Bookkeeping software for Hong Kong: bank feeds, receipts and a multi-currency ledger
Finn keeps your books in Hong Kong dollars, with dates in day, month, year order, and handles the US dollar and other currency activity common in Hong Kong. Bring in bank activity by uploading a CSV or PDF statement, or by connecting Mercury, Wise, Stripe or Revolut where you use them. Finn categorises each line using your business context and flags anything unclear for your review.
Receipts and invoices do not need filing by hand. Email one in, or send a photo by WhatsApp, Telegram or Slack, and Finn reads it and matches it to the bank line. The IRD requires business records in English or Chinese for at least seven years, and Finn keeps each document tied to the entry it supports.
- Categorises transactions using your own business context
- Handles HKD, USD and other currencies in one ledger
- Keeps receipts linked to entries for the seven-year record rule
- Raises exceptions for you to clear at month end
10 OctThe MPF contributions lands on 10 Oct. Finn puts it on your calendar and reminds you ahead of it.
No VAT or GST in Hong Kong: what it means for your accounting
Hong Kong has no value-added tax, no goods and services tax and no general sales tax. Businesses do not register for, collect or file any consumption tax return, and the only indirect taxes are excise duties on goods such as tobacco, liquor above 30% alcohol and hydrocarbon oils. Finn does not set up VAT tracking for a Hong Kong company, which keeps the books simpler.
Stamp duty is the tax that does come up. It applies to transfers of Hong Kong stock at 0.26% of the consideration, shared equally between buyer and seller, to lease agreements, and to property. Stamp duty generally has to be paid within 30 days of signing. Finn keeps such payments in the right account so they are easy to find at year end.
Hong Kong profits tax software: two-tiered rates, the IRD return and mandatory audit
Profits Tax is two-tiered. A company pays 8.25% on the first HKD 2,000,000 of assessable profit and 16.5% on the rest. Unincorporated businesses pay 7.5% and 15%. Only one company in a connected group can use the lower tier. The tax is territorial, so profits arising offshore are generally exempt, though passive income received by multinational groups faces separate rules.
The IRD issues the Profits Tax Return around 1 April, and the deadline depends on your year end and whether a tax representative files: about 1 May for April to November year ends, mid-August for December and mid-November for January to March, with eFiling available for a further extension on application. The IRD also charges provisional tax in two instalments of 75% and 25%. Every Hong Kong limited company must have its accounts audited by a Hong Kong CPA, and Finn prepares the ledger the auditor needs.
MPF payroll software for Hong Kong: MPF, salaries tax and the employer's return
The Mandatory Provident Fund (MPF) needs 5% from the employer and 5% from the employee, each capped at HKD 1,500 a month on maximum relevant income of HKD 30,000. Contributions are due by the 10th of the month after the wage period, with a 5% surcharge if late. Since 1 May 2025 employers can no longer use MPF contributions to offset severance or long service payments.
Salaries Tax is progressive from 2% to 17%, capped at a standard rate of 15% on the first HKD 5,000,000 of net income. The IRD issues the Employer's Return, form BIR56A, around 1 April, and it is due within one month. Finn records wages and MPF costs in your ledger and reminds you of each date. The MPF remittance is made through your trustee.
Hong Kong annual return, business registration and company secretary
Every Hong Kong company files an Annual Return, form NAR1, with the Companies Registry within 42 days of its incorporation anniversary. The electronic fee is HKD 105, and late filing carries escalating penalties. The return lists the directors, secretary, registered office, share capital and shareholders. Finn tracks your anniversary date and reminds you ahead of it.
Every business also needs a Business Registration Certificate, renewed annually or every three years, which for 2026/27 costs HKD 2,350 for one year. Every limited company must have a company secretary at all times, resident in Hong Kong if an individual. Finn holds the dates, and you or your company secretary make the filings.
Sole proprietorships, partnerships and freelancers in Hong Kong
Unincorporated businesses pay Profits Tax at 7.5% on the first HKD 2,000,000 and 15% on the rest. The mandatory audit rule applies to limited companies, but every business still has to keep proper records for seven years. An individual also files a Tax Return for Individuals, form BIR60, which is issued in May and due within one month of issue.
Self-employed people contribute 5% of relevant income to the MPF, capped at HKD 18,000 a year. Finn tracks your income and expenses through the year and keeps them in a form you can hand to an accountant or use yourself when the IRD return arrives, including the split between business and personal spending that sole proprietors often lose.
Switching from Xero, QuickBooks or Zoho Books
Many Hong Kong businesses are on Xero, QuickBooks or Zoho Books, often with a bookkeeper or company secretary alongside. Switching is a CSV export and an upload. Export your transactions, contacts and chart of accounts from the old package, and Finn maps the columns itself, so you do not need to reformat anything.
There is no lock-in, and your auditor or accountant can keep access to review the books. A clean switch date is the start of your financial year or a quarter, so the figures sit in one place. Finn carries across open invoices and bills, so customers and suppliers keep their balances.