Higher fees are on the agenda for accountants as rising costs, growing compliance complexity and changing client expectations prompt a review of pricing strategy.

Findings of the 2026 Tax and Compliance Pricing Benchmark report from revenue and billing platform Ignition show nearly 80% of accounting practices plan to increase their fees this year. Based on a survey of 160 Australian accounting firms using Ignition, it shows the most common fee increase is 5–10%, with firms spreading adjustments across services, rather than applying blanket rises.

However, despite the momentum, only one in five firms report being ‘very confident’ and 64% are only ‘somewhat confident’ in their pricing strategy, with common barriers including fear of losing clients, uncertainty about what to charge and discomfort with pricing conversations.

Removing the guesswork

“There’s a tension where accountants know their own costs are going up, but they’re not always sure how they should approach their fee increases,” says Dave New, managing director of APAC and EMEA, Ignition.

“There’s also quite a lot of variation in pricing for very similar services across the market and, in many cases, firms are undercharging relative to their peers. That’s a pretty strong signal that many firms are still pricing in isolation, without a clear benchmark.”

To help close the gap, Ignition provides tools for accountants to benchmark their own fees.

“Benchmark data from Ignition gives you context to help you understand where you sit relative to firms of a similar size and service offering,” says New.

While benchmark data provides a valuable reference point, firms are seeking ways to apply those insights in a tailored, practical way within their own businesses.

Personalised data

Ignition’s AI-powered Price Insights was designed to optimise revenue through personalised pricing suggestions tailored to the firm’s services, location and business profile.

Powered by real proposal data, it creates transparency around pricing by explaining the ‘why’ behind each suggestion, such as differences in service inclusions, billing models or regional pricing trends.

“Price Insights takes benchmark data and makes it actionable inside a firm’s day-to-day workflow,” says New. “It provides pricing guidance at the point where you’re creating proposals and setting fees.”

Price Insights includes features such as suggested price range, visibility into how your pricing compares, and guidance for packaging and positioning services consistently.

“It’s focused on solving everyday pricing challenges in a way that fits naturally into existing workflows.

“Pricing is one of those areas where hesitation can lead to undercharging,” says New. “When you’ve got data behind you, it’s much easier to stand behind your pricing with confidence.”

Compare your firm’s pricing

Get insights on current fees and planned increases for common tax and compliance services.

Download the 2026 Tax and Compliance Pricing Benchmark report here.