The best online bookkeeping services for your small business are ones that fall under the category of worry free. You’ve got a lot to do as a small business owner. Bookkeeping online services take something off your to-do list and give you more time to handle the nitty-gritty.
As you search for the best online bookkeeping services, you might have questions. What does an online bookkeeper do? What services do virtual bookkeepers offer? What’s the difference between bookkeeping and accounting? How much does an online bookkeeper cost? How much should you pay someone to do your bookkeeping?
Bookkeeping services for small businesses usually include analysis of your budget, tax preparation, payroll services, and human resource assistance. How can you decide on the best online bookkeeping services to manage your company’s finances?
Here’s a list of 8 Best Online Bookkeeping Services in 2023:
- Bench: Overall Best Online Bookkeeping Service.
- Bookkeeper.com: Best for Businesses That Want a Full-service Accounting Firm.
- QuickBooks Live: Best for Companies That Want Assistance With QuickBooks Online.
- Bookkeeper360: Best Online Bookkeeping Service for Xero Users.
- Merritt Bookkeeping: Best Online Bookkeeping Service for Small Businesses on a Budget
- Pilot: Best Online Bookkeeping Service for Startups.
- Botkeeper: Best for Accounting Firms to Outsource Client Bookkeeping.
- Block Advisors: Best Online Bookkeeping Firm That Includes Low-priced Tax Preparation.
| Invoicing + Bill Pay | Dedicated Bookkeeper | Catch-Up Bookkeeping | Financial Reconciliation | Starting Monthly Cost | |
| Bench | No bill pay or invoicing | Yes | Yes | Yes | $299.00 |
| Bookkeeper.com | Only bill pay offered | Yes | No | Yes | $399.00 |
| QuickBooks Live | No bill pay or invoicing | Yes | No | Yes | $200.00 |
| Bookkeepers360 | Yes to both | Yes | Yes | Yes | $399.00 |
| Merritt Bookkeeping | No bill pay or invoicing | Yes | Yes | Yes | $190.00 |
| Pilot | Yes to both | Yes | No | Yes | $499.00 |
| Botkeeper | Only invoicing offered | Yes | No | Yes | $155.00 |
| Block Advisors | No bill pay or invoicing | Yes | No | Yes | $150.00 |
Best Online Bookkeeping Services
What are the needs of your company? Are you just starting out or leveling up? Are you keeping your staff small or adding more employees? Your online bookkeeping services should not be one size fits all. Your virtual bookkeeping services should fit your company’s unique needs.
With that in mind, here are the features of the best online bookkeeping services. The list includes the price of each virtual bookkeeper. It addresses each company’s pros and cons as well. See which online bookkeeping service is right for your small business.
Bench: Overall Best Online Bookkeeping Service
Starting Monthly Price: $299.00
Bench wins the award for the best online bookkeeping services all around. A dedicated bookkeeper manages all your counts and is a reliable contact for your online bookkeeping needs. You get a monthly financial statement and tax assistance with an upgraded premium plan. Taking care of payroll is a snap, too.
Pros:
- Support team allows unlimited in-app messaging and phone calls.
- Catch-up bookkeeping provided.
- Unlimited users are given access to full assistance.
Cons:
- No invoicing, bill pay, or payroll add-ons provided.
- No Android mobile app option.
- No QuickBooks integration software.
Bookkeeper.com: Best for Businesses That Want A Full-Service Accounting Firm
Starting Monthly Price: $399.00
You’re a small business owner who wants unlimited support from an online bookkeeping service. Your solution is to get Bookkeeper.com. All virtual bookkeeping services from Bookkeeper.com come with onboarding, a dedicated bookkeeper, and an account manager. Your small business’ account needs are handled from monthly reconciliation to cash flow statements, and balance sheets.
Pros:
- Bookkeeping, tax preparation, and consulting in one place.
- Dedicated bookkeeper and account manager provided.
- Online networks securely protect financial information.
Cons:
- No mobile app options on any platform.
- No free trial available.
- Lengthy onboarding process.
QuickBooks Live: Ideal for Businesses Seeking QuickBooks Online
Starting Monthly Price: $200.00
You don’t have time or energy to manage your small business’ books. That’s okay! Leave it to QuickBooks Live to clean up the numbers and accurately report on your financials in the first month of their services. From there, your virtual bookkeeping services will handle the upkeep. QuickBooks Live is the best online bookkeeping service to put all your data in order. The full-service integration manages your payroll with QuickBooks Online if you are willing to pay an extra fee.
Pros:
- Requires no contract.
- Offers financial reports each month.
- Guarantee of 100% Accurate Books
Cons:
- No tax preparation offered.
- No invoicing, bill pay, account payable, or accounts receivable included.
- Does not support accrual method accounting.
Bookkeeper360: Top Choice for Xero Users in Search of Exceptional Online Bookkeeping Services
Starting Monthly Price: $399.00
Do you want online bookkeeping services by the hour? Get Bookkeers360, which offers services for $125 an hour. Bookkeeper360 integrates seamlessly with Xero. This allows you to track your financial data and accounting records together. If you are not sure you want to settle on one online bookkeeping service at the moment Bookkeeper360 offers pay-as-you-go plans. Shopping for virtual bookkeeping and integration has never been easier or more flexible.
Pros:
- Free consultation and advice.
- Accrual-based accounting offered.
- Other third-party integrations include Gusto, Stripe, Shopify, Brex, Square, and ADP.
Cons:
- Plans tend to be more expensive.
- $500 initial retainer required for plans that are pay-as-you-go.
- Payroll and HR services are an additional $46/month.
Merritt Bookkeeping: Best Online Bookkeeping Service For Small Businesses On A Budget
Starting Monthly Price: $190.00
Your small business does not have a lot to spend on virtual bookkeeping services. That’s where Merritt Bookkeeping comes to the rescue. Their client portal allows you to access financial reports with the click of a button. You have the ability to customize the interface of your online bookkeeping services without overpaying for parts you don’t need. If you don’t like Merritt Bookkeeping do not worry. They have a 90-day test run period where if you are not satisfied you get a full refund on their online bookkeeping services.
Pros:
- Discounted rate for catch-up bookkeeping available.
- 100% money-back guarantee if you cancel within three months.
- Fast initiation and set-up process
Cons:
- No tax preparation offered.
- No invoicing or bill pay services.
- Does not support accrual method accounting.
Pilot: Best Online Bookkeeping Service For Startups
Starting Monthly Price: $499.00
You need all the help you can get with a startup small business. Pilot has a $200 discount for qualifying pre-revenue ventures. No matter what plan you choose, your small business will get all the online bookkeeping services needed to make things run smoothly. Pilot plans include automated transaction imports, balance sheets, and cash flow statements. Plus, there’s a finance expert to guide the way. Add to that the specialty service of burn rate calculations. Now your business will not spend money like it’s going out of style.
Pros:
- Burn rate calculations tracked.
- $200/month pre-revenue discount.
- Supports accrual method accounting.
Cons:
- No payroll services offered.
- Plans must be prepaid on an annual basis.
- QuickBooks is required to access all services.
Botkeeper: Best For Accounting Firms To Outsource Client Bookkeeping
Starting Monthly Price: $155.00
This is the online bookkeeping service that was made for accounting firms. You and your small business can spend more time with your clients knowing your virtual booking services are in good hands with Botkeeper. With workflow tools, a resource library, and their omni-channel communication, Botkeeper has everything you want for bookkeeping services for small businesses. The creme-de-la-creme is their white-glove support network.
Pros:
- Unlimited support via email and phone.
- White-glove services offered.
- Manual entry tasks become automated.
Cons:
- Customized pricing only happens with a call.
- Not an easy-to-access in-house service.
- Catch-up bookkeeping not available.
Block Advisors: Best Online Bookkeeping Firm That Includes Low-Priced Tax Preparation
Starting Monthly Price: $150.00
Taxes are no joke. Do you really want to leave your small business’ tax preparation to chance? Go with Block Advisors as your online bookkeeping service to make sure you pay your company’s taxes on time, accurately, and at a low price. Block Advisors’ starter plan allows you to access an accounting pro. The Full-Service plan offers monthly financial statements. No matter which way you go with your small business’ virtual bookkeeping services, Block Advisors are able to handle anything from reviewing your Schedule C return to assessing your financial statements.
Pros:
- Guarantees 100% accuracy for all online bookkeeping services.
- Taxes and payroll services offered.
- Expert tax advice available virtually or in person.
Cons:
- Xero is the only third-party accounting platform available to sync with advisors.
- No mobile app options on any platform.
- No desktop software.
Methodology
Our list is composed of online bookkeeping services starting for under $500 a month. Virtual booking services that came with a dedicated bookkeeper or expert were considered a top priority. Financial reconciliation services were taken into account. This was based on if they were offered as part of the monthly plan or an additional add-on. All online bookkeeping services were assessed on their invoicing, bill pay, and tax preparation services. Catch-up bookkeeping was factored into the methodology for rating what online bookkeeping services provided the most efficient and effective financial support.
FAQs
How much does an online bookkeeper cost?
Online bookkeeping services come at a variety of costs. What you pay for depends on the products and accessibility provided by each virtual booking service. For all the companies ranked in our list, the prices range between $150 and $500 per month.
