Bookkeeping for Gig Workers in Canada: The Complete 2026 Guide

Why Gig Workers Need Bookkeeping

If you earn income through Uber, DoorDash, Uber Eats, Lyft, Skip The Dishes, Instacart, freelancing, or any other gig platform in Canada, the CRA considers you self-employed. That means you are responsible for tracking your own income, expenses, and taxes.

Without a bookkeeping system, you risk missing deductions, underpaying or overpaying taxes, scrambling at tax time, and being unprepared for a CRA audit. A simple, consistent bookkeeping habit can save you thousands of dollars per year and hours of stress during tax season.

The Basics: What You Need to Track

Every gig worker in Canada needs to track four categories of financial information.

1. Income

Record all income from every platform and client. This includes:

• Base pay and fares
• Tips and gratuities
• Bonuses and promotions
• Referral payments
• Any other payments related to your gig work

At the end of the year, your total income goes on Line 8000 of your T2125 form. It must match what the platforms report and what your bank deposits show.

2. Expenses

Every business expense reduces your taxable income. Common gig worker expenses include:

For detailed breakdowns by platform, see our guides on Uber driver tax deductions and DoorDash and Uber Eats tax deductions.

3. Mileage

If you drive for work, you must track your kilometres. The CRA requires a logbook with the date, destination, distance, and purpose of every business trip.

Your mileage log determines your business-use percentage, which is applied to all vehicle expenses. Without a log, the CRA can deny your entire vehicle deduction.

4. GST/HST

If you are registered for GST/HST (mandatory above $30,000 in revenue), you need to track the tax you collect on services and the Input Tax Credits you can claim on business expenses. See our complete GST/HST guide for details.

Setting Up Your Bookkeeping System

You do not need a complex system. The best bookkeeping system is one you will actually use consistently. Here are three approaches, from simplest to most robust.

Option 1: Spreadsheet

A basic spreadsheet with columns for date, description, category, amount, and tax (GST/HST) works for drivers with simple finances. Create one tab for income and one for expenses. Update it weekly.

Pros: Free, simple, full control. Cons: Manual data entry, easy to forget, no receipt scanning, no automatic categorization.

Option 2: Traditional Accounting Software

Tools like QuickBooks, FreshBooks, and Wave offer invoicing, expense tracking, and reporting. They connect to your bank account and import transactions automatically.

Pros: Bank integration, professional reports, invoicing. Cons: Designed for traditional businesses, expensive monthly fees, steep learning curve, manual receipt entry.

Option 3: AI-Powered Bookkeeping

Modern tools like BookKeeper use AI to scan receipts, categorize expenses automatically, and map them to CRA T2125 categories. You take a photo of a receipt and the system handles the rest.

Pros: Minimal manual work, automatic CRA categorization, receipt scanning, built for gig workers. Cons: Newer category of software.

The Weekly Bookkeeping Routine

Consistency matters more than perfection. A 15-minute weekly routine keeps your books current all year.

Every Week

1. Scan receipts — Photograph or scan every business receipt from the past week. Do not let receipts pile up — ink fades and paper gets lost.
2. Record expenses — Enter each expense into your bookkeeping system with the date, vendor, amount, category, and tax paid.
3. Check platform earnings — Log into each platform and note your weekly earnings. Reconcile against bank deposits.
4. Update mileage — If you did not log trips daily, estimate and record business kilometres for the week.

Every Month

1. Reconcile bank statements — Compare your bookkeeping records against your bank and credit card statements. Every business transaction should be accounted for.
2. Review categories — Make sure expenses are in the right categories. Miscategorized expenses can trigger CRA questions.
3. Check GST/HST — If registered, verify your collected and paid amounts are current.

Every Quarter

1. File GST/HST — If you file quarterly, submit your return and pay any balance owing.
2. Review income trends — Are you approaching the $30,000 GST/HST threshold? Plan accordingly.
3. Set aside tax money — Transfer 25-30% of your net income to a dedicated savings account for tax payments.

CRA Record-Keeping Requirements

The CRA requires you to keep all business records for six years after the tax year they relate to. This includes:

• Receipts for all business expenses
• Mileage logbooks
• Bank and credit card statements
• Platform earnings summaries
• GST/HST returns and supporting documents
• T2125 forms and working papers

Digital records are accepted. You do not need to keep paper originals as long as your digital copies are clear and complete.

Common Bookkeeping Mistakes

Not separating business and personal expenses. Open a dedicated bank account for your gig income. It makes tracking easier and CRA audits less painful.

Forgetting to track cash tips. All income must be reported, including cash tips that do not appear on platform summaries. The CRA expects you to report every dollar.

Waiting until tax time. If you dump a year of receipts on your desk in April, you will miss deductions, make errors, and spend hours catching up. A weekly habit eliminates this entirely.

Double-counting vehicle expenses. Vehicle costs go in Part 9 of the T2125, not Part 7. Entering them in both sections creates a double deduction that CRA will flag. See our T2125 form guide for the correct placement.

Not tracking GST/HST separately. GST/HST you collect is not income — it is a liability you owe to CRA. Keep it in a separate account or at minimum track it separately in your books.

Tax Deadlines for Gig Workers

Choosing the Right Tool

The right bookkeeping tool depends on your situation:

For a detailed comparison of BookKeeper against traditional options, see our BookKeeper vs QuickBooks comparison.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does a bookkeeper cost for gig workers?

A professional bookkeeper typically charges $200-$500 per month for basic gig worker bookkeeping. Software solutions range from free (spreadsheets) to $15-$40 per month. AI-powered tools like BookKeeper offer automated categorization at a fraction of the cost of a human bookkeeper.

Do I need to incorporate as a gig worker?

Most gig workers in Canada operate as sole proprietors and do not need to incorporate. Incorporation becomes worth considering when your net income consistently exceeds $50,000-$75,000 per year, as it can provide tax deferral benefits. Consult an accountant for your specific situation.

What happens if I did not track expenses all year?

Start now. Go through your bank and credit card statements for the year and identify business expenses. Download platform earnings summaries. Gather whatever receipts you have. Partial records are better than no records — you can still claim deductions you can document.

Can I use one bookkeeping system for multiple gig platforms?

Yes. Most gig workers report all platform income on a single T2125 form. Use one bookkeeping system to track income and expenses across all platforms. Tag each transaction with the platform name for easy reconciliation.