Insights for small businesses
The OneBookPlus blog publishes practical guides, industry deep-dives, tax tips and original research on invoicing, GST, BAS, payroll and Australian compliance, organised by topic.
Featured guides
Hand-picked to start with
From Quote to Paid in One App: The Australian Job Workflow
24 min readResearchThe True Cost of Running Software for an Australian Small Business in 2026
25 min readIndustryBest Invoicing Software for Tradies Australia (2026 Guide)
10 min readIndustryBest Plumbing Software in Australia (2026): Quoting, Invoicing & Job Management Compared
9 min readIndustry5 Best MYOB Alternatives for Australian Small Business (2026)
10 min readIndustryBest ServiceM8 Alternatives for Australian Trades (2026): Cheaper All-in-One Options
9 min readAll guides
The Dead Register
Australia has 20,495,750 ABN records but only about 2.8 million trading businesses. Every one of the 11,550,322 cancelled ABNs still passes the ATO checksum.
The 91-Cent Gap
The ATO will pay you 91 cents a business kilometre in 2026-27, capped at 5,000 km. That is $4,550. One car in a typical Australian household costs $11,651 a year to run, and $13,666 in Sydney. A research report on the gap, with per-city data for 15 locations.
Best Booking Software in Australia
Two identical six-chair salons, one paying $29 a month for booking software and the other $252. Calendly, Acuity, Square, Setmore, Fresha, Timely and SimplyBook.me compared on what they actually cost an Australian business, with prices read from each vendor in August 2026.
What to Charge Per Hour
A qualified plumber on the award costs $31.63 an hour. Once leave, super, workers comp and the hours you cannot invoice are counted, one billable hour costs about $67 before a dollar of overhead. The full build-up, with 2026-27 figures.
Australia's Payroll Tax Cliff
Pay $1.5 million in wages and you owe $31,731 in payroll tax in Western Australia and nothing in South Australia, the NT or the ACT. Every threshold, rate and trap across all eight Australian jurisdictions for 2026-27.
The Fuel Excise Snap-Back 2026
Fuel excise returns to 53.7 cents a litre on 3 August 2026. The rise lands on three tiers of business vehicle in three different ways, and the tier that absorbs all of it is the ute and van under 4.5 tonnes that most Australian small businesses drive.
How Much Do Driving Lessons Cost in Australia? (2026)
Driving lessons average about $80 an hour in Australia, but a licence runs from a few hundred dollars to several thousand. The 2026 breakdown.
How to Start a Driving School in Australia (2026)
Becoming a driving instructor in Australia in 2026: eligibility, checks, the Cert IV, your state licence, a dual-control car, insurance and bookings.
Learner Logbook Hours by State in Australia (2026): How Many You Need
Logbook hours in every Australian state and territory for 2026, including night hours, L-hold periods, over-25 exemptions and hazard perception.
Best Driving School Software in Australia (2026)
A 2026 buyer's guide to driving school software for Australian instructors and multi-car schools, comparing bookings, prepaid credits, CRM and GST invoicing.
Best Job Management Software in Australia (2026): 7 Options Compared
An honest seven-way comparison for 2026: OneBookPlus, ServiceM8, Tradify, Fergus, simPRO, AroFlo and MeMate, with cited pricing and a verdict on each.
Best Real Estate Agency Software in Australia (2026): CRM, Proposals & Commissions
Real estate agency software in Australia for 2026: CRM, digital listing proposals, CMAs and commission tracking, compared for agents.
Best Salon Software in Australia (2026): A Fresha Alternative That Keeps Your Client Data
Salon and beauty booking software in Australia for 2026, compared. Cut no-shows, take deposits, and keep your own client list.
The Card Surcharge Ban 2026: What It Really Costs (and Saves) Australian Small Business
From 1 October 2026 you cannot surcharge eftpos, Mastercard or Visa. What the RBA reform costs and saves you, modelled by business type.
Payday Super 2026: The Employer's Guide to Paying Super Every Payday
From 1 July 2026 employers must pay super every payday and have it in the fund within 7 business days. A plain-English guide to the rules, SGC and cash flow.
Best Job Invoicing Software in Australia (2026): Quote-to-Invoice in One App
Most invoicing apps make you retype the job to raise an invoice. What job invoicing software is, and how quote to invoice gets you paid faster.
Best Invoicing Software Australia (2026): Top 9 Compared
The nine invoicing apps Australian small businesses actually shortlist in 2026, with cited pricing, GST and BAS notes, and which are genuinely free.
Best Cleaning Business Software in Australia (2026): Scheduling, Invoicing & Recurring Jobs
Choosing cleaning business software in Australia for 2026: recurring schedules, on-site invoicing, rostering, payments and GST in one place.
How to Start a Cleaning Business in Australia (2026)
How to start a cleaning business in Australia: ABN and GST registration, public liability insurance, pricing, finding first clients, and staying compliant.
Tax Deductions for Tradies in Australia: What You Can Claim
What tradies can claim at tax time in Australia: tools, vehicle (cents per km), phone, protective clothing, licences and training, plus how to keep records.
How to Quote a Job: A Tradie's Guide
How to quote a job as a tradie: the labour + materials + markup + travel + GST formula, setting a charge-out rate, deposits and terms, and winning more quotes.
Why I Built an All-in-One Business App for Australian Tradies: and What 200 Conversations Taught Me
The Melbourne-cafe origin story, what 200 conversations with Australian small businesses revealed, and an honest checklist for choosing software.
How to Chase Late Invoices Without Being the Bad Guy
Automate your payment reminders: email first, SMS if that is ignored. How to set the sequence up and get paid without the awkward follow-up call.
AI Receptionist for Australian Small Business: Never Miss a Call (or a Job) Again
An AI receptionist answers your calls, qualifies the caller and books the job. How it compares to voicemail and answering services, and what it costs.
Capital Gains Tax for Australian Small Business: What You Owe, When, and How to Stay Audit-Ready
Capital gains tax for Australian small business owners: the cost base, the 50 per cent discount, the four small-business concessions, and what changed.
Carpet Cleaning Pricing in Australia 2026: Per-Room Economics That Actually Work
Pricing carpet cleaning profitably in Australia: per-room benchmarks, stain treatment economics, lounge-suite line items and drying-time maths.
Public Liability Insurance for Cleaning Businesses in Australia: How Much Cover and Why
How much public liability cover a cleaning business needs in Australia, what it costs, what it covers, and three claims worth being insured for.
Bond Clean Pricing in Australia 2026: What to Charge for End-of-Lease Cleans
Pricing bond cleans in Australia: per-bedroom and per-bathroom benchmarks, the add-ons every quote should isolate, and the margin maths behind them.
The Strata Cleaning AGM Playbook: How to Win Contract Renewals in Australia
Strata cleaning contracts are won and lost at the AGM. How to set the year up so renewal is a formality: reporting, evidence and AGM-week tactics.
How to Win a Commercial Cleaning Tender in Australia: The 2026 Playbook
The commercial cleaning tender process in Australia, from RFP intake to contract sign: pricing structure, scope clauses, insurance and negotiation.
How to Find Your First 5 Cleaning Clients in Australia
The five marketing channels that actually get a new cleaning operator from zero to five paying clients in the first 60 days, without burning cash on Google Ads.
How to Set Up Recurring Cleaning Schedules That Actually Stick
Building recurring cleaning contracts that survive six months: pricing, frequency, contract terms, cancellation policy and route-density maths.
Paint Correction Upsell Playbook: How Australian Car Detailers Turn a $200 Wash Into a $700 Visit
The photo-evidence workflow that turns a routine wash booking into a paint correction or ceramic coat, from the LED walk-around to the approval SMS.
Tyre Rotation Cadence & Tread Wear: The Australian Workshop Operator's Guide
Turning tyre rotation into a rebooking pipeline: rotation intervals, tread-depth thresholds, wear-pattern diagnosis and the SMS that brings them back.
Running a Mobile Mechanic Operation: The Australian Operator's Guide
How Australian mobile mechanics and auto electricians run a profitable van: pricing, routing, on-site invoicing, payments and customer comms.
Insurance Claim Workflow for Panel Beaters: Getting Paid Faster on IAG, Suncorp, AAMI and Allianz Jobs
The claim workflow for Australian panel beaters: quote, assessor approval, supplementary, repair and return, and how to stop losing supplementaries.
Roadworthy, Pink-slip, Safety Certificate: The State-by-State Guide for Australian Workshops
The vehicle inspection schemes in every Australian state and territory, from roadworthy to pink slip to safety certificate, and how to issue them.
Rego Renewal Reminders: How Australian Workshops Recover Lost Service Bookings
Using rego and CTP expiry dates as a reactivation channel, so the customers who would otherwise drift to the dealer come back to your workshop.
Sole Trader Tax Deductions Australia: The Complete 2026 List (50+ Things You Can Claim)
Every deduction an Australian sole trader can claim, from home office and vehicle costs to super and depreciation, with worked examples for 2025-26.
EOFY Checklist 2026: Complete End of Financial Year Guide for Australian Small Business
The end of financial year checklist for Australian small business: super, STP finalisation, stocktake, asset write-off, bad debts and the ATO dates.
10 Invoicing Tips Every Australian Freelancer Should Know
Invoicing advice for Australian freelancers: setting payment terms, putting your ABN on the invoice, and chasing what is overdue without the awkwardness.
Best Restaurant POS Systems Australia (2026 Comparison)
Restaurant POS systems in Australia compared for 2026: pricing, GST handling, and how to choose by venue type rather than by feature list.
PAYG Withholding for Small Business: What You Need to Know
PAYG withholding for Australian small business: when you must withhold, how much, what to report, the common mistakes, and contractor agreements.
How to Get More Google Reviews for Your Small Business
Getting more Google reviews: why they matter for local search, how to ask legally, when to ask, how to automate it, and how to answer a bad one.
Starting a Small Business in India or Nepal: Registration, GST & Invoicing Essentials
Starting a business in India or Nepal: registration, GST and VAT compliance, what an invoice must carry, and the tools to run it from day one.
The Complete Small Business Invoicing Guide: Get Paid Faster in 2026
What to put on an invoice, how to set payment terms, how to chase a late payment, and how to choose invoicing software. Works in any country.
How to Pay Employees in Australia: Wages, Super & Tax Withholding Explained
Paying employees in Australia: award rates, PAYG withholding, superannuation, what a payslip must carry, and Single Touch Payroll.
ABN, Sole Trader or Company? Choosing the Right Business Structure in Australia
Sole trader, partnership, company or trust: what each structure means for your tax, your liability and your GST, and when it is worth switching.
How to Set Up an Online Booking System for Your Business
Choosing and setting up an online booking system: why it matters, the features to look for, and how to connect bookings to invoicing and your CRM.
How to Lodge a BAS in Australia: Complete 2026 Guide
Lodging a Business Activity Statement in Australia: GST reporting, PAYG, the deadlines, and the mistakes that cost small businesses the most.
How to Calculate GST in Australia (2026): Formula, Examples & Common Mistakes
Calculating GST in Australia: the formulas for adding and removing 10 per cent, worked examples for invoices and expenses, and the common mistakes.
Email Marketing for Australian Small Businesses: Beginner Guide
Email marketing for Australian small business: building a list legally, what the Spam Act 2003 requires, campaign ideas, and realistic benchmarks.
Superannuation for Small Business Employers: Complete Guide
Super for small business employers: the current 12 per cent SG rate, who you must pay it for, the quarterly deadlines, SuperStream, and the penalties.
Best CRM for Small Business Australia (2026): 7 Options Compared
Seven CRM options for Australian small businesses compared honestly: what you need, what is overkill, and when an all-in-one beats a standalone CRM.
How to Register an ABN as a Sole Trader in Australia (2026)
How to register an ABN as a sole trader: who needs one, how to apply online, the common mistakes, and what to do once the number arrives.
Tax Invoice Requirements Australia: ATO Rules, Checklist & Free Template (2026)
What the ATO requires on a valid Australian tax invoice: the seven-element checklist, the $82.50 and $1,000 thresholds, sole trader rules and RCTIs.
About the OneBookPlus blog
- What does the OneBookPlus blog cover?
- The OneBookPlus blog covers invoicing, GST and BAS, payroll and award rates, and the paperwork side of running a small business. Posts sit in 5 topics (Guides, Tax Tips, Industry, Cleaning and Research), and a topic is listed only while it has posts behind it.
- Which country are the OneBookPlus guides written for?
- They are written for Australia. Sixty-one of the 62 published guides follow Australian rules: GST and BAS, superannuation, Fair Work and award rates, ATO thresholds and state payroll tax. The workflow guides on quoting, invoicing and job management apply anywhere, but every figure in them is in Australian dollars. OneBookPlus itself is sold in Australia only. Read the Australian tax and compliance guides.