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Compare · Accounting & tax firms

Who reviews accounting & tax firms, and can you trust them?

The firms themselves, ranked by surveys, revenue, or prestige. Here is every review site we track in this category, graded head to head.

Grade Review site Independence30%Evidence basis30%Method transparency20%Conflict disclosure10%Manipulation resistance10%
1 B
INSIDE Public Accounting (IPA 400/500) High Scoring Confidence Ratings & rankings
Grades: its revenue league table of CPA firms
Honest about what it is: a revenue league table. Just do not mistake bigger for better.
42443
2 B-
Accounting Today Top 100 Firms High Scoring Confidence Ratings & rankings
Grades: its revenue ranking of the largest accounting firms
A trade-press revenue ranking with good commentary. Size, not quality.
42343
3 C+
Vault (Most Prestigious Accounting Firms) High Scoring Confidence Ratings & rankings
Grades: its prestige ranking of accounting firms
Independent and transparent, but it measures reputation, not whether the work is any good.
41343
4 C+
Clutch High Scoring Confidence Directory / lead-gen
Grades: its agency and firm rankings and 'Leaders Matrix' awards
Verified client reviews are real, but sponsors can buy their way to the top of the list.
23333
5 C
Forbes "America’s Most Recommended Tax & Accounting Firms" High Scoring Confidence Ratings & rankings
Grades: its survey-based ranking of tax and accounting firms
A popularity poll of peers and clients. They renamed it from "Best" to "Most Recommended" for a reason.
31322
6 C-
Expertise.com High Scoring Confidence Directory / lead-gen
Grades: its 'best [pro] in [city]' lists
A tidy 'best local pro' badge that its own contract says you can pay to wear.
12332
7 D+
UpCity High Scoring Confidence Directory / lead-gen
Grades: its local-B2B provider rankings and 'Recommendability Rating'
Pay UpCity or you may not get listed at all; the 'Top 30' is a pay-to-play order.
12222

Columns are the five rubric dimensions, scored 0-5, with each column's weight shown in its header; independence and evidence carry the most, 30% each. See the full methodology. Each row also shows a scoring-confidence chip (how sure we are of that grade) and a type tag; hover any chip for what it means.

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