Meta Description: Compare the top outsourced bookkeeping services for 2027: monthly books, catch-up work, QuickBooks and Xero support, and published pricing for US businesses.
Outsourced bookkeeping services take the monthly work of categorizing transactions, reconciling bank and card accounts, and closing the books off the owner’s desk. This list is for US small and midsize businesses that want that work done by a dedicated team rather than a part-time hire, whether that means steady monthly books, a catch-up project to clean up a year or more of missed months, or a provider that already works inside QuickBooks Online or Xero.
The market looks different going into 2027 than it did two years ago. Several well-known flat-fee providers changed hands or closed, which pushed many owners to look harder at who actually does the work and whether their file lives in software they control. At the same time, more providers now pair AI categorization with a named human bookkeeper and publish starting prices, so it is easier to compare offers before a sales call. Catch-up bookkeeping has also become a standard, separately priced service rather than an afterthought.
To build this list, each firm was checked on its own website for the bookkeeping services it offers, where its team delivers from, whether it works in QuickBooks Online or Xero, and who owns the business today. Where a firm publishes a starting price, it is noted; where it quotes after a call, that is noted too. Prices change often, so treat every figure as a starting point to confirm.
If you need broader remote finance help such as tax, CFO work or multi-entity accounting, see our separate list of remote accounting services. For background on how outsourcing models work, start with our guide to what BPO is.
Outsourced Bookkeeping Services At A Glance
Company
Headquarters
Best For
Core Services
Pilot
San Francisco and Nashville
Startups and growing SMBs that want AI-assisted books with US-based review
Tech startups that want an AI dashboard on QuickBooks Online
AI bookkeeping, bill pay, tax, fractional CFO, payroll
Best Outsourced Bookkeeping Services In 2027
1. Pilot — Bookkeeping For 3,500+ Startups And Small Businesses
Pilot pairs its own finance platform, which uses AI to categorize transactions and reconcile accounts, with a US-based team that reviews the books and closes each month. The company says it works with more than 3,500 startups and small businesses, and it lists offices in San Francisco and Nashville. It has raised more than $150 million from investors including Sequoia, Index Ventures, Stripe and Bezos Expeditions.
Pricing is published. The Essentials plan starts at $99 per month for businesses with up to $100,000 in monthly expenses and covers categorization, reconciliation and a monthly close. The Core plan adds a US-based bookkeeper and data feeds from banks, cards, payroll, AP, inventory and payment platforms, while the Custom plan is quoted for companies with complex structures. Custom clients can keep their existing QuickBooks account and historical data, which matters if you want to switch providers later.
Pilot suits venture-backed startups and growing small businesses that want monthly books, tax and, later, CFO services, R&D credit work and stock administration from one provider. Owners who need a large catch-up project should ask for a scope before signing, since the pricing page does not describe a standard catch-up service.
2. Bookkeeper360 — Published Pricing From $400 Per Month Since 2012
Bookkeeper360 has served small businesses since 2012 with a full US-based accounting team and its own reporting software that integrates with QuickBooks and Xero. It also connects to tools many small businesses already use, including Gusto, ADP, Square, BILL, Shopify, Amazon, Stripe, A2X and Ramp, which makes it a practical choice for ecommerce sellers and SaaS companies with several payment processors.
Its pricing page is one of the clearest in the category. Monthly bookkeeping starts at $400, catch-up and prior-period cleanup starts at $1,000, and add-ons are listed separately: payroll from $200 per month, sales tax from $125 per month, bill pay and invoicing from $150 per month, and HR from $750 per month. Business tax returns start at $1,200 per year and fractional CFO support starts at $1,600 per month.
Bookkeeper360 fits small businesses that want to price the full package before a sales call and expect to add payroll, sales tax or CFO help later. Its industry pages cover ecommerce, SaaS, service businesses, healthcare, real estate and nonprofits.
3. Xendoo — Xero Partner With Catch-Up From $295 Per Month
Xendoo is an online bookkeeping, accounting and tax firm founded by CEO Lil Roberts, a small business owner. Its team is US-based, and its core platform is Xero: the company promotes a Xero Partner of the Year award and runs Q2X, a service that moves books from QuickBooks Online to Xero. It also works with QuickBooks Online and its own dashboard.
Published plans are priced by monthly expenses and account count. Essential costs $395 per month (or $355 billed annually) for up to $50,000 in monthly expenses and four bank or card accounts, with weekly bookkeeping on a cash basis. Growth costs $695 per month for up to $75,000 in expenses and adds modified accrual accounting and a semi-annual tax consult. Scale costs $995 per month for up to $125,000 in expenses, with a custom chart of accounts and bi-weekly calls. Catch-up bookkeeping starts at $295 per month of history.
Xendoo is a good match for small businesses that want weekly rather than monthly updates, owners already on Xero, and firms that want tax returns and, later, a fractional CFO (from $2,500 per month as an add-on) from the same team.
Ignite Spot Accounting was founded in 2008 by Eddy Hood and is based in Salt Lake City, Utah. Its dedicated accountants are US-based W-2 employees rather than contractors, and it works only in QuickBooks Online and Xero, helping clients migrate if they use something else.
The firm is clear about who it serves: US businesses with $1 million to $10 million in annual revenue, especially marketing agencies, consulting firms, IT companies and other service businesses. It says it is generally not a fit for nonprofits. Services run from bookkeeping (transaction recording, bank reconciliations, invoicing and bill pay) to a fully outsourced accounting department with monthly profit and loss statements, budget-to-actual reports, controller support and fractional CFO work.
Catch-up is handled as a defined plan. If books are more than 12 months behind, Ignite Spot sets a go-forward date and treats historical cleanup separately, which keeps monthly reporting from waiting on old records. Pricing is quoted after a review of volume and complexity. Contracts are month to month with 30 days’ notice, and onboarding typically takes about 90 days.
5. BELAY — One Dedicated US-Based Bookkeeper In QuickBooks Or Xero
BELAY has supported small businesses since 2010 with a bench of nearly 2,000 US-based professionals across virtual assistance, bookkeeping and other roles. On the bookkeeping side, each client gets one dedicated bookkeeper who handles invoicing, reconciliations, AP and AR management, and monthly and annual reports inside QuickBooks or Xero. Bookkeepers work standard business hours in their own US time zone.
BELAY has grown its financial services through acquisitions, including Accountfully and, in December 2025, Fully Accountable, an outsourced accounting and CFO firm focused on ecommerce businesses. That gives clients a path from day-to-day bookkeeping to fractional controller and CFO support without changing providers.
You do not need clean books to start: BELAY says its bookkeepers help clean up records during onboarding. For owners who only need reconciliations, its fractional controllers offer targeted hourly support. Pricing is customized by complexity and transaction volume, so request a written quote. BELAY suits owners who value a consistent named person over a pooled team, and who may later want an executive assistant from the same company; see our list of virtual assistant companies for alternatives.
Supporting Strategies, based in Beverly, Massachusetts, has provided outsourced bookkeeping and operational support since 2004 and says it has supported more than 4,000 companies. Its model is built on locally owned and operated offices: the locations page lists about 70 markets across 27 states, from Arizona and California to Texas and Virginia, so clients can work with a team in their own region.
Services are packaged by function. Essentials covers bookkeeping, Insights adds financial reporting, Compliance covers tax and regulatory support, Revenue handles AR and collections, Expenses handles AP, and People covers payroll and benefits administration. The firm also offers controller services and has industry pages for law firms, healthcare practices and nonprofits.
Pricing follows a discovery meeting and written proposal. Supporting Strategies fits established small and midsize businesses that want bookkeeping plus AP, AR and payroll administration from people who can meet in person, rather than a purely online provider.
Merritt Bookkeeping offers one of the simplest models on this list: a fixed $250 per month with no tiers, contracts or setup fees. A bookkeeper enters every transaction into QuickBooks and delivers standard financial statements plus ten plain-English “Fundamental Business Insights” reports each month. The firm says it has served thousands of clients and works directly with your accountant at tax time.
Catch-up pricing is published too. Each month behind costs $200 when Merritt creates or updates your QuickBooks file, and months that are mostly complete (fewer than 20 transactions to enter) cost $100. That makes it easy to estimate a cleanup project for a business that is one or two years behind.
The flat fee works best for very small businesses with straightforward books, such as sole proprietors, local service firms and early-stage companies that do not need accrual accounting, inventory or multi-entity reporting. Businesses with high transaction volumes or complex revenue should compare it with tiered providers above.
Kruze Consulting is a licensed CPA firm based in San Francisco (California Board of Accountancy license 7637), founded by CPA Vanessa Kruze. It focuses on venture-funded startups and says more than 800 funded companies use its services, with clients that have collectively raised more than $15 billion. The firm has appeared on the Inc. 5000 list for seven years.
Every package includes accrual-basis bookkeeping in QuickBooks Online, a dedicated accounting manager, a monthly call, tax services and CFO services. Published pricing runs $650 to $850 per month for the Basic package and $850 to $1,500 per month for Founder Timesaver, which adds GAAP revenue recognition, bill pay and departmental tracking. A Premium tier adds multi-entity consolidation, multi-currency, inventory and crypto accounting, and is quoted separately. A one-time onboarding fee applies per entity.
Kruze suits seed through growth-stage startups that will face investor due diligence, need Delaware franchise tax and R&D credit filings, and want books that hold up in a fundraise. It is more than most local service businesses need.
9. Escalon — 20,000+ Organizations Served Since 2006
Escalon has offered outsourced finance and HR services since 2006 from its base in Silicon Valley, and says it has served more than 20,000 organizations. Its outsourced accounting covers bookkeeping, reconciliations, month-end close, general ledger management and budget-versus-actual reporting, with outsourced CFO work, tax compliance, cash collections and bill management available on top.
The firm publishes a SOC 2 Type II report through its trust center and has been an Inc. 5000 honoree five times. It serves technology, life sciences, healthcare, consumer goods, media, nonprofit, Web3 and professional services companies, and supports clients through fundraising and due diligence.
Escalon fits growing companies that want bookkeeping today and expect to need HR, benefits and payroll support from the same provider as they hire. Pricing is quoted after a consultation.
10. Zeni — AI Bookkeeping On QuickBooks Online From $549 Per Month
Zeni, based in Palo Alto, California, combines an AI platform with a team of human finance professionals, including a controller, bookkeeping manager and analysts. The AI handles categorization, reconciliation and journal entries, and the team reviews and closes the books. Zeni says it manages $20 billion in transactions a year.
Pricing is published. The Starter plan begins at $549 per month ($494 billed annually) for pre-revenue companies, and Growth begins at $799 per month ($719 annually) for revenue-generating companies. Both include a dedicated finance team, a real-time dashboard, AI bill pay and reimbursements. Zeni requires QuickBooks Online Plus to sync with its dashboard and will help migrate data if you use something else. Payroll management starts at $199 per month, and fractional CFO plans start at $1,599 per month plus setup.
Zeni suits tech, SaaS and AI startups from pre-seed onward that want daily visibility into burn and runway. Its pricing page does not mention catch-up work, so confirm the cost of any backlog before you sign.
How To Choose An Outsourced Bookkeeping Service
Who Owns The File And The Software Login?
Ask whether your books will live in your own QuickBooks Online or Xero subscription or inside the provider’s proprietary platform. If the file is yours, you can change providers without rebuilding a year of history. If it sits in a proprietary system, ask in writing how you export the general ledger, supporting documents and reports if you leave, and in what format. The closures and ownership changes among flat-fee providers in recent years made this the single most important question for many owners.
It also matters for your tax preparer. A CPA who can log in to your QuickBooks or Xero file directly will usually spend less time, and bill less, at year end than one working from PDFs.
How Is The Monthly Price Calculated?
Most providers price by monthly expense volume, number of bank and card accounts, or transaction count, and many publish a starting price. Confirm what moves you into the next tier, whether accrual-basis books cost more than cash-basis, and which items are add-ons (payroll, sales tax filings, bill pay, 1099s, class or location tracking). A low starting price can double once a business with several entities, payment processors or inventory is priced properly. Our guide to how BPO pricing works explains the common pricing models in more detail.
Do You Need Catch-Up Bookkeeping First?
If you are several months or a full year behind, expect a separate catch-up fee before monthly service starts. Providers typically price catch-up per month of history or as a flat project. Ask for a written scope that lists which accounts will be reconciled, how uncategorized transactions will be handled, and when the work will be ready for your tax preparer. Catch-up projects that run into a filing deadline are the most common source of disputes, so agree on a date before you sign.
Who Actually Does The Work And Where Are They Based?
Some firms assign a named US-based bookkeeper or a small pod, others use a shared queue backed by offshore staff, and many now use software to categorize transactions before a person reviews them. None of these models is wrong, but you should know which you are buying. Ask who reconciles your accounts, who reviews the month-end close, how fast questions are answered, and whether your data is handled outside the US. If you prefer to build your own remote team instead, see our guides to offshore staffing companies and virtual assistant providers.
What Will You Get Each Month?
At a minimum, expect reconciled bank and credit card accounts, a profit and loss statement and a balance sheet within a set number of days after month end. Better providers add a short review call, a list of open questions, and notes on unusual items. If you plan to raise money or apply for a loan, ask whether the provider can deliver accrual-basis statements and handle items such as deferred revenue, inventory and fixed assets. Businesses that will soon need AP, AR and close support at scale should also compare finance and accounting outsourcing companies.
Conclusion
The right outsourced bookkeeping service depends on how complex your books are and how much hands-on help you want. Startups raising venture money tend to fit specialists that understand accrual accounting and investor reporting, while service businesses and local operators often do best with a named bookkeeper inside their own QuickBooks Online or Xero file. Ecommerce sellers should favor providers that already reconcile marketplace and payment processor payouts.
Before you sign, get a written scope, confirm who owns the file, price out any catch-up work, and ask for a sample month-end package. Add payroll only if the provider handles it well, or pair your bookkeeper with one of the payroll outsourcing companies on our separate list. With those answers in hand, the cheapest quote and the best fit are easier to tell apart.
Finally, revisit the arrangement once a year. Small business bookkeeping needs change as revenue grows: a provider that was right at $500,000 in revenue may not handle accrual accounting, inventory or multiple entities at $5 million. A short annual review of turnaround times, accuracy and fees keeps the relationship honest and tells you when it is time to move up a tier or to a larger firm.
