Zoe Whitman, founder of But the Books bookkeepers in Bristol, says her fixed monthly fee starts at around £300 for basic bookkeeping, but with extras added on for services such as payroll and VAT. She also tends to work with small businesses, start-ups and companies who are not large enough to have an in-house team.

What does a bookkeeper do for a small business?

Bookkeepers handle ongoing, administrative duties for small business accounting, including:

Reconcile accountsRecord transactionsManage accounts receivable and accounts payableAdjust entriesPrepare financial statementsSend invoicesSet up and manage technology and toolsStay up to date on laws and regulationsBasic payrollWork with your accountant, tax preparer, and tax planner

By now, you should have an idea of how much a bookkeeper is going to cost you, and how that price tag stacks up against the cost of doing it yourself. Armed with that knowledge, you’re ready to decide whether to bring in a professional or hire outside help. In this example, doing your own bookkeeping is more expensive than hiring a professional — and a lot more expensive than using Keeper. It’s a better idea to have someone do it for you, since your time is more valuable elsewhere. At only $16/month (with a seven-day free trial!), this is a low-risk option for freelancers or independent contractors — or anyone who wants a bit of help filing their self-employment taxes . For one-person businesses, a dedicated traditional bookkeeper might be overkill — not to mention unaffordable.

Do You Need Basic Bookkeeping or Full-Service Accounting?

You’re thinking it’s finally time for a bookkeeper but how can you be sure – and prepared? At BELAY, you have one dedicated bookkeeper that completes all work on your account. We are intentional in our placement as we want the bookkeeper to be a great fit for your team.

Ultimately, hiring a bookkeeper or financial management company will be different for every business and bookkeeper costs will vary. Deciding what kind of small business bookkeeping services you need, and what your business can afford is a great place to start. FinancePal offers a variety of financial services tailored to your industry and business operations. Work with a designated financial expert to help you streamline your accounting, and allow you to prioritize your time where you’re passionate, and most needed. Accounting software reduces the amount of time spent on data entry by allowing users to sync their business bank accounts and credit cards with the software.

National Association of Certified Public Bookkeepers (NACPB)

In this case, a fixed monthly fee is charged for a full bookkeeping service. In this case, you will not be required to pay for every phone call, fax, or email that is exchanged. However, this comprehensive accounting solution may also inflate your monthly bookkeeping costs significantly. Here is where companies could supplement a full-time accounting department while outsourcing payroll or other how much does a bookkeeper cost services. After digging through the pricing tiers of a number of different bookkeeping service providers, we’ve found that the average range for small to medium businesses is $250 – $1,500 per month. Even companies that are the same size and industry pay very different amounts for accounting. Before we get into dollar figures, let’s talk about the expenses that go into small business accounting.

Are Bookkeepers Necessary?

The function of bookkeeping is crucial to ensure that companies pay their employees and vendors accurately. It also keeps track of supplies and other expenditures. Additionally, bookkeeping can be used to reduce expenses and improve profitability by finding areas where costs can be reduced.

Not every business has the same bookkeeping needs as others, and their needs will likely change as the company experiences growth. Part-time bookkeepers and outsourced bookkeeping firms are a sound solution for new businesses, while full-time bookkeepers tend to benefit more established companies more.