Epic Tax vs Clear Tax Accountants vs True Ledger Accounting: Melbourne Accounting for Online Sellers and Startups, 2026

Key Takeaways

• Epic Tax leads for e-commerce and online sellers, reconciling Shopify, eBay, TikTok Shop and Etsy payouts in Xero and Amazon settlements line by line.
• True Ledger Accounting is best for sole traders, freelancers and tight budgets, pairing payout reconciliation with CPA-reviewed monthly reports. 
• Clear Tax Accountants is the branch-network option for property investors and owners wanting a choice of Melbourne branches.
• Reaching the $75,000 GST turnover threshold changes how online sellers price and report their sales.

Small business accounting in Melbourne becomes more involved when an online store sells through several channels. A payout may combine orders from different days, deduct fees and refunds, and arrive after the sale occurred. Stock purchases and advertising bills add another layer to the cash position. 

Epic Tax is suitable for Melbourne online sellers whose income runs through several marketplaces at once. True Ledger Accounting is best for founders who want monthly books, BAS and reporting from one CPA-led practice, while Clear Tax Accountants serves property investors across four Melbourne branches.

Online selling creates accounting work that starts with the very first BAS. Payouts arrive net of fees, platforms report sales to the ATO, and imported stock carries its own GST rules.

Hobby or Business? When Online Selling Needs an Accountant

The ATO weighs several factors together to decide whether you run an online business. Its guide to online selling points to regular, repeated sales, an intention to make a profit, business-like organisation and the size of the operation.

The ATO treats hobby income and casual sales as generally not assessable. Once the activity looks like a business, marketplace payouts, website sales and social media orders all belong in your tax return.

GST sets the next threshold for online sellers. You have 21 days to sign up for GST once your GST turnover reaches $75,000 or more, according to the ATO’s GST page.

The GST Traps Online Sellers Hit Most

Marketplace selling creates GST problems that a single-shop business rarely sees. The most common ones are:

• Net payouts: platforms deduct fees and refunds before paying you, so deposits never match gross sales.
• Multi-channel reconciliation: Shopify, Amazon and eBay each export data in their own format, and errors compound across channels.
• Platform reporting: under the Sharing Economy Reporting Regime, electronic distribution platforms have reported all other reportable transactions to the ATO since 1 July 2024.
• Imported stock: the ATO’s low value imported goods rules cover goods worth A$1,000 or less sold into Australia.

Platform reporting means the ATO increasingly sees your sales before you lodge. Clean monthly reconciliation keeps your figures in line with theirs.

Online retail claims a growing share of Australian spending. The Australian Bureau of Statistics put online sales at 12.7% of total retail in June 2025, up from 11.6% a year earlier.

First-Year Structure Decisions for Startups

A startup’s first big accounting decision is its business structure. business.gov.au explains that a sole trader carries legal responsibility for every aspect of the business, while a company is a separate legal entity.

Structure shapes tax, liability and how easily you can bring in investors later. Many founders start as sole traders and move to a company once revenue, staff or funding talks justify the switch.

Research-heavy startups have another option to explore. Companies with an aggregated turnover under $20 million can claim a refundable R&D tax offset at their company tax rate plus an 18.5% premium, according to the ATO’s R&D Tax Incentive rates. None of the three firms below list R&D claims as a dedicated service, so raise it directly if it applies to you.

How the Three Firms Compare

Firm	Best for	Platforms handled	Credentials shown online
Epic Tax	E-commerce and online sellers	Shopify, Amazon FBA, eBay, TikTok Shop, Etsy	CPA and CA ANZ partners, TPB number
True Ledger Accounting	Sole traders, freelancers and tight budgets	Shopify, WooCommerce, Amazon, Stripe, PayPal, plus eBay support	CPA Australia member (Jia Lee)
Clear Tax Accountants	Property investors and owners wanting a choice of Melbourne branches	No dedicated e-commerce service listed	IPA, Xero and QuickBooks badges

Three Firms That Handle Marketplace Books

1. Epic Tax – Best for e-commerce and online sellers.

Epic Tax reconciles marketplace payouts from Shopify, eBay, TikTok Shop and Etsy in Xero, and works through Amazon settlements line by line. Its website lists the firm’s Tax Practitioners Board number (26121271) and says one partner is a CPA Australia member and the other holds a CA ANZ designation.

The firm also works with non-resident and overseas sellers, including ABN and GST applications for foreign businesses. Clients can meet in Caulfield North, by video or through WeChat, and the website runs in English and Mandarin.

What stands out:

• Line-by-line Amazon settlement and import GST work
• BAS preparation that accounts for several marketplaces at once
• Services for non-resident sellers entering the Australian market
• Bilingual service in English and Mandarin

Worth knowing:

• Quotes follow a free consultation; no rate card online
• Xero is the only accounting platform badge on its website
• A two-partner practice, with partners not named on the website

Contact: 

Address: 241 Balaclava Road, Caulfield North VIC 3161 

Phone: 0416 050 892 Google

2. True Ledger Accounting – Best for sole traders, freelancers and tight budgets.

True Ledger Accounting reconciles payouts from Shopify, WooCommerce, Amazon, Stripe and PayPal, supports eBay sellers, and assists with GST on e-commerce sales and BAS preparation. These services suit startups and sole traders looking for ongoing help with their online sales records and monthly reporting.

Led by Jia Lee, a CPA Australia member with 7+ years of experience, the practice reports on cash flow, inventory movement, advertising spend, cost of goods sold and margins. This helps owners see where their money goes and how stock and marketing costs affect profitability.

For founders in their early trading years, business setup and structuring support can help them explore whether their current structure continues to meet their needs as revenue grows.

A fixed monthly quote is prepared after reviewing transaction volume, the existing setup and required support. Clients can generally retain their Xero, MYOB or QuickBooks records. One early Google reviewer described the experience:

“I would recommend them to anyone looking for a reliable accountant.” Elden Lord, 5 ⭐ on Google (October 2026) 

What stands out:

• Payout reconciliation across multiple platforms and payment gateways
• Monthly reporting on margins, ad spend and inventory movement
• CPA-led oversight from a named CPA Australia member
• Structure advice when a sole trader is ready to become a company

Worth knowing:

• Pricing is set per business after a look at transaction volume
• Only a handful of public reviews so far
• No shopfront or published address, as it works across a service area

Contact: 

Phone: +61 432 283 573

Email: [email protected]

3. Clear Tax Accountants – Best for property and business tax across Melbourne branches

Clear Tax Accountants runs offices in the Melbourne CBD, Point Cook, Pakenham and Cranbourne, plus branches in Sydney and Adelaide. Its services cover individual and business tax returns, BAS, Xero, QuickBooks and MYOB accounting, SMSF setup, cryptocurrency tax and property investor work.

The firm’s company and trust plan adds payroll and quarterly management reports to the core accounting work. Clear Tax displays Institute of Public Accountants membership and Xero and QuickBooks association badges on its website.

Its Melbourne CBD listing holds 4.8 from 193 Google reviews. The lowest-rated recent review raises a communication concern:

“There was a clear lack of communication and very limited response to emails.” Atina Sadeghi, 1 ⭐ on Google (May, 2026)

What stands out:

• Several Melbourne branches, from the CBD to the south-east
• Property investor, cryptocurrency and SMSF setup work in-house
• Xero and QuickBooks association badges

Worth knowing:

• No dedicated e-commerce or online seller service on its website
• Its SMSF page states it does not give SMSF financial advice

Contact: 

Address: Unit 19, 22-30 Wallace Avenue, Point Cook, VIC 3030 

Phone: 1300 417 399 

Selling Across Multiple Platforms? Ask Your Accountant These Six Questions

More sales channels mean more payouts, fees and refunds to track. Before choosing an accountant, ask how they turn those transactions into clear, reliable figures for your business.

• Can you explain every dollar in my marketplace payouts? 

Ask how they reconcile gross sales, platform fees and refunds against the amount deposited into your bank account.

• Have you worked with the platforms I sell on? 

Look for hands-on experience with Shopify, Amazon or TikTok Shop, depending on your sales channels.

• How will you account for my imported stock? 

Ask how they record stock costs and handle applicable import GST.

• How do you check for reporting discrepancies? 

Find out how they compare your records with platform statements and any information reported to the ATO.

• Who checks my numbers each month? 

Confirm who reviews your accounts, their qualifications and how they resolve errors before BAS preparation.

• Can you support my next stage of growth? 

Ask how they assess whether your current business structure still suits you and who would advise on a move from sole trader to company.

Conclusion

The right choice depends on your business activities, reporting needs and budget. Online sellers can compare Epic Tax’s marketplace support with True Ledger Accounting’s monthly reporting services, while owners with property interests may also consider Clear Tax Accountants. 

Before choosing, confirm each firm’s relevant experience, service inclusions and total fees. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need an accountant for an e-commerce business? 

Most online sellers need one once marketplace payouts, GST and imported stock start overlapping. Reconciliation errors across several channels add up quickly, and they surface at BAS time.

Do I charge GST on Shopify sales under $75,000? 

GST is generally optional below $75,000 of GST turnover, with a few exceptions such as ride-sourcing. Once you reach the threshold, the ATO gives you 21 days to sign up, and GST then applies to your taxable sales.

Should my startup be a sole trader or a company? 

A sole trader setup keeps running costs low, while a company separates the business from you legally. Many founders switch once revenue, staff or investors arrive.

Can True Ledger Accounting handle an online brand with stock and ad spend? 

True Ledger’s ecommerce service covers cost of goods sold, inventory movement and margin reporting alongside BAS preparation. That gives online brands monthly numbers they can act on, not just compliance.

Does True Ledger Accounting reconcile Shopify and Amazon payouts? 

True Ledger reconciles Shopify, WooCommerce, Amazon, Stripe and PayPal payouts and supports eBay sellers. It handles GST on ecommerce sales as part of its monthly work.