Most small businesses pay somewhere between $300 and $1,500 per month for outsourced bookkeeping. That range is wide because “small business” covers everything from a solo consultant with one bank account to a 20-person company with payroll, inventory, and multiple revenue streams. Where you land depends on a few specific factors.

Transaction volume is the biggest driver. A business running 50 transactions per month is straightforward. A business running 500 transactions per month across several bank accounts and credit cards takes significantly more time to categorize, reconcile, and review. More transactions means more work, which means higher cost.

The number of accounts matters too. One checking account and one credit card is simple. Add a savings account, a line of credit, a PayPal account, and two more credit cards, and the reconciliation work multiplies. Each account needs to be reviewed, matched, and closed out every month.

Industry complexity plays a role. A consulting firm with one income stream and a handful of expense categories is less involved than a restaurant tracking food costs, labor, tips, and sales tax. Businesses that need job costing, inventory tracking, or multi-state sales tax management will naturally pay more because the work is more detailed.

The state of your books when you start also affects your initial cost. If your books are current and clean, onboarding is quick. If you have six months or two years of unfiled transactions and unreconciled accounts, there’s catch-up work before monthly bookkeeping can even begin. That’s usually priced as a one-time project separate from the ongoing monthly fee.

To put some rough numbers on it, a simple service-based business with low transaction volume might pay $300 to $500 per month. A moderately active business with a handful of employees and a few accounts typically falls in the $500 to $1,000 range. Businesses with higher complexity or volume often land between $1,000 and $1,500 or more depending on what’s included.

Compare that to hiring someone in-house. A full-time bookkeeper in the Nashville area costs $45,000 to $55,000 in salary alone before you add payroll taxes, benefits, software, and training. For most small businesses, that math doesn’t work. You’re paying for 40 hours a week when you might only need 10 to 15 hours of actual bookkeeping work per month. Outsourcing gives you the expertise without the overhead.

What’s typically included at that monthly price is full-service bookkeeping like transaction categorization, bank and credit card reconciliation, and monthly financial statements. Some firms bundle in extras like bill payment, invoicing, or payroll at additional cost. Others roll everything into one flat fee. Make sure you understand what’s included before comparing quotes.

The cheapest option is rarely the best value. A bookkeeper charging $150 per month is either cutting corners, spending very little time on your books, or will surprise you with add-on fees. What matters is accuracy, consistency, and getting financial information you can actually use to make decisions.

If you’re evaluating bookkeeping services for your business, ask about pricing structure, what’s included, how communication works, and what happens if your volume grows. A good bookkeeper should be transparent about how they price and willing to explain exactly what you’re getting for the money.