How Much Does It Cost to Outsource Accounting?

By Jake McKenna, FounderPublished 2026-10-17Last reviewed 2026-10-19

How much does outsourced accounting cost?

"Accounting" covers different work, so start by naming the level you mean.

Market figures are estimates from third parties. One of them (Pilot) is published by a seller of the service, so treat them as a guide to the range, not a quote. Each provider's fee depends on the business.

What does outsourced bookkeeping cost?

According to NerdWallet's 2026 guide, bookkeeping typically costs around $300 a month, and most subscription or outsourced packages run from around $200 a month to $700 and up, with premium services at $1,000 or more. The guide says the bill depends on the complexity of the business.

For a closer look at the drivers see how much bookkeeping costs for a small business.

What does an outsourced controller cost?

A controller sits above bookkeeping. The role is to oversee the close, review the books, produce management reports and tighten the processes behind them. This page does not cite a published market figure for an outsourced controller.

What does an outsourced CFO cost?

Pilot.com, which sells bookkeeping and finance services, says a fractional CFO costs on average between $3,000 and $12,000 per month, depending on needs, complexity and how often you want support. It also says hiring a full-time CFO can cost more than $250,000 per year. Both are vendor-published figures.

Is an employee wage the same as a fee?

No. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports median annual pay of $83,680 for accountants and auditors in May 2025. That is an employee wage, not a price for outsourced services, and it leaves out payroll taxes, benefits and overhead.

Do you need all three levels?

Usually not at the same time. Many businesses start with bookkeeping, because everything else reads from the books. A controller adds value when the books are current but nobody is reviewing them, closing the month properly or building reports. A CFO adds value when decisions are bigger: raising money, planning a year ahead, pricing, or preparing to sell. See controller vs CFO for where the line sits.

The levels build on each other. A CFO's forecasts are only as reliable as the books they read from. English Oak's tagline runs record it, control it, drive it.

Is a fixed fee better than hourly billing?

Neither is better in every case.

• Fixed monthly fee. Easier to budget, and you can ask questions without watching a clock. The risk is a vague scope, so get it in writing.
• Hourly. Fits small, irregular jobs. The risk is a bill that grows and a habit of not asking.
• Project fee. Fits a one-off cleanup or set-up.

Some providers use one fixed monthly fee, custom to the business, with catch-up work quoted separately.

What costs should you ask any provider about?

Ask each provider, including English Oak, what is and is not included. Ask about these before you compare:

• Accounting software subscriptions, such as QuickBooks or Xero
• Payroll provider fees
• Tax return preparation by your CPA or tax professional
• Payment processor fees
• Any one-off cleanup of earlier periods

A fair comparison counts them all.

What drives the price of outsourced accounting?

• Transaction volume. More activity, more work.
• Number of accounts and entities. Each is reconciled and reported.
• Condition of the books. Behind or messy records need cleanup first. That is quoted separately as catch-up bookkeeping.
• Level of service. Record-keeping, oversight and strategy are different jobs.
• Reporting expectations. Basic monthly statements or board-ready packs.
• Software and set-up. English Oak supports QuickBooks and Xero.
• How quickly you respond. Chasing missing documents costs time.

What should an outsourced accounting fee include?

Ask for the scope in writing. For bookkeeping it should cover coding, reconciliation, payables and receivables, month-end statements and software support. For controller and CFO work, ask what reports you get, how often you meet, and who is responsible for what.

Ask any provider what is extra, how often scope can change, and how a change in scope would affect the fee. Two quotes are only comparable when they describe the same work.

Example: choosing a level

Illustrative example with invented figures. A small contractor has about 200 transactions a month and two bank accounts. Their books are current. They need monthly statements and a clean handover to their tax professional. That is a bookkeeping job. A different business with a similar number of transactions is growing fast, wants to know whether it can afford to hire, and is preparing to ask a bank for a loan. That owner needs a controller or CFO conversation, even though the transaction counts are similar. The level follows the questions, not the size.

What should you bring to a pricing conversation?

A provider can only price what it can see. Before you ask for a quote, gather:

• A list of your bank accounts, cards, loans and payment processors
• Your software, or a note that you have none yet
• Your last set of financial statements, if any exist
• The date of your last bank reconciliation
• A list of what you want out each month
• Any questions your CPA or tax professional has raised

With that, the quote can be a real fee for a defined scope. English Oak's first consultation is free. Without it, any figure is a guess.

When outsourcing accounting is not worth it

• You have very little activity. A handful of transactions a month in simple software may not justify a fee.
• You want only a tax return. That is a tax professional's job. English Oak does not prepare tax returns, audit or give investment advice.
• You will not use the reports. Paying for a CFO-level view you never read is wasted.
• The business is too early. Before there is revenue, a spreadsheet may do.
• You want a person on site every day. Consider an employee instead. See in-house vs outsourced bookkeeping.

How do you compare quotes fairly?

1. Ask each provider for the same scope in writing.
2. Check what is billed on top of the fee.
3. Ask who does the work and how you reach them.
4. Check how catch-up is handled if your books are behind.
5. Confirm what they do not do, such as tax returns.
6. Ask for a sample monthly report.

You need the scope before the price means anything. If you are still deciding which role you need, see what a bookkeeper does.

What English Oak Financial charges

English Oak Financial starts bookkeeping from $500 a month, the fractional controller from $1,500 and the fractional CFO from $2,500. Pricing is custom to your business and charged as one fixed monthly fee that includes all the work required. Catch-up work is quoted separately, by the condition of the books and the complexity of the work. See the pricing page and what we do.

• Bookkeeping. Reconciliation, payables and receivables, month-end statements, QuickBooks and Xero support, payroll coordination and sales tax support.
• Fractional controller. Month-end close oversight, management reporting, budget vs actual, internal controls, cash-flow monitoring, oversight of the accounting team, margin and profitability analysis, and oversight of receivables and payables.
• Fractional CFO. Forecasting and scenario planning, strategic financial planning, budgets, KPIs, pricing and profitability advice, funding readiness, exit or acquisition preparation, and board or investor reporting.

English Oak does not give investment advice.

Related pages

• What Does a Bookkeeper Do?
• Accounts Payable Process and Accounts Receivable Explained
• How to Reconcile a Bank Account in Bookkeeping
• How Much Does Bookkeeping Cost for a Small Business?

Sources

• Bookkeeping Prices for Small Business: What to Expect in 2026. Accessed 2026-10-17. Published by NerdWallet, updated Mar 13, 2026. Third-party editorial estimate, not a quote from any firm.
• Fractional CFO Cost Guide. Accessed 2026-10-17. Vendor-published figure. Published by Pilot.com, Inc., which sells bookkeeping and finance services, August 18, 2025.
• Accountants and Auditors, Occupational Outlook Handbook. Accessed 2026-10-17. US Bureau of Labor Statistics. Government wage figure for employees, not a price for outsourced services.