7 Best Online Accountants in the UK for Self-Employed Professionals (2026 Guide)
Quick answer: The best online accountant for a UK self-employed professional depends on your budget and how much support you need. Based on verified public pricing in 2026, annual costs range from £199 to £852. Taxez is the lowest at £199 per year on a fixed annual fee, including a Dedicated Chartered Accountant and unlimited advice. The Accountancy Partnership starts at £24.50 plus VAT monthly.
Crunch starts at £27 plus VAT monthly. Mazuma ranges from £38 to £60 plus VAT monthly. Sleek charges £60 monthly with a Xero licence included. Osome starts at £71 monthly and suits ecommerce sellers. Traditional high-street firms typically charge £300 to £1,200 annually. The key comparison point is whether the fee is annual or monthly, because a £27 monthly subscription costs £324 a year before VAT.
This guide compares all seven with pricing taken directly from each provider's public website.
Annual Cost Compared: All 7 Providers
Every price below has been annualised so monthly subscriptions and annual fees sit on the same scale.
Pricing sourced from each provider's public website in 2026. Annualised figures calculated from the lowest advertised rate. Where marked +VAT, add 20% for the amount actually paid. Verify current pricing directly with each provider.
1. Taxez: Lowest Annual Cost
Taxez is a UK online accountancy firm rated 4.9 out of 5 on Trustpilot from over 500 reviews, serving more than 2,000 clients. It is the only provider on this list charging a fixed annual fee rather than a monthly subscription, starting at £199 per year.
Included at every tier:
A Dedicated Chartered Accountant assigned to your account
Accounts preparation and Self Assessment filing
Unlimited advice and support by email, all year
Making Tax Digital support for the April 2026 changes
Secure document portal with automatic deadline reminders
No bookkeeping software needed, accounts prepared from a CSV bank statement
Pricing by turnover:
Best for: Self-employed professionals who want a named accountant and year-round advice at the lowest annual cost, without a monthly commitment. Taxez also offers a Personal Self Assessment service from £59 for those not running a business.
2. The Accountancy Partnership: From £24.50+VAT/Month
The Accountancy Partnership offers sole trader plans from £24.50 plus VAT per month, which works out at roughly £294 plus VAT annually. Self Assessment is included in the sole trader package.
They price the accountancy relationship separately from software, and limited company plans start higher at £39.50 plus VAT per month. Check their website for what each tier includes.
Best for: Self-employed people who prefer monthly billing and want Self Assessment bundled into the subscription.
3. Crunch: From £27+VAT/Month
Crunch has operated since 2009 and holds a 4.6 out of 5 on Trustpilot from over 1,500 reviews. Sole trader accounting starts at £27 plus VAT per month, approximately £324 plus VAT annually.
Crunch bundles its own accounting software with accountancy support and offers a modular structure, so you can add services as your business grows. They also sell a one-off Self Assessment service. See their pricing page for the current plan structure.
Best for: Freelancers who want integrated software and accountancy in one subscription.
4. Mazuma: From £38+VAT/Month
Mazuma has supported UK small businesses since 2006 and holds a 4.6 out of 5 on Trustpilot from over 1,200 reviews. Sole trader plans run from £38 to £60 plus VAT per month, starting at roughly £456 plus VAT annually.
A distinguishing feature is their prepaid postal envelope service, which lets you send physical receipts rather than uploading everything digitally. Four tiers are available. See their pricing page.
Best for: Self-employed people who still keep paper records and want predictable monthly billing.
5. Sleek: From £60/Month
Sleek serves over 450,000 businesses globally. UK sole trader accounting starts at £60 per month billed annually (£720 per year), which includes a Xero licence, bookkeeping, tax filing, and a dedicated accountant.
They publish two transparent tiers and also offer company incorporation if you later decide to move from sole trader to limited company.
Best for: Self-employed professionals who want Xero included and prefer an all-in-one provider.
6. Osome: From £71/Month
Osome is a technology-led platform serving over 11,000 businesses across multiple countries. UK pricing starts at £71 per month (£852 per year), scaling by revenue.
Osome combines AI-assisted document processing with human bookkeepers and specialises in ecommerce sellers and businesses trading internationally. See their pricing page for the full breakdown.
Best for: Ecommerce sellers and self-employed professionals working across borders.
7. Traditional High-Street Accountants
Local firms remain an option for those who prefer in-person meetings. Annual costs for a self-employed client typically range from £300 to £1,200 depending on complexity, according to industry pricing data.
Quality varies considerably between firms. Before appointing one, ask for a written breakdown of what is included and what is charged separately.
Best for: Self-employed people who value face-to-face meetings and are comfortable paying a premium for a local relationship.
What Should Self-Employed Professionals Look For?
Price is the starting point, not the whole picture. Five things worth checking before you commit:
Is the fee annual or monthly? A £27 monthly plan is £324 a year before VAT. Always annualise before comparing.
Are VAT returns and payroll extra? These are almost always separate charges, typically around £29 to £30 per VAT return.
Do you get a named accountant? Some providers assign a dedicated contact at entry level. Others route queries through a general support team.
Is advice included or billed? Unlimited advice matters most in your first year, when you have the most questions.
Is MTD covered? From April 2026, Making Tax Digital for Income Tax applies to self-employed people earning over £50,000. Confirm your provider handles quarterly submissions.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does an online accountant cost for the self-employed in the UK?
Based on verified 2026 pricing from the providers in this guide, annual costs range from £199 to £852. Annual fixed-fee providers sit at the lower end. Monthly subscriptions typically annualise to between £294 and £852 depending on the tier and whether VAT is included in the quoted price.
Is an online accountant cheaper than a high-street accountant?
Generally yes. Online firms have lower overheads because they do not maintain physical offices, and that saving is usually reflected in the fee. High-street firms typically charge £300 to £1,200 a year for a self-employed client, while online providers start from around £199.
Do I need an accountant if I am self-employed?
There is no legal requirement. You can file your own Self Assessment return directly with HMRC for free. However, an accountant often saves more in correctly claimed expenses than they cost in fees, and removes the risk of late filing penalties, which start at £100.
What is the cheapest online accountant for self-employed people?
Among the providers compared here, Taxez has the lowest annual cost at £199 per year for turnover under £1,000, scaling with turnover thereafter. Because it is an annual fixed fee rather than a monthly subscription, it remains the lowest once every provider's pricing is annualised.
Can I switch online accountants partway through the year?
Yes. Switching is routine and most providers manage the handover for you, contacting your previous accountant to obtain your records. Some charge a catch-up fee for bringing incomplete records up to date, so ask about this before you commit.
Do online accountants handle Making Tax Digital?
Most do, but confirm before signing up. MTD for Income Tax became mandatory in April 2026 for self-employed people with qualifying income over £50,000, requiring four quarterly submissions plus a final declaration. The threshold drops to £30,000 in April 2027.
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 or tax advice. All competitor pricing and review data is sourced from each provider's public website in 2026 and may change at any time. We encourage readers to verify current pricing directly with each provider before making a decision.
