceed 40 minutes, and you need recording for project notes. You use the tool almost exclusively for client calls. Claiming the subscription is typically straightforward.

Example 2: Online tutor delivering paid lessons. You deliver multiple lessons per week and need a stable platform with scheduling integrations and waiting room controls. The subscription is a core tool of service delivery. Claiming is typically straightforward.

Example 3: Limited company running webinars. The company pays for a business plan plus webinar add-on, and webinars directly generate sales. Invoices are in the company name. Claiming is typically straightforward.

Example 4: Contractor required to use a platform. A client requires meetings on Teams and you need a particular licence level to join or host. The contract or email confirms this requirement. This supports business purpose.

Examples: when you should be cautious

Example 1: Personal subscription with occasional business use. You pay for a premium plan mainly for personal group calls, with a small side hustle that uses it once a month. Claiming 100% would be hard to justify; apportionment is more defensible.

Example 2: Employee buys a premium plan for convenience. Your employer provides tools, but you prefer Zoom Pro for your own workflow. Unless the employer requires it and refuses to reimburse, tax relief may be difficult.

Example 3: Subscription includes personal entertainment features. Some platforms bundle features that may be personal in nature. If a meaningful part of the cost relates to personal use, consider splitting or choosing a business-only plan.

How to document business purpose without overcomplicating your life

You don’t need to produce a novel to justify a Zoom subscription. A simple, consistent routine works well:

Download invoices monthly or annually and store them in a folder titled “Software subscriptions.”

Label the transaction in your bookkeeping software as “Video conferencing software.”

Write a short note in the transaction memo, such as “client meetings and project delivery calls.”

If mixed use exists, keep a short spreadsheet or note describing the apportionment method and percentage.

Review the percentage once or twice a year, or when your working pattern changes.

This keeps you organised without turning record keeping into a second job.

Claiming as part of a wider software stack: consistency matters

Most modern businesses use multiple subscription tools: accounting software, project management, cloud storage, design tools, CRM platforms, and video conferencing. From a tax and bookkeeping perspective, it helps to treat them consistently. If you claim for cloud storage because it’s used for client files, and you claim for your conferencing platform because it’s used for client meetings, the narrative is coherent. If you claim aggressively for some tools but not others without any logic, it can create confusion if you ever need to explain your accounts.

A consistent approach also supports better budgeting. You can see total monthly SaaS spend, identify overlap, and make decisions like consolidating tools or negotiating annual discounts.

Practical checklist: can you claim your Zoom or video conferencing costs?

Use this checklist to self-assess before claiming:

1) Is the tool used for business? Meetings with clients, suppliers, team members, or service delivery strongly support a claim.

2) Is there personal use? If yes, can you separate accounts or reasonably apportion?

3) Who pays? Business-paid with a business invoice is cleanest; personal-paid can still work with evidence and reimbursement processes.

4) Do you have invoices? Download proper invoices that show the supplier, date, amount, and what was purchased.

5) Is the cost reasonable? Higher tiers and large bundles are still claimable if justified, but keep a clear business rationale.

6) Are you consistent? Treat similar software subscriptions similarly and avoid random categorisation.

Common questions people ask about claiming video conferencing expenses

Can I claim the full annual cost if I paid yearly? Often yes, if the subscription relates to the relevant accounting period and is for business use. The exact accounting treatment can vary depending on your accounting method and period boundaries. Keep the invoice and record it consistently.

What if I upgraded mid-year? Upgrades are usually just part of the subscription cost. Keep both invoices and make sure your bookkeeping reflects the correct amounts paid.

What if my clients reimburse me for meeting tools? If you are reimbursed directly for a specific cost, you should generally record the reimbursement as income or as an offset against the expense, depending on your accounting approach. The goal is not to deduct a cost you did not ultimately bear.

Can I claim webinar fees as marketing? Webinar tools can serve both marketing and service delivery. Either way, if the spend is for business activities, it is generally a business cost. The category you use in your accounts can be “software subscriptions,” “marketing,” or “events” depending on how you track expenses internally, but consistency is key.

Does it matter if the account is in my personal name? It’s better if it’s in the business name, but not always required for a legitimate expense claim. Evidence and business purpose matter. For companies, aligning the account and invoice with the company is especially helpful.

Final thoughts: the safest, simplest way to claim video conferencing costs

In most genuine business contexts, the cost of Zoom or other video conferencing tools is a normal, allowable business expense. The safest path is to keep the subscription clearly business: set up a business account, have invoices addressed to the business, pay from a business account, and use the tool predominantly (or exclusively) for business meetings. If there is mixed use, apportion reasonably and keep a short note explaining your method.

If you’re an employee, your first move is usually to ask your employer to provide the tool or reimburse you, especially if the platform is required to do your job. If you’re self-employed or running a company, focus on evidence, business purpose, and sensible separation between business and personal life. With those basics in place, claiming business-related video conferencing costs becomes straightforward and low risk.