PRACTICAL GUIDES
How to compare bookkeeping services
A useful bookkeeping conversation is specific. Start with the work you need done and how you want to work together, then compare proposals against that same brief.
Editorial date: October 8, 2026. Official sources can change; check their current information.
Describe the job before comparing the price
Make a list of your accounting software, bank and payment accounts, the approximate volume of monthly transactions, and how current your records are. Mention payroll, inventory, sales channels, or project tracking if those are part of your work.
Separate a one-time cleanup from ongoing monthly work. Ask whether a quote includes reconciliations, reports, accounts payable or receivable, meetings, and coordination with your tax professional. Ask what changes the price and how extra work is authorized.
Agree on responsibilities and timing
Ask what information you must supply each month, who answers questions, when reports arrive, and how corrections are handled. Request an example of a reporting package using sample data rather than another client’s confidential records.
Discuss how the provider communicates and what happens when either of you is unavailable. A clear handoff calendar can be more useful than an impressive list of software logos.
Be deliberate about access
Ask how access to your records is granted, limited, reviewed, and removed. Use your software’s own user permissions where available; do not email passwords or bank login codes. Ask about secure document exchange, retention, and the process for returning your data when the relationship ends.
Bookkeeping, tax preparation, and licensed accounting services are different scopes of work. Ask who will perform each service and independently check any credential that matters to your decision. The IRS has a preparer directory for certain federal tax return preparers, and Washington’s Board of Accountancy provides license resources.
Compare a written scope, not a promised outcome
Keep each proposal beside the same checklist: included tasks, deadlines, contact person, fees, exclusions, access, and termination arrangements. Ask about any blank rather than assuming it is included. This is a planning guide, not personalized accounting or tax advice.