Bookkeeping Cost Guide
HOW MUCH DOES BOOKKEEPING COST?
A straight answer, real numbers, and what actually moves the price. No 'call for a quote' runaround.
The Short Answer
Most businesses pay $200 to $600 a month for professional bookkeeping. Solo operators with simple finances sit at the low end. Companies with payroll, several accounts, or multiple entities sit higher. One-time catch-up cleanup is priced separately. Our monthly plans start at $399, and we publish every price.
Here's the most frustrating part of shopping for a bookkeeper. You call around, and nobody will tell you what it costs. 'It depends.' 'Let's hop on a call.' 'Send us your books first.' You just want a number.
So here's a real one. This page breaks down what bookkeeping actually costs in 2026, what makes the price go up or down, and what we charge. No quote wall.
What Actually Drives Your Price
WHY TWO QUOTES LOOK NOTHING ALIKE
Transaction Volume
The number of transactions we categorize and reconcile each month is the biggest factor. A consultant with 40 transactions costs less than a restaurant with 600. More activity means more work.
Number of Accounts
Every bank account, credit card, loan, and payment processor we reconcile adds time. One checking account is simple. Five accounts plus Stripe and PayPal isn't.
Catch-Up Cleanup
If you're months or years behind, that's a one-time project priced on top of monthly work. Clean books cost less to maintain than messy ones cost to fix.
Payroll
Running payroll, even for two employees, adds tax filings, withholdings, and quarterly reports. It's worth pricing as its own line.
Number of Entities
Multiple LLCs, a rental, a side business. Each entity is its own set of books. Three entities is roughly three times the work of one.
Industry Complexity
A restaurant tracking tips and food cost, or a contractor doing job costing, needs more than a freelancer does. Some industries just carry more moving parts.
| Option | Typical Cost | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| DIY with software | $30 to $90/mo | Brand-new businesses with very few transactions and time to spare |
| Freelance bookkeeper | $25 to $60/hour | Simple needs, if you can find a reliable one and manage them yourself |
| Bookkeeping firm, flat fee | $200 to $600/mo | Established businesses that want it handled, with a predictable price |
| Full-time in-house hire | $45,000 to $55,000/yr | High-volume companies with enough work for a full-time role |
Ranges are typical 2026 figures for US businesses. Your actual cost depends on the factors above.
What You're Paying For
WHAT MONTHLY BOOKKEEPING INCLUDES
Let's talk about your books.
15 minutes. No pitch. Just a straight answer about where things stand.
Why Most Bookkeepers Hide Their Pricing
Search for a bookkeeper and you'll hit the same wall over and over. No prices. Just a contact form and a promise to 'discuss your needs.' It feels like buying a car in 1995.
There are reasons firms do it. Some want to anchor you on a call before you see a number. Some price every client differently and don't want it in writing. Some are just slow to quote. None of those reasons help you.
We publish our prices because you deserve to know what you're getting into before you spend 30 minutes on a call. The exact number still depends on your business, but you should never have to guess at the ballpark.
DIY Bookkeeping Isn't Free
Doing your own books looks like the cheap option. The software is $30 to $90 a month and that's the whole cost, right? Not quite.
The real price of DIY is your time. Most business owners we talk to were spending 10 to 15 hours a month on bookkeeping. That's two full workdays, every month, on a task that isn't why you started your business.
Then there's the cost of mistakes. Miscategorized expenses mean missed deductions. A reconciliation that never gets done means you don't actually know if you're profitable. And a messy QuickBooks file at tax time means your CPA charges you more to sort it out. DIY is rarely the bargain it looks like.
What We Charge, and Why It's a Flat Fee
Our monthly plans start at $399 for Essentials, $599 for Growth, and $1,199 for Scale. Every price is on our pricing page. Catch-up cleanup, if you need it, is a separate one-time project quoted after we see how far behind you are.
We charge a flat monthly fee, not an hourly rate. Hourly billing punishes you for having a complicated month and makes every email feel like it's on the clock. A flat fee means you know your number, and we're not watching a timer.
Which plan fits depends on the factors at the top of this page: your transaction volume, your accounts, your entities, whether you run payroll. The free call is where we figure that out together. No pitch, just a straight recommendation, even if the answer is that you're fine on your own for now.
Simple, Transparent Pricing
PLANS FROM $399/MO
ESSENTIALS
Starting at
$399/mo
Clean books every month for solo operators and straightforward finances.
GROWTH
Starting at
$599/mo
Strategy calls and deeper reporting for growing businesses.
SCALE
Starting at
$1,199/mo
A full financial operations partner for complex, multi-entity businesses.
“A great partner! The engagement from Jordan has been fantastic and has taken the guess work out of my day to day. Happy to share I'm already getting time back and feeling less stressed about my financial wellbeing as a whole.”
Tyler R.
Google Review
Common Questions
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
For most business owners, yes. The fee usually pays for itself through missed deductions we catch, penalties we help you avoid, and the 10 to 15 hours a month you get back. You also get something harder to price: knowing your real numbers instead of guessing.
A flat monthly fee. Hourly billing makes every question feel like it's costing you money and punishes you for a busy month. With a flat fee, you know exactly what you're paying and we're not watching a clock.
Most established businesses land between $200 and $600 a month with a bookkeeping firm. Our plans start at $399. Where you fall depends on your transaction volume, number of accounts, whether you run payroll, and how many entities you have.
Because no two sets of books are the same. A freelancer with one checking account and 40 transactions a month is a fraction of the work of a contractor with job costing, payroll, and three entities. Price tracks the actual work involved.
Yes. Our three monthly plans and their starting prices are right on our pricing page. The final number depends on your specific business, but you'll never have to get on a call just to find out the ballpark.
Separately from monthly work. Catch-up is a one-time project to clean up months or years of backlog, and the price depends on how far behind you are and how messy things got. We quote it after a quick look at your situation.
Explore More
KEEP LOOKING AROUND
See Our Plans and Prices
The actual numbers. Three plans, every price published.
Learn moreDIY Cost Calculator
See what doing your own books really costs you in time and missed money.
Learn moreMonthly Bookkeeping
What you get every month and how the service works.
Learn moreBookkeeping Costs in Pittsburgh
A Pittsburgh-specific look at what local bookkeeping runs.
Learn moreEcommerce Bookkeeping
Specialized books for Shopify, Amazon, and online sellers.
Learn moreTrucking Bookkeeping
Specialized books for owner-operators and small fleets.
Learn moreWANT A REAL NUMBER FOR YOUR BUSINESS?
Book a free call and see exactly where your business stands. No pressure, no jargon. Just a clear picture of your finances. 100% satisfaction guarantee your first month.
Let's Fix Your Books →