Filebox BookkeepingHow much does bookkeeping cost for a small business?
September 28, 2026
If you are shopping for bookkeeping, you have probably seen everything from $50 per month software subscriptions to $1,500 per month full-service firms. The honest answer is that the price depends on how much activity your business has and how much of the work you want to hand off.
Three common pricing models
Hourly. Bookkeepers who charge by the hour typically run $35 to $80 per hour. Hourly works well for tiny, irregular workloads, but the bill varies every month and you never know the total in advance.
Flat monthly. A fixed price for a defined scope: a set number of bank and card accounts, a transaction volume, monthly reconciliation, and statements. This is the model most small businesses end up happiest with, because the cost is predictable. Full-service flat plans for small businesses commonly run $150 to $500 per month depending on volume.
Software only. DIY tools cost little, but the software does not reconcile itself — and an unreconciled book is worth less than no book at all. Most owners on software-only plans eventually pay a professional to fix what accumulated.
What moves the price
The main drivers are the number of bank and credit card accounts, the number of transactions each month, whether payroll and sales tax are involved, and how far behind the books are. One or two accounts with light volume is a genuinely simple job; eight accounts with payroll and 1099 contractors is a different job entirely.
Catch-up work and add-ons
If past months were never reconciled, expect a separate catch-up charge — usually a flat fee per month of history, or hourly for messy cleanup. Add-ons like payroll data entry, bill pay, or 1099 preparation are usually priced per month or per form. A good quote lists these separately so you can see exactly what you are paying for.
How to compare quotes
Ask every provider the same three questions: what is included, what is extra, and what happens if my volume changes. A flat plan with clear boundaries beats a cheap hourly rate that drifts upward every month.