What a business valuation costs in Australia in 2026.
The complete, dated fee reference for Australian business valuations — Prismi's exact tiers and add-on schedule, plus honest market ranges across the rest of the industry.
A business valuation in Australia can cost anywhere from $0 for a free online estimate to $80,000+ for an expert-witness litigation report, depending on scope, methodology and provider. Prismi's fixed-fee tiers run from $1,495 + GST (Essential, single methodology) to $12,995 + GST (Valuation Range & Scenario Review), with traditional independent firms typically charging $5,000–$15,000+ for a comparable full report. This page states every Prismi fee and add-on with no hidden extras.
The master fee table: Prismi's four tiers
Prismi's four fixed-fee valuation tiers run from $1,495 + GST (Essential) to $12,995 + GST (Valuation Range & Scenario Review), set out in full below. All fees are fixed at engagement, quoted in writing before work begins, and not contingent on the valuation outcome. GST is additional, and turnaround starts once the document completeness check is passed.
| Tier | Fee (+ GST) | Methodology | Turnaround | Best fit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Essential | From $1,495 | Single methodology | 10–14 business days | Internal planning, informal partner discussions, low-stakes reference point |
| Comprehensive | From $3,995 | Dual methodology | 15–25 business days | SME sale preparation, shareholder discussions, most accountant referrals |
| Defensible Valuation File | From $8,995 | Triple methodology | 25–35 business days | CGT events, ATO-facing matters, restructures, related-party transfers |
| Valuation Range & Scenario Review | From $12,995 | Triple methodology + scenario analysis | 30–45 business days | Family law, disputes, contested matters, multiple stakeholders needing sensitivity analysis |
The add-on schedule — stated plainly
There is no hidden-extras category. Every loading that can apply to a Prismi engagement is listed here, in full, before you commission a report.
- ·Rush delivery: +30% of the base tier fee, subject to capacity confirmation at enquiry
- ·Retrospective valuation date (valuing the business as at a past date rather than today): +$495 per historical date
- ·Additional entities in the same engagement (e.g. a group structure with multiple trading entities): +$750 per additional entity
- ·Complex structures (trusts with multiple unit classes, cross-guarantees, related-party webs) may move a job to the next tier up rather than attracting a separate loading — this is assessed and quoted before engagement, never added mid-file
- ·No fee changes once the engagement letter is signed, regardless of how the analysis develops
What Essential does not cover — the honest trade-off
The Essential tier ($1,495 + GST) is a genuine fixed-scope product, not a stripped-down version of a bigger report sold cheap. It applies a single methodology and produces a shorter report — appropriate for internal reference, informal negotiations, or a first read on value. It is not suited to contested matters, family law proceedings, or any situation carrying real ATO-dispute risk, because those contexts require the cross-checking that only multiple methodologies provide. If your matter involves a CGT event, a related-party transaction, a small business CGT concession claim, or anyone who might reasonably dispute the number, step up to Comprehensive or the Defensible Valuation File. Cheaper does not mean thinner evidence within its scope — the Essential report still carries a signed independence statement and a retained working file — but its scope is deliberately narrower, and that narrower scope is the trade-off for the lower fee. This page describes valuation scope and fees only — it is not tax advice; whether a CGT event or concession applies to your situation is a matter for your registered tax agent.
| If your situation involves… | Recommended tier |
|---|---|
| A quick internal reference or partner conversation | Essential — from $1,495 |
| Preparing to sell, or a shareholder buy-in/buy-out | Comprehensive — from $3,995 |
| A CGT event, restructure, or any ATO-facing purpose | Defensible Valuation File — from $8,995 |
| Family law, a dispute, or multiple parties who may disagree on value | Valuation Range & Scenario Review — from $12,995 |
What moves a job between tiers: a self-assessment
Four factors push a valuation up in complexity — and therefore in fee. Run through them honestly before assuming the entry tier fits.
- ·Structure: a single trading company is simpler than a trust with multiple unit classes, a group of related entities, or cross-guarantees between them
- ·Records: clean, reconciled 3–5 year financials with a clear general ledger keep a job at its natural tier; reconstructed or incomplete records add time regardless of tier
- ·Purpose: internal reference and informal discussions sit at Essential; anything the ATO, a court, or another party might scrutinise needs the cross-checking of Comprehensive or above
- ·Stakes: the lower the cost of being wrong, the lower the tier that is defensible; the higher the financial or legal exposure, the more methodology testing and scenario analysis is warranted
Generic market context: what the rest of the industry charges
Across the Australian market, business valuations typically range from $0 for a free online calculator estimate to $30,000–$80,000+ for an expert-witness litigation valuation, with most independent reports falling between $2,000 and $15,000+. These are indicative generic bands only, not quotes from any named firm — actual fees vary by scope, entity complexity, location and the individual provider, and prospective clients should confirm current pricing directly with any firm they are considering. They are provided so this page works as a market reference, not just a Prismi rate card. See also the full breakdown at the business valuation price comparison page.
| Provider type | Typical range | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Free online calculators | $0 | An instant, unverified estimate from limited inputs — a starting conversation, not a valuation report |
| Broker appraisals (sale-focused) | Often free or bundled into a success fee | An opinion of likely sale price, not an independent valuation report; usually tied to a listing agreement |
| Desktop / indicative reports | $2,000–$5,000 | A shorter, single-methodology report with a faster turnaround, generally 1–2 weeks |
| Full independent valuation reports (mid-tier and boutique firms) | $5,000–$15,000+ | Multiple methodologies and a more detailed report, generally with a 4–8 week turnaround |
| Big-4 and top-tier corporate finance valuations | $10,000–$30,000+ | Partner-reviewed reports, often for larger or more complex entities, financial reporting, or regulatory purposes |
| Expert witness / litigation valuations | $30,000–$80,000+ | Court-ready reports with expert testimony obligations under the applicable expert witness code |
Why fixed fees matter more than the headline number
The number that matters is not just the starting fee — it is whether that fee is the final fee. Many market quotes are indicative ranges requiring a call to firm up; scope creep during the engagement is common industry-wide, particularly where records turn out to be incomplete or the entity structure is more complex than first described. Prismi confirms the tier and fee in writing before work begins, and does not vary it once the engagement letter is signed. If a matter turns out to be more complex than the initial tier assumed, that is identified and quoted before the engagement starts — not invoiced afterwards.
Common questions.
How much does a business valuation cost in Australia in 2026?+
Costs vary widely with scope, methodology count and purpose — from free online calculator estimates up to $80,000+ for expert-witness litigation reports. Prismi's fixed-fee tiers start at $1,495 + GST (Essential) and run to $12,995 + GST (Valuation Range & Scenario Review); traditional mid-tier and boutique independent firms typically charge $5,000–$15,000+ for a full report.
Is a cheap business valuation worth it?+
It depends on purpose. A lower-cost, single-methodology valuation (like Prismi's Essential tier) is genuinely useful for internal reference or informal discussions, but is not suited to contested matters, family law, or anything with ATO-dispute risk — those need the cross-checking of multiple methodologies, which sits in the higher tiers.
What is included in a business valuation fee?+
At Prismi, every tier includes the methodology work, a written report, a senior-reviewer sign-off and an independence statement, with the working file retained for ten years. Add-ons — rush delivery (+30%), additional entities (+$750 each) and retrospective valuation dates (+$495 each) — are the only loadings that apply, and they are disclosed before engagement.
Why do business valuation quotes vary so much between firms?+
Scope (single versus multiple methodologies), report depth, entity complexity, purpose (internal reference versus ATO-facing or litigation), and firm overhead all affect price. A $2,000 desktop estimate and a $30,000 expert-witness report are answering different questions, even though both get called a 'business valuation'.
Does Prismi charge extra fees once the engagement starts?+
No. The fee is fixed in the engagement letter before work begins and does not change based on the valuation outcome. The only additional charges are the pre-disclosed add-ons — rush delivery, additional entities, and retrospective valuation dates — and only where those apply to your matter.