Outsourced bookkeeping for a small business usually costs a fixed monthly fee, and that fee depends far more on how many transactions you have than on how big your business looks. This guide explains what drives the price, how providers charge, and what you should expect to get for your money.
The short answer
For a small business with up to about 100 transactions a month and one or two bank accounts, our bookkeeping starts at $199 a month (£149, AED 699, SGD 249 or ₹4,999). Firms based in the US, UK or Singapore generally charge more for the same work because their staff costs are higher; that cost difference is the main reason businesses outsource to experienced teams in India.
What matters more than the headline number is what the fee includes — and what it leaves out.
What drives the price of bookkeeping
- Transaction volume. Every bank line, card payment, invoice and bill has to be recorded and checked. A business with 80 transactions a month and one with 1,500 need very different amounts of work.
- Number of accounts. Each bank account, credit card, loan and payment platform (Stripe, PayPal, Shopify, Amazon) needs its own reconciliation.
- Backlog. If the books are months behind, catching up is usually quoted as a one-off project before the monthly fee starts.
- Complexity. Inventory, multiple currencies, multiple companies or project costing all add work.
- Extra services. Payroll, receivables and payables management, and year-end financial statements are normally priced separately.
- Reporting. A simple monthly close costs less than a monthly management pack with commentary.
The three common pricing models
| Model | How it works | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| Fixed monthly fee | One agreed price for an agreed scope, reviewed if volumes change. | Most small businesses — predictable and easy to budget. |
| Hourly | You pay for the time spent. | One-off clean-ups or irregular work. Harder to predict. |
| Per transaction | Price scales with the number of entries. | Very high or very seasonal volumes. |
We use fixed monthly fees for ongoing work and fixed project fees for backlogs, both confirmed in a written scope before anything starts.
What a monthly bookkeeping fee should include
- Recording and categorizing every transaction against a consistent chart of accounts
- Matching receipts and invoices to entries
- Reconciling every bank and card account each month
- A month-end close on an agreed date
- One list of open questions instead of scattered emails
- A short summary of what changed and what needs your attention
If a quote doesn’t mention reconciliations, ask. Books that are categorized but not reconciled are the most common reason year-end takes longer — and costs more — than expected.
Costs people forget
- Software. Xero, QuickBooks and Zoho Books subscriptions are usually paid by you, in your own name. That is a good thing: the data stays yours.
- Catch-up work. A backlog is extra work, usually quoted once.
- Year-end. Financial statements and a pack for your tax advisor are often a separate annual fee.
- Your tax advisor’s fee. Clean books usually make this smaller, not larger.
Our starting prices
| Service | USD | GBP | AED | SGD | INR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bookkeeping (monthly) | $199 | £149 | AED 699 | SGD 249 | ₹4,999 |
| Payroll, up to 10 employees (monthly) | $79 | £59 | AED 299 | SGD 99 | ₹1,999 |
| Financial statements (year-end set) | $349 | £279 | AED 1,299 | SGD 449 | ₹9,999 |
These are starting prices. Your exact fee is confirmed in writing after a short discovery call. See the pricing page for what each starting price assumes.
How to get an accurate quote
Have three things ready: roughly how many transactions you have a month, how many bank, card and payment accounts you use, and how far behind the books are. With those, a provider can give you a realistic fixed fee instead of a range.