Comparison GuideOutsourced bookkeeper
Outsourced bookkeeper
vs in-house hire
Hiring a full-time bookkeeper costs $56,000-$74,000/year. Outsourced bookkeeping starts at $249/month. Here's the full comparison.
Side-by-side comparison
| Factor | Outsourced | In-House |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly cost | $249–$499/mo | $4,700–$6,200/mo |
| Annual cost (total) | $2,988–$5,988/yr | $56,000–$74,000/yr |
| Software costs | Included ($0) | $50–$200/mo extra |
| Payroll taxes & benefits | None (not your employee) | 25–35% on top of salary |
| Turnover risk | None — team-based coverage | High — single point of failure |
| Training & onboarding | None — already trained | 2–4 weeks + ongoing |
| Management overhead | Minimal — self-managed | Significant — you manage them |
| Scalability | Instant — upgrade plan | Hire another person |
| Industry expertise | Specialists available | Limited to one person's knowledge |
| Sick days / PTO | No gaps — team coverage | You cover or books wait |
| Office space needed | No | Yes |
| Tax prep integration | Seamless add-on | Separate CPA needed |
Outsourced bookkeeping advantages
- 85-95% cost savings vs in-house
- No HR, benefits, or payroll tax burden
- Team-based — no single point of failure
- Industry specialists on demand
- All software included in price
- Scales instantly with your business
- No management overhead
In-house bookkeeper drawbacks
- $56K-$74K/year total cost
- Benefits, PTO, payroll taxes add 25-35%
- Single point of failure if they leave
- Limited to one person's expertise
- You pay for software separately
- Hiring another person to scale
- You manage, train, and review their work
Try outsourced bookkeeping from $249/mo
Dedicated bookkeeper. All software included. No contracts. Cancel anytime.