Accountant cost calculator

Estimate what an accountant will charge your business in a year. Pick your business type and the services you need and the calculator adds up published 2025-26 UK fee ranges, adjusts for your records and location, and shows the breakdown. Most small businesses land between GBP 150 for a single tax return and GBP 2,000 a year for full limited-company work; add payroll and bookkeeping and it climbs from there.

Your business

Sole traderSelf-employed, taxed through Self Assessment.LandlordRental income reported on a Self Assessment return.Limited companyCompany accounts, Corporation Tax and a director return.ContractorOne-person company; often bundled as a fixed monthly package.

Services you need

Self Assessment tax returnPer person, per year. Sole trader, landlord or company director personal return.Company accounts + Corporation TaxStatutory accounts filed at Companies House plus the CT600. Small company.VAT returnsFour quarterly returns a year. Often folded into a monthly package.PayrollBase monthly minimum, plus roughly GBP 5-15 per employee per month.BookkeepingScales with transaction volume and software. Monthly service, annualised.Management accountsRegular management reporting on top of statutory work.

Employees on payroll

Your records

Location

Estimated accountant costper year, excluding VAT

Company accounts + Corporation TaxGBP 750 - 2,000
Self Assessment tax returnGBP 150 - 400

An estimate from published 2025-26 UK fee ranges, updated July 2026. A real fixed-fee quote depends on your exact circumstances - always get two or three and compare like for like.

Worked examples

Three common profiles and the annual fee each would typically pay:

Estimated annual accountant cost for three example businesses
Business	Estimated cost/year
Sole trader, Self Assessment onlySelf-employed, tidy records, outside London.	GBP 150 - 400
Small limited companyAccounts, Corporation Tax, director Self Assessment and VAT; clean records.	GBP 1,180 - 3,240
Growing company with staffFull service plus payroll for three staff and monthly bookkeeping, major city.	GBP 3,940 - 13,610

Estimates from published UK fee ranges, compiled July 2026, excluding VAT. Your own quote varies with complexity and how many services you need.

How the calculator works

It is deliberately simple and transparent. Each service you tick carries a typical annual fee range taken from published 2025-26 UK fee guides. The tool sums the ones you select, then applies two adjustments:

Your records. Clean, software-kept books trim the fee; a shoebox of receipts or a spreadsheet raises it, because the accountant does the tidying.
Location. Firms in London and the largest cities charge more than regional or online ones for the same work.

Payroll adds a base fee plus a per-employee amount. Everything is annualised so one-off and monthly services can be compared in a single number. It is an estimate to sense-check quotes with, not a fixed quote - always get two or three and compare like for like.

Check the accountant is actually regulated

Price is only half the decision. Because "accountant" is not a protected title in the UK, the cheapest quote is not always from a qualified, accountable firm. Any business doing accountancy work is legally required to be supervised for anti-money-laundering - by HMRC or a professional body - and the strongest firms are also members of ICAEW, ACCA or AAT. Our directory cross-checks every firm against the public record, so you can see who is verified before you pay.

Find a verified, AML-supervised accountant near you →

Frequently asked questions

How much should I pay an accountant?

A sole trader with a single Self Assessment return typically pays GBP 150-400. A small limited company paying for annual accounts, Corporation Tax and a director return usually pays GBP 900-2,400 a year, and a growing company adding VAT, payroll and bookkeeping can reach GBP 3,000-13,000. Use the calculator above to estimate your own figure.

How does this accountant cost calculator work?

It adds up published 2025-26 fee ranges for each service you select, adjusts for how organised your records are and whether you are in a higher-cost location like London, and returns an annual range with a line-by-line breakdown. It is an estimate to help you sense-check quotes, not a quote itself.

Why do accountant fees vary so much?

The main drivers are how complex your income is, how organised your records are, whether you file close to the 31 January deadline, your location (London and major cities cost more), and how many services you need. Two businesses of the same size can pay very different fees.

Is a cheaper accountant a false economy?

It can be. Because "accountant" is not a protected title in the UK, the cheapest quote is not always from a qualified, accountable firm. Any business doing accountancy work must be supervised for anti-money-laundering, and the strongest firms are also members of a professional body such as ICAEW, ACCA or AAT. Check both before you choose on price.

Are accountant fees tax deductible?

Fees for business accounting and tax work are an allowable business expense. The cost of the purely personal part of a Self Assessment return is not deductible.

Accountant cost calculator

Worked examples

How the calculator works

Check the accountant is actually regulated

Frequently asked questions

Sources