Accounting Fees in Australia 2026 — BAS, Tax Returns, Bookkeeping

If you've ever opened an invoice from your accountant and wondered whether you're paying the right amount, you're not alone. Accounting fees in Australia vary enormously depending on your business structure, the services you need, and the type of firm you engage — from a boutique cloud-accounting practice through to a Big 4 partner.

This guide breaks down what Australians actually pay for common accounting services in 2026 — individual tax returns, BAS lodgement, bookkeeping, company and trust tax returns, payroll, and SMSF audits. It also covers the shift from hourly billing to fixed-fee packages, what makes one business's fee triple another's, and how to check that a registered accountant's credentials mean something.

Whether you're a sole trader in Brisbane wondering why your neighbour's Pty Ltd pays three times as much, or a Melbourne business owner shopping around for a bookkeeper, the numbers below will help you compare with confidence.

Last updated: August 2026.

The short answer

Accounting fees in Australia in 2026 range from about $150 for a simple individual tax return to $4,000+ for a company tax return with financial statements. A small business typically pays $150–$400 per quarter for BAS lodgement and $300–$800 per month for bookkeeping. Accountants charge $200–$350 per hour; bookkeepers charge $80–$150 per hour.

Key takeaways

• Individual tax returns cost $150–$500 depending on complexity; a straightforward PAYG return with no deductions beyond work expenses sits at the lower end.
• BAS lodgement runs $150–$400 per quarter for most small businesses; higher transaction volumes and mixed GST supplies push fees up.
• Company tax returns cost $1,500–$4,000 for a standard Pty Ltd, because a company must lodge financial statements and its own return separately from the director's.
• Bookkeeping runs $300–$800 per month for a small business on Xero or MYOB, with many firms bundling BAS into that monthly retainer.
• Accountant hourly rates sit between $200 and $350 an hour; registered bookkeepers charge $80–$150 an hour.
• The state of your records is the single biggest swing factor. Clean, reconciled books can cut an annual fee by 30–50% compared with a shoebox of receipts.

Contents

• How much do accountants charge in Australia in 2026?
• What actually drives the size of your fee?
• Why does a Pty Ltd cost more than a sole trader?
• What do trusts and partnerships cost to run?
• Is fixed-fee or hourly billing better value?
• Do you need a bookkeeper, an accountant, or both?
• Does cloud accounting software actually reduce your fees?
• How much do accountants charge in each Australian city?
• What changed for accounting fees in 2026?
• How can you reduce your accounting bill?
• How do you check an accountant is properly registered?
• Frequently asked questions

How much do accountants charge in Australia in 2026?

Australian accountants charge $200–$350 per hour, or fixed fees of $150–$500 for an individual tax return, $150–$400 per quarter for BAS, and $1,500–$4,000 for a company tax return. Bookkeeping runs $300–$800 a month. The table below covers the full range of common services.

Prices reflect the broad mid-market across major cities. Boutique cloud-accounting firms sit at the lower end; CBD practices and Big 4 firms comfortably exceed the upper end.

These are indicative fees. Actual costs depend on your specific circumstances and the firm's pricing model. This is a price indication only — your accountant will confirm the final fee after reviewing your situation. Always obtain a written engagement letter before work starts.

These ranges are based on estimates generated through Leadkit's accounting services fee calculator using current Australian market rates, cross-referenced against publicly available pricing from registered tax agents and bookkeeping practices. Leadkit builds that calculator, so treat it as an informed benchmark rather than neutral third-party research.

Want to check fees for your situation right now? Use the free accounting services fee calculator — enter your business structure and the services you need to get an instant indicative fee range.

What actually drives the size of your fee?

Five factors explain almost all of the variation in Australian accounting fees: your entity structure, transaction volume, the condition of your records, whether payroll and GST are in scope, and how much advisory work you want. Two businesses with identical revenue can pay fees that differ by a factor of four purely on these.

A few of these are worth spelling out, because they're the ones business owners underestimate.

Record quality is the lever you control. Accountants price annual work partly on how much cleanup they expect. A file where every bank line is coded and reconciled monthly might attract a $1,800 annual company fee; the same business handing over a year of uncategorised transactions can be quoted $3,500 for identical compliance work. You're not paying for tax expertise at that point — you're paying accountant rates for data entry.

Cash versus accruals GST accounting changes the work involved. On a cash basis (available to most businesses with turnover under $10 million) you report GST when money actually moves. On an accruals basis you report when you invoice, which means debtors and creditors need reconciling every quarter. Accruals BAS work sits at the top of the $150–$400 range.

Payroll is priced per head for a reason. Under Single Touch Payroll (STP) Phase 2, employers report far more granular data to the ATO each pay run — separate reporting of allowances, paid leave, salary sacrifice and termination components. Getting the categorisation right takes real time, and mistakes surface later as reconciliation problems.

Across the accounting fee estimates generated through Leadkit's platform, entity complexity is the most common reason business owners are caught off-guard by their annual invoice. People compare their fee to a mate's without realising the mate is a sole trader with no staff.

Why does a Pty Ltd cost more than a sole trader?

A Pty Ltd costs two to three times more than a sole trader because it's a separate legal entity that must lodge its own company tax return, prepare financial statements, meet ASIC obligations, and manage Division 7A — all on top of the director's own personal return. A sole trader simply adds a business schedule to one individual return.

A sole trader with moderate revenue might pay $600–$1,200 for their annual return and BAS support. A comparable Pty Ltd typically pays $1,500–$4,000 for the company tax return alone, before bookkeeping and BAS.

Here's what the company actually has to produce:

• A company tax return lodged separately from any director's personal tax return
• Full financial statements — profit and loss, balance sheet, and notes prepared to accounting standards
• ASIC annual review compliance, including confirming officeholder and share details each year
• Division 7A management — if a director or shareholder takes money out of the company that isn't wages or a franked dividend, it can be treated as a deemed unfranked dividend unless it's on a complying loan agreement at the ATO's benchmark interest rate
• PAYG instalments, and potentially fringe benefits tax (FBT) if the company provides cars or other benefits
• A director's personal tax return still required on top of the company return

There's also a tax-rate wrinkle worth knowing. A base rate entity — broadly, a company with aggregated turnover under $50 million where no more than 80% of income is passive — is taxed at 25%. Companies that fail that test pay 30%. Working out which applies, and franking dividends at the correct rate, is part of what you're paying for. The ATO publishes the current tests and rates.

The jump is sharper again if your Pty Ltd has multiple directors, trust distributions, or associated entities. Mid-tier firms routinely quote $3,000–$6,000 for company groups with those features. If you're weighing up incorporating, factor in the ongoing annual compliance cost — not just the ASIC registration fee — before you make the call.

What do trusts and partnerships cost to run?

A discretionary family trust typically costs $1,200–$3,000 a year in accounting fees, and a partnership $800–$2,000 — sitting between a sole trader and a company. Both need their own tax return, but a trust also needs annual distribution resolutions prepared before 30 June.

The trust premium comes from work most people never see. Each year the trustee must resolve how income is distributed to beneficiaries, and that resolution generally needs to be made and documented before the end of the financial year — not when the return is prepared months later. Get the timing wrong and the trustee can be assessed at the top marginal rate on undistributed income.

The ATO has also sharpened its position on distributions to adult children and other beneficiaries who never actually receive the money — the section 100A reimbursement-agreement rules. Firms now spend more time documenting the commercial reality of distributions, and that time shows up in the fee.

Partnerships are simpler: the partnership lodges a return reporting net income, but doesn't pay tax itself. Each partner then reports their share on their individual return. The catch is that you're paying for a partnership return plus two or more individual returns, so the all-in cost is usually higher than the headline figure suggests.

If you're comparing structures on cost alone, remember the fee is only one input — asset protection, tax-rate access, and future sale plans usually matter more. Worth reading alongside our guide to capital gains tax on investment property in Australia, since structure decisions drive CGT outcomes years later.

Is fixed-fee or hourly billing better value?

Fixed-fee packages are better value for predictable compliance work — BAS, payroll, annual returns — because you get certainty and the firm has already priced the routine. Hourly billing suits advisory work, where the time genuinely varies. Most Australian cloud-accounting practices now default to fixed fees for compliance.

Hourly billing

• $200–$350 an hour for a registered CPA or CA in general practice
• $350–$600 an hour for specialist tax, structuring or business valuation advice
• $80–$150 an hour for a bookkeeper
• Common for advisory work, complex tax matters, SMSF strategy, and one-off projects
• Less predictable: messy books, an amended return, or an ATO query can blow the hours out quickly

Fixed-fee packages

• Common for BAS lodgement, annual tax returns, monthly bookkeeping, and payroll
• Gives you certainty over your annual accounting spend, usually billed monthly
• Usually bundled: a typical small business monthly package might include the Xero subscription, bank reconciliations, BAS, payroll for up to five staff, and the annual tax return for $500–$900 a month
• Can undervalue complex work — if your circumstances change mid-year (new entity, ATO review, property purchase), expect an out-of-scope fee

A useful rule of thumb: ask your accountant to quote fixed-fee for everything that happens on a predictable calendar — BAS, payroll, ASIC review, annual return — and to scope advisory work separately with a written estimate before starting.

How firm size changes the rate

For most small businesses and sole traders, a boutique suburban practice or a cloud-accounting firm offers the best balance of cost, accessibility and competence for everyday compliance. You only need mid-tier capability when the structure genuinely warrants it.

Do you need a bookkeeper, an accountant, or both?

Most small businesses need both: a bookkeeper at $300–$500 a month to keep records clean and lodge BAS, and an accountant at $1,500–$3,000 a year for the annual return and tax planning. Paying accountant rates for data entry is the most common way Australian businesses overspend on accounting.

A bookkeeper handles the day-to-day recording of financial transactions: invoicing, bank reconciliation, accounts payable and receivable, payroll, and BAS preparation. Many bookkeepers are registered BAS agents, which means they're legally authorised to prepare and lodge your Business Activity Statement.

A BAS (Business Activity Statement) is the quarterly or monthly form lodged with the ATO reporting GST collected and credits claimed, PAYG withholding, and PAYG instalments. Only a registered tax agent or BAS agent can prepare and lodge it for a fee — an unregistered bookkeeper cannot.

An accountant handles the higher-level compliance and advisory work: annual tax returns, financial statements, tax planning, structuring, and ATO correspondence. They typically hold a CPA or CA designation and are registered tax agents.

The division of labour is what saves money. If you hand a year of unsorted receipts to an accountant at tax time, you'll pay $250 an hour for work a bookkeeper would have done at $100 an hour across the year — and you'll have had no visibility of your numbers in the meantime.

A practical split: engage a bookkeeper at $300–$500 a month for ongoing records and BAS, and an accountant for $1,500–$3,000 a year for the annual return and tax planning. That's almost always cheaper than paying accountant rates for everything, and it means someone is watching your GST position in real time.

You can estimate your combined annual cost across Leadkit's accounting calculators, and sanity-check your quarterly GST position using the GST calculator.

Does cloud accounting software actually reduce your fees?

Yes — but only if the file is maintained properly. Xero, MYOB and QuickBooks cut bookkeeping hours through automated bank feeds and direct ATO lodgement, which typically reduces a monthly bookkeeping bill by 20–40% compared with manual entry. A neglected file removes that saving entirely.

What cloud software genuinely does well:

• Automated bank feeds eliminate manual transaction entry
• Bank rules and recurring transactions cut monthly reconciliation time substantially
• Direct BAS lodgement integrations save your bookkeeper hours every quarter
• STP Phase 2 payroll reporting happens as part of the pay run rather than as a separate exercise
• Real-time dashboards mean your accountant spends less time reconstructing your year-end picture

What it does not replace:

• The judgement of a registered tax agent for return preparation and planning
• BAS agent authorisation — the software submits, but a registered agent must review and authorise
• SMSF compliance, which still requires an independent approved SMSF auditor regardless of software
• Advisory: structuring decisions, Division 7A, CGT events, and small business CGT concessions

The practical effect: if you use Xero well — categorise correctly, connect your bank feeds, run payroll through the platform, reconcile monthly — your bookkeeper's hours drop and a $500-a-month package delivers real value. If the file is a mess, the software won't save you, and the cleanup gets billed.

Xero's small business plan sits around $80 a month inc. GST in 2026, with MYOB Business comparable and QuickBooks often discounted for the first year. Most firms either bundle that subscription into their fee or pass it through at cost — ask which before you sign, because "software included" can quietly mean a $960 annual difference.

You can estimate your personal or company income tax liability with the income tax calculator, or model a CGT event with the capital gains tax calculator.

How much do accountants charge in each Australian city?

Sydney CBD practices charge the most at $250–$350 an hour, while Adelaide sits lowest at $160–$260. The spread reflects local labour markets, office overheads, and how many specialist firms compete in each city. Suburban practices in every city undercut their CBD equivalents by roughly 20–30%.

These are indicative fees only. Actual costs depend on your specific circumstances and the firm's pricing model. This is a price indication only — your accountant will confirm the final fee after reviewing your situation.

Cloud-accounting firms operate nationally at largely standardised rates, which makes them competitive in higher-cost cities where local practices charge a CBD premium. If you're in Sydney or Melbourne and your work is straightforward compliance, an online firm can often beat a local quote by 20–30% — the trade-off is that you won't be sitting across a desk from anyone.

Wage growth in professional services, tracked by the Australian Bureau of Statistics, is the main reason these rates have drifted upward rather than held flat over the past few years.

What changed for accounting fees in 2026?

Fees have risen roughly in line with professional wage growth, and three compliance changes have added billable time: client-to-agent linking, STP Phase 2 maturity, and closer ATO attention to trust distributions and lodgement debt. None of these are optional, and all of them land in your invoice.

Client-to-agent linking. Businesses with an ABN now have to nominate a new tax or BAS agent through ATO Online Services before that agent can act for them. It's a genuine security improvement, but it also means switching accountants is no longer a five-minute form — expect your new firm to spend time walking you through myID setup and the nomination process.

STP Phase 2 has bedded in, and the ATO can see more. Because allowances, leave and salary-sacrifice components are now reported separately every pay run, categorisation errors that used to surface at year-end now surface immediately. Fixing them is billable.

Trust and Division 7A scrutiny is higher. More documentation is being prepared and retained than five years ago, particularly around distribution resolutions and complying loan agreements.

Debt and lodgement enforcement has tightened. The ATO has been more active in pursuing overdue lodgements and payment plans, which means more firms are charging separately for ATO negotiation work that was once absorbed.

Software costs have crept up. Subscription price rises across Xero and MYOB in recent years have pushed some firms to unbundle software from their fee. Check whether last year's "all inclusive" package still includes it.

The net effect for a typical small business: expect a 3–6% annual increase on a like-for-like scope, and a larger jump if your structure or headcount changed.

How can you reduce your accounting bill?

The fastest way to cut your accounting fee is to reduce the hours your accountant spends fixing things — reconcile monthly, keep entity structures no more complex than they need to be, and bundle everything predictable into a fixed fee. Most businesses can save 20–40% without changing firms.

1. Reconcile monthly, not annually. A file that's coded and reconciled every month is dramatically cheaper to close off at year-end.
2. Keep business and personal separate. One dedicated business account and card removes hours of "is this deductible?" back-and-forth — and reduces Division 7A risk in a company.
3. Answer queries in one batch. Firms bill for chasing. Reply to the year-end query list in a single response rather than a fortnight of one-line emails.
4. Don't over-structure. A trust and a company and a bare trust each cost money to run every single year. Only carry structures you actually need.
5. Ask for the fee to be split. Compliance on a fixed monthly fee, advisory scoped separately, so you know what you're buying.
6. Review the scope annually. If you dropped from eight employees to two, your payroll fee should drop too. It won't happen automatically.
7. Claim the deduction. Fees paid to a registered tax agent are deductible under "cost of managing tax affairs" — see the FAQ below.

Not sure whether your current quote is fair? Benchmark it against the market before you renegotiate — the professional services calculator library covers accounting, legal, financial planning and more, and takes about 30 seconds.

How do you check an accountant is properly registered?

Search the Tax Practitioners Board register at tpb.gov.au — anyone charging a fee to prepare or lodge tax returns or BAS in Australia must be registered there. Professional designations like CPA, CA and IPA are a separate, additional quality signal. Both checks take under two minutes.

The three main designations

CPA (Certified Practising Accountant) — issued by CPA Australia. Requires a relevant degree, the CPA Program, and ongoing professional development. CPAs work across tax, audit, management accounting and advisory.

CA (Chartered Accountant) — issued by Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand. Requires the CA Program after a degree, typically completed inside a public accounting firm. CAs often have strong technical grounding in audit and complex tax.

IPA (Institute of Public Accountants) — issued by the Institute of Public Accountants. Focused on small business and public practice, and common among suburban firms serving SMEs.

All three bodies impose codes of conduct, continuing education requirements and complaints processes — which unregistered "accountants" do not.

Registered tax agents

Anyone preparing tax returns or BAS for a fee must be registered with the Tax Practitioners Board (TPB). Search the register at tpb.gov.au before you engage anyone. This is non-negotiable: an unregistered preparer leaves you exposed, because the ATO's safe harbour protections for taxpayers who rely on a registered agent don't apply.

What to ask before signing an engagement letter

• Are you a registered tax agent or BAS agent with the TPB, and what's your registration number?
• Do you hold CPA, CA or IPA membership?
• What is your fixed fee for each service, and what specifically triggers an out-of-scope charge?
• Is the Xero or MYOB subscription included, or billed separately?
• Who actually does the work — the principal, or an offshore processing team?
• What's your turnaround time for a query during BAS season?

The engagement letter — the written document setting out scope, fees and each party's responsibilities — is a professional requirement for registered agents. If a firm won't provide one, walk away.

Frequently asked questions

Q: How much does a tax return cost in Australia in 2026?

A: A straightforward individual tax return costs $150–$300 through most suburban practices and online registered tax agents. Returns with investment properties, share portfolios, foreign income or multiple rentals typically run $300–$500. Sole trader returns, which include a business schedule, cost $400–$1,200 depending on complexity and transaction volume. Company tax returns start around $1,500 and reach $4,000 or more for complex structures. Your final fee depends on how clean your records are when you hand them over — you can benchmark a range with the free fee calculator linked throughout this guide.

Q: What is a BAS and how much does it cost to lodge?

A: A BAS is the quarterly or monthly form you lodge with the ATO reporting GST collected, GST credits claimed, PAYG withholding and PAYG instalments. Businesses with GST turnover of $75,000 or more must register for GST and lodge a BAS. Having a registered BAS agent prepare and lodge it typically costs $150–$400 per quarter, depending on transaction volume and whether payroll is included. Businesses with mixed supplies, imports or property transactions sit at the upper end. BAS work is frequently bundled into a monthly bookkeeping package rather than billed separately.

Q: Why do accountants charge more for a Pty Ltd than a sole trader?

A: A company is a separate legal entity that must lodge its own tax return, prepare full financial statements, and meet ASIC annual review and Division 7A obligations. A sole trader simply adds a business schedule to their personal return. The extra work — financial statements, two returns instead of one, and the technical complexity of company tax law — justifies the higher fee. Expect roughly two to three times a comparable sole trader fee, and more again if there are multiple directors, loans to shareholders, or a trust in the group.

Q: Are accounting fees tax deductible in Australia?

A: Yes. Fees paid to a registered tax agent for preparing your return, lodging BAS and providing tax advice are generally deductible — individuals claim them under "cost of managing tax affairs" in the year the fee is paid, not the year the work relates to. Businesses deduct them as an ordinary business expense. That means the after-tax cost is lower than the sticker price: a $1,000 invoice costs a base rate company on 25% around $750 net. Note that fees for non-tax advice, such as general business consulting, may be treated differently. The ATO publishes current guidance.

Q: What is an SMSF audit and how much does it cost?

A: An SMSF is a private superannuation fund you run yourself, with up to six members. Every SMSF must be independently audited each financial year by an ASIC-approved SMSF auditor who checks both the financial statements and compliance with superannuation law. Audits typically cost $800–$1,500 a year depending on investment complexity — funds holding property, unlisted investments or crypto sit higher. On top of the audit, trustees pay $1,500–$3,000 a year for the fund's accounting and annual return. If you're considering setting one up, start with our guide to SMSF setup costs in Australia or the SMSF setup cost calculator.

Q: How much does a bookkeeper cost per hour in Australia?

A: Bookkeepers charge $80–$150 an hour in 2026, with registered BAS agents at the upper end because of their lodgement authority and professional indemnity requirements. Monthly packages are more common than hourly billing for ongoing work, typically $300–$800 a month for a small business on Xero or MYOB. That usually covers bank reconciliation, accounts payable and receivable, payroll for a small team, and quarterly BAS. Offshore bookkeeping services advertise $25–$50 an hour, but check who holds BAS agent registration, because only a registered agent can lodge on your behalf.

Q: Can I do my own BAS and tax return to save money?

A: You can. Sole traders and individuals can lodge through myTax, and businesses can lodge BAS directly through ATO Online Services or straight from Xero or MYOB. It's realistic if your affairs are simple — one income stream, no employees, no property. The saving disappears quickly once you have staff, GST on mixed supplies, or a company structure, because a missed concession or a miscoded BAS usually costs more than the fee. There's also a practical benefit to using a registered agent: agents get extended lodgement deadlines that self-lodgers don't. Our GST calculator guide covers the basics if you're doing it yourself.

Q: How often should my accountant contact me?

A: At minimum, quarterly around BAS, plus a pre-30-June tax planning conversation and a post-lodgement review. If your only contact is an invoice and a signature request each year, you're paying for compliance and getting nothing else. A good fixed-fee arrangement should specify how many advisory conversations are included. Ask before you sign — "unlimited phone support" and "two scheduled meetings a year" are very different products at similar prices.

Q: Should I choose the cheapest accountant?

A: Not necessarily. A very low fee can reflect limited experience, high client volume with minimal attention, or an unregistered operator. The better benchmark is value relative to scope — a $600-a-quarter firm bundling BAS, payroll, reconciliation and proactive tax advice usually beats a $200-a-quarter firm that charges for every email. Verify TPB registration, ask for a fixed-fee engagement letter, and check CPA, CA or IPA membership. If you also work with a financial adviser, our guide to financial adviser fees in Australia is a useful comparison point.

Comparing your options and getting the numbers right

Accounting fees in Australia range enormously — from a $150 tax return for a PAYG employee to $4,000 or more for a complex Pty Ltd. The variables that matter are your structure, your transaction volume, the state of your records, and the type of firm you engage.

A few practical steps before you sign anything:

1. Verify TPB registration at tpb.gov.au before engaging any tax agent
2. Check for CPA, CA or IPA membership — these bodies hold practitioners to professional standards
3. Request a fixed-fee engagement letter for all repeat compliance work
4. Benchmark the quote against indicative market rates before you negotiate
5. Ask what's in scope — out-of-scope fees are where fixed-fee packages catch people out
6. Clean up your books first — it's the one lever that reliably lowers the quote

The estimates in this guide come from Leadkit's accounting services fee calculator, which uses current Australian market rates sourced from registered tax agents and bookkeeping practices. They're a starting point for comparison, not a quote.

These are indicative fees. Actual costs depend on your specific circumstances and the firm's pricing model. This is a price indication only — your accountant will confirm the final fee after assessing your situation. Always obtain a written engagement letter before work starts.

Want an instant fee estimate for your accounting needs? Browse all 200+ Australian calculators and run the accounting one — takes 30 seconds, no signup required, and the result is an indication only until your accountant confirms it. Running a business yourself? You can embed a calculator on your own website in 60 seconds.