9 Best Online Bookkeeping Services in 2024

Pros

• Supports unlimited users
• Offers catch-up bookkeeping services
• Has affordable plans that include annual income tax return
• Provides access to a team of in-house bookkeepers
• Has a free demo that includes a free prior month of bookkeeping and financial statements

Cons

• Operates on proprietary software that doesn’t integrate with other accounting software like QuickBooks
• Has no Android app
• Requires separate DIY software for invoicing, bill payment, payroll, and inventory management

Bench offers two different pricing plans, which depend on whether you want tax advice and filings included with your bookkeeping. Discounts are available if you elect to pay annually:

• Essential: $299 per month for monthly bookkeeping ($249 per month if paid annually)
• Premium: $499 a month for monthly bookkeeping, annual tax filing, and tax advisory services ($399 per month if paid annually)

If you are behind on your bookkeeping, you can use Bench’s Catch Up and Retro bookkeeping services to bring your books up to date. Fees start at $199 per month.

Our overall best online bookkeeping service is Bench because it provides bookkeeping support at a lower cost than many similar platforms while also offering tax assistance and payroll integration. It has catch-up bookkeeping services—ideal if you have fallen more than two years behind in your bookkeeping. While the service alone doesn’t let you create invoices and manage bill pay and payroll, it’ll work closely with accounting software, like FreshBooks, so you can perform such essential tasks.

Freelancers and startups that work remotely will often appreciate the iOS mobile app that provides financial reporting functionality and real-time cash flow updates. Upon enrollment, you’ll have access to a team of in-house bookkeepers, and you can book a monthly check-in or tax season review call with them at no additional charge.

Bench aced our evaluation of pricing. However, it suffered in the personal bookkeeper category because it doesn’t offer video meetings or provide a phone number to call for support, although you can schedule a telephone meeting through the Bench platform. If access to video meetings and a phone number to call for support is important to you, we suggest Bookkeeper360.

It also lacks a couple of important bookkeeping features, including full-service payroll and paying bills. Although it will assist with tracking accounts receivable, that excludes invoicing customers. It also doesn’t let you customize services to create your own plan. Once again, Bookkeeper360 is an excellent solution for this as it earned a perfect score in bookkeeping services.

In the area of tax and consulting, its Premium plan will file your annual tax return and provide tax advisory services. However, it doesn’t offer sales tax return filing and chief financial officer (CFO) advice.

• Dedicated bookkeeper: They will handle all aspects of your account and serve as your point of contact.
• Financial statements: You’ll receive these monthly.
• Catch-up bookkeeping: For an additional fee, you can enroll in Bench Retro, a special program for businesses that are more than two years behind in their bookkeeping.
• Tax assistance: With a Premium plan, your federal and state business tax returns—as well as individual returns for sole proprietors—are included.
• Payroll integration: The Gusto integration helps you manage your payroll. It’ll handle your payroll tax filing, manage employee information and benefits, and generate W-2s.
• 1099 reporting: This allows you to track payments to your independent contractors, which includes the transaction date, payee name, the total amount paid to the contractor during the tax year, and the payment method.

• Businesses that don’t want to purchase or learn accounting software: With Bench, you’ll be connected to a team of professional bookkeepers who will maintain your books, eliminating the need to purchase your own accounting software.
• Companies and independent contractors seeking annual tax filing: If you sign up for Bench’s Premium plan, an annual business income tax return is included.

Pros

• Offers a 100% money-back guarantee if you’re unsatisfied with services
• Has catch-up bookkeeping at a discounted rate
• Is budget-friendly; flat-rate pricing with no setup charges
• Comes with a quick setup and initiation process
• Has outstanding user reviews of 4.98 out of 5

Cons

• Has no accrual basis accounting
• Doesn’t offer personal access to your QuickBooks files
• Offers only basic bookkeeping services; lacks payroll, tax, and invoicing

Merritt Bookkeeping costs a flat rate of $190 per month, with no restriction on the number of monthly transactions or the frequency of the service. The price is the same regardless of your business size and the number of employees.

It also offers catch-up bookkeeping services, which are $140 for each month you’re behind. The rate goes down to $70 per month for months that are almost complete.

We selected Merritt Bookkeeping as one of the best online bookkeeping services because it ranked high among users, with the best user-review scores of all providers listed here, and is praised for its ease of use and accessible customer service.

Its low flat-rate fee and 100% money-back guarantee are also attractive features. You can use its monthly financial reports to assist with filing taxes, and it provides a simplified issuance and electronic filing of 1099s for your contractors at an additional fee.

It works with businesses using QuickBooks. While it doesn’t offer many of the advanced tools that other online bookkeeping services provide, it’s easy to use and has a quick setup process. If you’re behind on your books, catch-up bookkeeping is available.

With a flat fee of $190 per month, Merritt Bookkeeping received a perfect score for pricing. It also received the highest user review score of all the providers on our list.

It did, however, suffer in the personal bookkeeper category because while it offers a dedicated bookkeeper, it doesn’t provide video meetings, a phone number to call, or a mobile app. Bookkeeper360 offers all three, so it’s a good solution if that is what you’re looking for.

Merritt Bookkeeping also lacks tax or consulting services, and its bookkeeping services are limited to account reconciliation and preparation of financial statements. Once again, we recommend Bookkeeper360 if your business needs those services.

• Intuitive user interface (UI): An easy-to-access client portal enables you to view reports and how your transactions are categorized. If there are any corrections, you can indicate these through the custom interface.
• Monthly financial reports: In addition to your standard financial statements, you’ll receive 10 detailed reports on the performance of your business each month.
• 1099 filing: Merritt will assist with filing 1099 forms for your contractors for an additional fee of $75 for the report preparation and $8 per form.
• 90-day money-back guarantee: You can test out Merritt Bookkeeping for three months at no risk. If you’re dissatisfied within that period, you’ll receive a full refund.

• Businesses on a budget: If you’re looking to save money, Merritt is affordable, and its services are available at one flat rate, regardless of your monthly expenses or transactions.
• Small businesses wanting to track income and expenses for their tax returns: If you don’t plan on using your financial statements for anything other than preparing a tax return, then Merritt’s very basic, affordable service is ideal for you. You can also use it to process 1099 forms for your contractors.
• Small businesses or freelancers using QuickBooks: If you currently use QuickBooks Online but are tired of the bookkeeping headache, you can transfer your QuickBooks Online account to Merritt and let it take over.

Pros

• Offers tax help with free accounting software
• Lets you meet with a tax pro in person or virtually
• Has a full menu of financial services, including taxes and payroll
• Has transaction syncing
• Can import documents, like W-2s and 1099s, by snapping a photo

Cons

• Has no desktop software
• Lacks a dedicated mobile app
• Has a DIY option that’s unavailable for corporate and partnership returns
• Uses Xero accounting software, which can be limiting if you would prefer to use QuickBooks or another software

Block Advisors offers three levels of pricing:

• Self-Serve: $39 per month for DIY bookkeeping with income and expense management, easy receipt capture, and standard reporting
• Full-Service: $175 per month; includes a dedicated accountant, chart of accounts (COA) set-up, review of books year-to-date (YTD), and custom financial statements
• Premium: $299 per month; includes everything in Full-Service, plus inventory, mileage, and expense tracking tools, custom chart of accounts, accrual-based accounting, sales and use tax filing, and multiple currency options

Tax filing starts at $115 for DIY and $203 for full-service assistance.

Block Advisors is a branch of H&R Block that provides tax, bookkeeping, and payroll support. It’s a great option if you’re looking for reliable and efficient support year-round. We selected it as the best online bookkeeping firm that includes low-priced tax preparation because you can either work one-on-one with a tax professional or opt for its DIY option, with assistance available via live chat, phone, and videoconference.

Its bookkeeping services include a free, 30-minute consultation with an account manager, a review of your books year-to-date, and an action plan created each quarter with specific recommendations. Its plans are affordable and can be customized based on your needs.

Block Advisors aced our pricing category and received higher-than-average marks in the other criteria. It doesn’t offer a mobile app or unlimited meetings, so Bench is a better option in this case. However, with Block Advisors, you’ll be assigned a dedicated bookkeeper who will provide access to video meetings, and there is also a phone number to call if you need support.

It also provides basic bookkeeping services like account reconciliation and financial statements, but not invoicing or bill pay. Customized services are also unavailable. In terms of tax and consulting, it will file your income tax return but doesn’t handle sales tax or CFO advisory services. Bookkeeper360 is a good solution if invoicing, bill pay, customized services, sales tax filing, and CFO advisory services are what you’re seeking.

• Bookkeeping services: Both levels of bookkeeping support give you free, on-demand access to Xero. The Full-Service plan gives you access to an accounting pro and financial statements, while the Premium plan provides specialized features like inventory and project accounting.
• 100% Accuracy Guarantee: You can rest assured that your books will be accurate as Block Advisors guarantees that if it makes an error on your return, you’ll be reimbursed for any resulting penalties and interest.
• Payroll services: Block Advisors can assist with generating payroll, creating and filing quarterly and year-end payroll tax forms, and providing support.
• Small business expertise: Your Block Advisor is equipped to handle anything from your Schedule C return to reviewing your financial statements.

• Businesses looking to outsource their taxes, bookkeeping, and payroll: Block Advisors offers a full menu of financial services, and you can customize a package that works for your business. Bookkeeping services include the option of DIY with on-demand support or full-service with a dedicated account manager.
• Businesses wanting the ability to meet with a tax professional in person or virtually: Block Advisors is flexible and will accommodate your meeting preference, whether that’s in person or via phone, video, or live chat.

Pros

• Offers a dedicated bookkeeper
• Uses Xero or QuickBooks bookkeeping software
• Provides free consultations
• Has a wide range of services and tailored solutions
• Offers accrual basis accounting

Cons

• Requires a $500 initial retainer for the Pay-As-You-Go plan
• Is more expensive than other options listed in our guide

There are three subscription plans available, depending on the services you need and the frequency. These are the starting prices as they increase based on the number of monthly expenses. There is no contract required, and you can cancel anytime:

• Pay-As-You-Go: $49 per month plus $125 per hour for support for up to $20,000 in monthly expenses
• Monthly: Starts at $399 per month for cash and $549 for accrual for up to $20,000 in monthly expenses; support included
• Weekly: Starts at $549 per month for cash and $749 for accrual for up to $20,000 in monthly expenses; support and advanced reporting included

Add-ons:

• Invoicing & Bill Pay: Starts at $150 per month
• Payroll & HR: Starts at $46 per month
• CFO Advisory: Starts at $1,000 per month

Tax filing: $800 per business filing and $300 per individual filing

Bookkeeper360 offers both accounting and cloud-based bookkeeping services and business advisory services. We recommend it as the best virtual accounting firm because it provides a large variety of services and—like a local accountant—will tailor its services to meet your needs.

Its mobile app integrates with your Xero account to provide business insights, and there are also payroll, human resources (HR), taxes, back office, and CFO advisory services available. While Bookkeeper360 is our best recommendation for Xero users, it also works well for QuickBooks Online users dissatisfied with the limited services of QuickBooks Live.

Bookkeeper360 aced our personal bookkeeper and bookkeeping services categories, but its main flaw is the cost of its services, which starts at $399 per month for cash-based accounting and $549 per month for accrual-based accounting. Its pricing can be a bit confusing as there is a sliding scale based on not only the accounting basis but also the amount of monthly expenses and the frequency and type of services you need. If you’re seeking straightforward and affordable pricing, then Bench is a good option, although it has its own proprietary accounting software.

For tax and accounting, Bookkeeper360 also scored high, although it doesn’t offer the ability to file sales tax returns. The user review score of Bookkeeper360 is high as well, at almost a perfect score.

• Mobile app: Bookkeeper360’s mobile app connects to your Xero or QuickBooks Online account and provides valuable information, including scorecards and metrics.
• CFO advisory: Available for an additional fee, a dedicated accountant will work with you to analyze your financials and determine a strategy to manage and grow your business.
• Payroll and HR solutions: Full-service payroll is integrated fully with your bookkeeping, starting at $46 per month.
• Accrual basis accounting: Features include complex accounting like deferred revenue, inventory, and accrued expenses.

• Businesses using Xero and QuickBooks Online: We recommend Bookkeeper360 as the best online bookkeeping service for Xero users because of its scalability and seamless integration with Xero accounts.
• Startups and growing businesses: It has scalable and customizable solutions and even offers add-on services, such as payroll and HR solutions, tax filing, and CFO advisory.
• Businesses using accrual-based accounting: Accrual accounting is available with Bookkeeper360, which includes deferred revenue, inventory, and accrued expenses.

Pros

• Has bookkeepers who are licensed CPAs in the Philippines
• Is a flexible small company that will work with any bookkeeping software
• Doesn’t charge for bookkeeping and other financial-related inquiries
• Offers add-on services like budgeting and inventory tracking

Cons

• Doesn’t provide tax preparation and filing services
• Offers catch-up bookkeeping only to new clients who sign a one-year bookkeeping contract
• Has no payroll services

Brainy Advisors bases its fees on your company’s expenses, complexity, number of transactions, and needs. There are no onboarding or sign-up fees, and you can cancel your subscription anytime.

• Startups & Small Businesses: $229 per month (monthly contract) or $195 per month (annual contract) for businesses with less than $30,000 in COGS and expenses
• Medium-sized Businesses: $379 per month (monthly contract) or $325 per month (annual contract) for businesses with $30,000 to $80,000 in COGS and expenses
• Large-sized Businesses: $699 per month (monthly contract) or $595 per month (annual contract) for businesses with $80,000 to $150,000 in COGS and expenses
• Enterprise Solutions: Custom quote for businesses with more than $150,000 in COGS and expenses

Catch-up bookkeeping is offered at 20% off the standard monthly rate but is only available to new clients who sign a one-year bookkeeping services contract. Brainy Advisors also offers add-on services like A/R and A/P management at $49 per hour.

Brainy Advisors uses CPAs from the Philippines to deliver outstanding bookkeeping services at a very affordable rate. These CPAs are expert accountants, although they don’t offer any US tax services or payroll. The CPAs can help customers with extremely complicated scenarios, such as consolidating parent and subsidiary corporations.

In addition, Brainy Advisors gives you the ability to create a customized plan for only the services you need—whether that’s A/R and A/P management or inventory and cost of goods sold (COGS) tracking—at a rate of $49 per hour. While it mainly works with QuickBooks and Xero, it is a small company, but its CPAs are knowledgeable enough to tailor their services to whatever bookkeeping software you prefer.

Brainy Advisors provides dedicated bookkeepers. It also did relatively well for the bookkeeping services that are offered, including bank reconciliation and financial statements, but because it doesn’t offer invoicing or bill pay as part of its regular services, it didn’t receive a perfect score. However, customized services are available that offer A/R and A/P management.

The service doesn’t offer tax preparation and filing, so it didn’t score well in the tax category. However, it aced pricing, which is based on several factors, including your company’s expenses and number of transactions. The hourly rate of $49 for add-on services is also affordable.

As a new company, we were unable to find any user reviews, so those were not factored into its score.

• Streamlined organization: Brainy Advisors handles categorizing your transactions, reconciling bank accounts, and creating monthly reports, which saves you time and ensures your finances are well-organized and accurate.
• Catch-up bookkeeping: After a one-on-one assessment call, Brainy Advisors will review your books and provide you with an estimated cost and timeline. It will also communicate with you during the process to ensure that any issues are resolved and will work with you in the future to ensure that you don’t fall behind again.
• Tax season support: Although Brainy Advisors isn’t able to prepare and file your income taxes, it will generate a complete tax package for your tax preparer and collaborate with them regarding any questions. It will also close your year-end books and reconcile them with your tax filings.
• Budgeting and forecasting: Considered an add-on service, Brainy Advisors can also assist with preparing a budget and forecasting cash flow. It can also monitor actual financial results against projections and help you set financial goals.

• Businesses that have fallen behind on their bookkeeping: If you partner with Brainy Advisors for a minimum plan subscription, it will provide discounted rates for catch-up bookkeeping. It covers any period, from several months to several years, as long as you can provide its team with the essential documents for reconciliation.
• Businesses wanting access to a variety of custom add-on services: If you’re looking for additional services like financial reporting and analysis, you’ll be billed an hourly rate based on the time required. This involves a more personalized approach and a more flexible scope of work.
• New business owners seeking bookkeeping guidance: If you’re a new business owner, you can rely on Brainy Advisors to set up a bookkeeping system that works for you and show you how to track your income and expenses correctly. Its team can also train you on how to use QuickBooks or Xero or handle it entirely for you.

Pros

• Can manage multiple business entities
• Has dedicated accountants + bookkeeper
• Offers a quarterly business tax review
• Has a dedicated personal financial planner

Cons

• Has no monthly subscription option; only annual
• Provides bookkeeping services only in Enterprise Business plan
• Has financial reports only in Enterprise Business plan

A free live bookkeeping consultation is required before signing up, and services are billed annually. You also have the option of customizing a package that is more specifically tailored to your business needs.

Bookkeeping services and financial reports are available only with an Enterprise Business subscription, while business and personal tax preparation services are available with the Core Accounting and Enterprise Business plans:

• Tax Advisory: $179 per month for year-round tax advice and proactive tax planning
• Core Accounting: $239 per month for year-round tax advice, proactive tax planning, and tax preparation
• Enterprise Business: $399 per month for year-round tax advice, proactive tax planning, bookkeeping, business and personal tax preparation, and personal financial planning

1-800Accountant is a nationwide virtual accounting firm that will handle all of your accounting needs, from bookkeeping to tax preparation and filing. It focuses on the needs of not only the business, but also the business owner. The Enterprise plan includes both personal tax preparation and personal financial planning for the owner.

With its powerful mobile app, it is also useful for businesses working remotely. Additionally, you’ll have access to bookkeepers, tax and financial advisors, payroll specialists, and a dedicated accountant who is an expert in your state and industry.

In our evaluation of 1-800Accountant’s Enterprise plan, it took a hit in pricing because it charges $399 a month, which is more expensive than many of its competitors. Although it offers a dedicated bookkeeper and a number to call, it doesn’t offer video meetings or unlimited meetings, which is why it scored lower in the personal bookkeeper category. A good alternative is QuickBooks Live, which provides video meetings and unlimited meetings in general.

Additionally, 1-800Accountant does not provide invoicing or bill pay services or the ability to customize your plan, so its score was lowered in these areas. While it does offer income tax return filing and tax advice, it lacks sales tax return filing and CFO advice. 1-800Accountant also offers a mobile app, which is useful for communicating with your bookkeeper, tracking mileage, and accessing your account from anywhere.

• Entity formation: 1-800Accountant will prepare and file your Articles of Incorporation, file for your employer identification number, serve as your registered agent, and help set up your business to maximize tax savings.
• Dedicated accountant: You’ll be matched with a dedicated accountant who is knowledgeable in your industry and location.
• Catch-up bookkeeping: No matter how far you have fallen behind with your books, 1-800Accountant will provide assistance with getting your finances up-to-date.
• Tax advice, preparation, and payroll: Depending on the plan you select, 1-800Accountant will file your business and personal taxes, as well as provide year-round tax advice, tax consulting and planning, and audit defense. It will also process payroll for your employees.

• Family-owned businesses: 1-800Accountant serves not only the business, but also the business owner with both personal tax preparation and personal financial planning.
• Small businesses wanting access to year-round tax services: Available with all the provider’s plans, you’ll be connected with a dedicated accountant who will assist with proactive tax planning and quarterly reviews.
• Small businesses working remotely: 1-800Accountant has a robust mobile app that has all the same features as the cloud-based version. The app also includes mileage tracking and the ability to upload documents with your phone.

Pros

• Features account reconciliation and transaction categorization
• Offers monthly review calls with your accountant
• Provides accounting and payroll coaching
• Has Wave Advisors that work with Wave, a free accounting software

Cons

• Lacks bill pay or invoicing services
• Has no free trial
• Lacks tax filing services
• Requires you to request a custom quote for bookkeeping support

Wave Advisors offers bookkeeping support, accounting and payroll coaching, and tax coaching. Not a lot of information is offered in terms of the type of support offered, and Wave only provides pricing for prepaid annual plans—although month-to-month plans are available.

For bookkeeping support, fees are calculated for a calendar month of transactions and depend on the size of your business:

• Bookkeeping Support: Starts at $149 per month, includes collaboration with your accountant and monthly review calls
• Accounting & Payroll Coaching: One-time fee of $379, although other packages are available; includes two hours of live coaching and unlimited 30-day email access to your coach
• Tax Coaching: Custom quote; includes one video call of up to 60 minutes and unlimited 30-day email access to your coach

We love Wave because it offers great accounting software that is free for one user and has a very affordable paid plan at just $16 per month for unlimited users. If you need help with the platform, working with a Wave Advisor is the easiest way to do so because it offers a team of dedicated bookkeeping professionals to help businesses manage their finances.

Because of the integration with Wave Accounting, it simplifies working with your bookkeeper and provides the ability to view your books in real time, which is why we selected it as the best for Wave users. In addition to bookkeeping, it provides accounting and payroll coaching as well as tax coaching, with access to both live coaching and email support.

Although Wave Advisors has many useful features, it doesn’t provide invoicing or bill pay services. If that’s important to you, then we recommend looking into other providers like Bookkeeper360. However, we’re fine with the low scores because its target is Wave users, which are businesses with very basic needs.

One benefit of using Wave Financial’s software is the ease of using products and services that integrate seamlessly. This includes payroll, invoicing, the ability to accept online payments, and a Wave Money account for qualified users.

Wave Advisors didn’t score well in terms of customer service, as it took a hit for not providing a phone number to call and not offering unlimited meetings. It also lacks a mobile app, and its bookkeeping services are limited, with the inability to pay bills or invoice customers. While Wave Advisors does provide payroll coaching, it doesn’t offer any customized services. Brainy and Bookkeeper360 are both good options if customized services are important to your business.

For tax and consulting, Wave Advisors also received a low score because it only offers tax advice but not income or sales tax return filing. While you can sign up for one-time accounting, payroll, or tax coaching, CFO advice is unavailable. We recommend checking Pilot out if you’re seeking CFO advice.

Note that Wave Advisors didn’t receive any user reviews, so this wasn’t factored into our overall score.

• Accounting and payroll coaching: Wave Advisors provides a one-time coaching session that includes two hours of live coaching and unlimited 30-day email access to your coach.
• Bookkeeping support: The support provided by Wave Advisors includes categorizing transactions and reconciling accounts.
• Tax coaching: Although it doesn’t provide tax preparation and filing services, Wave Advisors will provide tax coaching that is focused on small business income tax issues and planning. This includes a 60-minute video call and unlimited 30-day email access to your tax professional.
• Integration with other Wave products: Wave Financial offers integrations with accounting, invoicing, payroll, payment processing, and receipt scanning. It also has a business checking account.

• Wave users: Wave Advisors integrates directly with Wave Accounting, which allows businesses to have a complete view of their financials in one place.
• Businesses seeking free accounting software: Wave Accounting is free for accounting and invoicing, and its bookkeeping support is only $149 per month. This is ideal for businesses on a budget that are looking to save money.
• Businesses needing payroll support: Not only does Wave offer accounting software and bookkeeping services, you can also access its payroll integration. Wave Advisors will provide payroll coaching as a one-time service, ensuring that you’ll have the confidence to manage your own books.

Pros

• Provides a dedicated bookkeeper
• Offers monthly financial reports
• Doesn’t require a contract
• Has a 100% Accurate Books Guarantee

Cons

• Requires a separate subscription to QuickBooks Online
• Excludes bill payment, invoicing clients, accounts receivable (A/R), or accounts payable (A/P)
• Has no financial and tax advice
• Doesn’t support accrual basis accounting
• Lacks inventory management

There are three pricing tiers for QuickBooks Live, which are based on your business’s monthly expenses. In addition to the cost of QuickBooks Live, you will pay a monthly subscription fee for QuickBooks Online, which ranges from $30 to $200.

Your first month of service with QuickBooks Live is dedicated to onboarding and cleaning up your books at an undisclosed cost that will be customized for each customer. After that, you will pay the fee for the applicable pricing tier:

• Low volume: $300 per month for up to $10,000 in monthly expenses
• Medium volume: $500 per month for $10,000 to $50,000 in monthly expenses
• High volume: $700 per month for more than $50,000 in monthly expenses

Although a free trial is unavailable for QuickBooks Live, there is no contract, and you can cancel anytime.

QuickBooks Live is an online bookkeeping service offered by QuickBooks Online, which we ranked as the best small business accounting software. We selected QuickBooks Live as the best for assistance with QuickBooks Online because its professionals excel at helping QuickBooks users with the fundamentals of managing bank feeds, classifying transactions, reconciling accounts, and printing financial statements.

After you’re matched with a dedicated bookkeeper, you can opt to be trained on day-to-day bookkeeping tasks, which is ideal for novice QuickBooks users. Your bookkeeper will assist you with setting up your chart of accounts, connecting your banks, and creating a plan to clean up any existing data.

However, while your financial statements are sent to you monthly, your bookkeeper won’t pay bills, send invoices, manage inventory, and provide financial advice. If this is important to your business, we suggest Bookkeeper360, which aced our bookkeeping services category.

QuickBooks Live recently increased its starting price from $200 to $300, so it scores only 4 out of 5 points for pricing. We also didn’t like that the fee for your first month of service is now only available as a custom quote. QuickBooks Live also took a hit in the personal bookkeeper category because it doesn’t provide a phone number to call, although you can request a call-back. There also isn’t a mobile app that is specific to QuickBooks Live that you can use for communicating with your bookkeeper, so we deducted points there as well.

QuickBooks Live is limited in the bookkeeping services it offers, and it was penalized for not offering invoicing and bill pay services. You also don’t have access to full-service payroll or the ability to customize a service plan. Tax and consulting services also aren’t offered, so points were deducted there as well. If you want all of these features—including bill pay, invoicing, full-service payroll, customized services, and tax and consulting services—Bookkeeper360 is an excellent solution.

• Dedicated bookkeeper: You’ll be assigned a dedicated bookkeeper who’s a QuickBooks ProAdvisor.
• Real-time access: Your dedicated bookkeeper will directly access your QuickBooks Online account and allow you to view the data in real time.
• Customized setup: Your bookkeeper will assist you with setting up your chart of accounts and connecting your bank and credit card accounts.
• Payroll add-on: For an additional fee, QuickBooks Online offers full-service payroll that integrates with its software.

• Those wanting a personal connection: The dedicated bookkeeping team provides a point of contact and will answer all questions in a timely manner.
• New QuickBooks users: You can receive assistance with setting up and learning QuickBooks so that you can complete all your daily tasks easily, then perform your ongoing day-to-day bookkeeping yourself.
• DIY bookkeepers: QuickBooks Online requires you to do most of the bookkeeping yourself. They’ll help manage your bank feeds and account reconciliations, but you’ll be expected to do everything else.

Pros

• Provides a dedicated bookkeeper
• Offers accrual-based accounting
• Has industry-specific financial reports
• Offers add-ons for bill pay, invoicing, tax, and CFO services

Cons

• Requires businesses to use QuickBooks Online
• Has only accrual-basis financial statements
• Is more expensive than other providers listed here
• Lacks payroll services
• Comes with prepaid annual plans

Pilot offers three bookkeeping plans, based on an annual subscription model, that scale with your monthly expenses and your business needs:

• Starter: Starts at $499 per month for less than $30,000 in monthly expenses; includes features like a dedicated finance expert, financial statements, and support
• Core: Starts at $699 per month for less than $30,000 in monthly expenses; includes everything in Core plus priority support and expedited books delivery, among others
• Plus: Custom pricing; best for large businesses with complex needs

Add-ons:

• Pilot CFO: Starts at $1,875 per month, billed annually; includes budgeting and forecasting
• Pilot Tax: Starts at $2,450 per year for tax services, which include federal corporate income tax and 1099 filing

Pilot is a financial services firm that provides bookkeeping, tax, and CFO advisory services for startups and small businesses. Its services are built around the needs of startup companies backed by venture capitalists. While any of the bookkeeping services in this guide will help new businesses, Pilot focuses on new businesses with aspirations of becoming medium to large companies.

As your business grows and potentially takes on funding, the accrual-based and advanced bookkeeping services that it offers will be especially useful. You’ll be matched with a dedicated bookkeeper when you enroll in the service, and they’ll walk you through how to integrate your existing processes and software with QuickBooks.

Pilot’s pricing is the most expensive of the online bookkeeping services that we reviewed in this guide, which is why it earned a low score in this category. It is also lacking in customer support, as you can only contact your dedicated bookkeeper via email or the QuickBooks portal. If you’re seeking a low-cost service that also offers strong customer support, QuickBooks Live is an excellent option.

Pilot did receive strong user reviews, and it scored higher than average for its bookkeeping and tax services. While it doesn’t offer full-service payroll, it can invoice your customers, pay bills, and generate financial statements. Customized services are also available. It can also file your income tax return and provide both tax and CFO advice, but sales tax return filing is unavailable.

• Dedicated bookkeeper: Your dedicated bookkeeper will assist you with setting up your account and serve as your point of contact.
• Monthly financial reports: Basic financial reports are sent on a monthly basis. The Core plan offers more customized reports as well.
• Accrual-based accounting: Accrual-based accounting is included in all plans.
• Tax management: Pilot Tax is available as a separate package and includes federal-, state-, and city-level income tax prep and 1099 filing.

• Rapidly growing businesses, such as high-growth tech startups: As your business grows and potentially takes on funding, it can take advantage of the accrual-basis and advanced bookkeeping features that Pilot offers.
• Businesses looking for CFO and/or tax services: With Pilot CFO and Pilot Tax, you can access its CFO consulting services and file business corporate taxes and 1099-MISC forms.
• Multiple entities: Pilot offers support for multiple entities with its Plus plan, which has custom pricing.

35% of Overall Score

20% of Overall Score

15% of Overall Score

10% of Overall Score

20% of Overall Score