For tradies and apprentices

The receipt app for tradies who would rather be on the tools

Tool receipts in the glovebox, a Bunnings docket on the dash, the servo receipt that faded to nothing by August. A work expense is easy to forget. A missing receipt is much harder to fix at tax time.

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HeyJerni expense from a scanned Officeworks receipt: the amount, the receipt image, and its category, purpose and date

HeyJerni is a free iPhone app that reads the receipt the moment you photograph it, logs Apple Pay purchases by itself, and tells you before tax time which work expenses still need a docket. It also keeps a vehicle logbook: record trips between sites with GPS and, for a car, claim by cents per kilometre or the logbook method.

Where tradies lose money at tax time

  • Thermal receipts fade. Records generally have to be kept for five years, and a Bunnings docket can be blank after one summer in the ute.
  • Small purchases add up. Drill bits, blades, sunscreen, a hi-vis top, the fuel top-up. Forgotten one by one, hundreds of dollars a year together.
  • Work and personal mix on one card. The ute, the phone, the Saturday hardware run that was half for the job.
  • July is the wrong time to remember. A bank statement shows that money left, not what it was for.

How HeyJerni fits a tradie's week

  1. Scan it in the ute

    Photograph the docket before you drive off. The on-device AI reads the merchant, amount and date. A whole stack at the end of the day works too.

  2. Tap to pay, logged by itself

    One-time Shortcuts setup. Fuel, hardware, the servo pie: every tap-to-pay purchase lands in your records with the merchant and amount, nothing typed.

  3. Mark work use once

    Set the purpose (work, personal or mixed) and a work-use percentage. HeyJerni remembers the merchant, so Bunnings is work next time too.

  4. Record Check before you lodge

    One screen lists the work expenses still missing a receipt or a category, so your accountant gets a complete set.

Expenses tradies commonly claim

Common work-related expenses for tradies, drawn from the ATO occupation guides. Every one needs a record. Whether a given expense is deductible for you depends on your trade and how you use the item; check the ATO guide for your occupation or ask a registered tax agent.

  • Tools and equipment, plus their repairs and insurance
  • Protective clothing and gear: steel caps, hi-vis, gloves, safety glasses, sun protection
  • Laundry of uniforms and protective clothing
  • Phone and internet, the work-use share
  • Union fees, licences, permits and renewals
  • Training and courses related to your current work
  • Travel between job sites, not the commute from home
  • Income protection and tools-of-trade insurance

A two-minute Friday routine

  1. 1Open Records and tap Unreviewed.
  2. 2Confirm the category and work use on the week's purchases. Most take one tap.
  3. 3Scan any receipts still in the ute.
  4. 4Done. At 30 June, run Record Check and export for your accountant.

What HeyJerni does not do

  • Invoicing, quoting or GST and BAS. Use your accounting software for the business side.
  • Bank linking. By design; records stay on the phone.

Frequently asked questions

Is HeyJerni free for tradies?

Yes. The full app is free with a small banner ad, and a one-time purchase removes the ad. No subscription is required and there is no per-user pricing. Optional monthly support tiers also remove ads and unlock the Accountant Pack export; the first export is free.

Does it work on site without reception?

Yes. The AI model runs on the phone, so scanning, categories and questions work with no signal. Only the one-time model download needs Wi-Fi.

Can I claim a tool I bought on my personal card?

The card does not matter to the ATO; the receipt and the work use do. Scan the receipt, set the purpose to work or mixed, and set the percentage. Check the ATO guide for your trade on what qualifies.

What about the ute and fuel?

Add the ute as a vehicle and tap Record a drive for trips between sites; GPS records the route and distance, and they stay on your iPhone. For a car, claim by cents per kilometre or the logbook method. A ute that carries one tonne or more is generally not a car for the ATO and follows different rules, so HeyJerni lets you mark it that way. Fuel, servicing, rego and insurance are kept beside the ute. Driving from home to your usual workplace is usually private travel, not work. Check the ATO rules for your vehicle, or ask your tax agent.

How does my accountant get the records?

Export a financial-year summary with a CSV and all the receipt images, and send it to them. They do not need an account or the app.

Is HeyJerni tax advice?

No. It is a record-keeping tool. What you can claim depends on your circumstances; the ATO occupation guides and a registered tax agent are the sources.

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Last reviewed: September 2026. Tax information on this page is based on publicly available Australian Taxation Office guidance. HeyJerni is a record-keeping tool and does not provide tax or financial advice.

Free for the next docket

Download HeyJerni, scan one receipt from the ute, and watch the merchant, amount and date fill in. No account, no bank linking, no subscription required.

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