Virtual bookkeeping services make it possible to outsource this crucial task at very affordable rates. In fact, our research shows that using a virtual bookkeeping service can save your business over 83% compared to hiring an in-house bookkeeper.
Online bookkeeping services that operate virtually combine the automation of accounting software with the guidance of a professional bookkeeper. Although you should expect to save money with an online bookkeeper, most importantly, virtual bookkeeping services maintain accurate records your business can depend on to make important financial decisions and save on taxes.
We looked at dozens of popular virtual bookkeeping services and narrowed it down to those that will work best for your business. Each offers slightly different services and features, so choose the one that best suits your needs.
7 Best Virtual Bookkeeping Services
1. Maxim Liberty Bookkeeping
Established in 2005, Maxim Liberty Bookkeeping Services is a reputable full-service virtual bookkeeping service provider catering to businesses and accounting firms. Known for top-quality service at a very affordable price, Maxim Liberty supports all widely used bookkeeping software. Maxim Liberty also provides tax preparation and filing services.
Over the many calls I had while interviewing their CEO, I was happy to learn that they provide flexibility through options to cancel or suspend services and they also reassure clients with a 100% money-back guarantee on the first payment. Their high rate of client retention speaks to the service they provide.
When you work with Maxim Liberty you’ll have a dedicated supervisor available to help answer any questions that come up. Also notable, Maxim Liberty supports cash or accrual accounting on all plans and offers options for monthly, weekly, or daily updates.
Maxim Liberty Features
- Dedicated supervisor and named bookkeeper(s)
- Regular, customizable updates
- Data Entry and Catch-up services
- Bank Reconciliations
- Accounts Payable/Billing Management
- Accounts Receivable/Invoicing Management
- Tax Preparation
- Tax Filing
- Payroll Processing
- Financial Reporting
Maxim Liberty Downsides
Maxim Liberty Bookkeeping’s use of international team members may be a concern for some business owners as other services hype having all staff in the U.S. However, Maxim Liberty is incorporated in the USA and been around since 2005. They perform background checks on all their bookkeepers and train them on the importance of security, privacy, and integrity.
Having a team in India allows Maxim Liberty to offer very competitive pricing, which particularly benefits small to medium-sized businesses.
While the idea of a bookkeeper working in another country may initially seem concerning to some, Maxim Liberty has demonstrated that with proper management and safeguards in place, it can be a valuable and secure option for businesses seeking efficient and cost-effective bookkeeping services.
Maxim Liberty Value
Maxim Liberty presents flexible, no-lock-in plans, complemented by a 100% refund policy on the initial payment if you aren’t fully satisfied.
Each plan comes with a dedicated supervisor along with a named bookkeeper. The supervisor acts as the main point of contact for the clients and oversees the work of the bookkeeper, ensuring quality.
All Maxim Liberty plans include:
- Cash or accrual accounting
- Unlimited accounts
- Data entry
- Categorization
- Bank reconciliation
- Financial reporting
- Catch-up and clean-up bookkeeping
| Maxim Liberty Plan | Features | Monthly Price | Additional Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly Updates | Up to 5 hr/mo | $60 | $12/hr |
| Weekly Updates | Up to 10 hr/mo | $120 | $12/hr |
| Daily Updates | 20 hr/mo, AP/AR, Sales Tax & Payroll | $240 | $12/hr |
| CPA Plan | 30 hr/mo, Unlimited Clients | $270 | $9/hr |
For a limited time, Maxim Liberty is offering a one-month free trial of their bookkeeping service.
Maxim Liberty Add-on Services
Maxim Liberty’s selective offering of add-on services aligns with their area of expertise. This focused approach delivers superior value at competitive prices, reflecting their dedication to excellence in their core practices.
- Tax preparation & filing
- 1099 filing
- CPA support
- Payroll*
- AP / AR*
- Sales tax*
* Standard on the Daily Updates plan
2. Bookkeeper360
Bookkeeper360 is a full-service accounting platform developed for business owners. You can choose to monthly or weekly reconciliation and, like most virtual bookkeeping services, their pricing packages are based on your business’s monthly expenses.
Specializing in comprehensive bookkeeping solutions, Bookkeeper360 can help you with bookkeeping assessments, book-to-tax reconciliation, integration with apps, and setup for QuickBooks Online or Xero. It also handles complex projects such as prior month or multi-year bookkeeping.
Their tax services cover tax planning, tax defense, business registrations, entity structure advisory, and handling business and individual taxes, including research and development tax credits. For sales tax management, they integrate with Avalara for filing services and can perform nexus studies as well as state sales tax registrations.
Bookkeeper360 integrates with Gusto for payroll processing, time tracking, and employee lifecycle management (onboarding and offboarding). Additionally, Bookkeeper360 provides back-office integrations with Bill.com, Ramp, and Cin7 to manage accounts receivable/payable, expenses, and inventory.
Bookkeeper360 Features
- All staff is based in the USA
- You can choose to use QuickBooks or Xero software
- Monthly reconciliation of bank statements
- Add-on service can include an outsourced HR department
- Customer service can be contacted via phone, email, and online chat
Bookkeeper360 Downsides
The base price for Bookkeeper360 is slightly higher than some other services, so if you’re looking for the lowest cost possible you may want to consider Maxim Liberty.
Bookkeeper360 Plans & Add Ons
Bookkeeper360 is easily scalable and is a good choice for medium-sized, growing businesses that want to outsource their bookkeeping, accounting, HR, and payroll with a single provider they trust.
| Bookkeeper360 Service | Features | Pricing From |
|---|---|---|
| Bookkeeping | Cash or accrual bookkeeping, monthly or weekly reconciliation | $399/mo |
| Controller | Bookkeeping, advanced reporting, annual budget, KPIs | $1,149/mo |
| Catch-up Bookkeeping | Create & restructure chart of accounts | $1,000 |
| Tax | Business & individual taxes | $350 |
| Payroll Administration | Time tracking, payroll processing | $200/mo |
| Sales Tax | Monthly or quarterly filing, state registrations, nexus studies | $125/mo |
| Back-Office | AR / AP, inventory management, expense management | $150/mo |
| CFO Advisory | Projections, forecasts, financial plans, strategic growth & vision | $1,500/mo |
* Annual billing will save you 10%.
3. 1-800Accountant
Ideal for small and growing businesses, 1-800Accountant is a comprehensive digital solution for accounting procedures. By combining localized financial expertise with a cloud-based accounting platform, the company helps business owners obtain optimal tax savings while minimizing time spent crunching numbers.
For new and small businesses looking to offset the burden of accounting procedures, 1-800Accountant offers an affordable solution with industry-leading expertise. As your business expands, they also make it easy to add on payroll, bill pay services, and tax preparation, as needed.
1-800Accountant Features
- 24/7 access to support from accounting professionals
- CPAs employed in every state, advising you of the best practices in your region
- Staff averages more than 17 years of experience
- Payment completed through flat, annual fees with no transaction limits
- Integrated mobile application
- Entity formation
- Payroll services
- Tax preparation, review, filing, and signing
1-800Accountant Downsides
While affordable, the 1-800Accountant base service is limited to portal access and accountant support. Features like tax preparation are found on higher-tier plans.
1-800Accountant Value
| 1-800Accountant Service | Features | Starting at |
|---|---|---|
| Bookkeeping | Dedicated bookkeeping support | $399 per month |
1-800Accountant Add-On Services
1-800Accountant’s base package includes access to their accounting portal, a dedicated accounting team, 24/7 access to tax advice, tax planning services, and quarterly reviews. Their higher-tier plans include:
- Personal tax preparation
- Business tax preparation
- Priority support
- Financial reports
4. Streamline Bookkeeping
Streamline Bookkeeping is a virtual bookkeeping service that specializes in helping small businesses and professional service firms. Most clients have 1-20 employees and include doctors, attorneys, chiropractors, web designers, architects, consultants, real estate investors, and non-profits.
Streamline Bookkeeping Features
Streamline Bookkeeping is run by an experienced CPA so they can help you increase profitability by making informed financial decisions.
- Personalized service
- Monthly reconciliation
- Transaction coding and categorization
- Monthly phone meetings to review financial reports
- General ledger
- Profit & loss statement
- Balance sheet
- W-9 management
- 1099 filing
During the initial setup, you’ll get a customized client checklist detailing how your accounts are reconciled. Next, they will set up secure limited access or view-only access with your financial institutions for fraud prevention. It also improves the accuracy of data entry.
Streamline Bookkeeping Downsides
Since Streamline Bookkeeping focuses on smaller businesses, they might not be a good fit for you if your business is growing rapidly or if you already have more than 50 employees.
Streamline Bookkeeping Value
Pricing is a fixed monthly fee based on your average number of monthly transactions. Although a QuickBooks Online account is required, when you sign up for QBO through Streamline Bookkeeping you’ll receive a 50% discount on the subscription.
| Streamline Bookkeeping Plan | Average Monthly Transactions | Monthly Price |
|---|---|---|
| Small Business | Up to 60 | $199 |
| Custom | More than 60 | Custom |
5. Reconciled
Reconciled is one of the fastest growing accounting businesses in the U.S.. They have an array of bookkeeping and accounting services ranging from cleanup to ERP implementation.
Reconciled is known to be a great place to work. We love how their team brings value to the company leaders they serve.
New client setup with Reconciled is quick and smooth. Their onboarding and implementation teams will go over your systems, processes, and requirements. Then, you’ll get a dedicated bookkeeper that is overseen by a senior accounting manager.
Reconciled Features
- Monthly reconciliation
- Accurate financial reports
- Accounts payable support
- Posting monthly from sales channels
- Accounts receivable support
Reconciled Downsides
Their affordable Express plan is only available to businesses that generate less than $1M per year.
Reconciled Value
Expect your contract with Reconciled to be flexible and scope-based. As your company grows, Reconciled will keep pace and scale services when needed. They also offer a 30-day money-back guarantee so you can make sure they’re a good fit.
| Reconciled Plan | Features | Monthly Price |
|---|---|---|
| Express | 3 accounts, less than $1M revenue | Starting at $475 |
| Basic | AP support, 5 accounts | Starting at $625 |
| Core | Monthly Meetings, 7 accounts | Starting at $775 |
| Advanced | AP / AR support, 7 accounts | Starting at $925 |
Reconciled Available Add-Ons
- Controller Services
- CFO Services
- Payroll Service
- Tax and Advisory Service
- Sales & Use Tax
- ERP Implementation
- Systems Training
- Full-Service Enterprise Accounting
6. Xendoo
Xendoo has earned a reputation for excellent customer service with their dedicated support and being easy to use.
Backed by a team of bookkeepers and CPAs, Xendoo can get your business financials under control through expert guidance and regular check-ins. Xendoo is also an affordable option that can scale with your business.
With Xendoo, you’ll find all of the services you expect from a virtual bookkeeping service: cash or modified accrual bookkeeping, send invoices, and generate P&L statements and balance sheets.
Xendoo Features
- Dedicated bookkeeping team
- Weekly bookkeeping
- Monthly financial reporting
- Profit and loss statements
- Compatible with QuickBooks and Xero
- Intuitive mobile app
- Monthly trend graphs
- Free one-month trial
Xendoo Downsides
Xendoo previously offered a very low cost entry-level plan. Now, if you can live with monthly reconciliation and have 60 or fewer transactions per month, we recommend Streamline Bookkeeping.
Xendoo Value
As your company grows, you can upgrade to a different plan at any time and start receiving more in-depth financial advice.
| Xendoo Plan | Features | Number of Accounts | Average Monthly Expenses | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Essential | Weekly bookkeeping, Dedicated team | Up to 4 | Up to $50k | $395 per month |
| Growth | Cash or modified accrual, Tax consult | Up to 6 | $50k to $75k | $695 per month |
| Scale | Custom chart of accounts, Deferred schedules | Up to 12 | $75k to $125k | $995 per month |
Xendoo also offers a free trial and 10% off annual billing.
Xendoo Add-on Services
If your business is months (or even years) behind on bookkeeping, Xendoo will appoint a team of experts to help you get your books up-to-date and ready for tax season.
- Catch-up bookkeeping
- Modified accrual accounting (included in Growth & Scale plans)
- Monthly reports delivered early in the month
- Monthly tax consulting
- Business and personal tax return services
- Annual depreciation schedules
- Sales tax return filing
Xendoo can meet your needs for growth and compliance. They have successfully helped a variety of clients in multiple industries through their business changes – they can likely do the same for yours.
7. Finaloop
Finaloop is a top choice due to its exceptional customer service, tailored support, and user-friendly platform that completely automates bookkeeping for eCommerce brands. And with full-featured plans starting at only $65 a month, it’s also a great deal.
Finaloop replaces both your bookkeeper and QuickBooks with their cloud based accounting software. On their platform you’ll have access to financial reporting, tax data, and transactions all in real time.
With a team of experienced bookkeepers and accountants, Finaloop ensures your eCommerce business’s financials are well-managed through expert guidance and regular updates. Finaloop offers a cost-effective solution that can grow with your business, making it a perfect choice for online retailers.
Finaloop Features
- Unlimited platform integrations
- Connect up to 15 bank & credit card accounts
- Accrual & cash basis flexibility
- Real-time transaction categorization
- Inventory tracker
- Sales tax liability tracking
Finaloop Downsides
Being specifically tailored for eCommerce businesses, Finaloop might not be the best fit for companies operating in other industries.
Finaloop Value
Finaloop is one of the most affordable virtual bookkeeping services. They also offer a 14-day free trial so you can integrate your apps, view financial dashboards, and access your P&L statement.
While using their also no need to pay for other accounting software like QuickBooks (unless you want to), so your savings with Finaloop can really add up.
| Annual Revenue | Bookkeeping (per month) | Full-Service Tax Add-on (per month) |
|---|---|---|
| Up to $100K | $65 | $99 |
| $100k to $500K | $155 | $110 |
| $500K to $1.5M | $225 | $135 |
| $1.5M to $3M | $345 | $160 |
| $3M to $6M | $745 | $230 |
| $6M to $10M | $995 | $295 |
You can also save 10% with annual billing.
Finaloop Available Add-Ons
They offer an add-on tax service (with pricing above) that includes the following features:
- Annual federal business income tax prep (ready for e-file)
- State income tax prep (ready for e-file)
- Prep and filing of 1099-NEC
- Tax deduction optimization
What to Expect from a Virtual Bookkeeping Service
Virtual bookkeeping services differ in the mix and thoroughness of the services that they offer.
Virtual bookkeepers use bookkeeping software to organize the daily financial activities of your business – including the payments you’ve processed, and the expenses incurred. Most online bookkeeping services will also reconcile your accounts monthly and send you updated financial reports. However, some services go as far as handing your payroll and HR.
Focus on the range of services that your business needs and can afford. Most virtual bookkeeping services offer add-on services, allowing you to easily upgrade when you need additional help beyond basic bookkeeping.
If costs are your primary concern, also look into free bookkeeping software. Although free software will require more of your time, it might be worth using until you can afford to hire a virtual bookkeeping service. The important thing is that you maintain financial records so you can understand how your business is performing and stay organized to avoid IRS penalties.
Virtual Bookkeeping Service vs. Online Accounting Service
While bookkeeping refers to recording of financial transactions, accounting refers to interpreting and analyzing those recorded transactions. Most virtual bookkeeping services are responsible for recording and synthesizing your financial statements. That way, your CPA or small business accounting service can use these statements to help you with taxes and financial planning.
Some bookkeeping services, like Bookkeeper360, also offer tax service and financial planning. Those that do often have an in-house team of CPA’s that can help with long-term planning, even if you already have a dedicated accountant.
Final Thoughts on Virtual Bookkeeping Services
While you can do your own books with paid or free bookkeeping software, you won’t get very much out of it if you aren’t well-versed in finances. And it could take a lot of your time.
The best virtual bookkeeping services are extremely affordable and only cost between $50 to $400 per month – a savings of $34,000 per year compared to an in-house bookkeeper. When focusing on the expense, keep in mind that bookkeeping provides a high ROI.
If you struggle to keep up with your books, then a virtual bookkeeping service will help prevent a big headache come tax season. When you understand your financial position, you can make well-informed financial decisions that will help your company grow.
