How Much Does a Bookkeeper Cost in the UK? A 2026 Pricing Guide

Bookkeeping prices in the UK are all over the place. Here's an honest breakdown of what fair pricing looks like in 2026 — by business size, transaction volume, and what's actually included.

The short answer

For most UK small businesses, a bookkeeper costs between £150 and £600 per month on a fixed-fee basis. Hourly rates typically sit between £25 and £55 per hour depending on experience and location.

What actually drives bookkeeping costs

1. Transaction volume

The single biggest driver. Under 50 transactions/month: £150–£250. 50–200: £250–£450. 200–500: £400–£700. 500+: usually a custom quote.

2. Whether you're VAT registered

VAT registration adds quarterly returns, MTD-compliant submissions and ongoing coding accuracy. Expect £50–£100/month more if you're VAT registered.

3. Whether payroll is included

Payroll typically starts around £35/month for up to 5 employees and scales by headcount. Bundling with bookkeeping is usually cheaper than buying separately.

4. How often your books are updated

Quarterly is cheapest but the data is months out of date. Monthly is the industry default. Weekly costs slightly more but gives you real-time visibility.

5. What you actually need from the relationship

Cheap bookkeepers process data. Good ones think about your business and flag problems before they become expensive.

Hourly vs fixed monthly fees — which is better?

If a bookkeeper insists on hourly billing, walk away. Fixed monthly fees flip the incentive towards efficiency and clean systems. Every serious UK bookkeeper in 2026 charges fixed monthly.

What's usually included — and what isn't

Standard inclusions: bank reconciliation, invoice processing, expense management, coding in Xero or QuickBooks, monthly management reports, year-end handover. Often charged extra: VAT returns, payroll, CIS returns, catch-up work, and software subscriptions.

Bookkeeper vs accountant — different jobs, different prices

A bookkeeper keeps day-to-day records accurate. An accountant uses those records to file year-end accounts and advise on tax. If your accountant is currently doing your bookkeeping, you're almost certainly overpaying — bookkeepers charge a third of accountants' hourly rates for the same data work.

What about really cheap bookkeepers?

£15/hour or £80/month "complete" packages usually mean corners are being cut — no professional insurance, no Xero/QuickBooks, no time to do the job properly. Cheap is fine until something goes wrong, then it's expensive.

How to compare quotes properly

Ask: fully-loaded monthly fee, update frequency, software subscriptions included, year-end handover quality, and what's not included that you might pay for separately. Two "£250/month" quotes can be wildly different services.

Local pricing — does location matter?

For cloud bookkeeping, not really. The cost of doing books on Xero or QuickBooks is the same whether you're in Cheltenham, Gloucester, Stroud or Cirencester.

What we charge

Starter from £150/month — weekly bookkeeping, bank reconciliation, monthly reports. Growth from £350/month — adds VAT returns, payroll, cashflow forecasting. Scale from £475/month — adds management reporting and a dedicated finance partner. All fixed monthly, software included.

The bottom line

Most UK small businesses should expect £150–£600/month for a fixed-fee bookkeeping service that includes the essentials. If you're paying much less, check what you're missing. If you're paying much more, check what you're getting.