The Holiday Collection
The short answer: The best gifts for business owners make the workday a little easier: less paperwork, faster shipping, a desk that doesn't hurt. Owners rarely spend on tools like these for themselves, because every dollar goes back into the business.
Our picks for small business owners
Printables
Password & Accounts Log
Organized by category and A-Z, with room for hints instead of full passwords.
Below are practical picks for the desk, the books and the busy season, plus ideas by budget and a few gifts that cost nothing at all.
Who you're shopping for
There are a lot of them. The SBA Office of Advocacy reports more than 36 million small businesses in the U.S., employing almost half of private-sector workers. That covers everyone from a bakery owner to a freelance designer to an Etsy seller with a packing table in the spare room. Before you shop, ask: If someone on your list is just getting going, our guide on how to start a small business shows the setup steps they are working through.
- Where do they work? A desk, a shop, a truck or a kitchen.
- What do they complain about? Receipts, shipping, taxes and email are common.
- How new is the business? New owners need systems; established owners want upgrades.
For the paperwork pile
Affiliate links: we may earn a small commission. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Details.
- Fujitsu ScanSnap iX1300 document scanner: a compact scanner that turns receipts, invoices and mail into searchable files. A gift that pays off every tax season.
- Profit First by Mike Michalowicz: a popular book on setting aside profit and taxes first. Many owners say it changed how they handle cash.
For the desk
- Rain Design mStand laptop stand: a solid aluminum stand that raises the screen to eye level, for owners who work from a laptop all day.
- Logitech MX Master 4 wireless mouse: a comfortable, programmable mouse for long spreadsheet and design sessions.
For makers and shippers
- Brother P-touch PTD220 label maker: labels for bins, shelves, files and supply drawers, so the packing table stays organized.
For the books
The gift that helps most at tax time is a system that keeps records clean all year. If anyone submits costs for repayment, an expense report template belongs in that system too.
Pair any of these with our free profit and loss statement template printable.
- The Business Income & Expense Tracker ($7.99) is a spreadsheet for Excel and Google Sheets with a sales log, expense categories, a mileage log, a monthly profit and loss tab and a tax set-aside estimate. It's a planning tool, not tax advice.
- The Password & Account Log ($3.99) is a printable place to record the business's many logins: the bank, the shop platform, shipping, email and payment apps.
Our small business expense tracker template page shows what a good tracker should include, and the small business tax deduction checklist is a useful printout to tuck into the gift.
Gifts for small business owners by budget
| Budget | Ideas |
|---|---|
| Under $10 | Business Income & Expense Tracker, Password & Account Log, a handwritten review of their business |
| $10 to $30 | A business book, a quality notebook and pen, a gift card to a local café near their shop |
| $30 to $75 | A label maker, a laptop stand |
| $75 and up | A wireless mouse upgrade, a document scanner |
Amazon prices change often, so check the current price before you order.
How to make a practical gift feel personal
A label maker can feel like an office supply unless you show you've been paying attention. Load it with a fresh tape and print a label with their shop name. Set up the tracker spreadsheet with their business name and the first month filled in. Tuck a note inside a business book about the moment you knew their business would work. Small touches like these turn a useful gift into one they'll remember, and they take ten minutes.
Free gifts that matter most
Some of the most valuable gifts for small business owners cost nothing:
- Leave a detailed review on Google or their shop page.
- Refer a customer and tell the owner who sent them.
- Share their posts and tag a friend who'd love the product.
- Buy from them for your own holiday gifts.
- Offer your hands during their busy season: packing orders, a market booth shift or dinner on a hard week.
If you're the business owner giving gifts
Shopping for clients and contacts this year? IRS Publication 463 generally limits the deduction for business gifts to $25 per person per year, so track each gift and who received it. Our Christmas gifts for coworkers page has ideas that fit that range, and the Christmas Budget & Gift Planner ($4.99) keeps the list and totals in one place.
More ideas: organization gift ideas, gifts for planner lovers, practical Christmas gifts, gifts for employees, gifts for your boss and the full gift guide.
The Holiday Collection
Give every person a limit and watch what's left
The Christmas Budget & Gift Planner adds up every list for you: a budget for each person, a log of each purchase and the amount left to spend, plus printable gift, card, menu and to-do pages.
- Spreadsheet for Excel and Google Sheets
- 11 printable pages, US Letter + A4
- Instant download, 14-day fix-or-refund promise
Planning the whole season? See the holiday sets from $7, with early prices through Cyber Monday
Frequently asked questions
What is a good gift for a small business owner? A good gift for a small business owner saves them time on the work they like least, usually paperwork. A receipt scanner, a label maker, a comfortable mouse or a bookkeeping tracker like the Business Income & Expense Tracker gets used every week.
What do you get a small business owner who has everything? For a small business owner who has everything, give something that supports the business itself: buy from their shop, leave a detailed review, refer a customer or share their posts. Those cost little and often mean more than another desk gadget.
What is a cheap gift for a small business owner? A cheap gift for a small business owner can be a $7.99 bookkeeping spreadsheet, a quality notebook, a good pen or a homemade treat for a long workday. Pair it with a handwritten note about what you admire in their business.
Are gifts for small business owners tax deductible? If you're giving gifts to clients or business contacts, IRS Publication 463 generally limits the business gift deduction to $25 per person per year. Gifts from friends and family to an owner aren't a business deduction for the giver, so keep receipts and ask a tax professional about your situation.
What should I get a new small business owner? A new small business owner needs systems more than gadgets: a simple way to track income and expenses, a place to store logins and something to make shipping or paperwork easier. The Business Income & Expense Tracker and a label maker are both strong first gifts.
What do Etsy sellers and makers want as gifts? Etsy sellers and makers usually want shipping and organization help: a label maker, a scanner for receipts, storage bins and a tracker for sales, fees and supplies. Anything that shortens the packing table routine is welcome.
Is a book a good gift for a business owner? A practical business book is a good gift for an owner who likes to learn, especially one about cash flow. Profit First by Mike Michalowicz is popular with small business owners because it offers a simple system for setting aside profit and taxes.
How can I support a small business owner over the holidays? Support a small business owner over the holidays by shopping with them, leaving reviews, recommending them to friends and offering practical help in their busy season, like packing orders or watching the kids during a big weekend.
What gift helps a business owner at tax time? A gift that helps a business owner at tax time keeps records organized all year: a receipt scanner and a bookkeeping spreadsheet with expense categories, mileage and monthly profit. The Business Income & Expense Tracker estimates a monthly tax set-aside, too.
Are Amazon prices on this page current? Amazon prices change often, so check the current price on Amazon before you order. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases, which doesn't change what you pay.
Free printable
Know your real profit: get the free P&L template
A printable profit and loss statement that walks through revenue, costs and expenses line by line for any month, quarter or year. You'll also get our weekly HomeBase email with simple small business paperwork and money tips.
