Compare accountant quotes on price first and you will usually pick wrong, because the cheapest quote is frequently the thinnest. The reliable method is mechanical: build one table, fill it in from each proposal’s own written words, treat silence as “not included”, and only look at the numbers once the rows are complete. This guide gives you that table and the questions that fill it.
Why the quotes differ in the first place is covered in why accountant fees vary; the fee drivers behind any single quote are in our small business accountancy cost pillar.
The comparison table
Copy this, add a column per firm, and fill it from their documents, not from your memory of the phone call:
| Row | Firm A | Firm B | Firm C |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year-end accounts prepared AND filed | |||
| Company/personal tax returns: which and how many | |||
| Bookkeeping: included, reviewed, or excluded | |||
| VAT returns: all quarters? | |||
| Payroll: headcount and pay runs covered | |||
| Software provided | |||
| Support: unlimited or metered, response time | |||
| Named contact and their seniority | |||
| Written exclusions list | |||
| Out-of-scope work quoted before doing? | |||
| Fee review triggers | |||
| Exit terms and data handover |
The last two rows get forgotten and matter most in year three. If completing a row requires guessing, ask the firm to confirm in writing; a firm that resists writing things down is answering a different question for you.
Deadlines and responsibility
Every quote should be explicit about who carries filing responsibility. Statutory deadlines (company accounts, Self Assessment, VAT) are yours in law, but a proper engagement transfers the operational burden: the firm tracks the dates, requests records in time, and commits to filing when you deliver by an agreed cut-off. Ask each firm two things: when do you need my records for the deadline to be met, and what happens if the delay is on your side? Concrete answers separate organised practices from hopeful ones.
Communication: test it before you sign
You are buying a working relationship, and the sales process shows a firm on its most attentive behaviour. Note how each firm performs while quoting:
- How long did the proposal take to arrive?
- Did they ask real questions about your business, or quote from a form?
- Did you meet the person who would handle your work, or only the person selling it?
- Were your follow-up questions answered directly, or deflected?
A firm that is slow and vague while trying to win you will not speed up afterwards.
Reading the price gap once the table is full
With rows normalised, price differences become interpretable. If a cheaper quote matches a dearer one row for row, the saving is real, so take it or use it. If the cheap quote has empty rows, price the gaps: what would bookkeeping, payroll or metered support cost as extras? Whether the pricing model itself suits the work is the final check. See fixed-fee versus hourly for when each structure protects you.
Red flags that end a comparison early
- No engagement letter or written scope offered
- Tax savings promised before anyone has seen your records
- No questions asked about your records or volumes before quoting
- Inability to name who would do your work
- Pressure to sign before you have compared
Frequently asked questions
How many quotes are worth getting?
Three is the practical sweet spot: enough spread to see the market, few enough to compare properly. Ten shallow quotes teach less than three examined ones.
Should I compare a local firm against an online-only service?
Yes, using the same table; just add rows for what you personally value: face-to-face meetings, sector knowledge, a named adviser. The table works across models precisely because it compares deliverables, not styles.
The firms package things differently. How do I line them up?
Decompose to the row level anyway. If a bundle cannot be decomposed (the firm cannot say what payroll alone covers), that opacity is itself information.
Is it fair to ask a firm to match another’s scope?
Entirely. “Their quote includes all VAT quarters, can you match that?” is a normal question, and the response tells you about flexibility and margin honesty at the same time.
What if I am comparing against staying with my current accountant?
Fill in a column for your current arrangement from your engagement letter. Many owners discover they do not actually know their current scope, which is a finding in itself. Then compare like anything else.
Put our quote in your table
We are comfortable being compared row by row: our small business accountancy service and fees page publish the scope openly. Request a quote and you will get answers to every row above in writing, before you decide anything.