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. 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. We conducted in-depth research and evaluation of each online bookkeeping service in this guide — comparing feature sets, price levels and limitations. We also utilized digital bookkeeping services information from our partners to enhance our understanding of what a good online bookkeeping service provider should be.

Brainy Advisors provides dedicated bookkeepers, which explains its high mark in our personal bookkeeper criterion. It could’ve aced our evaluation of bookkeeping services if it offered invoicing and bill pay as part of its regular services. However, customized services that offer A/R and A/P management are available.

Sunrise is a good bookkeeping services solution for sole proprietors and freelancers without employees, and it’s good for invoicing customers, income and expense tracking, and basic reporting capabilities. Every online bookkeeping service will offer a mixture of different features ranging from basic to advanced. As a result, a suite of features from one service will appeal more to very small businesses, while an entirely other set of features from another service might appeal to larger small businesses. A virtual bookkeeper handles your bookkeeping remotely, and all communication and storage of financial documents are handled within the bookkeeping software. They will categorize your transactions and prepare financial statements for your review. Depending on the service you select, they may also pay bills, invoice clients, process payroll, and prepare your income taxes.

Best Online Bookkeeping Services for Small Businesses in 2025

A native of Upstate New York, she’s traveled to more than 50 countries and currently resides outside of London. Sage Intacct pricing depends on the included modules, with a wide range of packages to meet the needs of different enterprises. Lapiz offers a world of limitless possibilities in electronic publishing, where every page opens a gateway to innovation and modern storytelling. Data centres hosting the cloud servers also have stringent safety protocols.

The Decimal service comes with automated, up-to-date categorization of your transactions, bank reconciliation and bookkeeping journal entries. A dedicated accounting team for your business, as well as access to a technology team, can always help. Bookkeeper.com’s intermediate plan, Small Business Plus, is what you’ll want to consider if you’re looking for strong levels of support and a packed feature list.

If you’re running a one-person show, though — i.e., a wide variety of customizable reports is not a priority — this is likely the pick for you. It is an end-to-end solution that brings together all of the firm’s operations. For example, instead of writing sales invoices by hand, businesses can generate digital invoices using accounting software and email them to customers. These digital records are stored securely in the software for future reference and analysis.

How do I become a digital bookkeeper?

Eric also creates free accounting resources, including manuals, spreadsheet trackers, and templates, to support small business owners. Online bookkeeping providers often offer a range of add-ons designed to address specific needs like payroll and invoicing clients. Others offer more high-level CFO advice or provide tax return preparation in addition to bookkeeping services. Among the benefits of these meetings are the opportunity to discuss upcoming financial goals, budgeting, and expansion plans, as well as to understand the tax implications of business decisions. If you’re using the same accounting software, they can often provide software training and guide you through features.

But if you’re a QuickBooks Online user looking for straightforward bookkeeping support from QuickBooks-trained professionals, QuickBooks Live is a solid choice. For tax and consulting, Bookkeeper360 earned high marks across the board, including tax return filing, sales tax returns, and CFO advisory. It also received nearly perfect user reviews, making it a strong choice for those who want comprehensive accounting support.

QuickBooks Live

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. The service will then create valuable reports such as a profit and loss statement and balance sheet and prepare your books for tax season. Get certified bookkeeping, financial reporting, and dedicated support all in one place. Business owners have to use Bench’s proprietary software, which could make it hard to move to another provider in the future.

Transitioning to digital bookkeeping supports sustainability initiatives by significantly reducing paper consumption. This can enhance their brand image and attract customers who prioritize sustainability in their purchasing decisions. 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.

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

Sign up to receive more well-researched accounting articles and topics in your inbox, personalized for you.

• Bench is an affordable online bookkeeping service that offers tax preparation and filing assistance to Premium plan users.
• Depending on the bookkeeping service, costs also rise when your business’s monthly expenses exceed a particular threshold.
• There are three pricing plans, ranging from $449 to $849 plus a custom plan, depending on your specific needs.
• However, to utilize their 1-800Accountant bookkeeping services, you will need to buy their Enterprise plan at $399 per month, billed annually.
• That said, Bench’s abrupt shutdown in late 2024 left customers locked out of their financial data for days, raising concerns about its long-term reliability under new ownership.
• These services not only simplify small business bookkeeping but also provide critical insights into business finances.

QuickBooks Live is an online bookkeeping service offered exclusively for QuickBooks Online users. First-time clients will first go through one month of cleanup before starting with QuickBooks Live. The cleanup fee will depend on the business and industry, and after cleanup, regular monthly charges will apply depending on the monthly expense cap. Bookkeeper360 assigns an experienced U.S.-based bookkeeper to handle your books. These bookkeepers have years of experience in different industries and in using different kinds of accounting platforms.

Your bookkeeper might also point out trends in your data that you haven’t noticed. The provider doesn’t offer tax preparation and filing, so it took a hit in our tax category. It scored fair for pricing, as it starts out with a low price for small businesses but gets a little expensive for larger companies. Once you’re matched with a dedicated bookkeeper, you can also get hands-on training in daily bookkeeping tasks — a great option if you’re new to QuickBooks. Your bookkeeper helps set up your chart of accounts, bank connections, and a cleanup plan for any existing data issues, making the transition smoother. Expert Assisted is a monthly subscription service that requires a QBO subscription and provides expert help to answer your questions related to the books that you maintain full ownership and control.

Best Online Bookkeeping Services for Startups 2025

Whether you’re looking for expert help, need clean books for taxes, or want someone to manage it all for you, our experts have your back. Daniela is a researcher and writer with over 10 years of experience, focusing specifically on the world of accounting and finance. Daniela’s focus is on helping teams navigate software purchasing decisions and her writing aims to distill clearly the pros and cons of each choice. Once implementation has been completed, the software takes control by automatically performing tasks and sending notifications when your attention is needed.

Ramp is another top-ranked accounting automation software that enables the streamlining of expense management and bill payment. Importantly, it has an entirely free plan for small businesses with uncomplicated financial management needs. QuickBooks Online is another practical accounting automation software app that is frequently preferred by small teams and companies. The platform offers multiple bookkeeping and financial functionalities that make accounting processes easier and faster. We’ve provided extensive research of the 13 best financial automation software solutions for businesses.

We picked 1-800Accountant because it offers bookkeeping and tax services, which include tax planning. It is the only provider in this guide that offers full tax services that aren’t a separate plan from its bookkeeping service. If you want to stay on top of taxes while having a good set of books, 1-800Accountant’s Enterprise plan is a good value for money.

• Virtual bookkeeping is ideal for small businesses, startups, and growing businesses that need professional bookkeeping services without the expense of hiring full-time staff.
• The app works with QuickBooks, Xero, and Gusto, which pulls data from these platforms and reports it in its KPI dashboards.
• Unlike traditional bookkeeping, which often requires in-person meetings, virtual bookkeeping offers flexibility, real-time access to financial data, and cost savings for small business owners.
• You will also be required to pay a “clean-up fee” to begin your bookkeeping membership; however, this price is dependent on tax filing status, sign-up month, and business start date.
• Lots of bookkeeping services are built to run on QuickBooks, an industry leader in accounting and bookkeeping software.

Ultimately, it can benefit your business by freeing up your time and ensuring your books are up to date. This puts your business in a solid position come tax time and helps you keep a finger on the pulse of its financial state. Lots of bookkeeping services are built to run on QuickBooks, an industry leader in accounting and bookkeeping software. Some services also support Xero, another popular cloud-based accounting software. If you’re comfortable with your current software, ensure your bookkeeping service supports it.