Accounting firms in Dubai price in four ways: by the hour, by the filing, by a monthly retainer, or by a fixed yearly fee set by transaction volume. The Accountants Factory uses the last: one fixed price, agreed in advance, with VAT, Corporate Tax and books included. The number of transactions you have each month drives the quote more than anything else. Zero Penalty Assurance comes in writing.
How much do accounting firms in Dubai charge?
There is no standard price list, which is why quotes for the same business can look so different. What you can compare is the pricing model behind the quote, because the model decides what happens when your month gets busy or something goes wrong.
| Pricing model | How it works | Where it bites |
|---|---|---|
| Hourly | You pay for time spent, billed monthly or by project | The bill rises when your records are messy or the FTA asks questions |
| Per filing | A set price for each VAT return, Corporate Tax return or registration | Books and bank reconciliation are extra, and the extras add up |
| Monthly retainer | A flat monthly amount for a defined list of tasks | Anything outside the list is billed separately, so read the list |
| Fixed yearly fee by transaction volume | One price for books, VAT and Corporate Tax, set by how many transactions you have | You must stay within your band; we confirm it after seeing real documents |
We wrote a longer comparison in fixed fee vs hourly. This article covers the part owners ask next: what a number should include and what pushes it up.
What drives an accounting quote up in the UAE?
Whatever model a firm uses, the same factors move the price. Knowing them helps you check a quote line by line and helps you cut the cost before you ask.
- Transactions a month. Every invoice, receipt, bank line and payment has to be read, coded and checked. More lines means more work.
- Backlog. Several months of unbooked records cost more to clear than one clean month.
- Bank accounts and currencies. More accounts, cards and foreign-currency payments mean more reconciliation.
- VAT and stock. A VAT-registered trader with inventory has more to check than a service business with a few invoices.
- Payroll and fixed assets. Staff, loans and equipment each add schedules to the books and the Corporate Tax return.
- Number of companies. Each entity needs its own books and returns, which is why multi-company pricing exists.
- How late the documents arrive. Chasing paper costs time, which is why we set cut-off dates and send automatic reminders.
Cheap quotes often leave one of these out. Ask what happens when your transaction count rises, what happens if you need a bank letter or an audit file, and who pays if the FTA charges a penalty.
Want a fixed price instead of guessing? WhatsApp +971 54 1721 823 and we will reply with a fixed quote.
Accounting firm in Dubai: how to compare a CPA firm, a CA-led firm and a bookkeeper
Owners search for CPA firms, chartered accountants and bookkeepers as if they were the same thing. They are not. A bookkeeper records transactions. A qualified accountant, whether CPA or CA, signs off on judgments about VAT, Corporate Tax and financial statements. Our post on bookkeeper vs chartered accountant explains the difference in more detail. Ask who prepares your returns and who reviews them. At The Accountants Factory the team is CA-led.
Also ask where the firm is. If you want a local accountant for a small business, you want someone who can visit. We are based in Bur Dubai (1503 Trident NeXus, Fahidi Heights), open Monday to Friday, 10 AM to 5 PM, and we do onsite visits across the UAE.
What this costs
Our price is one fixed fee, agreed in advance and set by your monthly transaction volume. It covers VAT, Corporate Tax and books, and it does not rise when a month gets busy.
Related companies under one owner, and Corporate Tax filing only for sales under AED 3M, are quoted on request. If you are between bands, we quote the exact fee after seeing a sample month.
What a fixed-price firm should give you in writing
Whoever you choose, get these in the engagement letter. The scope: books, VAT, Corporate Tax, audit assistance. The cut-off dates for your documents. What happens if you move into the next band. And who pays if a filing error causes an FTA penalty.
Ours is the Zero Penalty Assurance: where your data reaches us by the agreed cut-off dates, we assure that no FTA penalty will arise from late or incorrect filing, and if a penalty arises from a mistake in our submission, we bear that fine. We confirm it in writing. It is backed by 18+ years, 572+ UAE businesses served and zero FTA penalties on our watch. For a wider checklist of questions to ask any firm, see what to look for in an outsourced accounting firm.
Send your monthly transaction count on WhatsApp +971 54 1721 823 and we will reply with a fixed quote, agreed in advance and set by your volume.
Frequently asked questions
How much does an accountant cost in Dubai for a small business?
One fixed price, agreed in advance and set by your monthly transaction volume, with Zero Penalty Assurance in writing. Send us your approximate monthly transaction count and we reply with the price.
What is the difference between CPA firms in Dubai and other accounting firms?
CPA is a qualification of the individual accountant, and CA is another. What matters to you is who prepares and reviews your returns. Ask the firm for names and credentials. Our team is CA-led.
Is there a local accountant for a small business near me?
We are in Bur Dubai, Fahidi Heights, open Monday to Friday from 10 AM to 5 PM, and we visit clients onsite across the UAE. You can also send documents online or by WhatsApp.
Is a fixed yearly fee cheaper than hourly billing?
For most owner-led companies it is easier to budget, because the price does not rise when the month is busy.
What happens if my transactions grow past my band?
We review your volume with you and move you to the next band or quote a fixed price before any change. You are not billed hourly extras.
