Best Bookkeeping Services for Small Businesses

1-800Accountant is our top pick for full-service bookkeeping because it offers a broad range of services, including bookkeeping, tax preparation and advising, business entity formation and payroll services.

However, be aware that most of the services on this list aren’t included in the basic plan and must be added on for a supplemental fee. Additionally, the company offers only quarterly meetings with your bookkeeper, which is less frequent than some of its competitors.

Pilot has some niche services that make it a uniquely good fit for startup businesses, such as CFO services and R&D tax credit preparation. It also offers quite a few perks, like a discount for pre-revenue businesses and integrations with multiple commonly used business software programs.

Still, its pricing model isn’t the most transparent since you’ll be limited to custom pricing as your monthly expenses grow. Plus, Pilot’s onboarding fee is fairly hefty since it’s equal to one month of bookkeeping services.

Since Bench Accounting uses proprietary software, it’s likely going to be best suited for newer businesses that haven’t yet committed to an accounting platform, like QuickBooks. Plus, it offers catch-up bookkeeping services, which may be useful to those who haven’t invested in bookkeeping before.

That said, Bench’s proprietary software may make it more difficult to switch platforms if you end up wanting to do so in the future. And, while this provider does offer an option to add on tax services, it doesn’t provide any assistance with payroll.

Although this service is available to anyone, if you’re already an existing QuickBooks user, it should be especially easy to get started with QuickBooks Live’s full-service bookkeeping services. For those who choose to go this route, there are a few perks. In particular, every client is provided with catch-up bookkeeping services to give you a fresh start. In addition, the company offers an accuracy guarantee on its accountants’ work.

At the same time, though, this provider is much more expensive than its competition, with packages priced up to $700/month, depending on your expenses. Plus, those catch-up bookkeeping services come at an extra cost. QuickBooks Live charges a mandatory one-month cleanup fee.

If you’re only looking for support from a live bookkeeper on an as-needed basis, Bookkeeper360 could be a strong option. In addition to its weekly and monthly plans, it offers the opportunity to choose pay-as-you-go support for an hourly fee. Plus, unlike some of its competitors, this platform offers an app, giving you access to your finances while you’re on the go.

Yet, depending on which plan you choose, Bookkeeper360 can get pricey and the price will escalate over what’s advertised if you have a lot of monthly expenses. It also charges higher prices for accrual-based accounting methods. And if you also want to enroll in tax preparation or payroll services, those will have to be purchased separately for an additional fee.

If you run a project-based business, you may want to consider working with Decimal for your bookkeeping needs. The company offers several services — like job costing and project profitability — that may be useful, though they are add-ons. In addition, the platform integrates with several other business and financial software solutions, which can make it easier to get up and running.

Unfortunately, the company lacks transparency around its pricing and some of its plan inclusions do not match up to its competitors. For example, support from a dedicated accountant is only available with Decimal’s Premium plan.

Wave’s accounting software is free to use, which makes it a good fit for startups, sole proprietors, or anyone who has just decided to start a business. With rates as low as $149/month its add-on bookkeeping service seems like a good deal at first glance, especially when you consider that the fee includes monthly review calls with an accountant.

Keep in mind that the company’s free accounting software may not have as many robust features as paid accounting platforms, which may limit what a bookkeeper is able to do for you. Also, its add-on payroll services aren’t available in every state, so be sure to do your research before signing up for that service.

If you’re just looking for basic bookkeeping services, Merritt Bookkeeping offers them at a flat, monthly rate. Plus, it offers some unique perks, like a 90-day money-back guarantee and discounted catch-up bookkeeping services. But, the company’s most unique feature is that it displays all of its financial reporting in a custom-built software system so that you don’t have to subscribe to an additional service like QuickBooks.

On the other hand, it may not be the best fit if you need more comprehensive services, like tax prep or payroll. And, the fact that it uses proprietary software may make it harder to switch companies if you decide you need more robust bookkeeping help later on down the road.

If you want a bookkeeping service that’s custom-built to serve your needs, consider using FinancePal. The company prices all of its services on an a la carte basis to ensure that you’ll only pay for exactly what you need. It could be a good fit for those who have highly specialized financials or those who want to take care of some of their reporting on their own.

Since the pricing is so customized, though, it’s hard to get a true sense of what your bookkeeping work will cost. Plus, when you’re choosing services individually, there’s a chance that your bill may add up fast.