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Copy linkHow much does accounts production and tax software really cost?
Updated 8th October 2026 | 6 min read Published 8th October 2026
When you buy software, the headline price is an important starting point, but it can only provide part of the total cost of ownership. For example, accounts production and tax software is often sold in tiers and scales according to the number of users and clients you have. Then you need to factor in other costs, like those for support. With that in mind, how do you get the full picture?
You always start any software costing process by looking at your accountancy practice’s service lines, the complexity of your clients, and how many accountants will be doing the work. From there, the vendor should be able to provide a solution that meets all of these needs and nothing more. That way, you have something that isn’t too expensive; you will be able to successfully measure the price against the billed work you do.
To discuss software cost properly, you need a real-world example, and ours will be IRIS Elements. Elements is a cloud-built platform that houses modules: software that you pick and choose based on your practice. In the example below, we will imagine you are providing two service lines – accounts production and tax. For these, the modules you would need would be IRIS Elements Accounts Production and IRIS Elements Tax
How much does accounts production and tax software cost?
In this example, IRIS Elements runs three tiers on both Tax and Accounts Production – Essentials, Professional, and Enterprise (which is a separate package you arrange directly with IRIS specialists). These tiers mainly revolve around the complexity of your clients, although in broad terms Essentials suits practices with straightforward client needs, Professional suits those with more complex clients, and Enterprise is for firms serving the most complex clients.
IRIS Elements Essentials covers the common cases. On Tax, that means: returns for individuals, partnerships, and companies, computations, direct HMRC filing, and MTD compliance. On Accounts Production that means: sole trade, partnership, and limited company accounts under FRS 105 and FRS 102 Section 1A, with fixed iXBRL tagging and Companies House filing.
Professional adds functionality for growing practices or those with more complex clients:
- Capital allowances for full expensing and super-deduction (IRIS Elements Tax Professional)
- Supplementary CT600 pages: CT600B, CT600D, CT600E, CT600H, CT600J (IRIS Elements Tax Professional)
- Specialised SA102 supplementary pages, including ministers of religion and members of parliament (IRIS Elements Tax Professional)
- Flexible iXBRL tagging, LLP accounts, and revised accounts (IRIS Elements Accounts Production Professional)
- Comprehensive partner profit share and journal adjustments (IRIS Elements Accounts Production Professional)
Enterprise is for large or complex practices: group accounts and consolidation under FRS 102 and IFRS, charities, FRS 101, farm accounts, and Community Interest Companies (Accounts Production); jointly held income, bulk online filing, multiple HMRC credentials, and quarterly instalment calculations (Tax).
To choose the right IRIS Elements Tax or Accounts Production tier, list the specific forms, reliefs, and account types your clients need, then check which tier each sits in. Your tier is set by your most complex client for whom you want to carry out tasks within the software, as opposed to your most typical.
See how that works out based on the number of seats (users) clients and tiers for Essentials and Professional. Just chose the module you’re interested in to get started.
What about IRIS Elements Enterprise tier pricing?
Enterprise plans on Tax and Accounts Production are priced on a quote basis, arranged through the IRIS team, because client complexity, group structures, and volume vary too much for a single list price to be meaningful. If you need group accounts, charities, IFRS consolidation, or higher-end tax functionality, the practical step is a tailored quote.
What makes up your total cost, beyond the licence, for tax and accounts production software?
Your total is the licence plus setup, support, training, client-licence capacity, the minimum subscription, any added modules, and the contract term. Here is how each works for IRIS Elements:
Setup and onboarding. IRIS Elements Tax has no setup fee and offers self-serve migration via CSV import with a free Help Centre, so a small firm can usually move across without a paid engagement.
Support. Self-serve support (Help Centre, knowledge base, and community) is free on all tiers. Telephone support and one-to-one training are included on Professional and Enterprise; on Essentials they are an add-on via the Service Plan Essentials Plus at £250 per year.
Filing. Filing to HMRC and Companies House is included in the module, with no per-submission charge for a CT600, SA100, or set of accounts. Note that full (non-filleted) accounts must still be printed and posted to Companies House, and you file using your own agent and presenter credentials.
Training. Structured training is a separate, quote-based service through IRIS Professional Services – budget for it if your team wants hands-on onboarding.
Client-licence capacity. For example, the Accounts Production subscription includes a set number of client licences; one is used when you create an accounting period for a client, and unused capacity is reclaimed over a rolling 12-month window.
Minimum subscription. At the time of writing, plans carry a minimum number of clients. Use the widget on this page to double check your client number against the final cost.
Adding modules over time. Because IRIS Elements is modular, capability you add later – AML, company secretarial, proposals, practice management – is charged on top, each on its own model. Map what you will need over two to three years, not just today.
Contract term. Plans run on a 12-month term; check the notice period and factor the commitment into your planning.
Checklist: how do I work out my own total cost of ownership?
Whether you are looking at IRIS Elements or another solution from a different vendor, this checklist will help you price up your software. Consider the following:
- Users. How many people need a licence? Per-user pricing scales with this.
- Clients versus the minimum. How many clients do you have, and how does that line up with the minimum-subscription threshold and any per-client charge above it?
- Tier-gating. List the specific forms, reliefs, account types, and standards your clients need, and check which tier each requires. Your most complex client sets your tier.
- Support. Is live and telephone support included on your tier, or an add-on?
- Training. Does your team want structured onboarding, and is it chargeable?
- Modules. Which additional modules will you need? Think about areas like practice management and AML, for example.
- Contract. What is the term length and the notice period?
Work out your own cost
The most reliable way to pin down your cost is to trial the software against your real client base and get a quote for the tier you need. Start a 30-day IRIS Elements Essentials trial (no card required), or use the plan-selector tool on the Tax and Accounts Production pages.
