Comparison

Self Employed vs WriteOff

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Self Employed

Streamline business operations for self-employed individuals. Manage invoices, track expenses and mileage automatically, and simplify tax compliance with US federal tax law features. Gain insights with reports and analytics.

Highlights
  • Professional invoice creation
  • Automatic GPS mileage tracking
  • Categorized expense tracking
  • Receipt scanning with OCR
  • US federal tax law compliance
  • Business finance reports and analytics
Features
Currently charting
Read full description

**Self Employed** is an all-in-one business and finance app designed for self-employed individuals, freelancers, independent contractors, and small business owners in the United States. Organize your business finances, track income and expenses, manage mileage, create invoices, and prepare for your tax obligations with convenient tools in one place. ### Key Features **Create Professional Invoices** Create customizable invoices by adding client details, services, pricing, and your business information. Save and share invoices directly with your clients. **Mileage Tracking** Track business mileage using GPS and keep your trips organized. Classify trips as business or personal to help maintain accurate mileage records for your business expenses. **Expense Tracking** Keep your business expenses organized in one place. Record expenses, categorize transactions, capture receipts, and associate expenses with specific projects or clients. **Receipt Scanner** Scan receipts using OCR technology to help capture important receipt information and reduce manual data entry. Keep your business receipts organized and accessible when you need them. **Tax Tools for US Users** Prepare for US tax obligations with tools for tracking tax-related information, monitoring important tax dates, and estimating potential tax payments. Keep your financial records organized throughout the year. **Reports & Financial Insights** View reports to better understand your business activity. Monitor income, expenses, and profitability to help you make informed business decisions. **Secure Data Protection** Keep your business information protected with available security features such as passcode or biometric authentication. Your financial information stays organized and accessible within the app. **Built for Self-Employed Professionals** Whether you're a freelancer, independent contractor, or small business owner, Self Employed helps you organize everyday financial tasks and keep your business records in one convenient place. Take control of your business finances, stay organized, and prepare for your US tax responsibilities with Self Employed. ### Subscription Plans * **Yearly Subscription:** $49.99 per year * **Monthly Subscription:** $14.99 per month Subscriptions automatically renew unless auto-renewal is turned off at least 24 hours before the end of the current subscription period. Your Apple ID account will be charged for renewal within 24 hours before the end of the current subscription period, and the renewal cost will be identified. You can manage your subscriptions and turn off auto-renewal through your Apple ID Account Settings after purchase. Terms of use: https://protectionandsecurity.wordpress.com/terms-of-use/ Privacy policy: https://protectionandsecurity.wordpress.com/privacy-policy/

About

WriteOff

Features
Read full description

You just mass purchased four domains, paid for Claude Max, and grabbed lunch with a client. Which of those are deductible? All of them — but do you know why, and by how much? WriteOff is the AI-powered expense tracker built for solo founders, freelance developers, and indie hackers running an LLC. Add an expense in plain English. The AI categorizes it, determines deductibility, and explains the reasoning — all before you close the app. HOW IT WORKS Type something like "Anthropic API $100" or "client dinner $85." WriteOff parses the description, amount, and category instantly. Then a brief AI conversation opens — two to four questions, not an interrogation — to nail down the details: "Was this for a specific client project or general business use?" "Was anyone else at this dinner? Business meals with a client are 50% deductible." Based on your answers, the expense is categorized, assessed (fully deductible, partially deductible, or personal), and saved. No pending state. No review queue. Every expense is resolved the moment you finish a 15-second conversation. AI DEDUCTION COACH Beyond logging, you can ask WriteOff anything: "Can I write off my home internet?" or "I bought a monitor — is that Section 179?" The AI gives clear, helpful guidance with appropriate disclaimers. This is what no other expense app does — it teaches you tax literacy while you track. CATEGORIES BUILT FOR YOUR STACK Forget "Office Supplies" and "Utilities." WriteOff uses categories that match how you actually spend: Domains, API Credits, AI Subscriptions, Cloud & Hosting, SaaS Tools, Hardware, Meals & Client, Travel, and Education. TAX TIME REPORT One tap generates a complete PDF summary grouped by deduction category — ready to hand to your CPA or drop into TurboTax. Attach receipt photos to any expense and include them in your export. Log all year, export in February, save hours of tax prep. COMPLETELY FREE — BRING YOUR OWN KEY WriteOff is free. No subscriptions, no tiers, no limits. You bring your own API key (Anthropic or OpenAI) and the AI runs at your own API cost — typically less than a penny per expense. You own your key, you control your costs, and you get the full app with zero restrictions. PRIVACY & DISCLAIMERS Your expense data stays on your device. When AI reviews an expense, only the description and amount are sent to your AI provider via your own API key — never your name, business details, or financial history. WriteOff does not collect, store, or transmit personal data to any server we control. WriteOff is not a CPA or tax advisor. AI categorizations are suggestions only. Always consult a qualified tax professional before claiming deductions. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

Self Employed4 screens
WriteOff4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: WriteOff at none against Self Employed's 3. WriteOff also leads on ads (none vs shown). Self Employed's advantage is chart position (#72 vs unranked). On price, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Self Employed sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $14.99 per month. WriteOff asks for nothing beyond the download.

Scorecard3 real differences · 8 level
Self Employed versus WriteOff: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSelf EmployedWriteOff
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.2 (2.1K ratings) — better—
Positive reviews47.4% of reviews—
Number of ratings2.1K — better—
Update frequencyFortnightly—
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationSubscription—
Best chart rank#72 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPad — betteriPhone
Requires iOS16.0 — better17.6
Further details — not scored
Size77 MB3 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperProtection & Security App LLCCory Larro

Bugs and requests

Self Employed

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • App not opening past initial screen
  • Inability to log in to existing account
  • Quota exceeded error messages
  • Transactions not saving properly

Requested features

4 requests
  • Add ability to upload digital receipts
  • Improve date and transaction editing functionality
  • Integrate with other professional apps
  • Provide better instructions and guidance for users

WriteOff

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

3 purchases

Self Employed

Subscriptions3
  • Employed Monthly Subscription1 Month trial$14.991 Month
  • Employed Yearly Subscription3 Days trial$49.991 Year
  • Yearly Premium3 Days trial$99.991 Year
None

WriteOff

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Self Employed free?
Self Employed is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is WriteOff free?
WriteOff is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Self Employed or WriteOff have ads?
Self Employed shows ads; WriteOff does not.

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