The 8 Best Virtual and Outsourced Accounting Services for Small Businesses in 2023

We considered features, payroll and tax service add-ons, plans, and prices to reveal the top outsourced bookkeeping services for small businesses.
Best overall
Merritt Bookkeeping
Merritt Bookkeeping
4.2 out of 5 stars
4.2
Starting from
$190.00/mo.
  • pro
    Thorough reporting package
  • pro
    Syncs with QuickBooks
Most versatile
Book Keeper
Bookkeeper.com
4.2 out of 5 stars
4.2
Starting from
$399.00/mo.
  • pro
    Tax prep and payroll add-ons
  • pro
    Syncs with QuickBooks
Best for established startups
inDinero
inDinero
4.1 out of 5 stars
4.1
Starting from
$500.00/mo.
  • pro
    Tax prep and CFO add-on
  • pro
    Syncs with QuickBooks and NetSuite
Best bookkeeping + payroll
Bench
Bench
3.8 out of 5 stars
3.8
Starting from
$249.00/mo.*
  • pro
    Tax prep add-on
  • pro
    In-house bookkeeping software
Best hourly bookkeeping
Book Keeper 360
Bookkeeper360
3.6 out of 5 stars
3.6
Starting from
$125.00/hr.
  • pro
    Tax prep, payroll, and HR add-ons
  • pro
    Syncs with QuickBooks and Xero

Data as of 2/14/23. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.
*When billed annually.

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The bottom line: Merritt Bookkeeping's incredibly affordable bookkeeping and thorough reporting services set it apart as one of the best virtual bookkeeping solutions for small businesses.

But there’s more than one virtual accounting company in the world, and solutions range from on-demand CFO services to simple pay-by-the-hour book balancing. Below, we review the best virtual and outsourced accounting services for small-business owners like you.

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Compare the top outsourced accounting service features

Brand
Starting cost
Accounting software integration
Cash-basis or accrual-basis accounting
Add-on services
Get started
$190.00/mo.QuickBooksCash-basisUnlisted
$399.00/mo.QuickBooksBothPayroll, tax preparation
$500.00/mo.QuickBooks or NetSuiteBothTax preparation, CFO services
$249.00/mo.*Proprietary in-house softwareCash-basisTax preparation
$125.00/hr. QuickBooks or XeroBothTax preparation, HR payroll, inventory management

Data as of 2/14/23. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.
*When billed annually

Merritt Bookkeeping: Best overall

Best overall virtual bookkeeping
Merritt Bookkeeping
Merritt Bookkeeping
4.3 out of 5 stars
4.3
Starts at
$190.00
/mo
  • pro
    Automated monthly reporting
  • pro
    Incredibly thorough financial reports
  • con
    Cash-basis accounting only

Data as of 2/14/23. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.

Merritt Bookkeeping automates some of the most time-consuming bookkeeping tasks — for instance, reconciling accounts, balancing books, and updating financial reports — so you can focus on running your business. It also starts at $190 a month, which is less than nearly every other provider on our list. 

But Merritt Bookkeeping's most stand-out feature might be its in-depth financial reports. Most other virtual bookkeeping services give you basic financial reports only, like income statements and balance sheets. In contrast, Merritt gives you more detailed reports like forecasting and quarterly comparisons.

Typically, you'd only get detailed financial statements like this through a CFO — which means Merritt gives you some of the best aspects of having a CFO without the high cost.

Unlike most other outsourced bookkeepers on our list, Merritt Bookkeeping doesn't offer any in-house add-ons for payroll and tax services. If you were hoping for a one-stop shop that can tackle all of your financial needs, Merritt might not be the right choice for you.

However, Merritt can still recommend a solid payroll provider or tax consultant who meets your needs. Plus, as Merritt's financial reporting package shows, focusing solely on bookkeeping instead of juggling bookkeeping, payroll, and taxes means the Merritt team can focus on giving you the most comprehensive bookkeeping service possible.   

Bookkeeper.com: Most versatile outsourced bookkeeping solution

Most versatile solution
Book Keeper
Bookkeeper.com
4.2 out of 5 stars
4.2
Starts at
$399.00
/mo
  • pro
    Balance sheet, profit and loss statement, and cash flow statement
  • pro
    Payroll add-on through Gusto
  • pro
    Cash-basis and accrual-basis accounting

Data as of 2/14/23. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.

For ease of use, versatility, and scalability, Bookkeeper.com is hard to beat.

Bookkeeper.com’s cheapest virtual bookkeeping service starts with bookkeeping basics, like preparing key financial statements. From there, you can add comprehensive accounting, payroll, and tax services as needed. Bookkeeper.com manages your accounts using QuickBooks Online (or QuickBooks Desktop, if you prefer). Plus, not every online bookkeeping service works with both accrual-basis and cash-basis accounting—but Bookkeeper.com does.

Bookkeeper.com’s cheapest plan, Small Business, starts at $399 per month. It includes key financial documents, bank reconciliation, and limited online support. Bookkeeper.com’s most popular plan, Small Business Plus, costs $599 a month. While it’s a big step up cost-wise, it’s also a big step up feature-wise: you get longer onboarding, unlimited online support, bill pay, and CFO and advisory services.

inDinero: Best for established startups

Best outsourced bookkeeping for established startups
inDinero
inDinero
4.1 out of 5 stars
4.1
Starts at
$500.00
/mo
  • pro
    Balance sheet, profit and loss statement, and cash flow statement
  • pro
    Add-on business tax and CFO services
  • pro
    Cash-basis and accrual-basis accounting

Data as of 2/14/23. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.

Looking for a scalable outsourced bookkeeping service with flexible payment options? Every inDinero plan includes a dedicated account manager, direct employee reimbursements, some inventory management, and payroll assistance. It also syncs with either QuickBooks Online or Netsuite (as opposed to syncing just with QuickBooks, like most virtual bookkeepers). And you can choose to pay monthly, quarterly, or annually.

Prices start at $500 a month for the Essential plan, which is geared towards startups that use cash-basis accounting. If you use accrual-basis accounting, you’ll need the Growth plan, which starts at $990 a month. And the Executive plan, which is built for larger companies that need CFO services, has custom pricing. You’ll need to get in touch with an inDinero rep for a price estimate.

Bench: Best for bookkeeping + payroll

Best bookkeeping + HR plans
Bench
Bench
3.8 out of 5 stars
3.8
Starts at
$249.00*
/mo
  • pro
    Balance sheet, profit and loss statement, and cash flow statement
  • pro
    Tax prep and payroll (through Gusto) with each plan
  • pro
    Cash-basis and accrual-basis accounting

Data as of 2/14/23. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.
*When billed annually

When you sign up for Bench’s virtual accounting services, a dedicated bookkeeper talks you through Bench’s in-house software, analyzes your books, and starts sending you monthly financial reports. Your dedicated virtual Bench bookkeeper can connect directly with your current professional accountant. Bench will also prepare your tax paperwork for you. Unlike most of the other providers on our list, Bench doesn’t sync with QuickBooks: your bookkeeper will use Bench’s proprietary in-house software instead.

Bench offers two main plans. The Essential plan ($249 a month if billed annually or $299 billed monthly) focuses on bookkeeping only, giving you access to a dedicated team that performs monthly bookkeeping services. The Premium plan ($399 a month if billed annually or $499 billed monthly) adds tax advising services, end-of-year tax filing, and financial strategy planning.

Bullhorn
Bench's Catch Up Bookkeeping plans

Need help getting past accounts in order? With Bench's Catch Up Bookkeeping services, a Bench bookkeeper will work through past months of disorganized bookkeeping to bring your accounts up to date.

Bookkeeper360: Best for hourly bookkeeping

Best for hourly bookkeeping
Book Keeper 360
Bookkeeper360
3.6 out of 5 stars
3.6
Starts at
$125.00
/hr. of support
  • pro
    Monthly 1:1 financial record reviews
  • pro
    Tax prep and HR add-ons
  • pro
    Cash-basis and accrual-basis accounting

Data as of 2/14/23. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.

Only need an hour of bookkeeping assistance every now and then? You might benefit from Bookkeeper360's hourly bookkeeping service.

With Bookkeeper360, you’ll get a dedicated virtual accountant who sends detailed reports on a monthly basis. You can also add on a variety of HR and payroll services.

For instance, Bookkeeper360 syncs with ADP and Gusto—two of our favorite payroll service providers—to make direct deposits, help with time tracking and PTO, file payroll taxes for you, and find medical benefits and workers compensation insurance for your small business. And on the accounting software front, Bookkeeper360 syncs with both Xero and QuickBooks Online.

Bookkeeper360 offers a pay-as-you-go plan that costs $125 per hour of on-demand bookkeeping support. It's an ideal plan for businesses that need minimal monthly support, though if you want more than two hours of help a month, you'll save more money simply going with a service like inDinero or Bench.co.

Otherwise, Bookkeeper360 offers two cash accounting plans that differ based on how often you need its services: a monthly plan, which starts at $349 per month if you pay annually, and a weekly plan, which starts at $499 per month (not per week). 

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Virtual bookkeeping software: Honorable mentions

The virtual bookkeeping providers above might be our favorite—but if they don’t quite fit your needs, we understand completely. Here are three other online accounting service providers worth looking at.

Compare runner-up bookkeeping service features

Brand
Starting price
Accounting software integration
Cash-basis or accrual-basis accounting
Add-on services
Learn more
$499.00/mo.QuickBooks or NetSuiteAccrual-basis (cash-basis by request)Tax preparation, CFO services
Contact for quoteQuickBooksBothTax preparation, CFO services
Contact for quoteQuickBooks or NetSuiteBothPayroll, GL maintenance, expense tracking

Data as of 12/9/22. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.
*When billed annually

Pilot: Best for startups

Best outsourced bookkeeping for startups
Pilot
Pilot
Starts at
$499.00
/mo
  • pro
    Balance sheet, profit and loss statement, and cash flow statement
  • pro
    Add-on CFO and tax prep services
  • pro
    Accrual-basis accounting

Data as of 2/14/23. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.

Pilot’s plans are based on how much you pay in expenses each month. If you’ve just gotten off the ground and aren’t spending (or making) too much money yet, Pilot’s dedicated accountants can help you figure out how to get—and stay—on track. Unfortunately, you’ll pay a lot for the help: plans start at $499 per month for businesses with $15,000 worth of monthly expenses. And Pilot doesn’t have a month-to-month payment option. Instead, you’ll have to prepay for each plan annually.

Ignite Spot Accounting: Best reporting

Best reporting package
IgniteSpot
Ignite Spot Accounting
Contact for quote
  • pro
    Balance sheet, profit and loss statement, cash flow statement, KPIs, and more
  • pro
    CFO and tax add-ons
  • pro
    Cash-basis and accrual-basis accounting

Data as of 2/14/23. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.

Ignite Spot Accounting delivers heftier reports than many other cloud accounting providers we checked out for this piece. Along with typical financial reporting (like profit and loss reports and balance sheets), you’ll get a KPI (key performance indicator) report and profitability analysis, among others. However, Ignite Spot doesn't list its virtual accounting prices upfront. You have to enter more information about your needs to get a quote—which is useful if you want truly customized services but unhelpful if you'd rather choose a basic plan out of a lineup. 

AccountingDepartment.com: Best in-house support

Best customer support
Logo for AccountingDepartment.com
AccountingDepartment.com
Contact for quote
  • pro
    Balance sheet, profit and loss statement, cash flow statement, and more
  • pro
    Payroll and tax filing included with each plan
  • pro
    Cash-basis and accrual-basis accounting

Data as of 2/14/23. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.

Along with offering the typical outsourced bookkeeping services, AccountingDepartment.com provides outsourced controller services. With this service, their CPAs manage bookkeeping while also budgeting, forecasting, doing job costing, managing cash flow, tracking inventory, and performing other financial management tasks on your behalf. Contact the company directly for a quote.

What should you look for in an outsourced accounting service?

The right virtual or outsourced bookkeeping solution can save you hours of bookkeeping time a month. And since they’re generally cheaper than hiring an in-house accounting team, virtual bookkeepers can save you money, too—but only if you find the right one for your unique needs. Before you sign up for a bookkeeping service, you’ll want to ask yourself questions like these:

  • Does the virtual bookkeeping service sync with my preferred accounting software, like QuickBooks or Xero? Or am I okay adjusting to new accounting software?
  • How much money can I afford to spend on bookkeeping each month?
  • Does my business use cash or accrual accounting?
  • Am I looking just for bookkeeping services like financial reporting? Or do I want additional services, like tax filing services, payroll runs, and HR advice?

Want to learn more about bookkeeping before you sign up for a virtual provider? Our article on business bookkeeping basics gives you more information on how to do bookkeeping and why.

The takeaway

Virtual and outsourced bookkeeping and accounting services are a happy medium between do-it-yourself software and pricey in-house bookkeeping. If that description fits what you’re looking for, one of the nine best virtual bookkeeping providers can save you time, money, and stress.

Bookkeeper.com is an all-around solid pick for small to midsize businesses that might want additional payroll and tax help down the road. But Merritt Bookkeeping is a cheaper option, inDinero has even more add-ons, Bench’s bookkeepers work seamlessly with your own CPA, and Bookkeeper360 integrates with some of our favorite HR and payroll providers.

In other words, no matter what type of virtual bookkeeping solution you’re looking for, there’s a perfect match out there for you. And one final tip for the road: before you sign up for a virtual outsourced accountant, don’t forget to ask your customer service representative about free trials and money-back guarantees. You deserve the best of the best.

Would you rather tackle accounting yourself instead of outsourcing it to a third party? Check out our list of the year’s best accounting software for small businesses to get started.

Related reading

Disclaimer

At Business.org, our research is meant to offer general product and service recommendations. We don't guarantee that our suggestions will work best for each individual or business, so consider your unique needs when choosing products and services.

Virtual accounting FAQ

Virtual accounting firms provide the same services as in-house accountants: they can balance your books, file your taxes, and advise you on your business’s financial health. But instead of working out of your office, virtual accountants work from afar. Usually, virtual accounting and bookkeeping companies use cloud-based accounting software to ensure you have constant access to your own financial records.

Virtual, outsourced, and online are often used interchangeably when referring to bookkeeping and accounting. However, a virtual bookkeeper or virtual accountant can sometimes refer to accountants or CPAs who work out of their homes and contract out their services individually. In contrast, outsourced bookkeeping and accounting nearly always refers to accountants with an accounting firm who handle your books from their own office.

How much does outsourced accounting cost?

Outsourced, virtual bookkeeping can cost as little as $150 per month and as much as $900 (or more) per month. Some companies charge by the number of accounts you need them to manage, while other companies charge based on your company’s monthly expenses. Typically, the lower your expenses (and the fewer your accounting needs), the less you’ll be charged.

Is virtual bookkeeping legit?

Yes, virtual and outsourced bookkeeping is just as legitimate as in-house bookkeeping and accounting. However, as with any in-person accounting professionals you’d trust with your financial data, you should always verify a bookkeeping firm’s credentials before committing to a monthly plan.

Methodology

To rate the best virtual and outsourced accounting services, we assessed the top providers in the following key categories: 

  • Number and type of bookkeeping features and add-ons, such as tax assistance
  • Pricing and plan information, including number of features included at each price point
  • Integration with and use of third-party software like QuickBooks Online, Xero, or FreshBooks
  • Customer service, including options for dedicated bookkeeping teams, modes of customer service access, and general customer service reputation

We weighted each category equally to calculate our star ratings, and we also considered our accounting expert's opinion and advice when ranking our top brands. Star ratings are subject to frequent review and may change. 

Kylie McQuarrie
Written by
Kylie McQuarrie
Former Business.org staff writer Kylie McQuarrie has been writing for and about small businesses since 2014. Her work has been featured on SCORE.org, G2, and Fairygodboss, among others. She's worked closely with small-business owners in every industry—from freelance writing to real-estate startups—which has given her a front-row look at small-business owners' struggles, frustrations, and successes.
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