Bookkeeping Packages
Bookkeeping Packages & Pricing
Compare monthly bookkeeping packages — Starter, Growth, and Premium tiers with typical pricing, scope, software, and add-ons for small businesses.
Use these packages as a benchmark when comparing quotes. Most outsourced bookkeepers tier pricing by transaction volume, account count, and whether your books are cash or accrual — the Starter / Growth / Premium structure below matches what 80% of providers actually offer.
What's included
What professional bookkeeping covers
A modern bookkeeping provider handles the full monthly cycle — reconciliations, AP/AR, financial reporting, and a clean year-end handoff to your CPA.
Bank reconciliation
Every bank, credit card, loan, and merchant account reconciled monthly to the penny.
Accounts payable
Bill capture, approvals, and on-time vendor payments through Bill.com, Melio, or QBO.
Accounts receivable
Invoicing, payment posting, and collections so cash hits the bank faster.
Financial reporting
Monthly P&L, balance sheet, and cash-flow with KPIs your team will actually read.
Packages
Monthly bookkeeping packages
Compare typical Starter, Growth, and Premium tiers from outsourced bookkeeping providers. Use them as a benchmark when getting quotes.
Starter
$200 – $500
per month
Solopreneurs and early-stage businesses with one bank account and light volume.
- Up to ~100 monthly transactions
- 1 bank + 1 credit card reconciled monthly
- Cash-basis books and quarterly P&L
- QuickBooks Online or Xero file maintained
- Email support, 48-hour response
Most common
Growth
$500 – $1,200
per month
Established small businesses with multiple accounts, AP/AR, and sales tax.
- Up to ~500 monthly transactions
- Multiple bank, credit, and loan accounts
- Monthly close in 5–10 business days
- AP / AR management and sales-tax tracking
- Monthly P&L, balance sheet, cash-flow
- Dedicated bookkeeper + monthly review call
Premium
$1,200 – $3,500+
per month
Growing companies needing accrual books, class tracking, and controller-level review.
- High-volume transactions across multiple entities
- Accrual basis with class/department tracking
- Controller-level monthly review
- CFO-ready reporting & KPI dashboards
- Payroll, AP, and AR fully integrated
- Year-end CPA package delivered on Jan 31
Cleanup & catch-up
Cleanup bookkeeping pricing
Behind on your books? Cleanup (also called catch-up) is billed as a one-time project before recurring monthly work begins.
| Scope | Typical range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Light cleanup (1–3 months behind) | $500 – $1,500 | Categorize, reconcile, and tie out to bank statements |
| Standard cleanup (3–9 months behind) | $1,500 – $4,000 | Rebuild ledgers, fix prior-year miscategorizations |
| Deep cleanup (9–18 months behind) | $4,000 – $9,000 | Multi-year reconciliations, late-return support |
| Catch-up / multi-year (18+ months) | $9,000 – $25,000+ | Full ledger reconstruction, often spans 2–3 tax years |
| Per-month catch-up rate | $300 – $700 / month behind | Most providers price by months-behind + transaction volume |
Recurring
Monthly bookkeeping packages
An ongoing engagement closes your books within 5–10 business days of month-end so owners and investors get real-time visibility, not stale numbers.
- Every transaction categorized to your chart of accounts
- All bank, credit card, and loan accounts reconciled to statements
- Monthly P&L, balance sheet, and cash-flow statement delivered
- AP and AR maintained throughout the month, not just at month-end
- Monthly review call to flag anomalies and answer questions
- CPA-ready year-end financials handed off on January 31
One-time project
Cleanup & catch-up bookkeeping
Cleanup rebuilds messy or behind books before recurring work starts. Most providers scope it as a fixed project priced by months-behind and transaction volume.
- Categorize and reconcile prior-period transactions back to true balances
- Fix duplicated, miscategorized, or missing entries
- Rebuild balance sheets when retained earnings have drifted
- Late tax returns filed with accurate numbers your CPA can stand behind
- Hand-off into a recurring monthly package once books are current
- Optional IRS notice support if a missed filing has already triggered a letter
Bundle
Payroll + bookkeeping bundle
When the same provider handles payroll and the books, wage and tax data flows straight to the GL — no manual journal entries, no year-end scramble.
- Payroll auto-posted to QuickBooks Online, Xero, or Sage with proper splits
- 401(k), HSA, and benefit accruals tracked monthly, not just at year-end
- Workers comp audit data pulled directly from payroll classes
- Cash flow forecasts driven by actual pay-period and tax-deposit dates
- One vendor, one bill, one team that knows your books and your payroll
- Year-end W-2 / 1099 reconciled to the GL before filing
Reporting
Financial reporting & KPIs
Numbers are only useful when they're decision-ready. A good bookkeeper packages monthly financials with the KPIs that matter to your business.
- Monthly profit & loss with prior-year and budget comparisons
- Balance sheet review with explanations of material changes
- Cash-flow statement and 13-week cash forecast
- Industry-specific KPIs (gross margin, labor %, COGS % of revenue)
- Department, class, or location reporting where applicable
- Custom dashboards via Fathom, LivePlan, or Google Sheets
QuickBooks
QuickBooks Online support
Most U.S. small businesses run on QuickBooks Online. A QuickBooks-certified bookkeeper sets the file up correctly the first time and maintains it month after month.
- QuickBooks Online setup, chart of accounts, and bank feeds configured
- QuickBooks ProAdvisor-certified bookkeepers and accountants
- Migration from desktop QuickBooks, spreadsheets, or another platform
- Bank rules, recurring transactions, and class tracking optimized
- QuickBooks Payments, Payroll, and Bill Pay integrations supported
- You remain the primary account owner — never locked out of your file
Xero
Xero bookkeeping support
Xero is the platform of choice for many startups, ecommerce sellers, and international businesses. Xero-certified bookkeepers run a tighter month-end close.
- Xero setup, conversion from QuickBooks, and chart of accounts design
- Xero-certified advisor bookkeepers familiar with multi-currency
- Hubdoc, A2X, Stripe, Shopify, and Gusto integrations configured
- Tracking categories used for project, location, or department reporting
- Month-end close workflow run inside Xero with reviewer signoff
- You retain subscriber rights to your Xero organization
Software
QuickBooks, Xero & cloud bookkeeping support
Most outsourced bookkeepers work in QuickBooks Online or Xero. Knowing the platform helps you compare quotes apples to apples.
| Platform | Best for | Pricing (typical) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| QuickBooks Online | Most U.S. small businesses; default for CPA firms | $35 – $235 / mo (Simple Start → Advanced) | Largest ProAdvisor network; tightest integration with QuickBooks Payroll |
| Xero | Startups, ecommerce, multi-currency, international | $20 – $80 / mo (Early → Established) | Cleaner UX, unlimited users on every plan, strong app marketplace |
| FreshBooks | Solopreneurs, freelancers, service-based businesses | $21 – $65 / mo + $11/team member | Invoicing-first; lighter on inventory and accrual reporting |
| Wave | Very small businesses with minimal volume | Free core, paid add-ons | Good entry point; outgrown quickly past 50 transactions/mo |
| Sage Intacct | Mid-market and multi-entity businesses | Quote-based, $400+ / mo typical | True multi-entity consolidation; overkill below ~$5M revenue |
Vetting checklist
Questions to ask a bookkeeping provider
- 1What accounting software do you use, and will I remain the file owner?
- 2How quickly do you close the books after month-end?
- 3Is your pricing flat-fee monthly or hourly, and what triggers scope changes?
- 4Can you handle cleanup or catch-up before we start the monthly engagement?
- 5Do you offer payroll, AP, and AR — or do I need separate vendors?
- 6How do you coordinate with my CPA at year-end?
- 7What industries do you specialize in, and can you share references?
- 8How is my financial data protected — MFA, SOC 2, encrypted document portals?
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Common questions
Bookkeeping FAQs
How much do bookkeeping packages cost?+
Most U.S. small businesses pay $200–$3,500/month for outsourced bookkeeping depending on transaction volume, account count, and whether the books are cash or accrual basis. See the packages above for typical Starter, Growth, and Premium tiers.
How much does cleanup or catch-up bookkeeping cost?+
Cleanup is usually billed as a one-time project priced by months-behind and transaction volume — typically $300–$700 per month behind. Use our bookkeeping cleanup cost calculator for an instant estimate.
What's the difference between bookkeeping and accounting?+
Bookkeeping records and reconciles transactions monthly. Accounting (and tax) uses those clean books to prepare returns, advise on entity structure, and plan tax strategy. Most small businesses need both — often from the same firm.
Should my bookkeeper use QuickBooks Online or Xero?+
QuickBooks Online is the U.S. default and integrates with virtually every payroll, AP, and tax tool. Xero often wins for startups, ecommerce, and businesses that need multi-currency or cleaner UX. Either works — pick the one your bookkeeper and CPA can support.
Do I need a local bookkeeper or can I work with one remotely?+
Cloud bookkeeping (QuickBooks Online, Xero) means location matters less than industry fit. A specialist in your industry — restaurants, real estate, ecommerce — usually delivers more value than a local generalist.
Can the same provider handle bookkeeping and payroll?+
Yes — the payroll + bookkeeping bundle is increasingly common because payroll runs auto-post to the GL with proper splits. Bundled pricing for a 1–25 employee business typically lands at $400–$1,800/month.
Will I still need a CPA for taxes?+
Yes. Your bookkeeper closes the books monthly and delivers a CPA-ready year-end package. Your CPA then files federal, state, and local returns, and provides tax planning. Some firms offer both under one roof.
How long does it take to switch bookkeepers?+
If your existing file is current, transition usually takes 2–4 weeks for onboarding, software access, and a baseline review. If catch-up is needed first, expect 4–10 weeks before the new monthly cadence begins.
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