How Much Does Bookkeeping Cost for a UK Small Business? (2026 Prices)

The short answer

Those ranges come from the prices 11 UK providers publish on their own websites, which we read on October 22, 2026, and the rules from GOV.UK. We keep books too, so we've put our own prices in the same table and said so.

UK bookkeeping cost by type of help

In the UK, bookkeeping is usually sold together with an accountant who files your year-end: accounts and a Corporation Tax return for a company, a Self Assessment return for a sole trader. The main question is who keeps the books in between.

Published prices from 11 UK providers

Monthly prices in pounds, excluding VAT, from each provider's own pricing page. Where a provider prices by turnover or transactions, the starting band is shown.

Swipe the table sideways to see every column.

Accounting software

If you keep the books yourself, or your accountant has you use their pick, this is what the software costs. Several providers above include it in their price.

What moves the price

Sole trader or limited company

A company files accounts at Companies House and a Corporation Tax return, usually runs director payroll and files a Confirmation Statement, so the same provider charges a company more: £39.50 against £24.50 at The Accountancy Partnership, and £98 against £38 at Mazuma.

VAT registration

You must register for VAT once your taxable turnover passes £90,000 in 12 months. VAT returns are then often an add-on: £20 a month at Mazuma, £35 at The Accountancy Partnership and £50 on Osome's entry plan.

How many transactions you have

Bookkeeping is priced by volume: Mazuma's sole trader plans cover 20 or 70 transactions a month, The Accountancy Partnership charges 50p for each transaction over 40, and TaxRoot 59p for every one.

Turnover

Some providers band by turnover instead: The Accountancy Partnership's sole trader price steps up at £20,000, Sleek's Starter plan stops at £90,000, and Osome moves you to its top plan at £350,000 of revenue.

Introductory prices

Software often starts at 10% of the price: Xero, QuickBooks and Sage take 90% off for 6 months. Caroola's accountancy prices are for the first 12 months. Budget for the full price.

UK rules that affect the cost

• Making Tax Digital for Income Tax. Sole traders and landlords with qualifying income over £50,000 have had to use it since 6 April 2026; the threshold falls to £30,000 from 6 April 2027 and £20,000 from 6 April 2028. It means digital records and a quarterly update to HMRC every 3 months. HMRC won't apply penalty points for late quarterly updates in the 2026 to 2027 tax year.
• Making Tax Digital for VAT. VAT-registered businesses must keep VAT records digitally and file VAT returns with software.
• Late filing penalties. Companies House charges a private company £150 for accounts up to a month late, rising to £1,500 after 6 months, and doubles it if accounts are late two years running. A Corporation Tax return one day late costs £200, and a late Self Assessment return £100.
• Keeping records. Sole traders keep records for at least 5 years after the 31 January deadline; companies for 6 years, and HMRC can fine a company £3,000 for not keeping accounting records.

Costs to ask about before you sign

• VAT on the fee. Almost every price above excludes VAT, so add 20% unless you can reclaim it.
• Who keeps the books. Most online accountants file the year-end from books you keep in their software. Ask whether bookkeeping is included, and if not, what it costs.
• Software: included (Clever Accounts and 1st Formations include it) or extra (Xero is £375 a year on top at Sleek).
• Annual billing: Osome bills yearly, and Sleek's Starter plan is yearly only.
• Catch-up: months already behind are usually charged separately; Osome charges from £85 for each month of backlog.
• Notice: 1 month at Mazuma, 30 days at Caroola.

Freelancer, employee or service?

• Freelancer: Bark's 2025 price guide puts the median at £20 an hour, with most charging £18–£22; Upwork puts UK bookkeepers at $20–$50 an hour. Cheapest at low volume, and you rely on one person.
• Employee: the median full-time pay for book-keepers, payroll managers and wages clerks was £31,560 a year (£16.77 an hour) in the ONS's 2025 survey; the National Careers Service puts bookkeepers at £24,000 to £35,000. Employer National Insurance (15% above £5,000) and a 3% minimum pension take the cost to about £36,300, before any Employment Allowance.
• Service: a fixed monthly price, usually with the year-end filings included, and cover when someone is away. The usual choice for a small business.

For US prices, see how much bookkeeping costs in the US.

Where NQD.ai fits

We keep books, so read this part with that in mind. We do the monthly bookkeeping for UK businesses in your own Xero or QuickBooks Online account, close the books by the 5th business day and have a person review every close. We don't file accounts or tax returns: we hand your accountant clean books, which suits a business whose accountant files the year-end but doesn't keep the books.

Our plans are priced in US dollars: $299, $499 and $799 a month for up to 100, 300 and 700 transactions. Our first 10 founding clients get 6 months free and their catch-up cleanup free.

Or see the bookkeeping offer in full and every NQD.ai price on one page.

Every other price here comes from that provider's own website on October 22, 2026. If one has changed, email support@nqd.ai and we'll correct it.