Bench vs Bookkeeper.com 2023 Comparison

Bench and Bookkeeper.com are online bookkeeping services that allow you to perform the majority of your own bookkeeping while giving you the assurance that your books are accurate. Bench—which is the more affordable option but isn’t as scalable to your business—excels with its unlimited bookkeeping support, easy-to-use and intuitive user interface (UI), and robust mobile app that gives you access to data on the go. Meanwhile, Bookkeeper.com offers more add-on services and flexibility than Bench.

Bench vs Bookkeeper.com at a Glance

What It’s Best For	Small business owners looking for basic bookkeeping services with unlimited support	Small businesses that need access to a full range of customized accounting services
Monthly Pricing Plans	Starts at $299	Starts at $399
Accounts Receivable (A/R) and Accounts Payable (A/P) Tracking	Additional fee	Additional fee
Invoice Customers	✕	✕
Pay Bills	✕	✓
Tax Services	✓	✓
Lite Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Advisory	✕	✓
Account Reconciliation	✓	✕
Account Cleanup	✓	✓
	Visit Bench	Visit Bookkeeper.com

Who Should Use Each

Check out our recommendations for the leading small business accounting software if you’re looking for more information about the best solution to managing your bookkeeping needs.

Bench vs Bookkeeper.com: Pricing

Depending on the complexity of your bookkeeping needs, you can opt for the more basic features that Bench offers, with more affordable and straightforward pricing and two subscription levels from which to choose. The major difference between the two levels is that Premium includes tax planning and filing services.

Meanwhile, Bookkeeper.com has twice as many subscription plans, with the option of monthly, semimonthly, or weekly service. It also bases its fees on the number of monthly transactions, where there’s no similar limit for Bench users. Bookkeeper.com is a great option for businesses that want to customize a package that takes into account all of the additional needs that they may have, with the flexibility of service frequency and adding on other services, such as CFO and advisory services.

Bench also offers a Specialized Accounting add-on for more complex accounting needs, such as tracking invoices (A/R), tracking bills (A/P), and segment tracking, starting at $100 per month. If you’re behind in your bookkeeping, you can use Bench’s Catch Up and Retro bookkeeping services, with fees that start at $299 per month. These services aren’t offered with Bookkeeper.com.

Bench vs Bookkeeper.com: Features

Bench is a great option for businesses wanting to track their financials, whereas Bookkeeper.com is best thought of as a full-service online accounting firm. Bench has many attractive features, such as catch-up bookkeeping, unlimited support, and a robust mobile app. Although Bookkeeper.com may lack a mobile app, it more than makes up for it with its secure portal and host of add-on services, such as payroll management.

Both services offer a dedicated bookkeeper who’ll provide you with financial statements on a monthly basis, but Bookkeeper.com allows you to customize the types of reports that you receive.

Bench can be considered a “lightweight” bookkeeping service because it’s intended more for businesses that prefer to manage their own day-to-day bookkeeping tasks but want someone to handle the bigger picture, such as reconciling accounts and preparing financial statements. You have the option of upgrading to a Premium plan, which also gives you unlimited access to a tax advisor who’ll assist with planning and filing your returns.

Meanwhile, Bookkeeper.com is ideal for businesses looking for the flexibility of customizing their own package—as well as a service that’s able to scale as you grow. It’s both online and cloud-based, and it’s interesting to note that it offers more services to QuickBooks Online users than its competitor, QuickBooks Live.

Bench vs Bookkeeper.com: Ease of Use

Bench and Bookkeeper.com’s process of working with your bookkeeper is similar, although you’ll be assigned a team of three bookkeepers with Bench—as opposed to one with Bookkeeper.com. The major difference between the two is that you’re able to get a better sense of Bench’s service with its free one-month bookkeeping trial. Bookkeeper.com doesn’t have a comparable trial, but it does offer free bookkeeping advice and software training once you’re subscribed.

Upon enrollment with Bench, you’ll be assigned a team of three bookkeepers, one of which will assist with the onboarding process and learn more about your business, helping you customize your account for accurate expense tracking. Your bookkeeper uses Bench’s proprietary software to track your income and expenses, and you both can leave notes on transactions in case any questions come up. You can also view the status of what has been completed, what’s in progress, and what’s still outstanding.

Bench Accounting Status page (Source: Bench)

Once you sign up for Bookkeeper.com, you’ll be assigned a dedicated bookkeeper. While you’ll grant them access to your QuickBooks account, you’ll still maintain access so that you can still use your QuickBooks account to invoice clients and pay bills. During the onboarding process, your bookkeeper will assist with connecting your bank and credit card accounts to QuickBooks (if this hasn’t been done previously), and they’ll download your statements and classify them for you.

Bookkeeper.com Client Portal (Source: Bookkeeper.com)

Bench vs Bookkeeper.com: Integrations

Bookkeeper.com doesn’t appear to integrate with any other programs besides QuickBooks Online, while Bench has nine integrations:

• Bench integrations: Gusto, FreshBooks, Stripe, Square, Shopify, Attune, Keap, Brex, and Clio
• Bookkeeper.com integrations: QuickBooks Online

Bench vs Bookkeeper.com: Mobile App

Bookkeeper.com doesn’t have a mobile app, whereas Bench has a full-featured one. Available for iOS, the Bench mobile app allows you to upload digital copies of bills and receipts to the Bench software for your bookkeeper to review. You can also communicate with your bookkeeper through the app or check your accounts, vendors, spending categories, and more.

Bench vs Bookkeeper.com: Customer Support

You can contact your Bench bookkeeper at any time to schedule a call via the app, email, or a direct message on the Bench website. There’s no extra fee or hourly charges for support, and you’re welcome to reach out whenever you have a question.

You’ll use a secure online portal to communicate with your Bookkeeper.com bookkeeper, and you can also exchange documents as needed. You’ll be able to view your company’s transactions and request an appointment with your bookkeeper through the client portal. As part of its package, Bookkeeper.com offers free bookkeeping advice and software training. We suggest that you take advantage of both features.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Does Bench use QuickBooks?

No, Bench uses its own proprietary software and doesn’t sync with commonly used accounting software like QuickBooks Online or Xero.

How much does Bookkeeper.com cost?

Bookkeeper.com has four subscription levels, which depend on the number of monthly transactions and frequency of service. Prices range from $399 to $799 monthly, plus the option of customizing a package that suits your needs.

Is Bench good for bookkeeping?

Yes, Bench is ideal for businesses that have basic bookkeeping needs and want the option of tax filing and consulting services. For an additional fee, it also offers historical bookkeeping services and specialized bookkeeping, such as accounts receivable tracking and segment-level bookkeeping.

Bottom Line

Along with its one-stop assortment of services, Bookkeeper.com is well suited to businesses seeking a helping hand with tasks that go beyond standard bookkeeping. Although it’s more expensive than Bench, it’s a good value for your money if you want reliable service and accurate books. Bench offers straightforward bookkeeping and proprietary software―along with a mobile app―and an option to add services, such as catch-up bookkeeping. The best solution for you is the one that best fits your business’s specific needs.