How much does a bookkeeper cost?

"How much does a bookkeeper cost?" is the right question — but the honest answer is "it depends," because a one-person consultancy and a multi-location restaurant need very different things. Here's how pricing actually works, so you can judge a quote for yourself.

The three common pricing models

1. Hourly

Independent bookkeepers commonly charge roughly $40–$100+ per hour, depending on experience and location. Hourly is transparent and flexible, but the monthly total depends on how much work your books actually need. (We use clear hourly tiers — the more committed hours, the lower the rate — see our pricing.)

2. Fixed monthly

Many firms bundle bookkeeping into a flat monthly fee, often somewhere between $300 and $2,000+ per month for small businesses, scaling with transaction volume, number of accounts, and add-ons like payroll or sales tax. Predictable, but watch what's included.

3. In-house employee

A full-time bookkeeper salary plus payroll taxes and benefits typically runs $50,000–$75,000+ per year. That only makes sense at real scale — for most small businesses, outsourcing is far cheaper than a salaried hire.

What actually drives the price

• Transaction volume — more bank/card activity means more to categorize and reconcile
• Number of accounts — each bank, card, loan and merchant account adds reconciliation work
• How far behind you are — cleanup of months or years costs more up front (see catch-up bookkeeping)
• Add-ons — payroll, sales tax, AR/AP, and reporting all add scope
• Cleanliness of records — organized statements are quicker than a shoebox

Cheap bookkeeping is usually the expensive option

A bargain bookkeeper who miscategorizes income, misses deductions, or leaves accounts unreconciled costs you far more at tax time — in higher tax bills, accountant cleanup fees, and bad decisions made on wrong numbers. The value isn't data entry; it's trustworthy numbers.

What it costs to work with us

We bill bookkeeping on transparent hourly tiers (from $60/hr at higher committed hours up to $90/hr for light engagements), and quote tax and business services on a clear "starts at" basis. You'll always know the number before we begin. See the full pricing schedule or get a fixed quote for your situation.