Bookkeeping services in Edinburgh
Edinburgh has a major financial services sector, tourism and festivals, technology and universities, with an exceptionally busy seasonal hospitality economy.
- Flat £15 an hour
- No contract
- Qualified UK team
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Bookkeeping in Edinburgh
Your price
4.5 hours at £15
£67.50
Set-up fee£0
ContractNone
Regulated firm
Qualified team
Qualified team
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The short answer
How much does bookkeeping cost in Edinburgh?
Bookkeeping costs a flat £15 an hour in Edinburgh, with no contract and no set-up fee. A typical six-person agency (about 150 transactions a month) needs about 7.5 hours a month, around £112.50. We work online with businesses across Scotland, backed by Accotax, an ICAEW regulated firm.
18,635
businesses in City of Edinburgh, 2026
86%
employ fewer than ten people (UK 89%)
35
businesses per 1,000 residents (UK 40)
£15
an hour, the same price in every area
Source: ONS UK Business Counts 2026 and ONS mid-2025 population estimates, via Nomis. Counts are rounded by the ONS and cover the City of Edinburgh area. Micro businesses are the core of what we do. Nomis
What the Edinburgh mix means for your books.
Built from the local figures above, not copied from another town.
Energy supply
Energy and utilities-related firms account for 0.9% of enterprises in Edinburgh. Long contracts and large invoices mean accurate accruals and timely invoicing drive cash flow. That is 3.6 times the UK-wide share.
Financial and insurance activities
Financial and insurance activity accounts for 3.8% of enterprises in Edinburgh. Many are small intermediaries and advisers, where commission income, client money rules and regulatory fees need careful, separate treatment. That is 1.8 times the UK-wide share.
Professional, scientific and technical
Professional, scientific and technical firms are 19% of businesses in Edinburgh (about 3,575 enterprises). Consultants and practices here need profit by client, clean director's loan accounts and prompt invoicing more than anything else.
Bookkeeping for consultants and agenciesBookkeeping for it contractors and freelancers
Wholesale and retail trade
Retail and wholesale firms make up 11% of enterprises in Edinburgh. Till and payout reconciliation, stock and margin by product line, and mixed-rate VAT are the main jobs, whether the sales are in a shop or on a marketplace.
Bookkeeping for retail shopsBookkeeping for e-commerce sellers
A typical month in Edinburgh.
Take a six-person agency handling about 150 transactions a month. This is what the hours look like, and what they cost at £15 an hour.
- Core bookkeeping (101 - 250)6h
- Limited company extras0.5h
- VAT-ready books (MTD)0.5h
- Payroll journals0.5h
Each month, 7.5 hours
£112.50
Sectors we see most in Edinburgh.
Each one has its own records, VAT quirks and deadlines.
- Consultants and agenciesRetainers, time-based billing and subcontractor costs for consultancies and agencies.
- IT contractors and freelancersLimited company books, IR35 evidence and flat rate VAT for contractors.
- Photographers and creativesDeposits, licensing, equipment and varied clients for photographers, designers and makers.
- Retail shopsTill reconciliation, stock and retail VAT schemes for independent shops.
- E-commerce sellersMarketplace payouts, fees, stock and VAT for Amazon, eBay, Etsy and Shopify sellers.
- Market traders and street foodCash, stock, pitch fees and events for market stalls and street food traders.
Rules for businesses in Scotland
Scottish taxpayers pay income tax on earnings and self-employment profits at rates and bands set by the Scottish Parliament, which differ from the rest of the UK. Corporation Tax and VAT are UK-wide, while property transactions use Land and Buildings Transaction Tax collected by Revenue Scotland. We keep your records so your accountant can apply the right regime.
Services for Edinburgh firms.
- Monthly bookkeepingEvery transaction coded, every account reconciled, every month.
- Management reports and cash flowMonthly profit, cash and KPI reports you can actually use.
- Invoicing and credit controlInvoices sent on time and late payers chased politely and persistently.
- VAT-ready bookkeepingMaking Tax Digital compatible books, so every VAT return is calm.
- Director's loan account bookkeepingDirector's loan accounts tracked, so there are no nasty s455 surprises.
- Receipt and expense captureReceipts captured digitally, coded and stored for the HMRC retention period.
Edinburgh questions.
How many businesses are there in Edinburgh?
City of Edinburgh had about 18,635 VAT and/or PAYE-registered businesses in 2026, according to the ONS UK Business Counts. About 86% of them employ fewer than ten people. Edinburgh has a major financial services sector, tourism and festivals, technology and universities, with an exceptionally busy seasonal hospitality economy.
Do I need a bookkeeper based in Edinburgh?
No. Bookkeeping is done online using cloud accounting software, so you get the same service wherever you are in Scotland. Our parent firm Accotax is an ICAEW regulated practice based in Morden, London.
How much does bookkeeping cost in Edinburgh?
Bookkeeping costs a flat £15 an hour in Edinburgh, the same as everywhere else. For example, a six-person agency (about 150 transactions a month) typically needs about 7.5 hours, or £112.50 a month.
Which bookkeeping services do Edinburgh businesses use most?
Edinburgh has many energy supply businesses, so monthly bookkeeping is a common starting point, usually alongside VAT-ready books and bank reconciliation.
Clients say it better than we do.
4.9300+ Google reviews of Accotax
“He took the time to explain every step of the process and made a complex situation much easier to understand.”
Hugo Alvarez
Google review of Accotax
“They take the time to understand how our business works and what our needs are.”
Mael Leboucher
Google review of Accotax
“Very prompt in responding to questions and patient with us even when we seem to be slow.”
Mansur Liman
Google review of Accotax
“The work was completed promptly, my tax return was successfully filed.”
Sergey M
Google review of Accotax
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