The best accountant for UK startups is someone who understands your industry (whether it is AI, SaaS, BioTech, DeepTech, eCommerce), your business model, and your needs as a founder. 

Novabook is an accounting firm built for all startups operating in the United Kingdom, but also in the EU and United States. Unlike many companies who have outsourced a lot of accounting work to India or the Philippines, Novabook’s accountants, trained at the likes of PwC, are based in London, working 5 days a week in the Novabook office. 

The team works hard to offer you an informed response in minutes, not hours, and their job is to support you with ad hoc questions, financial process improvements and to support you with forecasting, modelling and strategic financial support. 

Novabook can provide payroll services, book-keeping, Accounts & Corporation Tax services, VAT filings, Confirmation Statements, EMI Valuations, ERS annual filings, and R&D Tax Credit claims in the United Kingdom. In the EU, Novabook can support with EU VAT registrations and filings. In the US, the team can support with the Delaware Franchise Tax Filing, Federal Tax Returns (1120, 1099, 5471, 5472, 926), and State Sales Taxes. 

Other more traditional accounting businesses include Cooper Parry, Hays Mac and Gravita. Their prices will usually be a good bit higher than Novabook’s fees, but they are able to offer a more comprehensive service encompassing international tax structuring services & audit. 

FAQs 

How do I choose an accountant for my startup?

• You should choose your accountant for your startup based on a combination of three factors: price, where the accountant is based (UK or overseas) and their ability to service all of your needs. Novabook is an accountant that specialises in servicing all of a startups needs from pre-revenue Day 1 to their biggest client, which is at a $13bn market cap. Novabook can support start-ups, scale-ups, and normal SMEs, aiming to take as much off founders’ plates with their free ERP which automates your HR, Payroll, Invoicing and Document Storage problems.

How much does an accountant cost in the UK?

• Older school, traditional accounting firms can charge up to £500 per month to offer book-keeping, annual accounts, VAT filings and your Confirmation Statement. However, accounting at Novabook usually costs £129 per month for these core services. And if you just wanted book-keeping alone, pricing starts at £22/month.

When should I hire an accountant? 

• Many people engage an accountant to support with company incorporation. 

• The next trigger point to hire an accountant is usually starting to run payroll, or registering for VAT returns. Novabook can support you with payroll without even starting the accounting work. 

• If you would prefer to handle incorporation, VAT registration filings & payroll yourself, then usually people hand over bookkeeping and annual accounts to an accountant like Novabook after 6 months.