📖 In This Guide
What Is a Monthly Accounting Package?
A monthly accounting package is a fixed retainer you pay each month to an accounting firm that covers all your recurring financial and tax compliance obligations. Instead of managing bookkeeping yourself and hiring separate providers for VAT, Corporate Tax, and payroll, a monthly package puts everything under one roof — one fee, one accountant, one deadline calendar.
In Dubai's current regulatory environment, a complete monthly accounting package covers three distinct compliance layers:
- Monthly accounting — bookkeeping, bank reconciliation, and IFRS financial statements
- Quarterly VAT — VAT return preparation and EmaraTax submission every three months
- Annual Corporate Tax — CT computation and return via EmaraTax within 9 months of year-end
Why monthly matters: UAE VAT returns are prepared from your monthly accounting records. If bookkeeping is done quarterly or ad-hoc, your VAT returns are more likely to contain errors — and your CT computation at year-end becomes a large backlog exercise rather than a straightforward annual filing. Monthly accounting keeps everything clean and current.
What's Included — Full Breakdown
Here is everything a well-structured monthly accounting package in Dubai should deliver, broken down by frequency:
| Deliverable | What It Is | Frequency |
|---|---|---|
| Bookkeeping | All transactions recorded in cloud accounting software; supplier invoices, sales invoices, bank payments processed | Monthly |
| Bank Reconciliation | Every transaction matched to your bank statement; discrepancies identified and resolved | Monthly |
| Profit & Loss Statement | IFRS-compliant income statement — revenue, cost of sales, gross profit, operating expenses, net profit | Monthly |
| Balance Sheet | IFRS-compliant statement of financial position — assets, liabilities, shareholders' equity | Monthly |
| Cash Flow Statement | Operating, investing and financing cash flows — critical for bank lending and investor reporting | Monthly |
| MIS Management Report | One-page executive summary with key KPIs — revenue vs budget, margins, cash position — written for founders, not auditors | Monthly |
| Cloud Accounting Access | Read-only login to Zoho Books, QuickBooks, or Xero — see your books in real time between monthly reports | Ongoing |
| VAT Return | VAT computation from accounting records, draft return shared for sign-off, submitted via EmaraTax before the 28th | Quarterly |
| VAT Payment Advisory | Amount payable and exact due date confirmed so you never incur late payment penalties | Quarterly |
| Corporate Tax Return | Annual CT computation, Small Business Relief eligibility check, CT return filed via EmaraTax within 9-month deadline | Annual |
| Audit-Ready Financials ★ | IFRS financial statements prepared to the standard accepted by free zone approved auditors — DMCC, JAFZA, IFZA, DSO, DWC, MEYDAN and more | Annual |
| Payroll & WPS ★ | Employee salary processing, payslips, and WPS upload file for compliant wage payments | Monthly |
★ Included in the Growth Package (AED 999/month). All other items included in both Starter (AED 499) and Growth packages.
What is an MIS report? MIS stands for Management Information System. It's a one-page financial health summary written for you as the business owner — showing revenue, profit, cash position, and key ratios in plain language. It's the first document you read each month to understand how the business is performing without having to interpret a full set of IFRS accounts.
Monthly Accounting Package Pricing in Dubai
Monthly accounting packages in Dubai typically fall into three tiers. Here's how the market breaks down and what each tier delivers:
| Tier | Typical Price | What You Get | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entry | AED 200–400/mo | Basic bookkeeping only — no IFRS statements, no VAT, no CT | Not recommended for VAT-registered or CT-liable businesses |
| Starter ✓ | AED 499/mo | Full bookkeeping, IFRS financials, MIS report, VAT, CT — up to 100 transactions | Startups, consultancies, small trading companies |
| Growth ⭐ | AED 999/mo | Everything in Starter + unlimited transactions, payroll, audit-ready financials | Growing SMEs, free zone companies with audit requirements, businesses with staff |
| Enterprise | AED 2,000+/mo | High-volume accounting, group consolidation, multi-entity, TP documentation | Large businesses, groups, holding structures |
The hidden cost trap: Many Entry-tier providers quote AED 200–350/month but then charge AED 300–500 per VAT return (×4/year = AED 1,200–2,000) and AED 500–1,500 for the annual CT return. The effective annual cost ends up significantly higher than a transparent Starter package. Always ask for the total annual cost including VAT and CT before comparing.
In-House vs Monthly Package — Cost Comparison
| Cost Item | In-House Accountant | Fastlane Monthly Package |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly salary | AED 8,000–15,000 | Included |
| Visa & medical insurance | AED 500–800/month | Included |
| Gratuity accrual (8.3%) | AED 660–1,245/month | No accrual |
| Annual leave (30 days) | AED 650–1,250/month equiv. | No impact |
| Accounting software | AED 200–400/month extra | Included |
| CT specialist (often separate) | AED 1,000–3,000 extra | Included |
| Total monthly cost | AED 11,000–21,000+ | AED 499–999 |
Fastlane's Monthly Accounting Packages
Fastlane offers two all-inclusive monthly accounting packages for Dubai businesses — both covering bookkeeping, IFRS financials, VAT, and Corporate Tax with no hidden per-filing charges. View full service details →
- Bookkeeping — up to 100 transactions
- Monthly IFRS P&L, Balance Sheet, Cash Flow
- Monthly MIS management report
- Quarterly VAT return — included
- Annual Corporate Tax return — included
- Cloud accounting (Zoho / QBO / Xero)
- Dedicated relationship manager
- WhatsApp & phone support
- Bookkeeping — unlimited transactions
- Monthly IFRS P&L, Balance Sheet, Cash Flow
- Monthly MIS management report
- Quarterly VAT return — included
- Annual Corporate Tax return — included
- Payroll processing & WPS compliance
- Audit-ready IFRS financials (all free zones)
- Cloud accounting (Zoho / QBO / Xero)
- Senior dedicated accountant
- Priority WhatsApp & phone support
Both packages are all-inclusive. VAT filing and Corporate Tax are included — not billed separately. FTA-registered (TRN: 104218042400003). Covers all major Dubai free zones: DMCC, DIFC, JAFZA, DAFZA, IFZA, DSO, DWC, MEYDAN, SRTIP, RAKEZ, and DED mainland.
How the Monthly Cycle Works
Once you sign up, Fastlane runs on a fixed monthly cycle so you always know what to expect and when:
Your accountant sends a checklist requesting last month's bank statements, sales invoices, and expense receipts via WhatsApp. Most clients respond in under 10 minutes.
All transactions processed, bank accounts reconciled, cloud accounting updated. You have read access throughout.
IFRS P&L, Balance Sheet, Cash Flow, and one-page MIS report delivered by email within 5–7 working days of receiving your documents.
Fastlane prepares your quarterly VAT return, shares a draft for sign-off, and submits via EmaraTax before the 28th deadline. Amount and payment date confirmed.
Annual CT computation prepared from full-year financials, SBR eligibility checked, draft shared for review, and return filed within the 9-month EmaraTax deadline.
How to Compare Monthly Accounting Packages
When comparing monthly accounting packages from different providers in Dubai, use this checklist to evaluate each one objectively:
- Is VAT filing included in the monthly fee? Not charged as AED 300–500 per return.
- Is the annual Corporate Tax return included? Not billed as a separate year-end charge.
- Are the financial statements IFRS-compliant? Not just "basic P&L summaries." Required for CT filing and free zone audits.
- Is the accounting software subscription included? Zoho Books, QuickBooks, or Xero — no separate monthly licence fee.
- Is there a named dedicated accountant? A real person who knows your business — not a shared inbox or ticketing system.
- Is the provider FTA-registered? Ask for their TRN — essential for legal VAT and CT filing on your behalf.
- Does the package cover your free zone? Confirm specifically, especially if your free zone mandates annual audits.
- What is the delivery turnaround? 5–7 working days for financial statements is the standard. Longer suggests an under-resourced team.
- Providers quoting below AED 300/month almost always exclude VAT and CT — calculate the true annual cost before comparing
- Ask whether "financial statements" means IFRS-compliant three-statement accounts or just a basic income summary
- Confirm whether your free zone's specific audit requirements are covered before signing
Free Zone vs Mainland — Does the Package Change?
The core monthly accounting package is the same whether your company is in a Dubai free zone or on the mainland. The main difference is the annual audit requirement that most free zones impose:
| Company Type | Monthly Accounting | VAT Filing | CT Return | Annual Audit Required |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DMCC / DIFC / JAFZA / DAFZA | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Yes — mandatory |
| DSO / DWC / MEYDAN / IFZA | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Yes — mandatory |
| RAKEZ / SAIF / SRTIP | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Yes — mandatory |
| Dubai Mainland (DED) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Not mandatory |
Free zone audit support: Fastlane's Growth Package (AED 999/month) includes preparation of audit-ready IFRS financial statements accepted by approved auditors at all major UAE free zones. If your free zone mandates an annual audit, your financials are ready — no last-minute scramble or extra charge for audit preparation. See full package details →
Frequently Asked Questions
Monthly accounting packages in Dubai start from AED 499/month for a complete all-inclusive service — bookkeeping, IFRS financial statements, MIS report, quarterly VAT return, and annual Corporate Tax return. The Growth Package at AED 999/month adds unlimited transactions, payroll, and audit-ready financials. Packages significantly below AED 499/month typically exclude VAT and CT filing — always check what's included before comparing headline prices.
It should — but not all Dubai accounting providers include it as standard. Some providers charge AED 300–500 per quarterly VAT return as a separate add-on. At Fastlane, both the AED 499 and AED 999 monthly packages include quarterly VAT return preparation and EmaraTax submission at no additional charge. Always confirm whether VAT is included before signing up with any provider.
The best packages do. Fastlane includes the annual Corporate Tax return — computation, draft review, and EmaraTax filing — in both monthly packages at no extra charge. This includes checking eligibility for Small Business Relief (SBR) if your revenue is under AED 3 million. CT filing is often billed separately at AED 500–1,500 by other providers — factor this into any cost comparison.
Fastlane delivers IFRS financial statements and the MIS management report within 5–7 working days of receiving your documents. The monthly cycle starts on the 1st of each month with a document request. If you send documents by the 3rd, you typically receive your financials by the 10th.
Yes. Fastlane manages the full migration — we request your current accounting records, reconcile them, and take over all ongoing bookkeeping, VAT, and CT filing from an agreed handover date. Most migrations complete within one billing cycle with no disruption to your compliance obligations. WhatsApp us to discuss your switch →
Fastlane supports Zoho Books, QuickBooks Online, and Xero — all FTA-approved and suitable for UAE VAT compliance. You choose your preferred platform, or Fastlane recommends the best fit for your business. The software subscription is included in the monthly package at no additional charge, and you receive read-only access to your own books at all times.
Reviewed by Fastlane Accounting & Tax Advisory Team
This guide reflects UAE VAT Law, Corporate Tax Law, and current accounting practice for Dubai businesses as at March 2026. Pricing and package details are correct at the date of publication.