The cost of an outsourced accounting team depends on how complex your finances are. The biggest drivers are monthly transaction volume, the number of bank and credit card accounts, sales channels, entities, payroll, inventory, and how much reporting and oversight you need.
Most outsourced accounting teams charge a flat monthly fee scoped to that complexity. For most growing businesses, that fee comes in well below the cost of building the same team in-house.
The better question is what you're comparing it to. Here's how to size up both sides.
An outsourced accounting team is a group of accounting professionals who run your finance function from outside your company. Instead of hiring one bookkeeper and hoping they can do everything, you get several roles working together.
A typical team includes:
Some teams add payroll, tax, controller, or CFO support as the business grows.
Every engagement gets priced on scope. These are the factors that move the number:
1. Transaction volume. A business with 300 transactions a month needs less time than one with 1,500.
2. Number of accounts. Each bank account, credit card, and loan adds reconciliation work.
3. Sales channels. Selling through your website, Amazon, wholesale, and retail means more revenue streams to reconcile.
4. Entities and locations. Multiple companies or locations require separate books, intercompany entries, and consolidated reporting.
5. Payroll. Running payroll, filing payroll taxes, or managing multi-state employees adds scope.
6. Inventory. Product businesses need inventory tracking, cost of goods sold, and margin reporting by SKU or channel.
7. Reporting depth. Basic financial statements cost less than custom KPI dashboards, budget vs. actuals, and cash flow forecasting.
8. Level of expertise. Day-to-day bookkeeping costs less than controller oversight or CFO-level strategy.
9. Cleanup. If your books are behind or inaccurate, catch-up and historical cleanup add work at the start.
That's why a single published price rarely fits. A $1M service firm with one bank account and a $15M product brand selling across four channels need very different teams.
Start with salaries. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual wage for accountants and auditors was $83,680 in May 2025. The median for bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks was $50,670.
Then add benefits. The BLS reports that benefits made up 30.0% of total compensation costs for private industry employers in June 2026. That covers payroll taxes, health insurance, paid leave, and retirement contributions.
If wages make up 70% of total compensation, here's the fully burdened cost at the median:
That's before you add an accounting manager or controller to review their work. It's also before:
Time matters too. SHRM's recruiting benchmarking data puts the median time-to-fill for non-executive roles at 39 calendar days. While the seat sits empty, the books fall behind.
So ask yourself: what would it cost you to build a three-person accounting team with manager-level review, then keep every seat filled?
Providers tend to use one of three models:
Many businesses combine a one-time cleanup fee with an ongoing monthly fee.
When you compare quotes, compare scope, not just price. Ask each provider:
A lower quote often means less review, a slower close, or a narrower scope.
Outsourcing tends to pay off when:
If your business is under $250,000 in annual revenue with simple finances, basic bookkeeping is usually enough.
BELAY's Full-Service Accounting Team gives growing businesses a dedicated Staff Accountant, Senior Accountant, and Accounting Manager to keep books clean, closes timely, and finances clear, without the cost of hiring in-house.
Scope covers bank and credit card reconciliations, transaction posting, invoicing and AR, vendor payments, monthly close, P&L and balance sheets, monthly review meetings, payroll processing and payroll taxes, sales tax filing, and analytics and risk analysis. Plan levels scale with the number of accounts, monthly transactions, and sales channels you manage, and higher levels add inventory support and custom KPI reporting. Custom scopes get built on a fit call.
Most clients are matched in about two weeks, sometimes one. Onboarding runs about 90 days: setup and historical cleanup in month one, workflows and first close in months two and three, and an ongoing rhythm from month four. Your team works in your existing stack, including QuickBooks, Xero, ADP, BILL, and Gusto.
The Full-Service Accounting Team is one of eight services in BELAY Financial Solutions. Businesses under $2M in revenue often start with Bookkeeping. Growth-stage leaders add a Fractional Controller or Fractional CFO. The suite also includes Full-Service Payroll, Tax Services, Accounting Clerks, and Inventory Consulting. When you need help beyond finance, BELAY Assistant Solutions matches you with a dedicated Executive Assistant.
Every engagement runs month-to-month with no long-term contract. Every Financial Expert is U.S.-based and comes from the top 3% of applicants, and our Right-Fit Guarantee covers a rematch at no added cost.
We don't publish a rate card, because your fee depends on the scope above. Book a fit call and we'll give you a number built for your business.
The cost depends on transaction volume, number of accounts, sales channels, entities, payroll, inventory, and reporting needs. Most providers charge a flat monthly fee scoped to that complexity, which is usually less than the fully burdened cost of an in-house team.
For most growing businesses, yes. A single in-house accountant at the BLS median wage costs about $119,500 a year once benefits are included, before recruiting, software, and management review. An outsourced team spreads that work across several roles for one monthly fee.
Most outsourced accounting services include reconciliations, transaction posting, accounts payable and receivable, monthly close, and financial statements. Fuller teams add payroll, sales tax filing, budget vs. actuals, KPI reporting, and controller or CFO oversight.
Outsourced bookkeeping usually pairs one professional with a simpler business for reconciliations and day-to-day records. An outsourced accounting team adds multiple roles, manager-level review, month-end close management, and deeper reporting for more complex businesses.
No. BELAY prices each engagement based on scope, including accounts, transactions, sales channels, and services needed. You get an accurate number on a short fit call.
At BELAY, matching usually takes about two weeks, sometimes one. Full onboarding runs about 90 days, including cleanup, workflow setup, and the first monthly close.