How much does a bookkeeper cost for a small business?
Small business bookkeeping runs between $200 and $600 per month for standard services. The actual cost depends on how many transactions you have, how many bank and credit card accounts need reconciling, and whether your business has specialized accounting needs.
Transaction volume drives most of the price difference. A consulting firm with 50 transactions per month takes less work than a contractor with 300 transactions across multiple accounts and payment processors. More credit cards, more bank accounts, and more complexity all require more time.
Industry matters because some businesses need more than basic categorization. Full-service bookkeeping for a straightforward service business looks different than what a general contractor needs. Contractors require job costing to see margins by project. Restaurants need tip reporting and food cost tracking. The more specialized your requirements, the higher the investment.
What you get for the monthly fee varies by provider. Some handle only transaction entry and bank reconciliation. Others include monthly financial statements, accounts receivable follow-up, and variance reporting. Payroll is usually separate, typically $75 to $150 per pay run depending on headcount. Tax preparation is almost always billed separately, usually $800 to $2,000 for small business returns.
The cheapest bookkeeper isn’t always the best value. Someone who doesn’t understand your industry can produce books that are technically accurate but don’t help you run your business. If you need job-level profitability or cash flow visibility, generic bookkeeping won’t get you there.
Many business owners try doing their own books to save money. They spend 8 to 10 hours monthly on it, make mistakes that don’t surface until tax time, and miss trends that could improve operations. At what those hours are worth, DIY bookkeeping often costs more than hiring help. And when the books need cleaning up later, the fix costs more than professional bookkeeping services in MetroWest would have cost from the start.
The real question is whether accurate financial information helps you make better decisions. For most small businesses, having reliable numbers and knowing where the money goes is worth the monthly investment.
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More Questions
How do I set up QuickBooks for my small business?
Start by choosing QuickBooks Online or Desktop, then connect your bank accounts and build a chart of accounts that matches how your business actually operates. Getting the structure right before you start categorizing transactions prevents expensive cleanup work later.
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QuickBooks can track inventory, but it requires proper setup and consistent processes. Enable inventory tracking, create inventory items with accurate costs, and maintain regular counts to keep your books accurate.
Read answerHow do I manage cash flow as a contractor?
Construction cash flow is uniquely challenging because you pay for materials and labor before clients pay you. Managing it requires deposits upfront, progress billing, weekly AR tracking, and cash reserves for slow periods.
Read answerCan a bookkeeper help with cash flow planning?
Yes, and it often makes more sense than handling it separately. Your bookkeeper already knows your numbers, understands your billing cycles, and sees the patterns in your income and expenses each month.
Read answerHow do I track change orders in my bookkeeping?
Set up each change order as a separate sub-project or line item within the main job. Code all labor, materials, and subcontractor costs to that specific change order so you can see profitability on the base contract versus extras.
Read answerHow long does it take to get bookkeeping caught up?
Most catch-up projects take between two and eight weeks, though complex situations with years of backlog can stretch longer. The timeline depends on how far behind you are, your transaction volume, and how organized your existing records are.
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