How Much Does Small Business Bookkeeping Cost in 2026?
Bookkeeping services run $200–$2,500 per month with a $600 average. Transaction volume, payroll inclusion, and tax-prep bundling drive most of the spread.
What’s included in bookkeeping services
A typical monthly engagement includes bank and credit card reconciliation, transaction categorization, accounts payable and receivable management, monthly financial statements (profit & loss, balance sheet, cash flow), and quarterly or annual tax-prep coordination with your CPA. Payroll, sales tax filing, and 1099 preparation are usually billed separately or as add-ons.
When you’ll pay more than average
The $600/month average covers a service-based small business with 100–300 transactions, simple payroll for 2–5 employees, and QuickBooks. You’ll exceed it with high transaction volume, inventory tracking, multi-state sales tax, complex payroll (multiple states, contractors, benefits administration), specialized industry software, or a CPA-supervised firm.
When you’ll pay less
Pre-revenue or very low-volume businesses can use Wave or a $50–$150/month offshore bookkeeper. Owners willing to do their own categorization and reconciliation in QuickBooks can hire a bookkeeper for a quarterly review at $300–$600 per quarter instead of monthly service.
This page is informational and is not tax or accounting advice. Consult a licensed CPA for advice on your specific business situation.
Cost Factors
- Transaction volume
- Under 100 monthly transactions sit at the low end ($200–$400/mo). 100–500 transactions run $400–$900. 500–2,000 transactions run $900–$2,000. Anything over 2,000 transactions is typically priced custom.
- Payroll inclusion
- Payroll-only services run $40–$80 per employee per month. Bundling payroll into a bookkeeping engagement typically adds $150–$500/mo depending on headcount.
- Software used
- QuickBooks Online ($30–$200/mo subscription) is the most common platform — pricing is competitive. Xero is similar. Specialized industry software (construction, restaurants) typically adds $100–$300/mo to the bookkeeper's fee.
- Tax-prep bundling
- Standalone year-end business tax returns from a CPA run $750–$2,500 for an S-corp or partnership. Bundling tax prep with monthly bookkeeping typically discounts the return by 15–30%.
- Bookkeeper qualification
- Offshore or unlicensed bookkeepers price 40–70% below domestic CPAs. Domestic non-CPA bookkeepers sit in the middle. CPA-supervised engagements price at the top — typically required for businesses with significant complexity or external financial reporting needs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a bookkeeper if I have QuickBooks?
Software handles data entry; a bookkeeper handles categorization, reconciliation, and catching errors. Most owners who try to DIY end up with messy books that cost more to clean up than the bookkeeper would have.
What's the difference between a bookkeeper and an accountant?
Bookkeepers handle day-to-day transactions, reconciliation, and reporting. Accountants and CPAs provide analysis, tax planning, and signed financial statements. Many small businesses use a bookkeeper monthly and a CPA quarterly or annually.
Are offshore bookkeepers safe?
Established offshore firms with U.S.-trained CPAs supervising are usually fine. Direct freelance offshore bookkeepers vary widely in quality and create data security risk. Vet for SOC 2 compliance and U.S. supervision.
Last updated 2026-05-24.