If you need to file a Form 11, you have three real options: tackle Revenue’s ROS system yourself, hire a traditional accountant, or use FastTax.ie. The differences in cost, time, and experience are significant. Here’s an honest breakdown.
Option 1: Filing Directly on ROS (Free, but Is It Really?)
ROS is free to use and it’s the official Revenue portal. But ‘free’ only tells part of the story.
The real cost of going it alone on ROS:
- Time: ROS was designed for tax professionals. The Form 11 runs to over 70 pages with hundreds of fields most of which don’t apply to your situation, but you’ll need to know which ones do. First-time filers regularly spend three to five hours on a return that should take under an hour.
- Errors: ROS does not guide you. If you put income in the wrong section, miss a deduction, or apply the wrong relief, it won’t flag it. Errors can mean overpaying tax, underpaying tax (with penalties), or triggering a Revenue query.
- Scope limits: For complex returns (e.g. foreign income, CGT, share options, multiple income streams) ROS becomes genuinely difficult to navigate without tax training.
- Stress: Our Tax Stress Survey found over half of Irish adults feel stress or anxiety when dealing with their tax return. ROS is a leading cause.
ROS is manageable for experienced filers with a simple, consistent return. For everyone else, the ‘free’ option often costs more in time and error risk than it saves in money.
Option 2: Hiring a Traditional Accountant
An accountant may handle your return entirely but can only work on the information you provide which in itself takes up your time. Like every walk of life some accountants are more proficient than others. But for most Form 11 filers the cost of an accountant is considerably more than you need to pay and often takes considerably longer than it needs to.
Typical accountant fees for a Form 11 in Ireland:
- PAYE with rental income: €500–€800
- Self-employed (basic accounts): €600–€1,200+
- Company director return: €800–€1,500+
- Complex / multi-source return: €1,000–€2,000+
- Prior year catch-up (per year): €500–€1,500
There’s also the time factor. Accountants are busiest in Q3 and Q4 exactly when you need them. Getting an appointment, sending documents back and forth, and chasing sign-off adds time and friction to what should be a straightforward annual task.
Option 3: FastTax.ie – Full Scope, Fraction of the Cost
FastTax.ie is a comprehensive tax preparation and calculation platform. We handle the same types and complexity of returns that accountants handle, including company directors, CGT, foreign income, non-resident cases, share options, multi-source returns, and prior year catch-ups.
Our platform is built on 80+ years of Irish tax expertise and kept up to date with the latest Revenue guidance. We pull your PAYE data directly from ROS, walk you through only the fields relevant to your situation, and calculate your liability accurately across all income types.
The three plans:
- Plan 1 Core €145: Guided completion of your Form 11. You complete it, you file it via ROS. Best for filers confident in their numbers.
- Plan 2 Plus €240: Everything in Plan 1, plus expert review of your return before filing. Our tax team checks for errors, missed deductions, and anything that looks off. Most popular plan.
- Plan 3 Premium €390: Everything in Plan 2 and we file for you. We review and file directly with Revenue on your behalf. You don’t need to log in to ROS. Best for company directors, complex returns, or anyone who wants it completely done for them.
Also, we provide a unique 100% tax guarantee for peace of mind for each Plan. (Ts&Cs apply).
Side-by-Side Comparison
| ROS (DIY) | FastTax.ie | Accountant | |
| Cost | Free | €145–€390 | €500–€2,000+ |
| Time to complete | 3–5+ hours | Under 1 hour | Days to weeks |
| Handles complex returns | Yes (with difficulty) | Yes (fully supported) | Yes |
| Expert review of return | None | Plans 2 & 3 | Yes |
| Files for you | No | Plan 3 only | Yes |
| Jargon-free guidance | No | Yes | Varies |
| Director/CGT/foreign income | Yes (complex) | Yes (guided) | Yes |
| Available immediately | Yes | Yes -24/7 | Subject to availability |
What Our Customers Say:
Nine out of ten FastTax.ie customers say they’d recommend us to a friend. Many come from a background of using traditional accountants and tell us they didn’t realise a better option existed. The most common feedback: they were surprised by how fast and straightforward the process was, and relieved by what they saved.
See more on our Trust Pilot page.
Which Option Is Right for You?
- Use ROS directly if: you’re an experienced filer, your return is simple and identical to last year, and you’re comfortable navigating the system.
- Use FastTax.ie if: you want to save time, want a guided and accurate experience, have a complex return, are a company director, have foreign income or CGT to declare, or are filing a Form 11 for the first time.
- Use a traditional accountant if: you want to pay more in fee costs.
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