What is the cost of a bookkeeper?
When it comes to bookkeeping, you may be asking ‘How much should I pay for a bookkeeper?”
The cost of a bookkeeper can vary based on several factors, including the bookkeeper’s experience and the complexity of your business’s financials.
The role of a bookkeeper has changed in the last 5-10 years with the development of digital cloud-based accounting, ecommerce platforms like Shopify and the changes in tax requirements by HMRC with Making Tax Digital (MTD).
Bookkeeping is often considered a back-office function and can be undervalued. But don’t make this mistake – a good bookkeeper is highly valuable. Having messy books will cause havoc on your business so it’s good to realise the value and invest in a good one.
How much a bookkeeper costs will depend on a few factors:
- How many transactions they need to process. Do you have many bank accounts, credit cards or payment merchants like GoCardless or PayPal? All of these need to be captured, so the more transactions there are will mean more time and therefore, higher bills.
- What industry you’re in. Some industries have more complex bookkeeping requirements, like the construction industry for example. Ecommerce sellers will need certain skills to deal with Shopify & Amazon integrations. So your industry will affect how much a bookkeeper costs for you.
- Are you behind with your books? If you need someone to come in and bring everything up to speed then this will take time. They will need to correct errors and ensure everything is captured. Be prepared to outlay a one-off fee for this service.
- Where they are. Many bookkeepers operate remotely these days and can do everything digitally from afar. However, if you need someone to physically come into the office and be on-site, this will affect how much you need to pay for a bookkeeper.
Average bookkeeper hourly rate
- Freelance Bookkeepers: most will charge between £25-£40 per hour, depending on experience and location. A more experienced or specialised bookkeeper rates could range from £40-£60 per hour. Specialised areas could include: management reporting, ecommerce, sector experience such as construction industry, or dealing with foreign currency. It will depend on what your business needs.

Other rates
- Packages & Fixed Price Rates: many bookkeepers will offer a monthly package rate to cover an agreed set of tasks. These are great if your business ticks over regularly with the same amount of work and tasks every month. Packages can vary from between 4 to 30 hours per month. You can plan this steady monthly cost into your budget for the year and be reassured that your books are covered.
- Hiring a Full-Time Bookkeeper: if hiring a bookkeeper on your own payroll you should expect to pay salaries of basic level of £25-£28k per year and for a senior bookkeeper of £28-£35k per year. These rates will be more expensive in the larger cities and should be used a rough guideline only. As employees they will of course come with requirements such as pensions, employer NIC overheads and holiday pay.
Hiring a bookkeeper
How to Choose the Right Bookkeeper
We have a separate article on finding the right bookkeeper for your business.
When you’re shopping around then consider the following points for how much to pay for a bookkeeping service:
- Assess your needs: Do you need basic bookkeeping or a more strategic financial partner? If you only need someone to track the basics, a lower rate will be enough. But if you want someone to provide you with reports, help you with budgeting and cash flow and provide some general management support then you’ll need to pay a higher rate.
- Experience and certifications: Always look for bookkeepers who are certified or have relevant experience in your industry. Read their reviews and ensure they are qualified.
- Get quotes: Reach out to multiple bookkeepers to get an idea of the rates and services they offer. Be clear and honest about your needs to get accurate quotes.
- Ask your accountant to recommend one: this is a great way to guarantee a good service. Many accountants (if they don’t offer the service themselves) will know several good bookkeepers who they affiliate with and will be able to recommend one for you.
We offer monthly bookkeeping packages tailor-made for growing businesses. Get in touch to find out more.