Small Business Expense Categories: A Simple List for Tax Time
The common small business expense categories, with examples, so every receipt lands in the right bucket for tax time.
The categories most small businesses use
| Category | Examples |
|---|---|
| Advertising | Ads, business cards, website hosting |
| Car and travel | Mileage, parking, flights, hotels for work trips |
| Contract labor | Freelancers and subcontractors you pay |
| Insurance | Liability and business property insurance |
| Office expenses | Paper, ink, postage, small supplies |
| Software and subscriptions | Design tools, accounting apps, cloud storage |
| Professional services | Accountant, lawyer, consultants |
| Rent and utilities | Office or studio rent, business phone, internet |
| Supplies and materials | Inventory inputs, packaging, tools |
| Meals | Business meals with clients (rules vary) |
| Education | Courses and books that improve current skills |
| Bank and payment fees | Card processing, platform and transfer fees |
Small Business Expense Tracker
Log expenses by category with monthly totals for tax time.
Get it →Pick categories once and stick to them
Changing category names mid-year makes your totals useless. Choose about 12 to 15 categories in January, use a dropdown so spelling never varies, and add an 'Other' bucket you review monthly.
Keep the receipt link next to the entry
For each expense, log the date, vendor, amount, category and where the receipt lives (a photo in a cloud folder is fine). That one habit answers most questions an accountant will ask. This page is general information, not tax advice.
Free Monthly Business Expense Log
A printable expense log, profit and tax summary, and categories cheat sheet.
Download free →Related templates
Free Monthly Business Expense Log
A printable expense log, profit and tax summary, and categories cheat sheet.
Download free →