How much does bookkeeping cost in the UK? (2026 guide)

If you are searching for what bookkeeping costs, you will find prices that range from a few tens of pounds a month to well over a thousand. The spread is wide because "bookkeeping" covers very different amounts of work. A freelancer with thirty transactions a month and a company with payroll, VAT and three bank accounts are not buying the same thing, so their bills should not look the same either.

This guide explains how UK bookkeepers price their work, what moves the price up or down, and what you can realistically expect to pay. It uses worked examples at our own rate of £15 an hour, so you can see exactly how the arithmetic works, and it shows you how to compare quotes fairly.

The three ways UK bookkeepers charge

Hourly rates. You pay for the time spent. Rates across the UK commonly sit between £15 and £45 an hour, depending on the bookkeeper's experience, location and whether they are an individual or part of a firm. Hourly pricing is the most transparent model, because you can see how the time is spent, and it rewards you for keeping tidy records.

Fixed monthly fees. You pay a set amount for an agreed scope, such as "up to 100 transactions, bank reconciliation and VAT returns". Fixed fees are easier to budget but can hide how many hours you are really getting. They also tend to include a margin for the bookkeeper's risk that your records turn out messier than expected.

Per-task pricing. Some bookkeepers quote separately for a VAT return, a payroll run or a catch-up project. This suits one-off needs, but costs can add up if you need regular help.

Bookkeeping Services uses a flat hourly rate of £15 and shows the estimated hours up front in the instant quote, so you see the monthly figure before you pay.

What actually drives the price

Five things account for nearly all of the difference between one quote and another.

1. Number of transactions. Every sale, purchase, refund and bank transfer has to be coded and matched. A business with 40 transactions a month might need two or three hours; one with 500 needs ten or more. This is the single biggest driver.

2. The state of your records. Receipts photographed as you go and bank feeds connected save a great deal of time. A shoebox of paper and a spreadsheet takes longer. If you are behind, catch-up bookkeeping is quoted separately because it is a one-off project.

3. VAT. Being VAT registered adds coding discipline and a quarterly return. In our quote tool it adds about half an hour a month. See VAT-ready bookkeeping for what is involved.

4. Payroll. Posting payroll journals and reconciling PAYE, National Insurance and pension liabilities typically adds half an hour a month for a small team. Read more about payroll bookkeeping.

5. Business type and complexity. E-commerce sellers reconcile marketplace payouts, builders track CIS deductions, restaurants handle daily takings and tips. Specialist work takes more time, which is why our quote tool adds extra hours for some business types.

Typical monthly costs at £15 an hour

These examples use the same logic as our instant quote tool, so they are realistic rather than aspirational.

Business	Transactions a month	Hours	Monthly cost
Freelance designer	About 40	3	£45
Landlord with 3 properties	About 60	3	£45
Limited company, VAT registered	About 150	7	£105
Shopify store	About 300	11	£165

On top of the monthly figure there is usually a one-off onboarding charge, which for us is one hour (two if you are moving from spreadsheets). If you are months behind, add the catch-up time, which we estimate from the number of months and your monthly volume.

Sole trader versus limited company

A sole trader's bookkeeping is generally lighter: income, expenses, perhaps VAT. A limited company adds a director's loan account, dividends, payroll for the director, and year-end adjustments. The extra half hour a month in our tool for limited companies reflects this. If you want to understand how a company's books differ, our guide to limited company bookkeeping goes through it step by step.

What is usually not included

Bookkeeping is the day-to-day recording of your transactions. Many bookkeepers do not prepare tax returns or statutory accounts, which are accountancy work. At Bookkeeping Services we pass your clean records to our parent firm, Accotax, if you need accounts or tax filed. Check what is and is not in any quote before you compare prices, because a cheap bookkeeping quote that excludes VAT returns may cost more overall.

Software subscriptions are also separate. You pay Xero, QuickBooks, FreeAgent or Sage directly, and we charge only for our time.

How to compare quotes fairly

Ask each bookkeeper the same five questions.

1. How many hours a month do you expect my business to need, and on what assumptions?
2. What happens if my volume rises or my records are messier than expected?
3. Is VAT, payroll or year-end preparation included, or charged extra?
4. Is there a set-up fee or a minimum contract?
5. Who actually does the work, and what are their qualifications?

If a quote is a flat monthly number, divide it by the hours you think you need to get an implied hourly rate. That makes a fixed fee and an hourly bookkeeper directly comparable.

Ways to keep your bookkeeping bill down

You control more of the cost than you might think.

• Connect your bank feeds. Automatic imports remove manual entry.
• Capture receipts as you spend. A phone photo takes ten seconds and saves a long search later. See receipt and expense capture.
• Separate business and personal spending. A dedicated business bank account is the cheapest efficiency you can buy.
• Answer queries quickly. Every unanswered question is time spent chasing.
• Use the monthly routine. Our monthly bookkeeping checklist shows the twelve jobs that keep books clean.

Is cheap bookkeeping a false economy?

Sometimes. Bookkeeping that is cheap because it is rushed produces errors that cost far more to unpick later: wrong VAT returns, missed expenses, a year-end that takes your accountant twice as long. On the other hand, paying a premium does not guarantee quality either. What matters is a clear scope, a named person responsible, and qualified people behind the work. Our parent firm Accotax is regulated by the ICAEW, with ACCA and AAT qualified team members.

Frequently asked questions

How much does a bookkeeper cost per month in the UK?

For a small business it usually runs from around £50 to £150 a month, depending on volume and extras. At £15 an hour, a sole trader with about 40 transactions typically pays around £45 a month and a VAT-registered limited company with about 150 transactions around £105.

Is bookkeeping cheaper than doing it myself?

Not if you value your time at more than the bookkeeping rate. Most owners find that a few hours a month spent on bookkeeping costs more in lost earning time than the fee, and the books are less accurate.

Do I need a bookkeeper if I have an accountant?

Many businesses do. Your accountant prepares annual accounts and tax returns from your records. A bookkeeper keeps those records accurate through the year, which makes the accountant's job faster and cheaper.

Are bookkeeping fees tax deductible?

Yes. Bookkeeping and accountancy fees are an allowable business expense for sole traders and companies, provided they relate to your business.

Can I get an exact price before I commit?

Yes. Use our instant quote, which shows your monthly hours and cost before you pay, or see how pricing works.