Industry · Media & Marketing

Accounting for Media & Marketing

Creative, media and marketing agencies: we track retainers and projects, separate media pass-through costs and get VAT right for local and overseas clients.

RetainersBilled and tracked

Media spendSeparated from fees

From AED 999Per month

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★★★★★ 5.0 on GooglePartner-led, ex-EY500+ UAE businesses

Overview

Know what each client really earns you

Agency revenue often includes media spend and third-party costs passed straight through to clients. Mixed in with fees, they inflate revenue and hide the true margin on each account.

We separate agency fees from pass-through costs, track retainers and project billing, and report profit by client. Freelancer payments, VAT on local and overseas clients and Corporate Tax are handled alongside.

Retainers and project billing
Media and pass-through costs separated
Profit by client
Freelancer payments
VAT for UAE and overseas clients
Corporate Tax and QFZP review

Sound familiar?

Where we usually come in

"Our revenue looks big but margins feel thin."

With us: We separate media spend so your real fee income is clear.

"We pay lots of freelancers."

With us: We track and document freelancer costs properly.

"Half our clients are overseas."

With us: We apply the right VAT treatment to each.

"We don't know which retainers are profitable."

With us: You get profit by client every month.

What's Included

Accounting built for media & marketing

Billing

Retainers, project fees and change requests invoiced and tracked.

Pass-through costs

Media buying and third-party costs separated from agency fees.

Client profitability

Revenue, direct costs and time by client.

Freelancers

Payments recorded with the right documents.

VAT

UAE clients at 5%, overseas clients zero-rated where conditions are met.

Corporate Tax

Return, Small Business Relief or QFZP analysis as relevant.

Our Process

How we work with you

1
Map
We review your clients, contracts and billing model.
2
Set up
Clients, projects and cost types configured.
3
Track
Fees, media spend and costs recorded monthly.
4
Report
Client profit and cash, reviewed by a partner.

Tax points

VAT and Corporate Tax for media & marketing

Topic	What applies
VAT	5% for UAE clients; services to overseas clients can be zero-rated when conditions are met
Media pass-through	Whether you act as principal or agent changes how revenue and VAT are recorded
Corporate Tax	0% up to AED 375,000, 9% above; Small Business Relief may apply up to AED 3M revenue
Free zone agencies	Fees from mainland clients are usually non-qualifying income for QFZP

General information as of November 2026. Your facts decide the answer, so take advice before relying on it.

Pricing

Fixed monthly fees. No surprise invoices.

Startup

AED 999/mo

Up to 50 transactions a month

Monthly bookkeeping
Quarterly VAT filing
Annual financial statements
WhatsApp support (4hr response)

Guides for UAE business owners

GuideQFZP: how free zone companies pay 0%GuideSmall Business Relief extended to 2029 GuideVAT on employee expenses All industriesSee every industry we serve

FAQ

Media & Marketing accounting: common questions

Should media spend be included in our revenue?

It depends on whether you act as principal or agent for the media purchase. That decision affects revenue, margins and VAT, so we review your contracts.

Is VAT charged on work for overseas clients?

Services to clients outside the UAE can often be zero-rated, but only when the conditions are met. We check each client relationship.

Can a free zone agency pay 0% Corporate Tax?

Only on qualifying income while meeting every QFZP condition. Fees from mainland clients are usually non-qualifying.

30-Day Free Trial

Test-drive us for 30 days. Decide on day 31.

Full bookkeeping, IFRS reports by Day 7, tax health-check included. No credit card required.

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