The present invention relates to a process for preparing (meth)acrylates, which comprises the transesterification of an alcohol with a low-boiling ester of (meth)acrylic acid in the presence of catalysts, with the alcohol liberated from the low-boiling ester of (meth)acrylic acid being separated off by distillation, characterized in that the molar ratio of low-boiling ester of (meth)acrylic acid to starting alcohol present in the reaction mixture is increased during the reaction by addition of low-boiling ester of (meth)acrylic acid. The process of the invention makes a particularly inexpensive preparation of (meth)acrylates having a very high purity possible.