What Should I Expect to Pay for a Good Bookkeeper? (And What You Actually Get)

Short answer: For a good bookkeeper expect to pay enough that they’re reliable, secure, and fast — not bargain-basement. Here’s the blunt breakdown and what you should actually get for your money.

Price Ranges (US, Realistic)

• Basic / very small business: $200–$500/month (~$2,400–$6,000/year) 1 bank/cc reconciliation, basic P&L, simple monthly close, no payroll or multi-platform e-comm complexity.
• Solid, regular small-business package (most clients): $400–$1,200/month (~$4,800–$14,400/year) Full monthly close, multi-account recs, one payroll or payroll management, sales-platform basics, review call, basic cleanup.
• Complex/high volume/e-comm/payroll heavy: $1,200–$3,000+/month (~$14,400–$36,000+/yr) Multi-entity/platform recs, payroll+benefits, sales tax returns, integrations, cash flow reporting, controller duties.
• Hourly cleanup/catch-up: $50–$150/hour (cleanups typically 10–40 hours) Ballpark cleanups: $500–$6,000 depending on mess & hours.

What Affects Price?

• Number of bank/credit card accounts and monthly transactions
• E-commerce complexity (SKUs, refunds, marketplaces)
• Payroll (number of employees, frequency)
• Sales tax complexity (multi-state nexus)
• Integrations & apps (Shopify, Stripe, inventory, etc.)
• Required turnaround (rush = more)
• Security & insurance (SOC/insurance = higher cost)

What You Should Expect to Get at Each Tier

• Cleaned & reconciled bank/CC accounts (monthly)
• Reviewed P&L and Balance Sheet with reclassifications documented
• Month-end close checklist, delivered by agreed SLA
• Clear notes on unapplied payments, uncleared checks, variances
• Access & security: least-privilege QuickBooks user, encrypted file transfer, backup plan
• One monthly call and a short action list
• Fixed-scope pricing for repeatable work; hourly for projects/cleanup

Service Level & Cadence You Deserve

• Monthly close delivered within 5–10 business days after month end
• Routine questions answered within 24–48 hours
• One-month paid trial/fixed deliverable before committing long term

How to Judge Value (Not Just Price)

• Proof > promises: Ask for a redacted P&L + reconciled bank sample and 2 client references
• Does their work reduce your tax bill or save time? If your annual fee is $6k and they recover $30k once — that’s a 5× return.
• Systems chops: Must know QuickBooks (ProAdvisor preferred) and your apps

Negotiation & Contract Tips

• Get a fixed monthly scope with clear services and change-order process
• Cap out-of-scope hours or require pre-approval
• Include acceptance criteria (e.g., all accounts reconciled, exceptions explained)
• Ask for a 30–90 day exit and full handover on termination
• Negotiate discounts for 6–12 month commitments or advance payment
• Insist on a remediation clause: if their errors cause damages, they fix it at no extra cost

Red Flags (Walk Away If…)

• No references, no sample work, or refuses a short paid test
• Asks for full admin/passwords instead of least-privilege access
• No documented backup/hand-over process
• Extremely low hourly rate with “unlimited” hours promised

Practical Next Step: What Actually Works

• Run a 30-day paid trial: fixed price to reconcile last closed month + deliver P&L/BS + top 10 issues & fixes. Score on accuracy, speed, communication, security. If they pass, sign a 6–12 month agreement.

Want a bookkeeper who checks all these boxes? Book your free consultation with Giesler-Tran Bookkeeping today and see what real value looks like!