When comparing online accountancy services, you’ve probably come across both The Accountancy Partnership and Sleek accountants. At first glance, they might seem similar – both give you a dedicated online accountant and a range of support services. But understanding what each provider really offers, and which one delivers better value for money, isn’t always straightforward.

 
At The Accountancy Partnership your fee is charged on a monthly basis to help your cash flow. Sleek’s accounting packages start from £60/month, but this is billed annually which can be a strain for some smaller businesses.

Direct access to your own dedicated UK accountant

Being an online accountant still means we provide highly professional services – we just do it online. Our team of friendly UK accountants work together in our offices in the Northwest and in London, and you’ll have the benefit of unlimited support from your dedicated accountant.

This means any questions you have can be answered quickly. You’ll always know who you’re working with, starting with our Meet the Team page!

Sleek operates in several countries, including the UK, Singapore, Hong Kong, and Australia, which can be useful if you need support with your tax affairs across multiple territories. Whilst Sleek also offer a dedicated accountant, there’s a chance you could be assigned to someone in their global team. Working with a time difference can make scheduling meetings and phone calls more difficult, which is frustrating if you need to speak with your accountant urgently.

Paying for the services you actually use

Like The Accountancy Partnership, Sleek operate on the basis of fixed monthly pricing. At The Accountancy Partnership our packages include the essential services every business will need as standard – such as tax returns and annual accounts.

Customisable versus bundled accounting packages

Businesses tend to have different needs as they evolve, which is why clients at The Accountancy Partnership can add or remove additional services like VAT returns or bookkeeping as and when they’re needed. Not everyone needs them, so we don’t bundle things together and charge you for accounting services you don’t use.

Sleek’s fees include things like bookkeeping, even if you don’t need it. This can make Sleek accountants more expensive for freelancers or small businesses with simple accounting needs.

That said, any accountant will need your business’ bookkeeping (your financial records) in order to prepare your accounts, which gives you two choices:

• Do your own bookkeeping
• Have an accountant or bookkeeper do it for you

How it works at The Accountancy Partnership

When it comes to bookkeeping, you can:

• Do it yourself: We include free access to Pandle Pro as standard. This is our very own bookkeeping software, so there’s no third-party involvement and no extra cost. You can use this or any other software you prefer. If you do use Pandle, our bookkeepers will regularly check your records to make sure everything is accurate. You can talk to them for support whenever you need it – even if you’re not using our bookkeeping service.
• Managed: Let us handle your bookkeeping from just £20.00 per month. You’ll have your own dedicated bookkeeper as well as a dedicated accountant.

You only pay for the services you need. Want to handle your own bookkeeping? No problem – you won’t be charged.

About Sleek

In terms of bookkeeping, Sleek include this in their pricing structure, but they also include Xero – which can be quite pricey if you pay for it yourself. You’re effectively paying for both services even though you might not use either. While powerful, third-party software means your bookkeeper may have limited control, and you will need to contact Xero directly for software issues or product support.

Choosing an online accountant who goes the extra mile

It’s unclear whether Sleek accountants include tax-efficiency reviews and HMRC representation within their packages – so if you do choose to go with them, ensure you ask this question first. At The Accountancy Partnership we include this as standard, so you have complete peace of mind that we’re giving you answers even if you’re not too sure what questions to ask.

If you want to operate as a limited company but haven’t already registered with Companies House, we’ll do this for you as part of the service. Sleek also offer an incorporation service, but this is billed separately to their accounting package so factor this in to your budget.

At The Accountancy Partnership you’ll also have a personalised Client Hub account where you can share documents with your accountant quickly and securely, manage deadlines with a customised timeline, and find other information about your business and accountancy services.

Choosing the right online accountant for your business

If you’re still unsure, this may help you make a final decision.
 

Learn more about our online accounting services for businesses. Call 020 3355 4047 to chat to the team, and get an instant online quote.