Here Are the 8 Best Online Bookkeeping Services for Your Business
Written by
Scott Jeffries
Edited by
Zoey Quach
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Businesses have many options when it comes to accounting and bookkeeping solutions. Here are eight of the best online bookkeeping services in 2021.
- Quickbooks Online: Best for small- to medium-size businesses
- Quickbooks Live: Best for companies already using Quickbooks Online
- Bookkeeper.com: Best for full-service bookkeeping, payroll, tax and more
- Bench: Best catch-up bookkeeping services
- KPMG Spark: Best for outsourcing the accounting department
- Merritt Bookkeeping: Best for self-employed individuals
- Pilot: Best for growing businesses
- inDinero: Best for startups
Highlights of the Best Features
Here are some highlights of the best online bookkeeping services.
| Service | Top Features |
|---|---|
| Quickbooks Online |
|
| Quickbooks Live |
|
| Bookkeeper.com |
|
| Bench |
|
| KPMG Spark |
|
| Merritt Bookkeeping |
|
| Pilot |
|
| inDinero |
|
Keep reading to learn more, including a full feature list, pros and cons of each service.
8 Best Online Bookkeeping Services
While there are many options for accounting and bookkeeping needs, the following eight are some of the best to choose from in 2021. These are well-established companies, many with strong name recognition. They’re easy to use and feature-packed services for outsourcing your bookkeeping needs. In selecting the top eight picks, the following factors were considered:
- Brand name recognition, experience and market share
- Essential features to truly outsource bookkeeping needs
- Reporting and insights generation
- Optional or advanced features available
- Integration with other tools
- Pricing and plans
1. Quickbooks Online
Quickbooks Online belongs to Intuit, the company behind well-known products TurboTax and Mint. An accounting and bookkeeping service, Quickbooks Online offers four different plans, ranging from $25 to $150 per month, depending on your specific needs. New customers can get 50% off for three months or get a free trial for 30 days.
Features
- Track income and send invoices
- Accept payments
- Capture and manage receipts
- Track miles, time, inventory and project profitability
- Manage cash flow
- Track sales and sales tax
- Manage contractors
- Create reports, analytics and insights
- Automate workflows
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Easy to use, intuitive user experience | Minimal customization options for forms, calculations and branding |
| Automatic categorization based on rules | Limited multi-currency support |
| Excellent reporting capabilities | Limited advanced capabilities |
| Manage receipts | |
| Mobile access | |
| Backed by Intuit |
2. Quickbooks Live
Quickbooks Live is an add-on to Quickbooks Online that gives you direct access to a virtual bookkeeping professional. The company offers a “100% accurate books” guarantee, with a full audit upon your request. This full-service offering starts at $200 per month.
Features
- Past financials brought up to date
- Personalized setup
- Updated profit and loss and balance sheet
- Organized and update financials
- Books closed for you every month
- Detailed business reports
- Convenient virtual support
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Dedicated, professional expertise from a certified bookkeeper | Must be a Quickbooks Online customer to use service |
| Live, one-on-one support from an actual human bookkeeper | No financial or tax advice |
| Affordable pricing for small businesses that don’t have in-house bookkeepers | No payroll or tax filing services |
| Works seamlessly with other Quickbooks products | No invoicing, bill pay, accounts receivable or accounts payable services |
| You can request a free audit at any time |
3. Bookkeeper.com
Bookkeeper.com is an all-in-one solution for small businesses. The company offers accounting, bookkeeping, payroll, bill pay, tax and financial planning services. There are three pricing plans, ranging from $449 to $849 plus a custom plan, depending on your specific needs.
Features
- Month-end close with bank account and credit card reconciliation
- Manages balance sheet, profit and loss and statement of cash flows
- Works on either cash or accrual basis
- Secure portal with document storage
- Online support
- Comprehensive payroll solutions
- Preparing taxes
- Bill pay
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Full-service, all-in-one solution | Pricing tiers may start high for startups and some small businesses |
| Dedicated bookkeeper and account manager | No free trials |
| CFO and advisory services for some plans | No mobile apps |
| More than 25 years of experience | |
| Comprehensive payroll solutions |
4. Bench
Bench is one of the largest professional bookkeeping services for small businesses in the U.S. The company offers bookkeeping, tax and banking services. In addition, the company provides catch-up services for companies that are behind on their bookkeeping. Pricing for Bench ranges from $299 to $599 per month. If you pay annually, you get a discount.
Features
- Monthly bookkeeping and annual financial statements
- Link bank accounts and debit cards
- Tax preparation and filing
- Expert support for small businesses
- Integrations with payroll systems and payment processors
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Free trials available | Pricing might be high for some businesses |
| Discounts available for annual payments | No Android mobile app |
| Add-on for catching up outdated books | Invoicing, payroll, bill pay and inventory management only available in the Pro plan |
| Prepares and files tax returns | |
| Bench bookkeepers are employees, not contractors |
5. KPMG Spark
KPMG Spark is the online accounting solution offered by KPMG. This service is a scalable, managed accounting solution that helps you grow your business. The company offers several plans, with prices ranging from $295 to $895. For special needs, the company also has a customizable program.
Features
- Daily categorization of revenue and expenses
- Real-time bank and credit card reconciliation
- Quarterly financial analysis reports and consultation
- Payroll through ADP partnership
- Project accounting
- Tax preparation
- Accrual basis books
- Expense tracking, including mileage
- Invoicing and payments
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| ADP partnership for payroll | Inventory tracking and custom reporting only available in the Elite plan |
| Dedicated bookkeeper, manager and CPA | Expensive pricing plans |
| Real-time accounting dashboard | No free trials |
| Instant human help | |
| Other add-on services available | |
| Backed by KPMG |
6. Merritt Bookkeeping
Merritt Bookkeeping is an award-winning online bookkeeping service. Merritt has a team that does all your bookkeeping via Quickbooks. The cost for the service is $190 per month. The company also offers a 90-day full money-back guarantee.
Features
- Automated software to collect bank statements
- The company uses Quickbooks to do bookkeeping
- Custom interface to review and adjust reports
- Updates books monthly
- Categorize all transactions
- Team-based approach
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Risk-free, money-back guarantee | No additional services like payroll, taxes, or invoices |
| One simple, affordable price | |
| Seamless integration with Quickbooks Online | |
| Will communicate with your CPA as desired | |
| Offers a catch-up service | |
| Quick and easy signup process | |
| Same-day reply for questions and support |
7. Pilot
Pilot is a bookkeeping, tax and CFO service focused on growing businesses. Pilot Bookkeeping is available in three plans ranging from $599 to $849 per month [7]. Custom pricing is also available.
Features
- Accurate monthly books
- Proprietary software automatically eliminates common errors
- Profit and loss, balance sheet and cash flow statements
- Accrual basis bookkeeping
- Burn rate reporting
- Integrations with tools like Bill.com, Stripe and Gusto
- Full-service tax preparation
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Expert support from a dedicated financial expert | Tax and CFO services cost extra and are expensive |
| Industry-specific reports | No monthly pricing available |
| Accrual basis available in all plans | |
| Monthly phone reviews available | |
| Support for multiple entities available |
8. inDinero
inDinero is an outsourced accounting solution for businesses of all sizes. The company’s flexible pricing model ensures you only pay for what you need. Pricing plans range from $300 to $900 per month. A custom package is also available for more advanced needs.
Features
- Full outsourced accounting
- Monthly reconciliation
- Employee reimbursements
- AR/AP processing and reporting
- Payroll support
- Cash and accrual basis accounting
- Financial reports provided anytime
- Works with Quickbooks Online or NetSuite
- Cash flow statements
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Dedicated controller and team | No real-time integrations |
| All-in-one solution | Limited custom features |
| Accrual accounting managed by experienced controllers available | |
| Other services available like revenue recognition and budget analysis |
