How much is my accountancy practice worth?
Accountancy and bookkeeping practices are usually valued on a multiple of gross recurring fees (GRF), the predictable, repeatable client income, with larger practices increasingly valued on EBITDA. This UK sector guide is written for owners of established practices, including those in the £250k to £2m deal range, before you run Dealdoor’s free valuation calculator.
Typical accountancy & bookkeeping valuation multiple
0.8-1.2× gross recurring fees (larger practices: ~4-6× EBITDA). Recurring fees (GRF), moving to EBITDA for larger practices
What drives the value
- Client retention / low churn
- Proportion of recurring vs one-off fees
- Cloud-accounting systemisation
- Reliance on the principal
- Staff continuity
- Average fee per client
Worked example
A practice with £500,000 gross recurring fees at ~1.0× ≈ £500,000.
Frequently asked questions
What multiple do UK accountancy practices sell for?
Most UK accountancy and bookkeeping practices sell around 0.8-1.2× gross recurring fees. Larger, systemised firms often shift toward an EBITDA multiple, commonly around 4-6×. Retention, recurring fee mix and low principal reliance push you toward the top of the range.
Is my practice valued on fees or profit?
Smaller practices are usually valued on gross recurring fees. As the firm scales and runs without the principal day to day, buyers lean toward EBITDA. Either way, they pay for sustainable earnings quality, not one-off project work or non-recurring consultancy.
How can I increase my practice's value before selling?
Lift recurring fees, cut churn, document workflows on cloud systems, and reduce principal dependency with a capable team. Clean fee ledgers and strong average fees per client help buyers underwrite a higher multiple when you come to market.
Value your business with the free calculator · Compare multiples across sectors