What should a freelance tax spreadsheet include?

At minimum: an income log, an expense log with deductible flags, an automatic net-profit calculation, a tax set-aside amount based on a rate you choose, a quarterly breakdown with due dates, and a year-end summary. It should work in both Excel and Google Sheets.

Should I build my own tax spreadsheet or buy one?

Building your own is free but takes time to design the formulas and is easy to get wrong. A pre-built spreadsheet costs a little but has the tax math already done and tested. Either works — the important thing is that you track consistently.

Freelancer tax guide

The best spreadsheet for freelance taxes

Updated for 2026 · About a 5-minute read · Not tax advice

A good tax spreadsheet does one job brilliantly: it turns "how much do I owe?" from a April panic into a number you already know. Here's what separates a great one from a glorified list of numbers.

What a great freelance tax spreadsheet actually does

Plenty of "tax spreadsheets" are really just an income column and a total. The ones worth using go further — they do the tax math for you. Look for these:

An income log that separates paid from unpaid, so your numbers reflect money you actually received.
An expense log with deductible flags — because deductions lower your net profit, and net profit is what you're taxed on.
Automatic net-profit that updates the moment you add a row.
A tax set-aside figure based on a rate you choose (many freelancers use ~30%), not a vague "save some money."
A quarterly breakdown with the U.S. estimated-tax due dates built in.
A year-end summary — a clean profit-and-loss you can hand to an accountant.
Works in both Excel and Google Sheets, so you're not locked into one app.

The one feature people underrate

A set-aside number in real dollars. Knowing your net profit is nice; knowing "move $2,040 to savings this quarter" is what actually keeps you out of trouble. If a spreadsheet doesn't translate your numbers into a dollar amount to park, it's leaving the hardest part to you.

Build your own, or buy one?

Both are valid — it comes down to your time and your comfort with formulas.

	Build your own	Pre-built spreadsheet
Cost	Free	A few dollars, one time
Setup	Hours designing formulas	Minutes
Risk	Easy to get the tax math wrong	Math already built and tested
Good if…	You enjoy spreadsheets and have time	You just want the number, reliably

If you'd rather build your own, our guide to tracking 1099 income in Google Sheets walks through the columns and formulas from scratch.

Or start with one that's already done.

Stashly is a freelance tax spreadsheet with all of the above — income & expense logs, automatic set-aside by quarter, a live dashboard, and a year-end summary. One file you own, no subscription, works in Excel & Google Sheets. $14 once.

Get Stashly — $14

Why a spreadsheet instead of an app?

Apps can be great, but they usually mean a monthly subscription, an account, and your financial data living on someone else's server. A spreadsheet is a file you own — no login, no recurring bill, and nothing leaves your computer. For many freelancers who just need the tax-set-aside math (not full accounting software), that's the whole appeal.

Stashly is a self-help planning tool, not a CPA, accountant, or tax advisor, and does not provide tax, legal, or financial advice. Confirm your actual obligations with a qualified tax professional.