6 Most Affordable Accountants for Freelancers and Contractors in the UK (2026)
Quick answer: The most affordable accountants for freelancers and contractors in the UK in 2026, ranked by entry price per year, are Taxez (£199, fixed annual fee), The Accountancy Partnership (from £24.50 plus VAT a month, about £294 plus VAT a year), Crunch (from £27 plus VAT a month, about £324 plus VAT), Mazuma (from £38 plus VAT a month, about £456 plus VAT), Gorilla Accounting (from £59 plus VAT a month, about £708 plus VAT) and Sleek (from £60 a month billed annually, £720). Contractors trading through a limited company usually pay more elsewhere: from £39.50 plus VAT a month at The Accountancy Partnership, £94 plus VAT at Crunch and £119 plus VAT at Gorilla Accounting. Taxez uses the same turnover bands for sole traders and limited companies: £199 below £1,000, £299 up to £45,000, rising to £499 at £250,000. Annualise every fee and check whether VAT is included before you compare.
How Much Does an Accountant Cost for Freelancers and Contractors in 2026?
The table below shows each provider’s published entry price for a freelancer working as a sole trader and for a contractor working through a limited company. Monthly prices are annualised so they can be compared with a fixed annual fee on the same scale.
Competitor prices are sourced from each provider’s public website as of 22 September 2026 and may change. We encourage readers to verify current pricing directly with each provider.
What Contractors With a Limited Company Pay per Year
A limited company has more to file than a sole trader: annual accounts, a Corporation Tax return and usually a director’s Self Assessment. That is why most providers charge contractors more. Here is the entry price for a limited company, annualised:
A contractor turning over between £90,000 and £150,000 pays £449 a year on the Taxez Business Package, which is still below the entry price of every monthly provider in the table.
The 6 Most Affordable Accountants, Ranked by Entry Price
1. Taxez: From £199 per Year
Taxez is a UK online accountancy firm working with sole traders, contractors, landlords and limited companies. Every client is allocated a Dedicated Chartered Accountant, with unlimited advice and support by email all year, and pays one fixed annual fee rather than a monthly subscription. You do not need to buy bookkeeping software: accounts are prepared from a CSV download of your bank statements, prepared by Assistant Accountants and reviewed by your Dedicated Chartered Accountant.
The Business Package uses the same turnover bands whether you are a sole trader or a limited company:
Extra services are priced separately and published on the Taxez website: VAT returns at £29 per return, payroll at £5 per pay-slip, and confirmation statements at £39 plus VAT, plus the Companies House filing fee. Working by email after onboarding is how Taxez keeps fees 75 to 90% lower than traditional firms, and it leaves you with a written record of every answer. See the full list of Taxez services.
2. The Accountancy Partnership: From £24.50 + VAT per Month
The Accountancy Partnership is an online accountancy firm offering monthly fixed-fee packages for sole traders, partnerships and limited companies. Sole trader packages start at £24.50 plus VAT a month (about £294 plus VAT a year) and limited company packages at £39.50 plus VAT a month (about £474 plus VAT a year). Check current prices on The Accountancy Partnership pricing page.
3. Crunch: From £27 + VAT per Month
Crunch is an online accountancy service that combines its own accounting software with a team of accountants, for sole traders and limited companies, and lists contractor and IR35 support among its services. Sole trader accounting starts at £27 plus VAT a month (about £324 plus VAT a year) and limited company accounting at £94 plus VAT a month (about £1,128 plus VAT a year). Check current prices on the Crunch pricing page.
4. Mazuma: From £38 + VAT per Month
Mazuma is an online accountancy service for small businesses, sole traders, freelancers and limited companies, sold as tiered monthly subscriptions. Sole trader packages start at £38 plus VAT a month, about £456 plus VAT a year. Check current prices and limited company options on the Mazuma pricing page.
5. Gorilla Accounting: From £59 + VAT per Month
Gorilla Accounting describes itself as a technology-driven accountancy firm for contractors, freelancers and small businesses operating through a limited company. Its sole trader package is £59 plus VAT a month (about £708 plus VAT a year) and its limited company package is from £119 plus VAT a month (about £1,428 plus VAT a year). Check current prices on the Gorilla Accounting pricing page.
6. Sleek: From £60 per Month
Sleek is an online accounting service offering fixed monthly packages for contractors, sole traders and limited companies, with a dedicated accountant for each client. Packages start at £60 a month, billed annually, which is £720 a year. Check current prices on the Sleek contractor accounting page.
Freelancer or Contractor: Which Price Applies to You?
The right package depends on how you trade, not what you call yourself.
Freelancers Working as Sole Traders
Most freelancers start as sole traders. You must register for Self Assessment once your self-employed income goes over the £1,000 trading allowance, by 5 October after the end of the tax year you started. Your accountant prepares your accounts and files one Self Assessment return a year.
Making Tax Digital for Income Tax now applies to sole traders and landlords with qualifying income over £50,000 from 6 April 2026, falling to £30,000 from April 2027. Qualifying income means gross income, not profit. GOV.UK explains who needs to use Making Tax Digital for Income Tax and when. If you are in scope, check that your accountant supports quarterly updates.
Contractors Working Through a Limited Company
A limited company must file annual accounts and a Company Tax Return, and most contractor directors also file their own Self Assessment for salary and dividends. Many need director payroll and, once turnover passes £90,000, VAT returns too. Compare what each provider includes for those extras, not just the headline fee.
If you work through your own limited company, the off-payroll working rules (IR35) decide who assesses your employment status. Medium and large clients make the decision; for small clients, your own company does. From 6 April 2026 the small company limits rose to £15 million turnover and a £7.5 million balance sheet, with the 50 employee limit unchanged. Size is judged on the client’s previous financial year, so most contractors will not feel the change until the 2027/28 tax year.
What to Look For When Choosing an Accountant
Before you sign up anywhere, check the provider gives you all of these:
A published, fixed price you can see before you commit.
Annual accounts and your tax return both included in that price.
A named, qualified accountant who knows your file.
Unlimited advice by email, with no charge per question.
Deadline reminders, so nothing slips.
No requirement to buy separate bookkeeping software.
Support for Making Tax Digital for Income Tax.
Taxez includes all of the above from £199 per year. Read more about why clients choose Taxez.
Two quick checks make any comparison fair. Multiply monthly prices by 12, and add 20% to any price quoted plus VAT.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does an accountant cost for a freelancer in the UK?
Across the six online providers compared here, entry prices for a freelancer working as a sole trader run from £199 to £720 a year in 2026. Taxez charges £199 a year for turnover under £1,000 and £299 for turnover between £1,000 and £45,000. Monthly providers start at £24.50 plus VAT a month, about £294 plus VAT a year.
How much does a contractor accountant cost?
For a contractor trading through a limited company, published entry prices run from £39.50 plus VAT a month at The Accountancy Partnership to £119 plus VAT a month at Gorilla Accounting, or about £474 to £1,428 plus VAT a year. Taxez prices limited companies by turnover, from £199 to £499 a year up to £250,000.
Is a monthly or an annual accountancy fee cheaper?
Neither is cheaper by default. Multiply any monthly fee by 12 and add VAT where it is quoted separately, then compare the total with the annual price. On that basis, the only annual fixed-fee provider in this comparison, Taxez, has the lowest entry price.
Do freelancers legally need an accountant?
No. There is no legal requirement for a freelancer or sole trader to use an accountant. You do need to register for Self Assessment once your self-employed income passes £1,000 and file a return by 31 January each year. Many freelancers use an accountant to claim the right expenses and avoid penalties.
Does IR35 change which accountant a contractor needs?
IR35 affects contractors who work through their own limited company. For small clients, the contractor’s own company decides its IR35 status, so advice on contracts and working practices becomes more useful. The small company limits rose to £15 million turnover and £7.5 million balance sheet from 6 April 2026, though most contractors will feel the change from the 2027/28 tax year.
Do I need Making Tax Digital as a freelancer?
Only if your qualifying income is over the threshold. From 6 April 2026, sole traders and landlords with gross qualifying income over £50,000 must use compatible software and send quarterly updates to HMRC. The threshold falls to £30,000 from April 2027 and £20,000 from April 2028. Limited companies are not in scope.
Freelancers and contractors across the UK can get a quote by emailing enquiries@taxez.co.uk.
Published by Taxez, a trading name of Richard McIntosh Ltd (SC575928), 5 South Charlotte Street, Edinburgh, EH2 4AN. This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial, tax or legal advice. Competitor prices are sourced from each provider’s public website as of 22 September 2026 and may change. We encourage readers to verify current pricing directly with each provider. Tax figures are taken from GOV.UK and HMRC guidance current at 22 September 2026.
