Why Some Bookkeepers Cost £100 and Others £500 (And Which One You Actually Need)

Let’s talk about something that’s been bugging me. I keep seeing business owners confused over bookkeeping prices. One person charges £100 a month, another wants £500. What’s going on?

Here’s the thing — most business owners don’t actually know what good bookkeeping looks like. And that’s not your fault! You’re busy running your business, not studying accounting.

Picture this…

You’re a personal trainer. You’re doing one-to-one sessions, running group classes, plus you’ve got online coaching programmes.

Now, you’ve got two bookkeepers to choose from:

• The £100 one:
• • • Logs into your bank account once a month
    • Puts everything into “money in” and “money out”
    • Makes sure it all adds up for the taxman
    • Job done, see you next month

• The £500 one:
  • Actually bothers to understand your business model
  • Tracks income separately (one-to-one sessions here, group classes there, online coaching over here)
  • Does the same with your costs (gym rental, equipment, software subscriptions)
  • Shows you which part of your business is actually making money

Both will keep the taxman happy — but only one helps you understand your business.

Why Should You Care?

Look, if you don’t know whether your one-to-one sessions make more profit than your online coaching, how can you decide where to spend your time? It’s like training with your eyes closed.

Before you hire anyone, ask yourself:

• Do I need to know if group classes are worth the hassle?
• Is my online coaching actually profitable after all the tech costs?
• Should I be doing more one-to-ones or focusing on growing my online presence?

If you’re shaking your head, save your money and go basic.
But if you’re nodding along, you need someone who thinks like a business partner, not just a number-cruncher.

The Real Cost of Going Cheap

I’ll be blunt — if your bookkeeper doesn’t understand your business, your numbers won’t either.

Think about it. You might be killing yourself doing early morning group classes that barely break even, while your online coaching (that you could do in your pyjamas) is your real money-maker. But without proper bookkeeping, you’d never know.

When your books don’t help you grow or sleep better at night, you’re paying too little in all the wrong ways.

What Good Bookkeeping Actually Looks Like

A proper bookkeeper should:

• Ask about your different income streams
• Understand the costs specific to each service
• Show you where you’re actually making money
• Help you spot trends (like which months are slow)
• Feel like part of your team

Here’s My Take

Stop comparing prices like you’re buying protein powder. This isn’t about finding the cheapest option — it’s about finding someone who gets it.

We’ve seen too many trainers burning out because they’re chasing the wrong type of business. Your books should tell you where to focus your energy.

At ValueAdd, we’re not interested in just reconciling bank accounts. We want to understand what makes your business tick, so we can give you numbers that actually help.

Think about it — what’s more expensive?
Paying a bit more for proper insights, or wasting hours on services that don’t make money?

Fancy a chat about what proper bookkeeping could do for your business? Let’s have a proper conversation — no accounting jargon, promise.