· About 2,600 words · Part of the contractor accountant cluster.

"Best" is the wrong frame for choosing a contractor accountant — they're structurally different propositions, not competitors on a single league table. Crunch is an online-first software-plus-advisor platform. Gorilla is a contractor-only specialist firm with FreeAgent bundled. inniAccounts runs a proprietary platform with dedicated account managers. Nixon Williams is the long-established traditional contractor firm. This page describes what each actually is, who each suits, and the structural trade-offs — so you can make the choice yourself.

How to read this comparison

A few editorial notes before the substance:

• No rankings. Each firm has trade-offs. The best one for your situation depends on your priorities — price sensitivity, software preference, named-accountant importance, contract length tolerance, IR35 exposure.
• No fabricated review scores. Any "X out of 5" you see on comparison sites is usually marketing — we don't reproduce them.
• Structural focus. We describe what each firm is, not how good it is. Take the description, check it against your needs, and verify pricing directly with the firm before signing.
• Pricing changes. Headline monthly prices move regularly; treat any quoted range as indicative and confirm on the firm's site.

Crunch

What it is: Online-first UK accountancy firm covering sole traders, freelancers and Ltd contractors. Software + advisor model on a monthly subscription, with multiple plan tiers from self-serve to full-service.

Structure

• Plan tiers: Multiple tiers from a free / very-low-cost software-only entry to full-service plans with bundled advisor support and Self Assessment
• Software: Proprietary Crunch platform — cloud accounting tuned to small businesses, including UK contractors
• Advisor access: Tier-dependent. Higher tiers include unlimited advisor access; lower tiers are software-led with paid advisor add-ons
• Customer base: Broader than contractor-only — includes sole traders, e-commerce, agencies

Strengths

• Tiered pricing lets you start small and scale up as needed
• Self-serve workflows for contractors comfortable with software
• Established brand and operational scale (significant customer base, mature processes)
• Generally month-to-month contracts at the lower tiers

Trade-offs

• Proprietary software — less data portability if you ever leave (you can extract data; you can't take the platform)
• Not contractor-only — IR35 expertise is present but distributed across a broader customer mix
• Advisor model is typically pooled (shared support team) rather than named accountant
• Headline price often reflects a lower tier; full-service contractor needs typically land on a mid-or-higher tier

Suits

Contractors who value tiered pricing flexibility, who are comfortable with proprietary cloud software, and who don't need a named accountant relationship. Also a fit for hybrid sole-trader + Ltd journeys where the firm covers both phases. See our Crunch review for contractors for the deeper product walk-through.

Gorilla Accounting

What it is: UK contractor-only accountant. Single plan structure (typically all-inclusive monthly fee). FreeAgent included. Strong IR35 contract review provision.

Structure

• Customer base: Contractor-only — Ltd directors operating one-person companies
• Software: FreeAgent included in the monthly fee
• Plan model: Single all-inclusive plan rather than tiered
• Advisor access: Typically a named accountant within a small team

Strengths

• Contractor specialism — every client is a Ltd contractor, so workflows are tuned tightly
• FreeAgent included — standard cloud platform, data-portable
• Single all-inclusive price avoids tier-creep
• IR35 contract reviews typically included as standard

Trade-offs

• Single plan structure means you can't strip back to a cheaper tier if you want self-serve
• Not suitable for sole traders or non-Ltd contractors
• Smaller scale than Crunch — pros and cons (more personal vs less mature ops at edge cases)

Suits

Ltd contractors who want a contractor-only firm with FreeAgent and IR35 reviews bundled at a single fixed monthly price. Particularly fitting for contractors who don't want to think about plan tiers and just want everything included.

inniAccounts

What it is: UK contractor accountant operating a proprietary cloud accounting platform with a dedicated account manager model. Long-established contractor focus and IR35 reputation.

Structure

• Customer base: Contractor-focused — Ltd contractors and consultants
• Software: Proprietary inniAccounts platform (their own cloud accounting system)
• Plan model: Generally single-tier with a clear monthly fee
• Advisor access: Dedicated named account manager (the same person handles your account year over year)

Strengths

• Dedicated named account manager — relationship continuity across years
• Contractor-specialism with established IR35 track record
• Proprietary platform tuned to contractor workflows (less feature bloat than general accounting platforms)
• Premium positioning — typically higher monthly fee than online competitors, reflecting the named-accountant model

Trade-offs

• Proprietary software — leaving means extracting data and migrating to a new platform
• Higher monthly fee than tiered online competitors
• Less flexibility in plan structure (one tier, not many)

Suits

Contractors who value the dedicated named-accountant relationship, who want a contractor-tuned platform, and who are willing to pay a premium over generic online firms for that continuity. Particularly relevant for higher-earning contractors where the tax-planning value of a named relationship outweighs the fee delta.

Nixon Williams

What it is: Long-established UK contractor accountancy firm, part of the SJD / Optionis group. Fixed-fee model, traditional firm structure, contractor specialism with umbrella alternative options for inside-IR35 contractors.

Structure

• Customer base: Contractor-focused with both Ltd and umbrella alternatives
• Software: Typically FreeAgent included; other options available
• Plan model: Fixed monthly fee, single plan
• Advisor access: Named accountant within a team structure
• Group context: Part of SJD / Optionis — a larger contractor-services group also offering umbrella, IR35 insurance and related products

Strengths

• Long-established firm with deep contractor history
• Fixed monthly fee model — predictable
• Umbrella alternative within the group — useful if your contracts move inside IR35 and you want to switch model without changing firms
• Established IR35 reputation

Trade-offs

• More traditional firm structure than online-first competitors — phone / email rather than self-serve portal-first
• Group ownership means cross-selling of related products is a feature; not all contractors want that
• Less tiered flexibility than Crunch

Suits

Contractors who value the established / traditional firm model, who want a named accountant within a long-standing UK contractor specialist, and who may also need umbrella options if engagements move inside IR35.

Comparison dimensions

The dimensions on which these four firms genuinely differ:

Plan structure

• Tiered (Crunch) — multiple plans from low-cost self-serve to full-service. Useful if you want to start small.
• Single-plan (Gorilla, inniAccounts, Nixon Williams) — one fixed offering, predictable, no tier-creep.

Software

• FreeAgent (Gorilla, often Nixon Williams) — standard cloud platform, portable, MTD-compliant, free if you bank with Mettle / NatWest
• Proprietary (Crunch, inniAccounts) — tighter integration with the firm's workflows but harder to leave with

Advisor model

• Pooled / shared (Crunch, typically) — multiple support staff; faster response at scale but less continuity
• Named accountant (inniAccounts, Nixon Williams, often Gorilla) — single relationship, continuity, slightly slower for simple queries but better for complex ones

Contractor specialism

• Contractor-only (Gorilla, Nixon Williams, inniAccounts) — everyone they serve is a Ltd contractor
• Broader (Crunch) — sole traders, e-commerce, freelancers, Ltd contractors all in the same customer base

IR35 provision

• All four offer IR35 contract reviews. Specialist contractor-only firms typically include unlimited reviews; Crunch tier may cap or charge per review beyond a quota
• HMRC IR35 enquiry support: usually billed as required across all four; some firms offer IR35 insurance as an add-on

Pricing transparency

• All four publish headline monthly prices. Watch for: setup fees, what software bundles cost separately, additional employees or partners, contract length commitments

Contract length

• Most operate month-to-month at the standard plans. Some discount tiers may require annual commitment. Confirm before signing.

Which one suits which contractor

Translating the trade-offs into realistic scenarios:

"I'm a first-year Ltd contractor on £400/day, single client, outside IR35, want everything handled"

All four work. Gorilla and Nixon Williams' single all-inclusive plans match this profile cleanly. Crunch's full-service tier is competitive. inniAccounts is on the premium end but offers named-accountant continuity — useful for first-year learning curve.

"I'm cost-sensitive, comfortable with software, want to DIY most of it"

Crunch's lower tiers are designed for this — software-led with advisor as paid add-on. Less of a fit for the contractor-only firms whose value is in the bundled service. Alternative: skip a contractor accountant entirely and use accounting software with a flat-fee year-end accountant. See contractor accountant vs DIY.

"I want a named accountant who actually knows my business year over year"

inniAccounts and Nixon Williams' models lean strongly toward this. Gorilla's contractor-only focus typically delivers it too. Crunch is the weakest fit if continuity is a priority — its scale tends to mean pooled support.

"I move in and out of IR35 inside / outside; sometimes umbrella might be better"

Nixon Williams' group ownership of umbrella services means you can move models without switching firms. The others would require you to engage a separate umbrella provider when needed.

"I'm a £150k+ earning Ltd contractor with complex tax position"

The named-accountant firms (inniAccounts, Nixon Williams, Gorilla with a strong individual accountant) earn their fees here. Crunch's pooled model is less of a fit when the tax planning value of a continuous relationship scales with income.

"I have a sole trader business that may become a Ltd"

Crunch's coverage of both makes the transition smoother. The contractor-only firms generally don't serve sole traders.

"I want the lowest monthly fee, full stop"

Crunch's lowest tier usually wins on headline price. Verify what's actually included at that tier — sometimes it's software only, with full-service requiring a higher tier where pricing converges with the contractor specialists. See how much does a contractor accountant cost for the full pricing analysis.

Service-level differences worth understanding

Beyond plan structure and price, contractor accountants differ on operational service-level commitments. Worth asking about before signing:

Response times

Standard support tickets — 1 working day? 2 days? Same day? Service-level promises vary materially. Online firms with pooled support typically promise faster ticket responses; named-accountant firms may be slower on simple queries but faster on complex ones because the relationship continuity reduces re-explanation time.

Year-end turnaround

From your year-end date to filed accounts and CT600 — how long? Some firms turn this in 6–8 weeks; others take 4–5 months. The longer the turnaround, the closer to the statutory deadlines you operate, with less safety margin if any issues arise.

Document handover speed

When you ask for a payslip, dividend voucher, P60, or confirmation statement copy — same day, next day, end of week? For contractors needing documents for mortgage applications, lease applications, or visa renewals, slow document handover is a real operational pain.

Proactive vs reactive contact

Does the firm contact you about tax-saving opportunities, year-end planning, deadline reminders? Or do you contact them when you remember? Both models work; the trade-off is fee level vs the work you do tracking your own affairs.

Software training and support

If the firm bundles software, how much training is provided? Some include onboarding video calls or sessions; others assume self-service. For contractors new to cloud accounting, this matters.

Escalation path

If something goes wrong — a missed filing, a wrong dividend voucher, a misadvised tax position — who do you escalate to? Larger firms have more formal escalation; smaller firms rely on direct partner access. Both work, but worth knowing.

Ownership and group context

Knowing who owns the firm matters more than it might seem, because it shapes the firm's incentives:

• Privately-owned, contractor-only (often Gorilla, inniAccounts at various points) — generally aligned with contractor outcomes; sustainability depends on retention and reputation rather than upsell
• Part of a larger contractor-services group (Nixon Williams within SJD / Optionis) — wider range of related services available, with the trade-off of group-wide cross-selling pressure
• Private-equity backed online firms (Crunch has had various investor structures over time) — scale advantages, mature operations; investor expectations around growth can influence how aggressively the firm pursues new tiers and add-ons

None of these structures is inherently better — each has its trade-offs. The point is to know which model you're choosing.

Contractor-only vs broader-customer firms

One useful frame for choosing: do you want a firm where every client is a Ltd contractor (Gorilla, inniAccounts, Nixon Williams), or one with a mixed base (Crunch)?

Advantages of contractor-only

• Every staff member sees contractor cases daily — pattern recognition is sharper
• IR35 expertise is intrinsic to the business model, not a niche capability
• Workflows and software are tuned tightly to contractor needs
• Fellow clients are similar — referral patterns and community matter

Advantages of broader-customer

• If your business model evolves — e-commerce side project, agency-style scaling, hiring — a broader firm is set up for those transitions
• Tiered pricing tends to scale further
• Larger operational base often means more mature processes and tooling
• Sole-trader-to-Ltd transitions are smoother within one firm

For typical UK contractor profiles staying as contractors, contractor-only firms have the edge. For contractors who suspect they'll grow into something else, broader firms keep options open.

Verify before signing

Whichever firm you lean toward, ask these questions before committing:

• What's the current headline monthly price for a single-director Ltd at my revenue level?
• Is Self Assessment included or extra?
• Is the software fully bundled or my own subscription?
• What's the named-accountant policy — same person year over year, or pooled support?
• What's the IR35 contract review policy — unlimited, capped, or per-review charges?
• What's the contract length — month-to-month, annual, or longer?
• What's the setup / onboarding fee?
• If I switch to / from you mid-year, what's the handover process and any charges?
• Are there any HMRC enquiry support / IR35 insurance products bundled or available as add-ons?

The answers vary across firms and over time — getting them in writing protects you against post-signing surprises.

Neutral editorial comparison. We do not rank or score these firms — we describe structural differences. Verify current pricing and inclusions directly with each firm before signing.