How Much Does a Bookkeeper Cost?

If you’re a business owner, chances are you’ve asked this question while already feeling a little behind: How much does a bookkeeper cost, and what am I actually paying for?

The honest answer is: it depends, but not in a mysterious way. Let’s break it down clearly so you can make a confident decision.

Typical bookkeeping costs

Most small businesses pay for bookkeeping in one of three ways:

Hourly pricing

Bookkeepers may charge anywhere from $45–$80 per hour, depending on experience and location. This model is common for cleanup work or short-term projects.

Monthly flat fees

Ongoing bookkeeping may also be priced monthly, often between $200–$800 per month for small businesses. The price depends on:

• Number of transactions
• Payroll complexity
• Number of accounts
• Whether reports are included

Cleanup or catch-up projects

If your books are behind, cleanup work may cost $500–$3,000+, depending on how far back things go.

What affects the cost?

Bookkeeping pricing isn’t arbitrary. Costs increase when:

• Transactions are high or inconsistent
• Accounts aren’t reconciled regularly
• Payroll or sales tax is involved
• Multiple bank or credit card accounts are used
• Prior records are incomplete or inaccurate

The cleaner your systems, the lower your cost over time.

Is bookkeeping worth the cost?

For most businesses, bookkeeping pays for itself by:

• Preventing tax-time surprises
• Catching errors early
• Giving you clarity on cash flow
• Saving hours of stress each month

Many business owners discover they were losing more money from poor visibility than the cost of hiring a professional.

A note on cheap bookkeeping

Extremely low prices can sometimes mean:

• Infrequent reconciliations
• No financial review
• Minimal accountability

Bookkeeping isn’t just data entry—it’s about accuracy and trust.

Bottom line: Expect to invest a few hundred dollars per month for peace of mind, clarity, and clean financials. That’s often far less than the cost of mistakes.

If you’d like clarity around your books or aren’t sure where to start, a bookkeeping review can help you understand exactly where things stand and what to do next.