- How much does a bookkeeper cost per month for a small business?
- How much does outsourced bookkeeping cost in Dallas?
- Is outsourced bookkeeping cheaper than hiring an employee?
- Do bookkeeping companies charge hourly or monthly?
- How much does it cost to hire a bookkeeper for a business making $500,000 a year?
- What is a reasonable monthly bookkeeping fee for a Texas LLC?
How much does a bookkeeper cost per month for a small business?
The monthly cost of a bookkeeper depends on how much work your books take: transaction volume, the number of bank and credit card accounts, payroll, inventory, how many entities you own and which reports you need. SmartGrowth Bookkeeping plans start at $200 a month. Your exact flat fee comes in a written quote after a free call, so you know the cost before any work starts.
| Factor | Why it changes the work |
|---|---|
| Transaction volume | Every transaction is reviewed, categorized and reconciled |
| Bank and card accounts | Each account is reconciled separately every month |
| Payroll | Payroll entries, taxes and benefits have to be recorded and checked |
| Inventory | Cost of goods sold and inventory value need monthly updates |
| Catch-up months | Past months must be rebuilt before the monthly routine starts |
| Number of entities | Each LLC needs its own books and reconciliations |
| Reporting needs | Job costing, budgets or lender reports add analysis time |
This is why one published number would mislead most owners. A business with one account and modest activity needs far less work than one with several cards, payroll and inventory.
How much does outsourced bookkeeping cost in Dallas?
Outsourced bookkeeping in Dallas is priced by the same factors as anywhere else: transaction volume, number of accounts, payroll, inventory, entities and any catch-up work. Location matters less than it once did, because the work happens in cloud software. SmartGrowth Bookkeeping serves Dallas-Fort Worth businesses remotely, with plans from $200 a month, and quotes each one on its actual workload, in writing, after a free call.
When you compare quotes from Dallas bookkeeping companies, compare what is included, not just the monthly figure. A lower fee that leaves out reconciliation or monthly statements can cost more in cleanup later.
- Are all bank and credit card accounts reconciled every month?
- Which reports arrive each month?
- Is catch-up work priced separately from the ongoing fee?
- Who records payroll, and who handles 1099 support?
- What happens to the fee if your volume grows?
For more on Texas-specific needs, see our Dallas bookkeeping page.
Is outsourced bookkeeping cheaper than hiring an employee?
For most small businesses, yes. An in-house bookkeeper costs a salary plus payroll taxes, benefits, software, training, equipment and coverage when they are sick or on vacation, and you pay for full hours even in quiet weeks. Outsourced bookkeeping replaces that with one fee for the work your books need. With SmartGrowth Bookkeeping, plans start at $200 a month and the work is done by trained bookkeepers working with SmartGrowth, not one person you must replace if they leave.
| Cost component | In-house employee | Outsourced bookkeeping |
|---|---|---|
| Pay | Salary or hourly wage, for every scheduled hour | A fee for the work your books need |
| Payroll taxes | Employer share paid on top of wages | None for you |
| Benefits | Health insurance, paid time off, retirement if offered | None for you |
| Software and equipment | Computer, accounting subscription, add-ons | Bookkeeper's own tools; you keep your QuickBooks or Xero file |
| Hiring and training | Recruiting time, onboarding, ongoing training | Handled by the bookkeeping company |
| Vacation and sick days | Books pause or you cover them | The team covers the work |
| Turnover | Start over when the person leaves | Continuity stays with the company |
An in-house bookkeeper can make sense for a larger company that needs someone on site every day. For most small businesses, the workload does not fill a full-time role. Our guide on whether a bookkeeper is worth it walks through the decision.
Do bookkeeping companies charge hourly or monthly?
Both models exist. Hourly billing means the bill moves with every question, every messy month and every extra report. A flat monthly fee covers a defined scope, so the cost is predictable and you never hesitate to ask a question. SmartGrowth Bookkeeping bills ongoing work as a flat monthly fee, from $200 a month, set by your transaction volume, number of accounts and industry complexity, with any catch-up or cleanup priced as its own project.
| Point | Hourly | Flat monthly |
|---|---|---|
| Budgeting | Hard to predict | Same amount each month for the agreed scope |
| Questions | Each call may add to the bill | Questions are part of the service |
| Messy months | Cost rises when the books are harder | The scope sets the price; big changes are reviewed together |
| Good fit | One-off tasks or very irregular needs | Ongoing monthly bookkeeping |
Catch-up and cleanup work is usually quoted as a one-time project because it has a clear start and end. See catch-up bookkeeping for how that work is scoped.
How much does it cost to hire a bookkeeper for a business making $500,000 a year?
Revenue alone does not set the price. A business making $500,000 a year might be a consultant with a few dozen invoices or a restaurant with thousands of card sales, and the bookkeeping work is very different. What moves the fee is transaction count, accounts, payroll, inventory and entities. SmartGrowth Bookkeeping plans start at $200 a month; a business at that revenue usually has more activity than the smallest plans, so the flat fee is quoted from your actual numbers after a free call.
| Same revenue | Consulting firm | Restaurant |
|---|---|---|
| Transactions | Few, mostly invoices and a handful of bills | Many, daily sales and frequent supplier bills |
| Accounts | One bank account, one card | Several accounts, processor deposits, delivery apps |
| Payroll | Owner only, or none | Hourly staff with tips |
| Inventory | None | Food and beverage stock |
| Bookkeeping workload | Light | Heavy |
Bringing your last few bank statements to the free call is the quickest way to get an accurate quote.
What is a reasonable monthly bookkeeping fee for a Texas LLC?
A reasonable monthly fee for a Texas LLC is one that matches the work. A single-member service LLC with one bank account needs far less than a business with several locations, payroll, inventory and sales tax. Texas adds franchise tax records, and for many sellers, sales tax records. SmartGrowth Bookkeeping plans start at $200 a month, and the written quote lists exactly what the fee covers, so you can judge it against the work.
- The quote names every account that will be reconciled
- It lists the reports you receive each month
- One-time work, like catch-up months, is shown apart from the monthly fee
- It says who handles payroll records, 1099 support and sales tax records
Texas items to budget for: most businesses with Texas nexus file an annual franchise tax report, normally due May 15, and sellers of taxable goods keep sales tax records for the Comptroller. Our Texas sales and franchise tax records service covers both.
What is included
Free call
A no-obligation call about your business, your accounts and what you need from your books.
Workload review
A look at your transaction volume, accounts, payroll, inventory and entities.
Written quote
The scope and price in writing before any work starts.
Catch-up priced separately
Any past months that need rebuilding are quoted as their own project.
Predictable monthly cost
Ongoing work priced for the agreed scope, so you can budget for it.
Scope reviewed as you grow
When your business changes, the scope is reviewed with you, not changed silently.
How it works
Book a free call
Tell SmartGrowth about your business, your software and where your books stand today.
Share a snapshot
A recent bank statement or read-only look at your books shows the real workload.
Receive your quote
You get the scope and price in writing, with any catch-up work listed separately.
Start when ready
Nothing begins until you agree to the quote.
Catch-up, cleanup and the monthly fee
If your books are behind or messy, that work is separate from the ongoing fee. It has a beginning and an end, and it is quoted once you and SmartGrowth have looked at how many months are missing and how much needs correcting. See bookkeeping cleanup for what that involves.
Connected bank feeds, one business account per purpose and receipts captured as you go all reduce the work your books need. Keeping business and personal spending apart helps most of all.
More questions
Is the free call really free?
Yes. The call costs nothing and carries no obligation. Its purpose is to understand your business well enough to write an accurate quote, and to answer your questions about how SmartGrowth works.
What should a bookkeeping quote include?
A clear quote names the accounts to be reconciled, the reports you receive, how often the books are updated, what one-time work is needed, and what is not included. If a quote does not say these things, ask before you sign.
Does the fee change if my business grows?
More transactions, accounts, employees or entities mean more work, so the scope is reviewed when your business changes significantly. The point is that you agree to any change in advance instead of discovering it on an invoice.