Top 10 Accounting Firms
This guide breaks down a very transparent comparison between the top 10 accounting firms based on their global revenue, as it shows their market demand and ability to navigate through complex operations globally. It includes a scorecard to help you make a better decision while choosing the right accounting firm. By the end of this guide, you will not only know who the top 10 accounting firms are, but which type of firm fits your business, what questions to ask before signing, and how to choose based on facts rather than reputation.
Top 10 Accounting Firms
If you searched for the top 10 accounting firms, you probably want one of two things:
- The biggest global firms in terms of reach, reputation, and scaling limits.
- The best-fit firm for your specific needs, whether it’s taxation, audits, or compliance.
This guide gives you both. You will get a ranked top 10 list by global revenue, plus a practical framework to pick the right firm without wasting time.
These firms operate as global networks of member firms, which means if you hire any team for your business. You’re not hiring a global company, just one team of the company that’s licensed under the same name. Service quality can vary by country and even by office. Use the selection checklist in this guide to evaluate the exact team you will work with.
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What does “top” mean in accounting?
Most blog posts rank firms using vague claims like “best,” “most trusted,” or “most innovative.” That is not useful.
Here are the only ranking lenses that matter:
- Scale and global capability: revenue, headcount, service breadth, multinational coverage
- Depth in your industry: proven experience in your exact space (ecommerce, manufacturing, healthcare, real estate, energy, financial services)
- Outcome strength: audit quality, tax risk management, deal execution, compliance track record, reporting accuracy
- Fit and operating model: partner access, responsiveness, tech stack, documentation quality, clarity of deliverables
- Total cost to serve: not just fees, but time, rework, change requests, and the cost of mistakes
A global top 10 accounting firms list requires some defensible ranking method based on facts, and revenue is one of the top lenses to analyze things, as it shows the market demand and service footprint. This article ranks firms by their most recently reported global revenue or global fee income.
The Top 10 Accounting Firms in the World (ranked by global revenue)
Rank | Firm (Global Network) | Latest reported global revenue | Period referenced | What they are most known for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Deloitte | US$70.5B | FY ending May 31, 2025 | Full spectrum professional services at a massive scale |
2 | PwC | US$56.9B | FY ending June 30, 2025 | Audit strength plus broad tax and deals capability |
3 | EY | US$53.2B | FY ending June 30, 2025 | Audit and tax depth, strong global enterprise delivery |
4 | KPMG | US$39.8B | FY ending Sept 30, 2025 | Audit, tax, and regulated industry strength |
5 | BDO | US$16B (incl alliance revenue) | FY ending Sept 30, 2025 | Large mid-market work, global coverage, practical delivery |
6 | RSM | US$10B | 12 months to Dec 2024 | Middle market leader, pragmatic tax and assurance |
7 | Grant Thornton | US$8.5B | FY ending Sept 30, 2025 | Growth-minded advisory, plus audit and tax |
8 | Crowe | US$5.8B | FY 2024 | Strong network with audit and consulting capabilities |
9 | Baker Tilly | US$5.62B | Year ending Dec 31, 2024 | Mid-market and upper mid-market advisory and tax |
10 | Forvis Mazars | US$5.2B | FY ending Aug 31, 2024 | Fast-growing network formed from major firms combining |
Let’s dive into simple but logical explanations that will help make better hiring decisions based on the data given above.
Who should hire a Big Four firm vs a mid-market global network?
Big Four makes sense when
Your business is massive, and you need to scale across many countries at once. You have to report publicly or require investor-grade audits. Your business includes complex tax structures, and you’ve to plan things while ensuring everything’s controlled.
Mid-market global networks make sense when
Your business is less focused on fabricated procedures and more focused on faster execution and growth with outcomes. Mid-market global networks help you if you don’t only want the advice, but also quick and efficient work done.
If your requirements aren’t that huge, and you hire a huge firm for a small scope. You just end up paying for low-level execution, which could have resulted in lower pricing.
What each of the top 10 accounting firms is best for
The table below is designed to help you pick the best accounting firm for your business quickly.
Firm | Best for | Not ideal for | What to ask before signing |
|---|---|---|---|
Deloitte | Enterprise scale, complex transformations, multinational advisory | Small businesses that need fast partner-led delivery | Who is the day-to-day lead, and how many similar clients do they personally handle |
PwC | Strong audit base, large tax capability, and deals support | Very small scopes where cost matters most | What is included vs billed as change requests |
EY | Audit and tax depth, global delivery model | Teams that need an extremely fast turnaround without a process | What is the review process, and who signs off at each stage |
KPMG | Audit, tax, and regulated industries require a strong compliance posture | Businesses that want minimal formalities | How they manage documentation, evidence, and audit trail |
BDO | Mid-market, international expansion support, practical execution | Ultra niche work that needs a single rare specialist | Which countries are delivered by strong member firms vs thin coverage |
RSM | Middle market leader, tax and assurance, scalable finance support | Massive global enterprise programs | Partner availability and response times in peak periods |
Grant Thornton | Growing companies, advisory plus audit, strong momentum | Firms that only want “audit only” vendors with zero extras | What their advisory boundaries are and how they avoid conflicts |
Crowe | Strong global network, balanced assurance, and consulting | Companies needing the absolute widest country footprint | Proof of execution in your exact industry and size band |
Baker Tilly | Upper mid-market advisory and tax, growth-oriented | Businesses needing deep public company infrastructure across many countries | Team structure and seniority mix on your engagement |
Forvis Mazars | Rapidly scaling global network, audit, tax advisory, and balance | Buyers who need a decades-old single brand footprint everywhere | How cross-border work is staffed and governed across regions |
What You Actually Get When You Hire a Top Accounting Firm
When large accounting firms list their services, they all sound the same. Everybody says they will audit, do tax advisory, and compliance. You need to understand what they actually deliver, not just what they’ve written on paper. You need clear outputs and results. You don’t need lots of meetings, back-to-back emails, and invoices.
- Audit: Timeline, document request list, issue log, management letter. Red flag: surprise requests are late.
- Tax filing: Tax calendar, filing tracker, review workflow. Red flag: you are chasing deadlines.
- Tax planning: Written plan with options, risk level, savings estimate. Red flag: advice only on calls.
- Bookkeeping: Reconciliations, monthly close pack, variance notes. Red flag: no close pack.
- CFO support: Budget, cash runway model, KPI dashboard. Red flag: generic advice without numbers.
- M&A help: QoE, working capital, debt-like items. Red flag: summaries with no quantified risks.
- Compliance: Testing plan, evidence trail, remediation plan. Red flag: theory with no ownership.
If an accounting firm cannot clearly explain what you will receive, when you will receive it, and who is accountable, you are not buying a service; you are buying a brand name, and brands do not fix financial problems.
How to choose the right accounting firm in 30 minutes
The scoring matrix below will help you remove emotions and focus on your decision quality.
Accounting Firm Scorecard
Category | Weight | What excellent look like | How to test it fast |
|---|---|---|---|
Industry expertise | 25% | They show proof of work in your niche with similar-sized clients | Ask for 2 anonymized examples and the exact deliverables |
Senior involvement | 15% | Partner and manager are visible and accountable | Ask who attends recurring meetings and who reviews work |
Execution speed | 15% | Clear timeline, fast responses, tight close process | Ask for a sample project plan and turnaround commitments |
Accuracy and documentation | 15% | Clean audit trail, consistent workpapers, low rework | Ask what their review workflow is and how errors are handled |
Pricing clarity | 10% | Fixed fees or clear unit pricing, change control is reasonable | Ask for what triggers an extra fee and typical overages |
Tech stack fit | 10% | They work inside your tools and improve them | Ask what they use for close, AP, reporting, and tax workflow |
Communication | 10% | Weekly updates, issue log, decisions tracked | Ask for their reporting cadence template |
Pick a firm with the highest score without looking at its name, and you will be able to choose the right one based on facts.
The 12 questions to ask any accounting firm before you sign
- Who is the day-to-day lead, and what percentage of their time is committed
- What is the exact deliverable list, in writing
- What is the timeline, and what do you need from us by the week
- What is the change request policy, and what triggers extra fees
- What does your review workflow look like, and who signs off
- What is your error correction policy and typical turnaround
- How will you communicate progress, weekly, biweekly, and monthly
- What is your documentation standard for audit trail and compliance
- What tools do you use, and do you work inside ours
- How do you handle handoffs if someone leaves the team
- What are the top 5 risks you see in businesses like ours
- What would make this engagement a failure, and how do we prevent it
If a firm cannot answer these clearly, they are not the right fit for you, even if they are famous.
People Also Ask
Conclusion
This guide includes the top 10 accounting firms based on their revenues. However, if you want to know about the top 10 firms that deliver the best results. Use the scorecard given in the guide and use the 12 questions to select the right team, because it won’t always be a famous name.
