The official ATO tool, compared honestly

HeyJerni vs ATO myDeductions: what the ATO tool does, and what it does not

myDeductions is the record-keeping tool inside the ATO app. It is free, official, and at tax time it uploads your records straight into your return or sends them to your tax agent. That upload is a real advantage. What it does not do is read the receipt for you, log a purchase when you tap to pay, or answer a question about your spending. HeyJerni does those three things on the phone, and exports a file your agent can use instead.

In short

myDeductions: free, official, you type the details and attach a photo, and it uploads into myTax or to your agent at year end.

HeyJerni: free, on-device AI reads the amount, merchant and date from the receipt, Apple Pay purchases log themselves, and you can ask questions in English or Chinese.

Both keep data on the phone. Neither links to your bank.

If you have a handful of deductions a year and lodge through myTax, myDeductions is enough. If you have receipts every week, HeyJerni saves the typing.

Feature comparison

FeatureHeyJerniATO myDeductions
Made byIndependent developerAustralian Taxation Office
PriceFree, optional purchase removes adsFree, no ads
Receipt readingOn-device AI: amount, merchant, datePhoto attached, details typed
Apple Pay auto-logShortcuts automationNo
Ask questions about your spendingOn-deviceNo
Search the text on receiptsYesNo
Upload straight into myTax or to your agentExports PDF, CSV and images insteadYes
Car trips: logbook and cents per kilometreNoYes
Sole trader income recordingNoYes
Work-use percentageYesYes
CategoriesYour own, plus work, personal or mixedATO deduction types
Data stored on the deviceYesYes
Bank linkingNoNo
LanguagesEnglish, ChineseEnglish
PlatformsiPhoneiOS, Android

Who HeyJerni is for

Good fit if you

  • Have receipts every week and do not want to type each one
  • Pay with Apple Pay and want purchases logged automatically
  • Want to ask how much you spent on tools this quarter and get an answer
  • Read Chinese and want the app in it
  • Use a tax agent who is happy with a PDF, a CSV and receipt images

Not a fit if you

  • Lodge through myTax yourself and want records uploaded straight into the return
  • Claim car expenses with a logbook or cents per kilometre
  • Are a sole trader recording income as well as expenses
  • Use Android

Frequently asked questions

Is myDeductions free?
Yes, completely, with no ads. It is part of the ATO app.
Can HeyJerni upload to myTax like myDeductions?
No. Only the ATO app can push records into your return. HeyJerni exports a financial-year summary, a CSV and the receipt images for you or your agent to work from.
Does myDeductions read receipts?
It stores a photo of the receipt, but you type the amount, date and description yourself. The HeyJerni on-device model reads those from the image.
Can I use both?
Yes. Some people keep car trips in myDeductions and everything else in HeyJerni, then give both to their agent.
Is HeyJerni endorsed by the ATO?
No. HeyJerni is an independent app and is not affiliated with the ATO. It is a record-keeping tool, not tax advice. The ATO rules on substantiation still apply to what you claim.

Try HeyJerni next to myDeductions

Free on the App Store. Scan one receipt and see the amount, merchant and date filled in for you. No account, no bank, no subscription.

Download on App StorePricing