Bookkeeping cost estimator
Estimate a typical monthly bookkeeping fee based on your transaction volume and complexity.
Outsourced bookkeeping is priced on volume and complexity, not hours. This estimator mirrors how most US firms actually quote.
What drives the price
- Transaction volume — the biggest factor. More transactions, more categorization and reconciliation.
- Number of accounts — every bank and card account is another reconciliation each month.
- Payroll and inventory — both add journal complexity and month-end work.
- Catch-up — months of unbooked history are a one-time cleanup project before monthly service starts.
Outsourced vs in-house
A full-time US bookkeeper typically costs $45,000–$60,000 plus benefits. Most small businesses need a fraction of that capacity, which is why outsourced flat monthly plans usually win until well past seven figures in revenue.
FAQ
Does the monthly fee include tax filing?
Usually not — bookkeeping and tax preparation are separate services, though bundling both with one firm is cheaper and removes the year-end handoff.
QuickBooks or Xero — does it change the price?
Not materially. Both are fully supported; the software subscription itself is a separate small cost.
How fast can catch-up be done?
Most cleanups of 6–12 months finish in 2–4 weeks once bank statements and access are in hand.
Want this handled instead?
Leave your email — a CPA reviews your situation and sends a flat quote, usually same day.
Want it handled for you?
Flat-fee bookkeeping, filing and compliance by a licensed CPA & EA team — so tools like this become someone else's job.