How Much Does Outsourced Bookkeeping Cost in 2026?

If you are tired of doing your own books at night, the first question is simple: what will it cost to hand them off? The honest answer is that it depends on how much activity runs through your accounts and how much help you want. This guide breaks down the common pricing models, what is usually included, and the questions that keep you from overpaying.

The three ways bookkeepers charge

Hourly

Some bookkeepers bill by the hour. It can look cheap at first, but your bill changes every month and you have little reason to expect it to go down. Hourly work also makes it hard to budget.

Per transaction

Others price by the number of transactions or accounts. This is fair for very small businesses, but it can jump quickly as you grow or add a new bank account or card.

Flat monthly fee

A flat monthly fee covers a defined set of work, usually with a fair usage limit. You know the price before the month starts, which makes planning easier. This is the model most growing businesses prefer.

What drives the price

• Volume. More transactions, accounts, and cards mean more work to categorize and reconcile.
• Condition of your books. If records are months behind or messy, expect a one time cleanup before monthly work starts.
• Cash or accrual. Accrual books take more work and usually belong in an accounting plan, not basic bookkeeping.
• Extras. Invoicing customers, paying bills, and building budgets are separate tasks and are often priced as add-ons.
• Support level. Email only support costs less than regular calls and reviews.

What a good monthly plan includes

At a minimum, look for monthly categorization of income and expenses, bank and credit card reconciliations, and three core reports every month: a profit and loss statement, a balance sheet, and a cash flow summary. If those are missing, you are not really getting bookkeeping. You are getting data entry.

What Staffay charges

We keep it simple. Bookkeeping starts at $499 per month, plus a one time setup fee of $299. It includes monthly bookkeeping, reconciliations, categorization, an accounts review, and your monthly profit and loss, balance sheet, and cash flow summary, with email support. Plans include up to $49,000 in monthly processed funds, and above that we charge 1 percent of the amount over the limit.

If you want a month end close, accrual adjustments, budget tracking, and a tax ready package for your CPA, our Accounting plan starts at $899 per month. Not sure which fits? Read bookkeeping vs. accounting.

How to compare quotes

• Ask exactly which reports you get and when you get them.
• Ask what happens when your volume goes up.
• Ask what is an add-on and what is included.
• Ask whether there is a setup or cleanup fee.
• Ask who you will talk to when you have a question.

The cheapest quote is rarely the lowest cost. A bookkeeper who reconciles every month and flags problems early saves you money at tax time and helps you catch cash flow issues before they hurt.

Frequently asked questions