For a small owner-managed company, the cost is mainly driven by how much work the accountant is actually taking off your hands. A company that maintains clean bookkeeping and only needs year-end accounts and Corporation Tax is very different from a VAT-registered business with employees, hundreds of monthly transactions and management reporting.
What should a basic company accounting fee cover?
At minimum, a normal compliance service should make the scope of statutory accounts, Corporation Tax and Companies House responsibilities clear. Some firms include director payroll or confirmation-statement support; others price these separately.
Why can online accountants charge less?
Technology changes the cost base. Bank feeds, document capture, automated reconciliations and standardised workflows reduce manual processing. That does not remove the need for judgement, but it can substantially reduce the hours spent moving data around.
What usually increases the fee?
- VAT returns and bookkeeping
- Payroll and employee numbers
- High transaction volumes
- Stock, CIS or multi-currency activity
- Overdue records and catch-up work
- Management accounts, forecasts or advisory support
Ledger Grove’s approach
Ledger Grove starts standard limited company compliance at £49 per month for a narrow, clearly defined scope. Broader monthly support starts at £89, while management reporting sits within the £179 Growth Finance package for standard businesses. The online suitability check prevents a complex business from buying an unrealistically low package.