# Sumly

> Sumly is bookkeeping and tax software built for self-employed professionals — freelancers, consultants, coaches, therapists, and fractional executives. It tracks income and expenses, separates business from personal spending, surfaces the deductions people usually miss, and pairs users with a real tax professional who files their return.

## Product
- [Home](https://getsumly.com/): Sumly: easy bookkeeping and taxes for self-employed pros.
- [Pricing](https://getsumly.com/pricing): One simple Sumly Membership — compare Starter, Strive, and Thrive features, monthly and annual pricing, plus tax filing add-on options.
- [Compare Sumly to QuickBooks, Wave & CPAs](https://getsumly.com/compare): Why independent professionals choose Sumly over QuickBooks, Wave, or a traditional bookkeeper + CPA for books, taxes, and a dedicated tax pro.
- [Reviews](https://getsumly.com/reviews): Customer reviews of Sumly.
- [About](https://getsumly.com/about): About Sumly.
- [Contact](https://getsumly.com/contact): Contact Sumly.

## Free tools
- [Quarterly Estimated Tax Calculator](https://getsumly.com/quarterly-tax-estimate): See exactly what you owe as a self-employed professional.
- [Tax Savings Calculator](https://getsumly.com/tax-savings-calculator): See how much you could save by tracking the deductions most solopreneurs miss. Takes 2 minutes.

## Built for your profession
- [Occupational Therapists](https://getsumly.com/for/occupational-therapists): Built for PRN, 1099 contractor, and private-practice OTs. Capture every deduction, keep clean books, and get a real tax pro filing your return.
- [Therapists](https://getsumly.com/for/therapists): Built for LMFT, LCSW, LPC, and LMHC therapists in private practice, group practice, and telehealth.
- [Fractional Executives](https://getsumly.com/for/fractional-execs): Built for fractional CFOs, COOs, CMOs, and CTOs running multi-client engagements.
- [Coaches](https://getsumly.com/for/coaches): Built for executive, leadership, life, business, and wellness coaches.
- [Creators](https://getsumly.com/for/creators): Built for podcasters, YouTubers, streamers, newsletter writers, and digital creators.
- [Artists](https://getsumly.com/for/artists): Built for visual artists, musicians, photographers, filmmakers, and independent creatives.

## For tax professionals
- [Tax Pros](https://getsumly.com/tax-pros): Information for tax professionals who file returns through Sumly.

## Blog
Practical, plain-English guides on bookkeeping, taxes, and running an independent business — newest first.
- [Blog index](https://getsumly.com/blog): All Sumly articles on bookkeeping, taxes, and independent work.
- [What I Wish I'd Known: Bernie Levv on a Decade of Solopreneurship and the Money Side Nobody Prepares You For](https://getsumly.com/blog/bernie-levv-solopreneur-money-lessons) (2026-07-24): Bernie Levv on 10 years of self-employment, the surprise tax bill nobody warns you about, and how to stay ahead of quarterly estimated taxes.
- [Gross vs net income: what's the difference when you're self-employed?](https://getsumly.com/blog/gross-vs-net-income-whats-the-difference-when-youre-self-employed) (2026-07-22): Gross income is all the money your business takes in. Net income is what's left after expenses, and it's the number you're actually taxed on.
- [Why self-employed people struggle with financial management software](https://getsumly.com/blog/why-self-employed-people-struggle-with-financial-management-software) (2026-07-21): Most financial management software is built for consumers or businesses with employees. Self-employed people sit in between, which is why the tools often feel too basic or too complex.
- [Best self-employed finance apps for 2026](https://getsumly.com/blog/best-self-employed-finance-apps-2026) (2026-07-13): A straight comparison of the best financial management apps for self-employed people in 2026, including Sumly, Wave, FreshBooks, QuickBooks, and Keeper, with where each one actually wins.
- [Myth-buster: does writing something off mean it's free?](https://getsumly.com/blog/myth-buster-does-writing-something-off-mean-its-free) (2026-07-08): Writing something off does not make it free. A deduction lowers your taxable income and saves you a percentage of the cost, not the full amount.
- [From side hustle to full-time: how to go independent and stay organized from day one](https://getsumly.com/blog/from-side-hustle-to-full-time) (2026-07-06): Going from a side hustle to full-time independent work comes down to three things: building enough runway, lining up clients and coverage, and setting up organized systems from day one.
- [Why your QuickBooks numbers are wrong: 3 silent errors that cost self-employed people](https://getsumly.com/blog/why-your-quickbooks-numbers-are-wrong-3-silent-errors) (2026-06-27): Three silent errors usually explain bookkeeping totals that look complete but feel off: dropped transactions, duplicate payments, and buried deductions.
- [How to avoid a surprise tax bill when you're self-employed](https://getsumly.com/blog/how-to-avoid-a-surprise-tax-bill-when-self-employed) (2026-06-25): Avoid a surprise tax bill by tracking all your income and deductions in one place, so you can see what you owe before the quarter closes instead of after the year ends.
- [QuickBooks alternatives for freelancers: what to use instead](https://getsumly.com/blog/quickbooks-alternatives-for-freelancers-what-to-use-instead) (2026-06-24): QuickBooks was built for businesses with employees, inventory, and payroll. For 1099 freelancers, a tool built for self-employed income is usually a cleaner fit.
- [When your freelance business and personal money live in the same place](https://getsumly.com/blog/when-your-freelance-business-and-personal-money-live-in-the-same-place) (2026-06-22): Mixing freelance income and personal spending in one account makes 1099 taxes harder than they need to be.
- [Taxes and bookkeeping for fractional CFOs and fractional executives](https://getsumly.com/blog/taxes-and-bookkeeping-for-fractional-cfos-and-fractional-executives) (2026-06-20): As a fractional CFO or executive, you're self-employed in the eyes of the IRS — you owe income tax plus the 15.3 percent self-employment tax on your net earnings.
- [Do freelancers need a bookkeeper, or just a CPA at tax time?](https://getsumly.com/blog/do-freelancers-need-a-bookkeeper-or-just-a-cpa-at-tax-time) (2026-06-19): Freelancers need both functions, but not necessarily two separate hires. A bookkeeper keeps books accurate year-round; a CPA files the return and handles tax strategy.
- [Bookkeeping for independent consultants: the admin-light system that works](https://getsumly.com/blog/bookkeeping-for-independent-consultants-the-admin-light-system-that-works) (2026-06-18): The simplest bookkeeping system for an independent consultant is three habits: one separate business account, categorize expenses as they happen, and set aside a fixed tax percentage from every payment.
- [LLC vs. S-Corp: Which one actually saves you money?](https://getsumly.com/blog/llc-vs-s-corp-which-one-actually-saves-you-money) (2026-06-16): An LLC and an S-Corp are not the same kind of thing — an LLC is a legal structure, an S-corp is a tax election that can reduce self-employment tax once net profit is high enough.
- [How to manage your 1099 finances (without it becoming a second job)](https://getsumly.com/blog/manage-your-1099-finances-in-one-place) (2026-06-15): Independent income gets scattered across Stripe, PayPal, Venmo, and direct deposits. Here's a practical way to bring it into one place so the year adds up on its own.
- [Mileage deduction for the self-employed: how to track it the right way](https://getsumly.com/blog/mileage-deduction-for-the-self-employed) (2026-06-13): Self-employed people can deduct business driving using the 2026 IRS standard mileage rate of 72.5 cents per mile, or by tracking actual vehicle costs.
- [Taxes for creatives and content creators: deductions and quarterly basics](https://getsumly.com/blog/taxes-for-creatives-and-content-creators-deductions-and-quarterly-basics) (2026-06-11): If you make money from content, you owe tax on it whether or not a platform sends you a form. You can deduct the gear, software, and workspace you use to create.
- [Bookkeeping and taxes for independent healthcare practitioners](https://getsumly.com/blog/bookkeeping-and-taxes-for-independent-healthcare-practitioners) (2026-06-10): The right bookkeeping system for a private practice keeps business finances clean, captures deductions specific to clinical work, and connects to accounts through secure, read-only access.
- [CPA vs tax software: How should self-employed people file?](https://getsumly.com/blog/cpa-vs-tax-software-how-should-self-employed-people-file) (2026-06-09): Tax software is cheaper and works fine for simple returns; a CPA brings judgment for complex situations. The real gap is whether your year is already organized.
- [1099 vs W-2: What actually changes when you go independent](https://getsumly.com/blog/1099-vs-w2-what-actually-changes-when-you-go-independent) (2026-06-08): What changes with self-employment tax, quarterly payments, and bookkeeping when you leave a W-2 job for independent work.
- [Quarterly estimated taxes for the self-employed: a plain-English guide](https://getsumly.com/blog/quarterly-estimated-taxes-self-employed) (2026-06-06): Quarterly estimated taxes are payments made to the IRS four times a year to cover income and self-employment tax — 2026 deadlines and how to know what to send.
- [The home office deduction for the self-employed: a complete guide](https://getsumly.com/blog/home-office-deduction-self-employed-complete-guide) (2026-06-04): If you use part of your home regularly and exclusively for business, you can deduct it. The simplified method is $5 per square foot, up to 300 square feet.
- [How much should you set aside for taxes when you're self-employed?](https://getsumly.com/blog/how-much-to-set-aside-for-taxes-self-employed) (2026-06-03): Set aside 25 to 30 percent of every payment for taxes. How to calculate your real number and avoid a surprise in April.
- [Why coaches keep getting surprised by their tax bill (and how to stop it)](https://getsumly.com/blog/why-coaches-keep-getting-surprised-by-their-tax-bill) (2026-06-01): Coaching income arrives from Kajabi, Stripe, PayPal, and Venmo with no running tax total — why coaches get hit with surprise bills and how to stay ahead of them.

## Optional
- [Partner offer: RAW Artists x Sumly](https://getsumly.com/for/artists): RAW Artists members get $49 off a paid plan with code RAWARTISTS1.
- [Privacy Policy](https://getsumly.com/legal-pages/privacy-policy)
- [Terms of Service](https://getsumly.com/legal-pages/terms-of-service)