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.
Greater Boston's Trusted Bookkeeping Partner
The Next Step:
A Short Conversation
We'll ask a few questions, figure out what you need, and give you a straightforward quote.
More Questions
How do I handle tip reporting in my restaurant's books?
Tips that pass through your restaurant are employee wages, not revenue. Credit card tips show as a liability until paid out. Cash tips get reported by employees and flow through payroll for tax withholding.
Read answerWhere can I find construction bookkeeping help in Massachusetts?
Look for bookkeepers with specific construction experience who understand job costing, WIP accounting, and retainage tracking. Local knowledge of Massachusetts construction rhythms and vendor norms makes a real difference.
Read answerWhy is my contractor bookkeeping so complicated?
Contractor bookkeeping is inherently more complex because you track costs by job and phase, manage timing gaps between deposits and final payments, and handle subcontractor documentation across multiple projects simultaneously.
Read answerShould I outsource bookkeeping or do it myself?
The answer depends on your transaction volume, how much your time is worth, and whether you'll actually keep up with it. DIY works for simple businesses that stay current. Most owners fall behind and end up paying more to fix the mess.
Read answerHow do I know when to upgrade from bookkeeping to CFO services?
The signal isn't a revenue number. It's when you're making significant decisions without the financial insight to evaluate them properly. If you're flying blind on pricing, growth investments, or cash planning, you've likely outgrown basic bookkeeping.
Read answerHow do I reconcile my bank accounts in QuickBooks?
Reconciliation means matching QuickBooks transactions to your bank statement line by line. You enter the statement ending date and balance, check off matching transactions, and resolve any differences until the balance reaches zero.
Read answer