WFH Diary vs myDeductions
What is myDeductions?
myDeductions is the ATO’s own free record-keeping tool, inside the ATO app for iPhone, iPad and Android. It lets employees record work-related expenses, trips and, since a November 2025 update, work-from-home hours.
The ATO says the hours tool lets you record your working from home hours on a daily basis and keeps a running total. If you use the fixed rate method, the hours you record are used to work out your working from home expense and are pre-filled into myTax when you upload your records. Records are stored on your device. You can back them up to your own iCloud or Google Drive, and email a CSV of your records to yourself or your tax agent.
How the two compare
The main difference is how hours get recorded: in myDeductions you enter them; in WFH Diary your Mac records them and you confirm each day.
| myDeductions (ATO app) | WFH Diary | |
|---|---|---|
| Made by | The Australian Taxation Office | Apptractive Pty Ltd (not affiliated with the ATO) |
| Platform | iPhone and iPad (iOS 16 or later) and Android | Mac (macOS 14 Sonoma or later) |
| Cost | Free | Free to track; Pro reports A$14.99 a year or A$39.99 once |
| How hours get recorded | You enter your hours each day | Automatically while your Mac is in use; you confirm each day was at home |
| Other expenses and car trips | Yes | No, work-from-home hours and bills only |
| Exports | Email a CSV; upload to the ATO to pre-fill myTax | PDF and CSV reports (Pro); printable worksheet (free) |
| Multi-device | The ATO says to record on a single device all year, as sets of records can’t be combined | iCloud sync across your Macs; overlapping time counted once |
| Privacy | Stored on your device until you back up or upload | On your Macs and in your private iCloud; records when the Mac is in use, not what you do |
Use myDeductions if…
myDeductions is the better choice if you want a free tool from the ATO itself and you’ll remember to enter your hours.
- You want it free, and from the ATO.
- You want to upload your records so your hours pre-fill in myTax.
- You also want to record other work expenses or car trips in the same place.
- You don’t work on a Mac, or your work is spread across devices WFH Diary can’t see.
- You’re happy to log hours on your phone each day.
Use WFH Diary if…
WFH Diary suits you if you work on a Mac and you know you’ll forget to log hours by hand.
- You want your hours recorded automatically, at the time, without starting a timer or typing them in.
- You want long pauses flagged so you can say whether you were on a call or on a break.
- You work across two Macs and want one total.
- You want a PDF report with a daily breakdown to keep or give to your tax agent.
Can I use both?
Yes. Many people will keep their hours in WFH Diary and other expenses in myDeductions. If you do, pick one place as your hours record so you don’t claim the same time twice, and enter the hours total once in your return.
From the 2026–27 income year, if your work expenses come to less than $1,000, the new standard deduction may be higher than your itemised claim. The deduction calculator shows which is higher for you.
Questions
Is myDeductions free?
Yes. myDeductions is part of the ATO app, which is free on the App Store and Google Play.
Can myDeductions record work-from-home hours?
Yes. The ATO added work-from-home hours entry to myDeductions in a November 2025 update. You record your hours each day and it keeps a running total.
Does WFH Diary upload to the ATO?
No. WFH Diary doesn’t connect to the ATO. You copy the total into myTax or give the report to your tax agent.
Is WFH Diary approved by the ATO?
No. The ATO doesn’t approve or endorse record-keeping apps. It accepts logs from time-tracking apps as a type of hours record, which is what WFH Diary keeps.
Sources
This is general information, not tax advice. Check your own situation with the ATO or a registered tax agent. WFH Diary is not affiliated with or endorsed by the Australian Taxation Office.