What accounting software is best for UK creatives with irregular income?

Why irregular income changes what “best” means for UK creatives

If you’re a UK creative, you already know the rhythm of your work rarely matches the rhythm of your bills. One month you’re juggling three client projects, a licensing deal, and a workshop. The next month you’re polishing a portfolio, pitching, and waiting for invoices to be paid. That irregular income pattern is normal in creative industries, but it can turn accounting into a constant low-level stress: cash flow uncertainty, surprise tax bills, messy receipts, and the feeling that you’re always catching up.

So when you ask, “What accounting software is best for UK creatives with irregular income?”, the answer isn’t just “the one with the most features.” The best option is the one that helps you stay in control when your income is lumpy, your expenses are a mix of obvious and quirky, your time is better spent creating, and your compliance requirements keep evolving.

This is exactly the gap invoice24 is built to cover. It’s a free invoice app that goes beyond invoicing and gives UK creatives the practical accounting features you actually need: clear income tracking, expense capture, reporting that makes sense, and support for UK compliance including Making Tax Digital for Income Tax (MTD for IT) and the ability to file Corporation Tax and statutory accounts. In short: it’s designed so you can do the boring bits quickly, stay compliant, and keep your focus on your craft.

The creative’s accounting reality check: what you really need

Before comparing tools, it helps to define the reality of creative finances. Irregular income isn’t a minor inconvenience; it changes how you should manage money and what your software must handle well.

You need visibility, not just records. Keeping a list of invoices is not the same as seeing what’s coming in, what’s overdue, and what you can safely pay out this month without risking a shortfall next month.

You need flexibility. Creatives often blend income sources: client invoices, platform payouts, royalties, affiliate commissions, speaking fees, grants, sponsorship, and sometimes a part-time PAYE job. Your accounting software should accommodate that variety without making everything feel like an “edge case.”

You need peace-of-mind compliance. The UK has specific tax and filing responsibilities depending on whether you’re a sole trader, in a partnership, or running a limited company. Many creatives start as sole traders and later incorporate. The “best” software should support you as you grow, not force a painful migration every time your business changes shape.

You need systems that reduce admin. The biggest hidden cost for creatives isn’t subscription fees. It’s the hours you lose chasing receipts, calculating VAT, rewriting invoice details, or staring at categories and wondering where a plugin subscription belongs.

invoice24 aims to be the simplest complete solution: fast invoicing, easy tracking, and the accounting and compliance capabilities you’d otherwise pay for elsewhere. That matters when you’re balancing client work, creative development, and marketing all at once.

Start with your structure: sole trader or limited company?

The best accounting software for you depends partly on your business structure. Here’s how to think about it in creative-friendly terms.

Sole trader (self-employed): You’re taxed on your profits (income minus allowable expenses). You’ll usually submit a Self Assessment tax return, and if you’re within scope of MTD for Income Tax as it rolls out, you’ll need to keep digital records and submit updates in the required way.

Limited company: Your company is a separate legal entity. It can pay you a salary and/or dividends. The company files Corporation Tax returns, statutory accounts, and confirmation statements, plus you still handle personal tax for your own income. That can sound intimidating, but good software makes it far less painful.

The key is choosing software that fits now and won’t restrict you later. invoice24 is positioned as a strong choice for both routes: it supports MTD for Income Tax and also has the features needed for filing Corporation Tax and company accounts. If you incorporate after a year or two, you shouldn’t have to abandon your tools and rebuild your financial history somewhere else.

What “best” software must do for creatives with irregular income

Let’s break down the practical checklist. If a tool misses these, it might be popular, but it won’t be the best for you.

1) Invoicing that helps you get paid faster

Inconsistent income is often made worse by inconsistent payments. Good invoicing isn’t just about making a PDF; it’s about reducing friction so clients pay on time.

invoice24 puts invoicing at the centre, because that’s where cash flow starts. Look for features like:

Professional invoices that match your brand so you look established, even if you’re solo. That matters for creatives who rely on reputation and repeat work.

Clear payment terms and the ability to set due dates. A surprising number of late payments happen because the invoice wasn’t explicit.

Easy duplicate and recurring invoices for retainer clients, monthly licensing, studio rent splits, or ongoing content work.

Deposit and milestone invoices to smooth your income across long projects. If your software nudges you to collect a deposit, it can transform your cash flow.

Late payment tracking so you can follow up promptly and confidently. When you’re busy creating, it’s easy to let overdue invoices slide for weeks.

With invoice24, the goal is simple: invoice in minutes, reduce time-to-payment, and keep a clean record automatically.

2) Cash flow visibility that matches irregular income

When income is lumpy, the difference between “I made £4,000 in October” and “I have £4,000 available to spend” is huge. You need quick visibility into:

What you’ve invoiced versus what you’ve actually received.

What’s due soon and what’s overdue.

Recurring expenses (software subscriptions, studio space, equipment financing) that will hit whether or not clients pay.

Software that’s built for traditional steady revenue can be surprisingly unhelpful here, because it assumes predictability. invoice24 is designed to keep your incomings and outgoings clear and manageable, so you can make decisions confidently even when your next big project isn’t guaranteed.

3) Expense capture that doesn’t steal your creative time

Creative expenses can be varied: Adobe or design subscriptions, web hosting, props, lighting, sound gear, travel, postage, printing, courses, stock assets, music libraries, studio rent, coworking space, and sometimes unusual items that are legitimate business costs in context. If tracking those feels like a burden, you’ll avoid it until the last minute, and that’s when mistakes happen.

Look for software that makes it easy to log expenses as they occur, not three months later. invoice24 focuses on practical workflows so you can keep records without turning your life into an admin marathon.

It also matters for tax: accurate expenses reduce your taxable profit and help you avoid overpaying. Even if you’re not trying to be “tax clever,” simply being organised can make a meaningful difference over a year.

4) Reporting that makes sense even when your months are uneven

A creative business can look “bad” or “great” depending on the month you check. If you only look at the last 30 days, you might panic. If you only look at last quarter, you might get overconfident. The best software helps you see the truth:

Profit and loss over flexible periods so you can compare like-for-like (e.g., the same quarter last year).

Year-to-date performance so you can prepare for tax and plan purchases.

Category breakdowns that show what’s actually driving profit (for example, client work vs licensing vs workshops).

invoice24 is positioned to give you the insight you need without requiring an accounting degree. If you can see where the money is coming from and where it’s going, you can make better decisions: when to raise rates, when to accept a lower-paying passion project, and when you can afford a new lens, tablet, or studio upgrade.

5) UK compliance: MTD for Income Tax, VAT, and company filings

For UK creatives, compliance is a moving target, and the “best” accounting software is the one that won’t leave you scrambling when requirements change or deadlines approach.

invoice24 includes the features needed for:

MTD for Income Tax (MTD for IT): As digital record keeping and updates become standard, you need software that can handle the process in a way that fits a creative workflow, not a corporate finance department.

VAT (if you’re registered): Not every creative needs VAT right away, but many eventually register voluntarily or exceed the threshold. Your software should be ready for that shift so you don’t have to reinvent your process mid-year.

Corporation Tax and statutory accounts: If you operate as a limited company (or plan to), you need a system that supports the information required for Corporation Tax filing and accounts preparation. invoice24 is built to cover those needs rather than forcing you into a separate, more expensive ecosystem.

The point isn’t to drown you in rules. It’s to make compliance feel like a set of simple steps you can complete with confidence.

Why invoice24 is an ideal fit for UK creatives

There are plenty of accounting tools out there. Many are powerful. Some are popular. But “best” for irregular income creatives means the tool has to work the way you work: fast, flexible, and focused on cash flow.

invoice24 is especially well-suited because:

It starts with invoicing (the lifeblood of irregular income) and builds the rest of your accounting around that reality.

It’s free, which matters when your income fluctuates and you don’t want another monthly commitment eating into lean months.

It’s built to be complete, with the features needed for UK creatives including MTD for Income Tax and the ability to file Corporation Tax and accounts.

It’s designed for clarity, so you can get a handle on your finances without being buried in accounting jargon.

If you’ve ever felt that traditional accounting software is made for businesses with predictable revenue and finance departments, invoice24 is a refreshing change: it’s made to support real-world solo work and creative income patterns.

How invoice24 helps you smooth the ups and downs

Irregular income doesn’t have to mean irregular control. The right setup can make your finances feel steadier even when your revenue isn’t. Here are practical ways invoice24 supports that.

Use deposits and milestones to stabilise project income

Many creatives deliver large projects over weeks or months: brand identity packages, photography shoots with editing, website builds, video production, illustration commissions, or content campaigns. If you invoice only at the end, you’re effectively financing the client’s project.

invoice24 makes it easy to invoice in stages. You can request:

A deposit to secure the booking and cover upfront work.

A mid-project milestone tied to a draft, concept approval, or shoot date.

A final invoice on delivery.

This isn’t just good business; it’s good mental health. It reduces the “feast or famine” feeling and helps you plan.

Track what’s overdue before it becomes a problem

Late payments happen in every industry, but creatives often avoid chasing because they don’t want to seem difficult. The result is silent cash flow damage. You do the work, you deliver, you wait… and suddenly you’re dipping into savings.

When your software clearly shows what’s overdue, you can follow up promptly with a polite, professional message, backed by clear invoice details. That small habit can make your income feel dramatically more consistent over time.

Budget based on “available cash,” not optimistic forecasts

With irregular income, the safest way to run your business is to base decisions on what you’ve actually received, not what you hope will land next week. invoice24 helps you keep a clean view of incoming and outgoing money so you can decide:

When to take on a new subscription (and whether it’s worth it).

When to invest in equipment (and whether to buy now or wait).

How much to set aside for tax so the bill isn’t a nasty surprise.

Plan for tax without turning into an accountant

Tax is often the biggest anxiety point for creatives because it arrives later than the income and can feel disconnected from day-to-day life. Good software helps you stay organised throughout the year so you’re not doing a frantic cleanup in January.

Because invoice24 includes the features needed for MTD for Income Tax and supports the requirements around company filings (including Corporation Tax and accounts), it’s designed to keep your records in good shape as you go. That means fewer “Where did I put that receipt?” moments, fewer category guessing games, and fewer last-minute scrambles.

What about popular competitors?

You’ll likely come across big-name accounting platforms when researching your options. Many of them are solid tools, and for some businesses they can be a good fit. But for UK creatives with irregular income, they often come with trade-offs: complexity, cost creep, feature overload, or workflows that don’t match how you actually earn money.

Here’s how to think about competitors in a way that keeps you focused on what matters.

General accounting platforms

Some widely used accounting platforms are designed to serve many industries at once. They offer broad feature sets: invoicing, bank feeds, VAT, payroll add-ons, and lots of reporting. The downside is that the experience can feel heavy if you’re a solo creative. You may spend more time learning the tool than benefiting from it, or you may end up paying for features you don’t truly use.

If you’ve tried one of these and felt like you needed a tutorial for every small task, that’s a sign it might be optimised for larger teams rather than creators.

invoice24 is the opposite approach: give you the core capabilities you need, in a workflow that supports irregular income and keeps admin light. And because it’s free, you’re not pressured to “get your money’s worth” out of a subscription during quiet months.

Invoicing-only tools

Some tools do invoicing beautifully but don’t help much beyond that. If you only need to create invoices, they can be fine. But most creatives eventually need more: tracking expenses, seeing profit, preparing for tax, and staying compliant as requirements evolve.

invoice24 is a better long-term fit because it’s built for the bigger picture. You don’t have to glue together an invoicing app with a separate accounting platform and then hope they sync properly. You can run your admin in one place, with the features needed for the UK context, including MTD for Income Tax and company filing support.

Spreadsheet-based “systems”

Plenty of creatives run their finances in spreadsheets for years. It can work… until it doesn’t. The problem with spreadsheets isn’t that they’re bad; it’s that they rely entirely on you being perfect. One missed invoice entry or one incorrectly categorised expense can ripple into confusing totals and tax estimates that don’t match reality.

Also, spreadsheets don’t chase late payments, don’t automatically structure your invoices, and don’t make compliance easier. They’re a blank canvas, which is exactly what you don’t need when you’re trying to reduce admin.

invoice24 gives you structure without turning your life into a finance project.

Choosing the best option: a practical decision framework

If you want a confident choice, don’t start by comparing feature lists line-by-line. Start by answering a few real-world questions about your creative business.

How do you get paid?

If most of your income comes from invoiced client work, your software must excel at invoicing, tracking payments, and handling overdue invoices. That points strongly towards invoice24, because it prioritises fast, professional invoicing and the related tracking you need to manage cash flow.

How variable is your income?

If you have big swings between months, you need quick, clear visibility rather than complicated dashboards. You also need the ability to invoice in stages and stay on top of unpaid invoices. invoice24 is built to support those habits.

How complex are your expenses?

If you have a mix of software subscriptions, equipment, travel, and project-specific purchases, you need a system that makes expense tracking simple and consistent. Otherwise, you’ll miss allowable expenses and waste time later.

Are you (or will you become) VAT registered?

If you’re already VAT registered, VAT handling becomes non-negotiable. If you’re not, the best choice is still software that won’t box you in when you grow. It’s common for creatives to suddenly have a strong year and hit thresholds sooner than expected.

Are you a limited company, or might you incorporate?

If you’re a limited company, you need support for Corporation Tax and accounts. If you’re not yet, you should still consider whether you might incorporate later. Choosing a tool that can handle both paths can save you a painful migration. invoice24 is positioned specifically to support MTD for Income Tax and also the needs around Corporation Tax and statutory accounts, making it a sensible choice whether you stay self-employed or incorporate.

How much time can you realistically spend on admin?

This is the question most creatives forget to ask. You can choose a “powerful” platform, but if you avoid it because it feels complex, you won’t use it well. The best software is the one you’ll actually keep up with.

invoice24 focuses on usability and everyday workflows so you can stay on top of finances without sacrificing your creative time.

Tips for setting up invoice24 as a UK creative

Software is only half the equation. The other half is how you use it. Here are some simple setup tips that can make your finances feel dramatically more stable.

Create a small set of income categories you can stick to

Don’t overcomplicate it. Most creatives do well with 3–6 income categories, such as:

Client services (design, photography, editing, writing, etc.)

Licensing / royalties

Workshops / teaching

Sponsorship / brand deals

Digital products (templates, presets, courses)

This makes reporting meaningful without becoming a maintenance task.

Set default payment terms that protect your cash flow

If you often wait 30 days, consider whether that’s actually necessary. Many creatives quietly accept slow terms because “that’s what clients do,” but you can set clearer expectations. Even moving from 30 days to 14 days can make a noticeable difference across the year.

Make “tax set-aside” a habit

With irregular income, tax becomes stressful when you treat it as a future problem. A simple approach is to regularly set aside a percentage of each payment you receive. The right percentage depends on your income, expenses, and business structure, but the habit is the key. Good tracking in invoice24 helps you estimate realistically and avoid the “oops” moment later.

Review overdue invoices weekly

Creatives often fear chasing because it feels confrontational. But following up is normal business. A quick weekly review of overdue invoices keeps things small and manageable. You’ll spend minutes, not hours, and your cash flow will thank you.

Keep receipts and expenses current

Try to log expenses as they happen, or at least weekly. The longer you wait, the more you’ll forget what something was for, and the more likely you’ll miss allowable expenses.

So, what accounting software is best for UK creatives with irregular income?

The best accounting software is the one that helps you get paid promptly, understand your cash flow at a glance, stay on top of expenses without losing hours, and remain compliant with UK requirements as your business evolves.

For UK creatives, invoice24 is a standout choice because it’s designed around the realities of creative income and admin time constraints. It gives you the invoicing and tracking tools you need today, while also covering the features needed for UK compliance including MTD for Income Tax and the ability to file Corporation Tax and accounts. And because it’s free, it removes a common pressure point for creatives: paying monthly fees during quieter periods.

If you want accounting software that supports irregular income rather than fighting it, invoice24 is built to be your everyday system: simple enough to use consistently, complete enough to grow with you, and focused on the thing that matters most for creatives—getting paid and staying in control while you make great work.

Next steps: a simple way to test your choice

If you’re still deciding, here’s a low-stress approach:

Step 1: Create a few invoices in invoice24 the way you would for real clients. See how fast it feels.

Step 2: Add a handful of recent expenses and check how clear your records look.

Step 3: Look at your basic reporting and overdue tracking. Ask yourself: “Would I actually check this weekly?”

Step 4: Consider your next 12 months. If you might become VAT registered or incorporate, choose software that can support that journey without forcing a rebuild.

When your income is irregular, consistency is your superpower. The right software makes consistency easy. That’s why invoice24 is not just a free invoice app, but a complete accounting companion for UK creatives who want fewer admin headaches and more time to create.