What it costs to get a bookkeeper's + CPA's work done
Every alternative below is either a tool a human operates, an outsourced human service, or the human roles themselves. Ledger Copilot consolidates the mechanical bookkeeping, CFO-level analysis, payroll, tax, invoicing, and (for government) HUD/fund accounting into one platform — leaving people for judgment. Estimate your stack, then see the full matrix.
See how we match a great finance hire — and where humans still win →
Estimate your annual cost
Illustrative difference of $78,492/year (96%) vs. In-house team, using the representative rates below — and Ledger Copilot consolidates the separate tools into one platform.
Illustrative estimate from your inputs — not a guarantee or promise of results. Your actual costs and quote will vary.
Ledger Copilot
$3,588/yrOne platform: AI-run bookkeeping + reconciliation, CFO-level analysis, payroll, sales/income tax, invoicing, and (for gov) HUD/fund accounting. Humans review exceptions.
- Ledger Copilot platform (SMB tier, all-in)$3,588
DIY software + outsourced humans
$10,080/yrA ledger you license, a bookkeeper to run it, payroll, and a CPA at year-end — the most common stack.
- Accounting software (QuickBooks-class)$1,380
- Outsourced bookkeeper to operate it$6,000
- Payroll (Gusto)$1,200
- CPA — year-end tax prep & filing$1,500
Managed bookkeeping service + CPA
$6,588/yrOutsource the books to a done-for-you service, add payroll, and a CPA for the return.
- Managed bookkeeping service (Bench/Pilot-class)$4,188
- Payroll (Gusto)$1,200
- CPA — year-end tax prep & filing$1,200
In-house team
$82,080/yrHire a bookkeeper, license the software, and keep a CPA for tax — maximum control, maximum cost.
- In-house bookkeeper (loaded salary)$78,000
- Accounting software$1,380
- Payroll (Gusto)$1,200
- CPA — year-end tax prep & filing$1,500
Illustrative estimate from your inputs — not a guarantee or promise of results. Figures use representative tier rates (see the matrix for ranges + sources); competitor rates are industry benchmarks, illustrative. Your quote will vary.
Who does what — and what it costs
| Provider | Price (approx) | Books | Recon | A/R | A/P | Payroll | Sales tax | Stmts | Advisory | Income tax | Gov/HUD | Audit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ledger Copilot | ||||||||||||
AI does the mechanical books + CFO-level analysis + payroll + tax + invoicing + gov compliance. Humans review exceptions. | $299–$1,499/mo Target pricing $299–$1,499/mo by size. Consolidates the bookkeeper, the tools, and much of the CPA's recurring work into one platform. | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| DIY software — a tool you (or a bookkeeper) operate | ||||||||||||
QuickBooks Onlineneeds operator The default SMB ledger. A tool you (or a bookkeeper) operate. | $38–$275/mo 4 tiers $38–$275/mo (Simple Start→Advanced). Payroll is a paid add-on; full A/P usually needs Bill.com. | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ~ | +$ | ~ | ✓ | — | — | — | ~ |
Xeroneeds operator Popular QBO alternative; unlimited users. | $25–$90/mo 3 tiers $25–$90/mo (Early→Established). Payroll via Gusto integration (extra). | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ~ | +$ | ~ | ✓ | — | — | — | ~ |
FreshBooksneeds operator Invoicing-first; favored by service businesses & freelancers. | $21–$65/mo Approx $21–$65/mo (Lite→Premium); per-client/per-user limits and add-ons apply. | ~ | ✓ | ✓ | ~ | +$ | ~ | ✓ | — | — | — | — |
Waveneeds operator Free core accounting; pay for payroll/payments. | Free–$16/mo Core accounting free; Pro ~$16/mo; payroll & payments are paid add-ons. | ✓ | ~ | ✓ | — | +$ | ~ | ~ | — | — | — | — |
Zoho Booksneeds operator Low-cost ledger; free under a revenue cap. | Free–$240/mo Free under a revenue cap; paid tiers roughly $15–$240/mo. | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ~ | +$ | ~ | ✓ | — | — | — | — |
Sage Intacctneeds operator Mid-market GL with real fund/dimensional accounting. | Quote-based Quote-based, typically ~$10k–$30k+/yr. Strong multi-entity & fund accounting. | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | +$ | ~ | ✓ | ~ | — | ~ | ~ |
Oracle NetSuiteneeds operator Full ERP for larger/complex organizations. | Quote-based Quote-based ERP, often $25k–$100k+/yr plus implementation. | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | +$ | ~ | ✓ | ~ | — | ~ | ~ |
BILL (Bill.com)needs operator A/P + A/R automation that bolts onto your ledger. | $45–$79/mo ~$45–$79/user/mo; covers A/P & A/R only — not a full ledger. | — | — | ~ | ✓ | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Run-payroll service; integrates with most ledgers. | $40–$180/mo + /emp Payroll: $40–$180/mo base + $6–$22 per employee/mo. Payroll only. | — | — | — | — | ✓ | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Managed bookkeeping services — outsourced humans + software | ||||||||||||
Done-for-you bookkeeping with a dedicated team. | $299–$700/mo Managed bookkeeping ~$299/mo (billed annually); tax-bundled tiers higher. (Ownership changed in 2025 — verify availability.) | ✓ | ✓ | — | — | — | ~ | ✓ | ~ | +$ | — | ~ |
Managed bookkeeping that scales with monthly expenses; CFO add-ons. | $99–$1,750/mo AI-only tier ~$99/mo; managed bookkeeping ~$169–$349+/mo scaling with expenses; CFO services $1,750+/mo. | ✓ | ✓ | ~ | ~ | +$ | ~ | ✓ | +$ | +$ | — | ~ |
Expert bookkeeping layered on QuickBooks Online. | $50–$700/mo Add-on to QBO; expert-assisted to full-service ~$50–$700+/mo on top of the QBO subscription. | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ~ | +$ | ~ | ✓ | — | — | — | ~ |
Bookkeeping + business tax bundles with CPAs on staff. | $139–$399/mo Bundled bookkeeping + tax ~$139–$399/mo (billed annually). | ✓ | ✓ | — | — | — | ~ | ✓ | ~ | ✓ | — | ~ |
| AI-native bookkeeping | ||||||||||||
Puzzleneeds operator AI-native general ledger; accountant review recommended. | Free–$100/mo AI-native accounting ~$0–$100+/mo; designed to pair with an accountant for review. | ✓ | ✓ | — | — | — | — | ✓ | ~ | — | — | — |
Digitsneeds operator AI bookkeeping + real-time reporting. | Free–$100/mo AI bookkeeping & reporting; pricing varies — verify current plans. | ✓ | ✓ | — | — | — | — | ✓ | ~ | — | — | — |
| Human roles | ||||||||||||
A fractional/contract human keeping your books. | $300–$2,000/mo $300–$2,000/mo by transaction volume (~$10k–$25k/yr all-in). They operate the software. | ✓ | ✓ | ~ | ~ | ~ | ~ | ✓ | ~ | — | ~ | ~ |
A full-time employee — salary + benefits + tools. | $75,000–$90,000/yr ~$75k median salary; ~$90k+/yr fully loaded (benefits, taxes, software, space). | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ~ | ~ | ✓ | ~ | — | ~ | ~ |
Tax strategy, returns, and audit/assurance — the judgment layer. | Hourly $150–$400/hr; tax prep $500–$2,500/return ($800–$1,200 S-corp/partnership); retainer $1,000–$6,000/mo. | ~ | — | — | — | — | — | ~ | ✓ | ✓ | ~ | ✓ |
Part-time senior finance leadership. | $1,750–$5,250/mo Fractional controller/CFO ~$1,750–$5,250/mo for oversight, analysis, and board reporting. | ~ | — | — | — | — | — | ✓ | ✓ | — | — | ✓ |
What a human still does
Ledger Copilot automates the mechanical work and produces CPA-grade artifacts (statements, returns, FDS/SEFA), but it doesn't replace professional judgment: complex tax strategy, an independent audit/attestation (which by law a separate CPA must perform), entity structuring, and edge-case rulings still belong to a licensed professional. The goal is to shrink the recurring bookkeeper + CPA hours — not to give tax or legal advice.
See the underlying savings model on the savings calculator, or how Ledger Copilot is priced/deployed on the deployment page.