If you're a small business owner trying to make sense of your finances, you've probably asked yourself: "Do I really need a bookkeeper, and what's it going to cost me?" The answer to the first question is almost certainly yes. The answer to the second depends on a few key factors — your business size, transaction volume, and how you choose to hire.
This guide breaks down what you can expect to pay for bookkeeping services in 2025, what's included, and how to decide which option makes the most sense for your business.
What Does a Bookkeeper Actually Do?
irtual Bookkeeping Assista
Before diving into pricing, it's worth clarifying what you're paying for. A bookkeeper handles the day-to-day financial record-keeping of your business — the essential work that keeps everything organized so nothing falls through the cracks.
Typical bookkeeping tasks include:
- Recording income and expenses
- Reconciling bank and credit card accounts
- Processing invoices and tracking accounts payable/receivable
- Running payroll
- Preparing financial reports (P&L, balance sheet, cash flow)
- Organizing records for tax season
This is distinct from an accountant, who provides higher-level financial strategy, tax filing, and advisory services. Many small businesses need both — a bookkeeper for the day-to-day and an accountant for year-end work.
If you want a closer look at what remote bookkeeping support covers, the Stellar Staff bookkeeping virtual assistant page lays it out in plain detail.
The Average Cost of Bookkeeping Services
Bookkeeping costs vary widely depending on your hiring model. Here's a realistic breakdown:
Freelance Bookkeeper
Freelancers typically charge between $20 and $60 per hour, depending on experience and location. A small business with moderate transaction volume might need 5–10 hours per month, putting your monthly cost at $100–$600. More complex businesses can easily spend $1,000+ per month with a freelancer.
The downside: reliability and continuity can be inconsistent. If your freelancer gets sick or takes on too many clients, your books fall behind.
Local Bookkeeping Firm
Hiring a local bookkeeping or accounting firm typically costs $300–$2,000+ per month depending on the scope of work. Firms charge a premium for their overhead, local presence, and CPA supervision. For businesses that need in-person service or highly complex accounting, the cost can be justified. For most small businesses, it's more than they need.
In-House Bookkeeper
Hiring a full-time in-house bookkeeper in the US costs $45,000–$65,000 per year in salary alone — that's roughly $3,750–$5,400 per month before you add benefits, payroll taxes, office space, and equipment. For most small businesses, this is overkill unless your transaction volume is very high.
Virtual Bookkeeping Assistant
A virtual bookkeeping assistant gives you dedicated, full-time support at a fraction of the local hiring cost. At Stellar Staff, a full-time virtual assistant starts at $1,599 per month — that's 160 hours of focused work, no benefits overhead, no office costs, and no tax headaches.
This makes virtual assistants one of the most cost-effective options for small businesses that need consistent, reliable bookkeeping support without the budget of a mid-market company.
See the full breakdown of plans on the Stellar Staff pricing page.
What Affects the Price?
Several factors influence how much you'll pay for bookkeeping services:
Transaction VolumeThe more transactions your business processes each month, the more time bookkeeping takes. A freelancer or firm will charge more as volume increases. A full-time virtual assistant handles this without additional per-transaction fees.
Software UsedMost bookkeepers work in QuickBooks Online, Xero, or FreshBooks. If you're already using a platform, your bookkeeper needs to be proficient in it. Most skilled VAs are trained on these tools.
Industry ComplexityCertain industries — construction, healthcare, e-commerce, real estate — have more complex bookkeeping requirements (job costing, inventory tracking, regulatory compliance). More complexity means more time and higher rates.
PayrollPayroll processing is often priced separately by freelancers and firms. A dedicated VA can handle payroll as part of their regular responsibilities.
Tax PreparationBasic bookkeeping rarely includes tax filing — that's typically an accountant's job. However, well-maintained books from a good bookkeeper make tax prep significantly faster and cheaper.
Bookkeeping vs. Finance VA: What's the Difference?
Some businesses need more than just transaction recording. If you're tracking budgets, analyzing cash flow, preparing financial forecasts, or managing investor reporting, a finance virtual assistant can handle these higher-level tasks in addition to core bookkeeping.
Finance VAs are a good fit for businesses that are scaling and need someone who can both maintain the books and contribute to financial decision-making — without the $80,000+ salary of a full-time finance manager.
Hidden Costs Small Business Owners Often Miss
When comparing bookkeeping costs, be careful to factor in:
- Onboarding time — Getting a new bookkeeper up to speed on your business takes time (and money, if they bill hourly)
- Turnover risk — A freelancer or employee who leaves mid-year can create costly disruptions
- Software subscriptions — You may need to pay for QuickBooks or similar tools separately
- Cleanup fees — If your books are disorganized, most bookkeepers charge extra to catch up
One of the advantages of working with a dedicated VA agency is that replacement and continuity are handled for you. If something changes, you're not scrambling to start the hiring process over from scratch.
You can learn more about how Stellar Staff handles administrative and support roles beyond just bookkeeping.
Signs You Need a Bookkeeper Now
Many small business owners wait too long. Here are the warning signs that you need help:
- You're spending 5+ hours a week on financial admin
- You don't know your actual profit margin
- Tax season is stressful because your records aren't organized
- You've missed invoices or late payments because of poor tracking
- Your accountant is billing you extra to clean up your books
If any of these resonate, it's time to act — not after the next quarter, now. Disorganized finances cost you real money in missed deductions, late fees, and wasted owner time.
Is a Virtual Bookkeeping Assistant Right for You?
If you're a small business owner who:
- Needs consistent, full-time bookkeeping support
- Wants to avoid the overhead of a local hire
- Is tired of unreliable freelancers
- Wants someone who works in your time zone and focuses only on your business
...then a virtual bookkeeping assistant is likely your best option on a cost-per-value basis.
According to the U.S. Small Business Administration, keeping accurate financial records is one of the foundational practices for small business survival. And the IRS recommends that small businesses maintain complete books throughout the year — not just at tax time.
Getting that done without hiring locally or overpaying a firm is exactly where a virtual assistant shines.
What to Look for When Hiring a Bookkeeping VA
Not all virtual assistants are created equal. Before you hire, make sure your candidate has:
- Proficiency in your accounting software (QuickBooks, Xero, Wave, etc.)
- Experience with your industry or business type
- Strong English communication skills
- References or verifiable experience
- A track record of reliability and consistency
At Stellar Staff, every bookkeeping VA goes through 24 application steps and 40+ hours of vetting before you ever speak with them. You're not sifting through a freelance marketplace — you're interviewing pre-screened, pre-trained candidates.
Read what other business owners say who've hired through Stellar Staff, including business owners in construction, healthcare, legal, and professional services.
The Bottom Line
Here's a quick cost comparison at a glance:
For most small businesses, a dedicated virtual bookkeeping assistant hits the sweet spot between cost, quality, and reliability. You get full-time, focused support without the overhead of a local hire and without the unpredictability of a freelancer.
If you're ready to stop doing your own books and start getting accurate, organized financials — hire a bookkeeping virtual assistant through Stellar Staff and get started in 5–6 days.
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