QuickBooks Live vs Bookkeeper.com: Review & Pricing 2023
Tim is a Certified QuickBooks Time (formerly TSheets) Pro, QuickBooks ProAdvisor, and CPA with 25 years of experience. He brings his expertise to Fit Small Business’s accounting content.
Danielle is a writer for the Finance division of Fit Small Business. She has owned a bookkeeping and payroll service that specializes in small business, for over twenty years.
This article is part of a larger series on Accounting Software.
While QuickBooks Live and Bookkeeper.com both offer basic bookkeeping assistance, account reconciliation, and financial statements, Bookkeeper.com goes far beyond that. It has the option to add other services like bill pay, invoicing, and payroll returns and will even customize any service for your needs. So, when it comes to ease of use and scalability, it’s difficult to beat.
 |  | |
|---|---|---|
What It’s Best For | QuickBooks users needing account setup, ongoing account reconciliation, and assistance | Small businesses seeking a full-service bookkeeper and/or payroll, tax preparation, and financial planning |
Pricing Plans | Starts at $200 per month | Starts at $399 per month |
Accounts Receivable (A/R) and Accounts Payable (A/P) | ✕ | Additional fee |
Invoice Customers | ✕ | Additional fee |
Pay Bills | ✕ | Limited bill payments with Plus and Advanced plans |
Account Reconciliation | ✓ | ✓ |
Account Cleanup | ✓ | Additional fee |
Lite Chief Financial Officer (CFO) & Advisory | ✕ | Plus plan & above |
Payroll & Tax Filing | ✕ | Additional fee |
Sales Tax Returns | ✕ | Additional fee |
Who Should Use Each
Do you want to learn more about the leading accounting solutions for small businesses? Check out our picks for the best small business accounting software.
Who Should Use an Alternative
Because QuickBooks Live and Bookkeeper.com only work with QuickBooks, users of other software may want to consider other options:
- Xero users: Consider using Bookkeeper360, which is a bookkeeping, accounting, and advisory solution for small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) that use Xero or QuickBooks.
- FreshBooks users: FreshBooks partnered with Bench to offer virtual bookkeeping services.
For more information about the types of assisted bookkeeping available for small businesses, read our article on the best online bookkeeping services.
QuickBooks Live vs Bookkeeper.com: Pricing
QuickBooks Live | Bookkeeper.com | |
|---|---|---|
Monthly Pricing | $200 to $400, depending on monthly expenses | $399 to $799, depending on the number of monthly transactions |
Catch-up Bookkeeping | Yes | Additional Fee |
Invoicing | No | Additional Fee |
Bill Pay | No | Plus & Advanced or Additional Fee |
Tax Services | No | Additional Fee |
CFO Services | No | Plus & Advanced |
Free Trial | No | No |
The pricing for QuickBooks Live is based on a monthly expense cap, whereas Bookkeeper.com prices its services based on the number of transactions per month, in addition to an annual gross revenue cap. The latter also has a wider range of services, including access to a team of financial advisors, which is reflected in its higher pricing.
QuickBooks Live Pricing
QuickBooks Live offers a choice of three subscription plans, which vary in price depending on the number of monthly expenses. After an initial cost of $500 for onboarding, you’ll pay the monthly fee that applies to your business. A subscription to QuickBooks Online is also required to work with QuickBooks Live, which starts at $30 per month for QuickBooks Simple Start.
Low Volume | Medium Volume | High Volume | |
|---|---|---|---|
Monthly Cost | $200 | $300 | $400 |
Monthly Expense Cap | Up to $10,000 | $10,000 to $50,000 | Over $50,000 |
Annual Gross Revenue Cap | None | None | None |
Bookkeeper.com Pricing
Bookkeeper.com offers four subscription plans, which vary in price depending on the number of monthly transactions or frequency of service. For any additional services, such as payroll or tax preparation, you can request a customized quote. Unfortunately, there’s no free trial available.
Small Business | Small Business Plus | Small Business Advanced | Custom | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Monthly Cost | $399 | $599 | $799 | Custom pricing |
Monthly Expense Cap | 100 monthly transactions | 200 monthly transactions | 300 monthly transactions | Custom |
Annual Gross Revenue Cap | $500,000 | $750,000 | $1,000,000 | $1,000,000 + |
Service Level | Monthly | Semimonthly | Weekly | Weekly |
Monthly Bill Payments | N/A | 20 included | 40 included | Custom |
Although Bookkeeper.com’s starting price is almost double that of QuickBooks Live, having access to a team of qualified professionals could ultimately help you save time and money in the long term. It also offers more flexibility than QuickBooks Live in terms of service frequency, with the option of monthly, semimonthly, and weekly.
QuickBooks Live vs Bookkeeper.com: Features
QuickBooks Live | Bookkeeper.com | |
|---|---|---|
Dedicated Bookkeeper | ✓ | ✓ |
Connect Bank Accounts | ✓ | ✓ |
Categorize Spending | ✓ | ✓ |
Pay Bills | ✕ | ✓ |
Invoicing | ✕ | ✓ |
Account Reconciliation | ✓ | ✓ |
Tax Consulting | ✕ | ✓ |
Tax Preparation & Filing | ✕ | ✓ |
Fractional CFO Services | ✕ | Custom plan only |
Financial Reporting | ✓ | ✓ |
Catch-up Bookkeeping | ✓ | ✓ |
Payroll Integration | ✓ | ✓ |
Multiple Currency Support | ✕ | ✕ |
Money-back Guarantee | ✕ | ✕ |
Accurate Books Guarantee | ✓ | ✕ |
Both QuickBooks Live and Bookkeeper.com match you with a dedicated bookkeeper who will work with you to ensure that your books are set up correctly, performing a monthly close and sending financial reports on a monthly basis. However, while a QuickBooks Live bookkeeper’s involvement is minimal, a Bookkeeper.com bookkeeper can perform transactions on your behalf within the software itself.
There’s some overlap with the available features for both QuickBooks Live and Bookkeeper.com, such as dedicated bookkeepers, account reconciliation, and financial reporting. However, Bookkeeper.com offers a much more extensive array of services than QuickBooks Live, which includes payroll management and document storage.
Bookkeeper.com also offers general business consulting, strategic and tax planning, and training if needed, and fractional CFO services are available in Plus and Advanced as well as with its custom plans. However, QuickBooks Live has one feature that Bookkeeper.com doesn’t offer: the ability to request an audit of your books, free of charge, with the 100% Accurate Books Guarantee.
QuickBooks Live vs Bookkeeper.com: Ease of Use
QuickBooks Live | Bookkeeper.com | |
|---|---|---|
Overall Ease of Use | Easy | Easy |
Accessibility | Cloud | Cloud |
Online Help Section | ✓ | ✓ |
User-friendly Dashboard | ✓ | ✓ |
Both QuickBooks Live and Bookkeeper.com allow access via a client portal, which you can use to communicate with your dedicated bookkeeper and view their progress on your books. Both interfaces are user-friendly and provide an online help section for any issues that may arise.
QuickBooks Live vs Bookkeeper.com: Integrations
QuickBooks Live | Bookkeeper.com | |
|---|---|---|
Built-in Integrations | 3 | 0 |
Third-party Integrations | 450-plus | 1 |
QuickBooks Online users who work with QuickBooks Live have access to several built-in and third-party integrations. Bookkeeper.com doesn’t appear to integrate with any other programs besides QuickBooks Online:
- QuickBooks Live integrations: QuickBooks Payroll, QuickBooks Time, QuickBooks Payments, Shopify, Fathom, Method:CRM, Insightly, Hubdoc, AutoEntry, TradeGecko, and more
- Bookkeeper.com integrations: QuickBooks Online
QuickBooks Live vs Bookkeeper.com: Mobile App
Neither QuickBooks Live nor Bookkeeper.com currently offers a mobile app beyond the mobile app that comes with a QuickBooks Online subscription.
QuickBooks Live vs Bookkeeper.com: Customer Support
QuickBooks Live | Bookkeeper.com | |
|---|---|---|
Unlimited Support | ✓ | ✕ |
Community Support | ✓ | ✕ |
Email Support | ✓ | ✓ |
Live Chat Support | ✓ | ✕ |
Phone Support | ✓ | ✕ |
Searchable Knowledge Base | ✓ | ✕ |
Online Help Resources | ✓ | ✓ |
Free Software Training | ✕ | ✓ |
Free Financial Advice | ✕ | ✓ |
QuickBooks Live matches you with a team of QuickBooks-certified bookkeepers that are tailored to your business. You’ll be assigned a primary bookkeeper with a team of bookkeepers behind them—and they’ll work together on a custom plan. They’ll keep your books up-to-date, regularly categorizing transactions and reconciling accounts throughout the month. If you ever have a question between appointments, your team is ready to help with on-demand chat. At the end of each month, your bookkeeper will close your books, and you’ll receive custom, up-to-date reports.
Meanwhile, After you sign up for Bookkeeper.com, you’ll be assigned a dedicated bookkeeper, and you’ll grant them access to your QuickBooks account. You’ll still maintain access so that you can monitor the bookkeeping activities that they perform on your behalf and also have access to up-to-date reports. During the onboarding process, your bookkeeper will ensure that your bank accounts are connected to QuickBooks, then they’ll download the statements and classify them in QuickBooks.
Depending on your preferred method of communication, there are a couple of ways to interact with your QuickBooks Live or Bookkeeper.com bookkeeper. QuickBooks Live offers the benefit of one-way video conferencing with a screen share option, a feature that’s unavailable with Bookkeeper.com.
The major difference between the two is that QuickBooks Live offers more support resources than Bookkeeper.com, which is lacking community support, live chat and phone support, and a searchable knowledge base. However, Bookkeeper.com does provide free software training and financial advice. Also, while Bookkeeper.com limits your appointments and time, QuickBooks Live allows for unlimited meetings but you can only schedule one at a time.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is a QuickBooks Live bookkeeper?
A QuickBooks Live bookkeeper is a QuickBooks ProAdvisor who works with you to provide online bookkeeping services. They’ll help to set up your chart of accounts, categorize expenses, reconcile your accounts, send financial statements, and meet with you regularly via one-way video chat or phone.
How much does Bookkeeper.com cost?
Bookkeeper.com charges anywhere from $399 to $799 per month, depending on the number of monthly transactions, frequency of service, and annual revenue. Customized quotes are also available based on the needs of your business.
Bottom Line
Along with its one-stop array of services, Bookkeeper.com is well suited to business owners looking for a helping hand with their business tasks—and financial advisors are available as part of the service. It may be a sizable investment, but if you want reliable and accurate bookkeeping, then it’s a good value for your money. If you’re seeking a more affordable solution and don’t need payroll services or tax help, QuickBooks Live is a great option.
