Bookkeeping pricing is one of those things that's genuinely hard to research because the range is wide and the variables that drive it aren't always obvious. You'll find quotes that vary widely for what sounds like the same service.
Here's what actually determines the cost and what you should expect to pay for your situation.
Why the Price Range Is So Wide
Bookkeeping isn't one thing. It's a set of services that scales with the complexity of your business.
A sole proprietor with ten transactions a month and one bank account has fundamentally different bookkeeping needs than an S-Corp with employees, payroll, multiple revenue streams, and fifty transactions a week. The same word — bookkeeping — covers both situations. The price doesn't.
The variables that drive cost most are transaction volume, number of accounts, whether payroll is included, how far behind the books are when you start, and the level of expertise required for your specific business type.
What PBX Charges
Our bookkeeping plans are priced by monthly transaction volume:
Starter — $300/month:
up to 100 transactions per month. Freelancers, consultants, solo operators, and 1099 workers with straightforward books.
Business — $500/month:
up to 200 transactions per month. Gas stations, convenience stores, medical clinics, small retail, and restaurants with moderate transaction volume.
Custom — let's talk:
200+ transactions per month, multi-entity businesses, and complex accounting needs.
Final pricing is confirmed during a free consultation. See bookkeeping pricing.
Catch-up bookkeeping — getting books current after they've fallen behind — is usually priced separately, either as a flat project fee or at an hourly rate. Getting six months of disorganized books current can cost as much as several months of ongoing service. This is one of the better arguments for staying current rather than letting things pile up.
Bookkeeping pricing depends mostly on your transaction volume. Get a quote based on how your business actually runs.
What Should Be Included
Before comparing prices, make sure you're comparing the same scope of service.
Basic bookkeeping should include monthly transaction recording and categorization, bank and credit card reconciliation, and a profit and loss statement and balance sheet each month. That's the floor.
Some bookkeepers include accounts receivable and payable tracking, payroll processing, sales tax filing, and quarterly financial reviews. Others price these separately. Ask specifically what's included and what costs extra before you agree to anything.
Hourly vs. Monthly Flat Rate
Some bookkeepers charge hourly. Others charge a flat monthly rate based on your estimated transaction volume and complexity.
For most small businesses a flat monthly rate is preferable. It's predictable, it incentivizes the bookkeeper to work efficiently, and it eliminates the anxiety of watching the clock every time you have a question.
Hourly pricing can work if your needs are genuinely minimal and irregular — but for ongoing monthly bookkeeping, flat rate almost always makes more sense.
The Hidden Cost of Not Having It
People focus on the cost of professional bookkeeping without accounting for the cost of not having it.
Missed deductions. Disorganized books at year end mean your tax preparer is working with incomplete or inaccurate records. Deductions get missed. Some things get categorized wrong. The error doesn't show up as a line item but it shows up in your tax bill.
Accountant time. If your bookkeeper hands clean records to your accountant, tax preparation is faster and cheaper. If your accountant has to sort through a year of disorganized transactions before they can prepare your return, you're paying accountant rates for bookkeeping work.
Your own time. If you're spending four or five hours a week on your books, that's time not spent on the work that actually generates revenue. At some point the math is clear.
Bad decisions. Financial decisions made without accurate current information are worse than decisions made with it. This one is harder to quantify but it's real.
What to Ask Before You Hire
Get clear on scope before you agree to a price. What exactly is included each month? How do they handle questions outside of the normal monthly work? What happens if your transaction volume is higher than expected one month? Do they handle payroll or is that separate?
Ask about their experience with businesses like yours. A bookkeeper who works primarily with retail businesses may not be the best fit for a trucking company or an S-Corp with rental income. Industry familiarity reduces errors and saves time.
Ask how they communicate. Do they send you financial statements every month with a brief explanation of what you're looking at? Or do they just send the numbers and leave you to interpret them? The former is more valuable.
The Bottom Line
At PBX, bookkeeping starts at $300 per month. For that you get current accurate books, monthly financial statements, and a foundation that makes tax time significantly less painful.
Whether that's worth it depends on your transaction volume, how much time you're currently spending on your books, and what disorganized or inaccurate records are costing you in missed deductions and bad decisions.
For most businesses past the very early stage the answer is clear. The cost of professional bookkeeping is less than what it prevents.
Books that stay current throughout the year produce a tax return that reflects them — no scrambling, no gaps, no surprises. That's the reason we keep bookkeeping and tax preparation working together under one roof.