Give each firm the same business brief
Describe your business activity, legal entities, VAT status, staff count, banking and payment channels, currencies and reporting needs. Share a representative month rather than a quiet month that understates the work.
Ask how each firm counts transactions. An invoice, bank movement, credit note or grouped payment may be counted differently. A package described as “50 transactions” is not comparable until the counting method and excess-volume fees are clear.
Specify who keeps source records, issues invoices, approves payments and supplies information. Those responsibilities influence the work the accountant must perform.
A checklist for comparing the scope
| Area | What to confirm |
|---|---|
| Monthly bookkeeping | Transaction definition and limit, bank reconciliation, document collection and treatment of missing records. |
| Tax filings | Which returns are included, who approves and pays, and how amendments or late periods are charged. |
| Reporting | Named reports, delivery frequency, languages, review calls and any management analysis. |
| Payroll | Employee limit, payroll run, relevant filings and pricing for staff changes or additional work. |
| Annual work | Annual accounts, audit, PND50 and other year-end responsibilities: identify each inclusion or separate fee. |
| Systems and access | Software subscription, licence ownership, user access and export arrangements on exit. |
| Onboarding and backlog | Initial setup, migration, opening balances and catch-up work priced separately. |
| Commercial terms | VAT on fees, payment terms, notice period, price review and out-of-scope approval. |
Do not infer an annual audit or a corporate tax return from a phrase such as “full accounting”. Ask for the exact deliverables. Our annual audit page explains the service to discuss alongside monthly accounting.
Compare the first twelve months
A useful comparison is 12 × monthly fee + annual work + onboarding + known extras. Then compare the ongoing annual cost without one-off setup. Keep VAT treatment consistent across the options.
| Cost, excluding VAT | Quote A | Quote B |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly fee × 12 | THB 6,000 × 12 = 72,000 | THB 7,500 × 12 = 90,000 |
| Same agreed annual work | THB 12,000 | Included |
| One-off setup | THB 3,000 | Included |
| First-year total | THB 87,000 | THB 90,000 |
| Following year, same scope and rates | THB 84,000 | THB 90,000 |
In this illustration, the monthly difference looks like THB 1,500, but the first-year difference is THB 3,000. Neither quote is automatically better: first confirm that the annual work, transaction volume, reporting and support are equivalent.
Keep unknowns visible. Do not put zero against an unquoted audit, backlog or payroll item. Mark it “to be confirmed” and obtain the missing price before comparing totals.
Choose the scope your business will actually use
Price is one part of the decision. Check the named point of contact, the response arrangements, the information you receive each month and your access to the underlying records. Ask what happens when activity grows or a filing needs correction.
Before accepting, request a written quote showing inclusions, exclusions, volume assumptions, start date and fees for additional work. If moving from another firm, use the accountant handover checklist to define the opening position.
For YPN’s published packages and current rates, use the Pricing page. Send your business brief to confirm the package and any separately quoted work. The figures above are only a comparison exercise.
Common questions
Why are two monthly accounting quotes so different?
They may assume different transaction volumes, reporting, payroll, annual work or document quality. Compare the assumptions and exclusions before judging the price.
Does the monthly fee normally include everything at year-end?
Do not assume it does. Ask each provider to identify annual accounts, audit and PND50 separately, even where some items are included.
What should we send to request a useful quote?
Describe your activity, VAT status, representative monthly volume, staff count, reporting needs and any backlog. Mention your intended start or handover date.
Want a quote with a clear scope?
Tell us your monthly activity, reporting needs and any work to catch up.