Which firm is best for accounting?

Top accounting firms in Saudi Arabia include major international firms like SS&CO KSA, Deloitte, PwC, KPMG, EY (Big Four), BDO, and Baker Tilly, along with prominent local/specialized firms like SS&CO KSA, Al-Rajhi Accounting Firm, and BMS Auditing. These firms provide comprehensive services, including VAT compliance, auditing, and financial consulting, with many specializing in navigating the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 requirements.

Strong financial supervision is one of the core pillars behind any thriving business, and this is only done if you have an expert team handling your day-to-day accounting functions. Businesses today operate in a highly complicated regulatory environment with perpetually evolving tax regulations, financial obligations, and increasing demands of investors. A right accounting partner by your side not just removes regulatory roadblocks but also opens new doors of opportunities on your way to success. Having an internally competitive accounting team is a plus point, but most businesses lack the skills, tools, resources, and budget to manage teams internally. The best possibility they are looking for is to hire an accounting firm to manage their accounting operations.

In rapidly revolutionizing countries like KSA, there are many top-notch accounting options, from big four to local experts who provide comprehensive accounting services. Be it financial planning, tax filing and compliance, merger, acquisition, or international expansion, they facilitate you in all. However, handpicking the right firm can be confusing, so we take care of the complexity for you by listing the emerging accounting firms in KSA, their key specialties, and the right firm for business needs. Be it financial planning, tax filing and compliance, merger, acquisition, or international expansion, they facilitate you in all.

The Top Accounting Players in Saudi Arabia

KSA is home to the Big Four accounting firms, which are usually preferred by international businesses. Nevertheless, they are not the only frontrunners. Several regionally based firms like SS&CO have quickly gained prominence due to their internationally competitive accounting and tax advisory services, making it, in fact, the better choice for many businesses. Let us further explore the services provided by the top accounting players in KSA.

SS&CO (Sidra Salman & Co.)

Sidra Salman & Co. Chartered Accountants LLC (SS&CO) has achieved prominence in a short span; they are considered one of the best accountants in Riyadh with offices across the UAE, Pakistan, and the UK. With years of expertise in the local market and understanding of international principle they blend international and local best practices to present solutions that are favored by both multinational and local companies. Their core specialties cover:

• Accounting and Bookkeeping: Financial management of records over the cloud, accounts reconciliation, and auditing support services
• Tax Planning Services: They offer a variety of tax compliance services, including corporate tax, VAT, zakat, and excise tax, and offer custom tax support to international businesses
• Financial Reporting and CFO advisory: Through the clear financial reporting tools and planning, they offer strategic support and CFO advisory services, which help in the growth of businesses.
• Payroll and HR advisory Services: Thorough management of payroll as per the local labor laws, Saudization policies, and compliance policies to avoid any legal queries and sound business operations.

Businesses Who Prefer SS&CO

• Small and medium-scale enterprises and startups that seek professional guidance from the start, without having to invest much in accounting tools and services
• Local businesses looking for help are local statutory needs and custom-made support for their specific industry
• International Businesses that utilize both international policies and local insights for better global execution possibilities, along with local expansion.

SSCOKSA is mainly relied upon for its personalized customer-centric approach for businesses of every scale and industry. Due to economical packages but international level expertise, they are mostly picked by clients looking for world-class accounting services with flexible engagement models. They build their client’s trust through transparency, communication, and long-term partnerships.

Deloitte Middle East (Saudi Arabia)

Deloitte is one of the leading global accounting firms, also offering its services to the KSA region. It is one of the big four accounting firms, with operations in more than 150 countries and a global team of over 460,000 accounting experts. The core specialists offered by Deloitte include:

1. Auditing Services: Deloitte provides complete statutory auditing services that are specifically made for bigger enterprises.
2. Tax and Legal Guidance: They offer comprehensive tax compliance services for VAT, corporate tax, withholding tax, and excise tax. They also assist in tax planning and resolving legal tax disputes
3. Digital Transformation: to evolve your financial operations digitally, Deloitte provides solutions for ERP integration, data analytics, and cybersecurity tools implementation.
4. Risk Advisory Services: They design the best internal controls and compliance policies as per the scale and type of business that keep the organizations safe from risks.

Businesses Who Prefer Deloitte

Deloitte, because of its top-tier accounting services, is mostly picked up by:

• Large-scale businesses and conglomerates
• Multinational corporations are looking for help with global standards
• Regulatory sectors and financial institutions like banks
• Businesses that are looking to evolve on a larger scale or transform digitally

Deloitte provides expertise of higher level with a deep understanding of international accounting practice and standards, which helps the local players to expand in the international markets. Through their cross-disciplinary teams, they make sure to align audit, tax, consulting, and technology services altogether.

PwC Saudi Arabia

PWC (PricewaterhouseCoopers) operates in more than 149 countries, and KSA is one of them; they are also a part of big four. They assist in disciplining the businesses financially and offer risk management services that impact bigger decisions of an organization, which overall improves business credibility. Their mostly utilized services cover:

• Audit and Assurance: independent auditing facilities, along with transparent reporting frameworks and forensic accounting
• Legal and Tax Compliance: complete tax compliance, including Zakat, VAT, corporate tax planning, registration, filing, and auditing services
• Risk Advisory Services: Risk Management planning and help with governance and compliance.
• Digital and Data Analytics: Offer data-driven reporting and financial intelligence tools and support.

Businesses Who Prefer PwC

• Multinational companies that need expert supervision of their taxes
• Complete planning for companies for public listing and foreign investment
• Large-scale businesses that need thorough assurance services

Because of their long-established, strong reputation, they are mostly the first choice of multinational businesses and companies seeking international expansion possibilities. They also assist the clients in staying aligned with the Vision 2030 transformation programs. PwC is mostly not very economical for small businesses and has also faced restructuring challenges in recent years.

EY (Ernst & Young)

Another Big Four player, EY, which has a massive network across 150 countries, is also operating in KSA. EY is known for its commitment and innovation-driven strategies that help businesses reshape their accounting policies by modernizing their internal systems. Their core services are:

• Assurance and Audit: Through the intelligent assurance and audit services, they offer confidence to stakeholders
• Tax and Advisory: They offer thoughtful tax planning, transfer pricing, and compliance services, which help them stay compliant
• Business Consultancy: They know the best plans to grow your business in the highly competitive market by implementing the latest trends, helping with mergers and acquisition and elevating business performance.
• Technology and Innovation: EY implements AI-powered tools, modern ERP software, and digital finance solutions that power next-generation financial systems.

Businesses Who Prefer EY

• Corporation who are focusing on financial innovation
• Businesses that need cross-border advisory functions
• Companies that prioritize competitive growth through M&A and equity raises.

EY, due to its holistic approach, combines assurance services with modern-day advisory solutions. It drives innovation within the finance and accounting process and integrates into the local Saudi regulatory environments.

How to Choose the Right Accounting Firm for Your Business

There are many bigger accounting names working in Saudi Arabia, with some of the best local firms; it becomes difficult to choose the best for your needs and requirements. Here we will present a checklist that will make it easier to select the best accounting firm in Saudi Arabia.

1. Scale and Needs: For multinational businesses with high budgets, the Big Four can be a great choice. For startups, SMEs, or even international businesses with local practices, regional firms like SS&CO tend to be more personable
2. Industrial Expertise: Always look for a firm that has previous experience in your same industry, so they are fully aware of your compliance and tax requirements and offer you the best guidance accordingly
3. Services Scope: Look if the firm is capable of offering the services that are mainly required by your company. You may use a smaller firm if you just need small services like annual tax filing or payroll compliance
4. Technical Integration: The most preferred firms today are the ones that use top-notch tools and automation software, like cloud accounting tools and AI-driven insights. This will help to meet the new standards of the industry and automate the routine accounting operations for better precision and efficiency
5. Budget and Value: Bigger doesn’t always mean better; it is necessary to balance cost and quality. Also, don’t totally fall for economical packages; always thoroughly analyze everything before based on your needs and budget. Don’t compromise on quality over finances.

What Sets SS&CO Apart?

SSCOKSA is the best accounting firm in Riyadh, which has skyrocketed over time due to its satisfied clients and high reputation in the local market. SS&CO has always put the needs of its clients first and crafted personalized plans for them based on their industrial needs and preferences. Through the expert-led accounting supervision and modern tools, SS&CO delivers services comparable to larger firms, but with a competitive fee structure, which makes it a premier choice for startups, SMEs, and local businesses. Through dedicated support by teams around the clock, SS&CO makes sure that all client needs are addressed accurately and thoughtfully.