How much does an accountant cost in Australia?

Two accountants can quote different fees without quoting for the same job. Before comparing the numbers, check who maintains the books, which returns are included and whether you are buying a defined task or ongoing support.

There is no single accounting fee that suits every Australian business. A straightforward sole trader with reconciled records is a different engagement from a company with employees, several entities or historical corrections. A useful quote makes those differences visible.

First, identify what you are buying

A lodgement engagement deals with agreed tax or accounting work from the records supplied. A monthly accounting arrangement may add ongoing access, check-ins and regular updates. Bookkeeping adds the work of maintaining the records. Forecasting and commercial decision support can be another scope again.

Monthly billing does not prove that ongoing advice is included. An annual job can be paid in instalments without adding monitoring between lodgements. Ask what happens in a quiet month, what happens when a problem arises and who is expected to notice it.

Real fee examples, with the scope attached

The following are selected Target Advisory starting fees checked on 4 November 2026, not market averages. They apply to eligible, straightforward service businesses with current Xero records and the published limits. Check the current pricing page before engaging.

Selected Target Advisory accounting fees

Work	Starting fee	Key boundary
Sole-trader annual return, business schedule and profit and loss	$450 + GST $495 including GST	Ready, reconciled records for the agreed straightforward scope.
Company annual accounts, company return and one standard director return	$1,350 + GST $1,485 including GST	Published starting scope for an eligible service company below $500,000 revenue.
Sole-trader Stay on Top	$149 + GST a month $163.90 including GST	Below $200,000 revenue; up to 50 bank transaction lines a month; you maintain Xero.
Company Stay on Top	$260 + GST a month $286 including GST	Below $500,000 revenue; up to 50 bank transaction lines a month; you maintain Xero.

The monthly starting plans cover one bank account and one card. They include the stated annual compliance work, up to four quarterly BAS, routine support and a quarterly check-in. Payroll processing is not included. Transaction volume, structure and complexity can change the appropriate scope.

Compare the first-year cost, not only the monthly figure

Target Advisory’s published monthly plans have a 12-month initial term and standard setup of $250 plus GST. Xero subscriptions, catch-up work and separately agreed extras are excluded.

For the eligible $149 sole-trader plan, the first-year amount is 12 times $149 plus $250 setup: $2,038 before GST or $2,241.80 including GST. For the $260 company plan, it is $3,370 before GST or $3,707 including GST. These are arithmetic illustrations of the published scope, not quotes for a business whose circumstances have not been reviewed.

A standalone lodgement does not carry that monthly commitment or monthly-plan setup fee. Read the scope and billing terms so the comparison uses the same period and inclusions.

What makes a quote higher?

Incomplete records create work before an accountant can assess the return. Unreconciled bank balances, missing loan statements and unexplained owner payments can require investigation rather than routine processing.

More entities, inventory, overseas transactions, investment activity or complex payroll can also change the engagement. None is automatically a problem. They simply need to be visible when the work is priced. A low headline fee with broad exclusions can become less useful than a clear quote that covers the actual requirement.

Four questions worth asking before accepting

What must I provide? Establish whether the accountant expects reconciled records or will do that work. What is excluded? Ask about software, cleanup, ASIC administration, payroll and substantial advice. What support is included? Agree the access and review frequency. How are extras approved? Look for a clear process before additional chargeable work starts.

The cheapest arrangement is not necessarily the wrong one. A defined task may be exactly what a well-organised business needs. The mistake is paying for a narrow task while expecting a broader finance relationship.

Start with the work you need covered, then compare the fee. Our pricing page separates lodgements, ongoing accounting and bookkeeping so you can choose without guessing what sits behind the number.