Most small business owners use two or three ATO services and never find the rest. That is a pity, because the ATO has free tools that check a supplier’s ABN in seconds, compare your margins with your industry, work out depreciation and estimate a payment plan before you ring anyone.
This guide covers the ten ATO tools most useful to Australian businesses in 2026, what each one does and when to use it, for both 2025-26 returns and the 2026-27 year. Every tool was checked on ato.gov.au and the Australian Business Register on 9 October 2026, and old names such as myGovID and the Business Portal have been updated.
It is written for sole traders, company directors and small employers who want to do more themselves. If you also use myGov for your personal tax, our guide to linking myGov to the ATO covers that side.
Key takeaways
- myID (formerly myGovID) plus RAM is how you log in to ATO business services.
- Online services for business replaced the Business Portal and is where you manage tax accounts and payment plans.
- The ATO app includes myDeductions, a business performance check and a simplified tax withheld calculator.
- ABN Lookup is free and shows a supplier’s ABN status and GST status.
- The payment plan estimator shows how long a debt will take to clear and the interest you will be charged.
- The quarterly super guarantee calculator is not for Payday Super periods from 1 July 2026.
ATO business tools at a glance
| Tool | What it does | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Online services for business | Secure portal for tax accounts, lodgments, payment plans and secure mail | All businesses |
| myID and RAM | Digital ID login, and linking your ID to an ABN | Owners, directors, staff |
| ATO app | myDeductions, business performance check, tax withheld calculator, key dates | Sole traders and small employers |
| ABN Lookup | Checks ABN status, GST status and business names | Anyone paying suppliers |
| Tax withheld calculator | Works out PAYG withholding from pay | Employers |
| Small business benchmarks | Compares your ratios with 100 industries | Owners reviewing margins |
| Business viability assessment tool | Report on whether the business looks viable | Businesses under cash pressure |
| Depreciation and capital allowances tool | Calculates decline in value and balancing adjustments | Businesses buying assets |
| Fuel tax credit tools | Eligibility check and calculator for BAS claims | Businesses using fuel in eligible activities |
| Payment plan estimator | Estimates repayment time and interest on a tax debt | Businesses with an ATO debt |
Source: ATO Digital ID and RAM, ATO app, ABN Lookup, ATO benchmarks, ATO depreciation tool and ATO payment plan estimator, checked 9 October 2026.
1. Online services for business: where is the main ATO portal?
Online services for business replaced the ATO Business Portal in 2021. It is the secure channel for managing your tax and super obligations, viewing and printing returns and income tax history, creating payment plans online and sending secure mail. What you can see depends on the permissions you have been given.
You log in at the Online services for business login page with your myID. The system logs you out after 20 minutes of inactivity, so save as you go. Our step-by-step Online services for business login guide walks through first-time setup.
2. myID and RAM: how do you get access?
According to the ATO, myID is currently the only Digital ID you can use to log in to ATO online services. Relationship Authorisation Manager (RAM) is what connects your myID to a business.
- The principal authority, such as a sole trader or a director listed on the ABN, links their myID to the ABN in RAM first.
- They can then authorise staff or other people to act for the business. An invitation code must be accepted within 7 days.
- Standard or Strong identity strength works for all online services. A principal authority needs at least Standard to link a business.
3. What can the ATO app do for a business?
The ATO app is more useful for business than many owners realise. It includes:
- myDeductions: sole traders can record business income, expenses and car trips, then upload at tax time or email the records to their tax agent (ATO myDeductions).
- Business performance check: compares your business with others in your industry using benchmark data for 100 business types, from as little as one month of figures.
- Tax withheld calculator: a simpler version for 2026-27 payments.
- ABN lookup and key dates for lodgments and payments.
myDeductions records sit on your device, so back them up, use a single device for the year and remember you can upload only once per financial year.
4. Why check every supplier on ABN Lookup?
ABN Lookup is free, needs no login, and shows whether an ABN is active or cancelled, the entity type, GST status and trading names. Check it before you pay a new supplier, and confirm GST registration before you claim GST credits on their invoice.
Keep your own details current too. The ABR says you must update your ABN details within 28 days of becoming aware of a change.
5. How do employers use the tax withheld calculator and STP?
The tax withheld calculator works out how much to withhold from salary, wages, allowances, director’s fees and similar payments made in the 2026-27 year. Non-residents, working holiday makers and payees claiming offsets need the full calculator rather than the app version.
Payroll itself is reported through Single Touch Payroll each time you pay employees, using STP-enabled software. The ATO does not provide that software, so compare options in our small business accounting software comparison and see our payroll setup checklist.
6. How does your business compare with the small business benchmarks?
The ATO small business benchmarks cover businesses with different turnover ranges across 100 industries. You can compare manually on the ATO website or through the business performance check in the ATO app. If your ratios sit well outside the range for your industry, it is worth finding out why. The ATO publishes its small business income tax gap estimates as well.
7. When should you use the business viability assessment tool?
The business viability assessment tool asks for your profit and loss, balance sheet, aged debtors and creditors and monthly debt repayments for the year to date and the two previous years. It produces a report of ticks and crosses. The ATO says the result is for information only and is not conclusive, and that it does not store your report.
8. How does the depreciation and capital allowances tool help?
The depreciation and capital allowances tool works out the deduction for a depreciating asset, your share of assets in a partnership and balancing adjustments, and lets you compare the prime cost and diminishing value methods. You can use it with or without a myGov account. Small businesses should check the instant asset write-off first, as it may allow an immediate deduction instead.
9. What are the fuel tax credit tools?
The fuel tax credit tools include an eligibility tool and a calculator that works out the credit to report on your BAS, plus adjustments from earlier periods. Rates change regularly, so use the calculator rather than an old rate. Our fuel tax credits guide explains eligibility.
10. How does the payment plan estimator work?
The payment plan estimator estimates how quickly you can pay a tax debt and how much interest you will be charged. It cannot be used for super guarantee charge debts. Debts of $200,000 or less can usually be set up as a payment plan online, and the general interest charge keeps accruing until the debt is paid.
Worked example: estimating the cost of a payment plan
Ravi’s company owes $18,000 on its activity statement account. He wants to pay it over 12 months.
Principal per month: $18,000 / 12 = $1,500.
The GIC daily rate for October to December 2026 is 0.03153425% (ATO GIC rates). On the full balance, one day of interest is $18,000 x 0.0003153425 = about $5.68, so a 31-day month costs about $5.68 x 31 = $176.
Interest falls as the balance drops, and GIC compounds daily, so the payment plan estimator gives the accurate total. GIC incurred from 1 July 2025 is not tax deductible, so paying sooner saves real money.
Our guide on reducing ATO interest explains when you can ask for remission.
Which ATO tool should you use for each job?
| Job | Tool to use |
|---|---|
| Varying PAYG instalments | PAYG instalments calculator |
| Super guarantee for quarters to 30 June 2026 | Super guarantee contributions calculator (not for Payday Super) |
| Employee car claims up to 2025-26 | Work-related car expenses calculator (cents per km) |
| Preparing for tax time | 2026 Tax Time toolkit for small business |
| Checking a new supplier | ABN Lookup |
Links: PAYG instalments calculator, super guarantee contributions calculator, work-related car expenses calculator and the Tax Time toolkit for small business. For super from 1 July 2026, see our Payday Super guide.
Rule of thumb: Use ATO tools to check and estimate, not to decide. If a result affects a lodgment, a payment arrangement or a large asset purchase, confirm it with your records or your tax agent before acting.
Common mistakes with ATO tools
- Sharing one myID: a Digital ID is personal. Authorise each person separately in RAM.
- Leaving ABR details out of date: you have 28 days from becoming aware of a change to update them.
- Using an outdated calculator: the quarterly super calculator does not apply to Payday Super periods, and the car calculator covers income years up to 2025-26.
- Not backing up myDeductions: records stay on your phone until uploaded, and backups are not automatic.
- Assuming data is not matched: the ATO matches data from many sources, as our article on how the ATO uses AI to detect tax mistakes explains.
FAQ about ATO tools for business
Are ATO tools for business free?
Yes. Online services for business, the ATO app, ABN Lookup and the calculators on the ATO website cost nothing to use. You will usually pay for STP-enabled payroll or accounting software from a commercial provider, because the ATO requires employers to report payroll through that kind of software rather than providing it.
What replaced myGovID and the ATO Business Portal?
myGovID has been renamed myID, and it is currently the only Digital ID you can use to log in to ATO online services. Online services for business replaced the old Business Portal in 2021. You link your myID to your ABN through Relationship Authorisation Manager before you can act for the business online.
What identity strength do I need for Online services for business?
The ATO says Standard or Strong identity strength works for all online services, and a principal authority needs at least Standard to link a business in RAM. Some employees with Basic strength can access certain services after extra steps. Setting up Strong from the start avoids access problems later.
Can sole traders use myDeductions for business income?
Yes. Sole traders can record business income, business expenses and car trips in myDeductions, then upload the records at tax time or email them to their registered tax agent. Records stay on your device, so back them up regularly, use one device for the year, and remember you can upload only once per financial year.
Can I still use the ATO super guarantee calculator?
Only for quarters ending on or before 30 June 2026. The ATO says not to use the quarterly super guarantee contributions calculator for Payday Super. From 1 July 2026 employers pay super with each pay run, and the ATO directs employers to its Payday Super guidance for earnings from that date.
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Talk to a registered tax agent
Nanak Accountants can set up your myID and RAM access, check your benchmarks and handle BAS, payroll and payment plans for you. Call 1300 626 258 or book a free 15-minute consultation.
This article is general information only and is not personal tax or legal advice. Figures and rules were checked against the ATO online services, calculators and tools pages and the Australian Business Register on 9 October 2026. Rates and thresholds change, so confirm the current position before acting.
