How much does bookkeeping cost in Dubai? A 2026 price guide
By the Decent Accounting tax team · Updated · 6 min read
Outsourced bookkeeping in Dubai typically costs AED 500 to 1,000 a month for a small business with fewer than 100 transactions, rising to AED 5,000 or more a month for high-volume companies. Our own accounting and bookkeeping service starts from AED 350 per month (excl. VAT) for up to 50 transactions a month. Across the market, what you pay depends mainly on transaction volume, VAT registration, the software you use and whether there is a backlog to clear.
Key points
- Transaction volume is the biggest price driver, more than turnover.
- Market bands run from about AED 500 to over AED 10,000 a month (excl. VAT).
- VAT returns, corporate tax returns and software setup are often priced separately.
- Catch-up (backlog) bookkeeping is a one-off cost, from around AED 2,500 in the market.
- Our prices start from AED 350 per month (excl. VAT) for up to 50 transactions, and are set by monthly transaction bands.
Typical bookkeeping prices in Dubai
These ranges come from prices published by Dubai accounting firms, reviewed in October 2026. They exclude 5% VAT. Treat them as a guide, not a quote.
| Service | Typical market price (AED, excl. VAT) |
|---|---|
| Bookkeeping, under 100 transactions a month | 500 to 1,000 a month |
| Bookkeeping, 100 to 300 transactions a month | 1,500 to 3,000 a month |
| Bookkeeping, 300 to 1,000 transactions a month | 3,000 to 5,000 a month |
| Bookkeeping, over 1,000 transactions a month | 5,000 to 10,000+ a month |
| Catch-up or backlog bookkeeping | From around 2,500, depending on months |
| VAT return, small business | 500 to 1,000 a quarter |
| Accounting software setup (Xero or Zoho) | 4,000 to 6,000 one-off |
Our bookkeeping prices
Our accounting and bookkeeping is one service, priced by the number of transactions you have each month. Prices are in AED, per month, excluding 5% VAT.
| Transactions a month | Our price (AED a month, excl. VAT) |
|---|---|
| Up to 50 | 350 |
| 51 to 100 | 500 |
| 101 to 200 | 750 |
| 201 to 300 | 950 |
| 301 to 500 | 1,200 |
| Over 500 | Custom quote |
If you also take VAT returns and corporate tax with us, a 10% bundle saving applies to the recurring fees. Catch-up bookkeeping is available and quoted after a short review.
What drives the price
Transaction volume
A transaction is any item that has to be recorded: a sales invoice, a supplier bill, a receipt, a bank statement line. A consultant with five clients a month might have 40 transactions. A café with card sales, deliveries and daily supplier purchases can have over 1,000. More transactions means more time recording and reconciling, so the price follows volume.
VAT registration
If you are VAT-registered, every transaction needs the right VAT treatment (standard-rated, zero-rated, exempt or reverse charge). Your books also have to support a quarterly VAT return, due by the 28th day after the quarter ends. That adds work every month. VAT return preparation is usually priced on top of bookkeeping. Ours starts from AED 250 per quarter (excl. VAT). See our VAT return filing service.
Software
Cloud accounting software such as Zoho Books, Xero or QuickBooks, with bank feeds connected, cuts manual work and lowers cost over time. Paper receipts and spreadsheets take longer to process. If you don't have software yet, setup is a one-off cost. Our accounting software and ERP service covers setup and migration, from AED 2,000 one-off (excl. VAT).
Backlog
Many businesses come to us with months, or years, of unrecorded transactions. This usually surfaces when a corporate tax return is due, because the return needs a full year of accounts. Clearing a backlog is priced as a one-off project before regular monthly work starts.
Complexity
These add time and cost:
- Stock (inventory) to track
- Several bank accounts, cards or currencies
- More than one company or branch
- Project or job costing
- Loans, leases and fixed assets
How you send documents
Documents sent weekly in one place are quicker to process than a box of receipts at quarter end, or photos scattered across WhatsApp chats. Good habits keep the price down.
Example scenarios
These are illustrations based on the market bands above, not quotes.
| Business type | Approximate volume | Likely market range (AED a month, excl. VAT) |
|---|---|---|
| Freelance consultant, not VAT-registered | 30 to 60 transactions | 500 to 1,000 |
| Small trading company, VAT-registered | Around 200 transactions | 1,500 to 3,000, plus VAT returns |
| Restaurant with POS and daily suppliers | Around 800 transactions | 3,000 to 5,000 |
| E-commerce business with many small orders | Over 1,000 transactions | 5,000 to 10,000+ |
What is usually included, and what costs extra
A monthly bookkeeping fee usually covers:
- Recording sales, purchases and expenses
- Bank and card reconciliations
- Tracking who owes you and who you owe
- Monthly or quarterly profit and loss and balance sheet
Usually priced separately:
- VAT return preparation and submission
- Corporate tax return
- Year-end financial statements and audit reports
- Software subscriptions
- Backlog clean-up
Always ask what is in the monthly fee before you compare quotes. A cheap price that excludes VAT returns and reconciliations is not cheap.
Questions to ask before you choose a bookkeeper
Price matters, but these questions tell you what you are actually buying:
- Which software will you use, and who owns the data? You should keep access to your own books if you change provider.
- How often will my books be updated? Monthly is the minimum for a VAT-registered business.
- Do you reconcile every bank account each month? Unreconciled books are the main cause of VAT errors and year-end surprises.
- Who prepares and submits my VAT and corporate tax returns? Check whether this is included or priced separately.
- What happens if my volume grows? Ask how the price changes as transactions increase.
- How do I send documents? A clear routine saves time and money on both sides.
The cost of not keeping books
Skipping bookkeeping does not remove the cost; it moves it. A missed VAT registration carries a fixed AED 10,000 penalty, and late VAT payments are charged at 14% a year from 14 April 2026. A corporate tax return filed late costs AED 500 a month for the first 12 months. Catch-up work at year end is also usually more expensive than steady monthly work, because documents are harder to find and errors have had time to build up.
Outsourced or in-house?
An in-house accountant costs a monthly salary plus visa, medical insurance, end-of-service gratuity, software and cover for leave. For most small businesses with a few hundred transactions a month, outsourcing costs less and gives you more than one person who knows your books. In-house starts to make sense when volume and day-to-day finance work fill a full-time role.
How to keep your bookkeeping costs down
- Use one business bank account and keep personal spending out of it.
- Connect bank feeds to your accounting software.
- Send documents weekly, not quarterly.
- Clear any backlog once so monthly work stays simple.
- Pick the right reporting frequency. Monthly reports for most businesses, quarterly for very small ones.
Get your own price
The quickest way to a real number for your mix of services is our calculator. Enter your monthly transactions, VAT status and the other services you need, and get an instant estimate. To see what our monthly service covers, read about our bookkeeping service in Dubai. If you also need year-end accounts and tax filings, see our full accounting service.
Frequently asked questions
Is VAT charged on bookkeeping fees in Dubai?
Yes. If your bookkeeping provider is VAT-registered, 5% VAT is added to its fees. Most firms, including us, quote prices excluding VAT. If you are VAT-registered yourself, you can usually recover that VAT.
Do I need bookkeeping if my business qualifies for Small Business Relief?
Yes. You still file a corporate tax return each year and must be able to show your revenue is AED 3 million or less. Accounting and tax records must be kept for at least 7 years.
What counts as a transaction for bookkeeping pricing?
Usually each sales invoice, supplier bill, expense receipt and bank statement line. Ten card payments to the same supplier are ten transactions, which is why volume matters more than turnover.
How is backlog bookkeeping priced?
As a one-off project, based on how many months need catching up, how many transactions each month has and how complete your documents are. Market prices start from around AED 2,500.
This guide is general information, not tax advice for your specific situation. Rules change; check the Federal Tax Authority website or ask us before acting.