Doing your own books looks free. It isn’t.
Every hour you spend reconciling accounts is an hour you don’t spend on clients, sales or your team. Every mistake you miss costs money to find and fix later.
So what does it cost to hand bookkeeping off? Here’s what you’ll pay in-house, freelance and outsourced, and how to choose.
How Much Does a Bookkeeper Cost?
The median bookkeeper in the U.S. earns $24.36 an hour, or $50,670 a year, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data (2025). Pay ranges from about $36,000 at the 10th percentile to $74,550 at the 90th.
That’s wages only. For office and administrative roles in private industry, wages make up 68.7% of total compensation. Benefits make up the other 31.3%, according to the BLS Employer Costs for Employee Compensation release for June 2026.
Apply that to the median salary, and a full-time in-house bookkeeper costs about $73,800 a year in salary and benefits. That’s before recruiting, software and training.
What Drives the Cost
- Transaction volume: more transactions mean more hours
- Complexity: multiple entities, inventory, payroll or sales tax add work
- Condition of your books: cleanup costs more than maintenance
- Experience: a bookkeeper who also produces reports and manages payables costs more than one who enters data
- How you hire: employee, freelancer or outsourced service
Bookkeeping Cost Comparison
| Full-time in-house | Part-time in-house | Freelance bookkeeper | Outsourced service (BELAY) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| How you pay | Annual salary plus benefits | Hourly wage, plus benefits if eligible | Hourly rate or monthly fee | Monthly fee based on complexity, transaction volume and goals |
| Typical cost | About $50,670 salary; about $73,800 with benefits (median) | Prorated wages plus payroll taxes | Varies widely by experience and scope | Scoped to your business |
| Hiring | Your time, job ads, possibly a recruiter | Your time, job ads | Your time vetting candidates | Done for you |
| Payroll taxes and benefits | You pay | You pay | Freelancer covers | Included |
| Software | You provide | You provide | Varies | Works in your QuickBooks or Xero |
| Coverage for vacations and turnover | None; work stops | None; work stops | None; work stops | Rematched at no additional cost if the fit isn’t right |
What Does a Bookkeeper Do?
A bookkeeper keeps your financial records accurate and current, so you always know where your money is.
| What bookkeepers do | What bookkeepers don’t do |
|---|---|
| Record and categorize transactions | Prepare and file tax returns |
| Reconcile bank and credit card accounts | Perform audits |
| Manage accounts payable and receivable | Provide tax strategy |
| Send invoices and track payments | Set long-term financial strategy |
| Produce monthly financial reports | Sign off on GAAP financial statements |
| Clean up records that have fallen behind | Give legal advice |
Want to see the work up close? Read Journal Entries Explained With Examples or start with Bookkeeping 101: Basics for Beginners.
Bookkeeper vs. Accounting Clerk vs. Accountant
| Accounting clerk | Bookkeeper | Accountant | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Focus | Specific, high-volume tasks | Your full set of books | Analysis, tax and compliance |
| Typical work | Data entry, payables or receivables processing | Reconciliations, AP and AR, monthly reporting | Tax returns, audits, financial statements, tax planning |
| Training | On-the-job training, software skills | Accounting coursework or certification, software expertise | Bachelor’s degree in accounting; CPAs are licensed |
| Cost | Lowest | Moderate | Highest |
Many businesses use more than one. A bookkeeper keeps the books current, and an accountant handles taxes. As you grow, a controller or CFO may join them. See What Is Fractional Accounting?
The Hidden Costs of Doing Your Own Bookkeeping
Your Time
Multiply your hourly value by the hours you spend on your books each month. That’s what DIY bookkeeping really costs.
Mistakes
Miscategorized expenses, missed deductions and unreconciled accounts cost money at tax time, and more to fix after the fact.
Late Decisions
When your books are behind, you make decisions on old numbers, or no numbers at all.
Peace of Mind
Not knowing whether your numbers are right is its own cost.
Still on the fence? Read You’re Not Still Doing Your Own Bookkeeping, Right? and 7 Ways a Bookkeeper Can Save You Money.
How to Hire the Right Bookkeeper
Ask any bookkeeper or bookkeeping service these five questions:
1. Will I have one bookkeeper or a rotating team?
A dedicated bookkeeper learns your business. A rotating team means re-explaining it.
2. How are your bookkeepers vetted?
Ask about experience requirements, skills assessments and background checks.
3. What software do you work in?
Make sure they’re experts in the platform you use, like QuickBooks or Xero.
4. What happens if it’s not a good fit?
Look for a clear process to replace a bookkeeper without starting over.
5. How is pricing structured, and what’s included?
Ask what drives the cost, what’s included each month and what would add to it.
For more on what to look for, read What Small Business Owners Should Know Before Hiring a Bookkeeper and How to Find a Good Bookkeeper. Wondering what the first few months look like? See Outsourced Bookkeeping Services for Small Business: What to Expect.
How BELAY Bookkeeping Works
BELAY Bookkeeping gives you one dedicated, U.S.-based bookkeeper who works as an extension of your team.
- Invoicing, reconciliations, accounts payable and receivable, and monthly and annual reporting
- Works in QuickBooks or Xero
- No need to clean up your books first. Your bookkeeper helps during onboarding.
- 93% of clients are matched with the right bookkeeper the first time. If not, BELAY rematches you at no additional cost.
- No long-term contract
- Add payroll, tax, controller or CFO support as you grow
Pricing depends on your business’s complexity, transaction volume and goals.
Bookkeeper Cost FAQ
How much does a bookkeeper cost per hour?
The median bookkeeper in the U.S. earns $24.36 an hour, according to BLS wage data (2025). Freelance and outsourced rates vary by experience and scope.
How much does a full-time bookkeeper cost per year?
The median salary is $50,670. With benefits, a full-time employee costs about $73,800 a year.
How much does outsourced bookkeeping cost per month?
It depends on your transaction volume, complexity and the condition of your books. Most outsourced services charge a monthly fee based on scope.
Is it cheaper to outsource bookkeeping than to hire?
Often. Outsourcing removes benefits, payroll taxes, recruiting and turnover costs, and you pay for the support your business needs.
Can a virtual assistant do my bookkeeping?
A virtual assistant can handle financial admin, but reconciliations and reporting need a bookkeeper. Read Can a Virtual Assistant Do Your Bookkeeping?
How much does BELAY Bookkeeping cost?
BELAY’s pricing depends on your business’s complexity, transaction volume and goals. The fastest way to get a number is a short fit call.
Get Your Books Off Your Plate
BELAY’s U.S.-based bookkeepers keep your books accurate, reconciled and ready when you need them.
