Many owners handle their own bookkeeping after hours at first. That works until the business grows and the books fall behind.
At that point, handing the work to a professional makes sense. Before you make that call, it helps to know what to expect. So how much does outsourced accounting cost? Many firms don't publish their prices, so it's hard to know what's reasonable.
Here's what outsourced accounting typically costs at each service level, what moves the price, and how it compares to hiring someone in-house.
The short answer is that the cost of outsourced accounting depends on the level of service you need, your transaction volume, and how complex your finances are. Many firms charge a flat monthly fee. At Complete Balance Accounting & Consulting, bookkeeping starts at $350 per month, outsourced controller support starts at $999, and fractional CFO support starts at $1,499.
Here's how those levels compare. Each level includes everything in the one before it.
These are starting prices. What outsourced accounting services cost per month for your business depends on the work your books actually require, which is why many firms quote after a short conversation.
Size and stage matter most when it comes to the cost of outsourcing accounting for your business. A young company with one checking account and a few vendors doesn't need much help. Add payroll and a lender who wants quarterly reports, and the work grows fast.
If your revenue is $250,000 or less and your finances are fairly simple, bookkeeping may be all you need for now. Complete Balance's Compliance package starts at $350 per month and covers monthly or quarterly bookkeeping by a dedicated accountant, reviewed by a CPA, plus a regular review meeting.
How much does outsourced bookkeeping cost at this stage? The $350 package above is often enough. The books get reconciled monthly or quarterly and a CPA reviews the work, so the numbers are ready when your tax preparer asks.
Once you add employees, vendors, and more revenue streams, there's more to do than record transactions. That's usually when businesses move to controller-level support. Most fractional controller services range from $999 to $5,000 per month, depending on volume and complexity, as Complete Balance explains in its guide to fractional controllers.
Fractional CFO support starts at $1,499 per month. It's for owners whose books are steady and who want help looking ahead, with budget development, budget vs. actual analysis, cash flow forecasting, and custom KPI reporting. Learn more about financial planning and analysis services.
When you compare options for outsourcing accounting and bookkeeping, the biggest jump in price comes from moving past bookkeeping. It helps to know what each level covers.
Bookkeeping is the more straightforward job. Transactions get categorized and bank accounts reconciled, so you end up with statements you can trust. That scope doesn't change much month to month, which keeps the outsourced bookkeeping cost on the lower end for many small businesses.
Controller support takes on the whole accounting function. In Complete Balance's Outsourced Controller package, that means fully outsourced accounting, custom processes for payables, revenue, payroll, and financial reporting, bill pay and vendor management, and a monthly review meeting. It works with cash, modified accrual, or full accrual books.
If you're paying a bookkeeper and still doing the bill pay, payroll coordination, and month-end cleanup yourself, you may already need controller-level help. Learn more about bookkeeping services and outsourced accounting and controller services.
Two businesses with the same revenue can get very different quotes, because the cost to outsource accounting depends on the work behind the numbers. Most firms price an account on the hours they expect to spend each month and the level of expertise that work needs. A few things tend to drive that:
It's common for cleanup to be priced separately. If your books are behind, ask whether the first few months include catch-up work or whether that's a separate fee.
The cost of outsourcing accounting services is often significantly lower than adding accounting staff to your payroll. An in-house hire comes with a salary plus benefits, payroll taxes, training, and the time it takes to recruit and replace people. Outsourcing replaces all of that with one monthly fee.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics states that the median annual wage is $50,670 for bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks and $83,680 for accountants and auditors in May 2025. For financial managers, the BLS category that covers controllers, it was $166,570.
Wages are only part of the cost. Benefits make up about 30% of employer compensation costs, according to the BLS Employer Costs for Employee Compensation report. Here's what that looks like for each role:
The estimates treat wages as 70% of total compensation, so a $50,670 wage comes to about $72,386 with benefits. They don't include recruiting, software, office space, or turnover.
Compare that with an outsourced bookkeeping package that starts at $4,200 a year, or controller support that starts at $11,988 a year. Even at the top of the $999 to $5,000 controller range, you'd pay $60,000 a year, well under the cost of one in-house controller. You also get CPA review of the work, something a single in-house bookkeeper usually can't offer.
Not sure which level of support your business needs?
Complete Balance Accounting & Consulting offers CPA-reviewed bookkeeping, controller, and fractional CFO support, so you can start with what you need today and add more as you grow.
For many small businesses, yes. The outsourcing of accounting services is usually worth it when your books are taking time you'd rather spend running the business, or when you need more expertise than one bookkeeper can provide but aren't ready to hire a full accounting team.
It may be time to outsource if:
Learn more about outsourcing accounting for small businesses.
It can be for a small business with simple finances and low transaction volume. Complete Balance's bookkeeping package starts at $350 per month for businesses with $250,000 or less in revenue. Before you compare the cost of outsourced bookkeeping across firms, check what the fee includes.
Accounts payable is usually bundled into a broader package instead of priced on its own. At Complete Balance Accounting & Consulting, bill pay and vendor management are part of the Outsourced Controller package, which starts at $999 per month. The final cost often depends on how many bills you process.
An outsourced accountant keeps your books current. Each month, the accounts get reconciled and the books get closed, then the financial statements come to you. Some packages also cover bill pay, invoicing, payroll support, or lender reports. Many do this remotely inside your existing accounting software.
Rates depend on experience and location, and the kind of work matters too. For ongoing accounting, many firms skip hourly billing and quote a flat monthly fee. If you do get an hourly rate, ask how many hours a typical month includes.
So, how much does outsourced accounting cost? It depends on the level of support you need, from bookkeeping on the lower end to controller and other services as your business grows. Even at the higher levels, it usually costs a fraction of what an in-house hire would.
When you compare quotes, look closely at what's included. A low fee only helps if CPA review, reconciliations, and regular meetings come with it.
If you're ready for clean, reliable books without adding to your payroll, now is a good time to talk it through. Reach out to our team to see which level of support fits your business and your budget.
👉 Want to compare options first? See all three packages on our pricing page, or learn more about how Complete Balance works with small businesses.
