COMPARISON · OCTOBER 2026
The best bookkeeping services for small business,
compared on price and what you actually get.
The best bookkeeping service for a small business depends on whether you also want taxes filed, how far behind you are and how you want to see your books. ZeraBooks starts from $150 a month with a read-only dashboard. Merritt is $250 flat, Bench from $199, Pilot from $99 and Bookkeeper360 from $400, as of October 2026.
Free call · from $150 a month (USD) · we’ll quote against what you pay now
SIDE BY SIDE
Six bookkeeping services compared
Prices are U.S. dollars a month, read on each company’s own pricing page on October 20, 2026. Where a page doesn’t say, we say so instead of guessing.
| Feature | ZeraBooks | Pilot | Bookkeeper360 | 1-800Accountant | Merritt Bookkeeping | Bench |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Starting price | From $150, agreed after a free call | Essentials $99 (up to $100,000 of monthly expenses); Core priced by expenses, check current pricing | From $400 | Check current pricing on its site | $250 flat, no tiers | Bookkeeping Light $199 (revenue $250K a year or less), Bookkeeping $399 |
| Tax filing | No. Clean books go to your tax preparer | Sold separately | Separate tax plans from $1,200 a year | Check its site | Not mentioned on its pricing page | Bookkeeping + Tax at $649 |
| Catch-up work | Quoted once, on top of the monthly fee | Not on its pricing page | From $1,000 | Check its site | $200 per month behind, $100 for light months | Free for the current year on an annual plan; older years quoted |
| Software the books live in | ZeraBooks’ own AI-native ledger | Pilot’s platform; keeping your QuickBooks is a Custom add-on | Bookkeeper360 software, working with QuickBooks and Xero | Check its site | QuickBooks | Bench’s own software, or your QuickBooks on the hourly plan |
| How you see your books | Your own read-only login: transactions, reconciled months, reports | In-app reports and AI answers about past transactions | Profit and loss, balance sheet and insights | Check its site | Not described on its pricing page | Not described on its pricing page |
| Contract | Quoted monthly | Monthly or annual billing on Core | Month to month or annual | Check its site | No contracts; refund in the first 3 months | Monthly or yearly at about 20% off |
Competitor facts from their public pages, checked October 20, 2026: Pilot pricing · Bookkeeper360 pricing · 1-800Accountant · Merritt Bookkeeping pricing · Bench pricing. Prices and features change; check each vendor before you buy.
Tell us about your books. We’ll scope the work and quote it before anything starts.
WHO EACH ONE SUITS
Which bookkeeping service is best for which business?
No service is best for everyone. Here is the business each one fits, from what their own pages say.
- 1
ZeraBooks
For owners who want to look at their own books whenever they like, with every month proven against the bank statement. Our team keeps the books on ZeraBooks’ AI-native ledger from $150 a month, for clients anywhere. No tax filing and no bank feed: you upload statements to a portal.
From $150/moRead-only dashboardU.S., Canada and worldwide
- 2
Pilot
For startups that want cash-basis books at a low entry price, or a U.S.-based bookkeeper and accrual books on Core as they grow. Essentials covers up to $100,000 of monthly expenses.
From $99/moStartups
- 3
Bookkeeper360
For businesses that want a dedicated U.S. team, the choice of a weekly close, and tax returns from the same firm on a separate plan.
From $400/moWeekly close option
- 4
1-800Accountant
An accounting firm that sells bookkeeping alongside tax work. Its site blocked our checks on October 20, 2026, so read its current plans before comparing.
Check current pricing
- 5
Merritt Bookkeeping
For a business already on QuickBooks that wants one flat monthly price and a simple per-month rate for catch-up.
$250/mo flatQuickBooks
- 6
Bench
For owners who want bookkeeping and the business tax return from one provider. Bench closed suddenly in December 2024 and now runs under Employer.com; our Bench alternative page has the timeline.
From $199/moTax option
WORKED EXAMPLE
What would one small business pay in its first year?
A fictional cleaning company: $240,000 a year in revenue, one checking account, one card, six months behind. Only figures printed on each pricing page are used; anything quoted is left as quoted.
| Service | Monthly | Catch-up for 6 months | First year |
|---|---|---|---|
| ZeraBooks | From 150.00 | Quoted after the call | From 1,800.00 plus catch-up |
| Merritt Bookkeeping | 250.00 | 1,200.00 at $200 a month | 4,200.00 |
| Bench Bookkeeping Light, yearly | 159.17 | Free if those months fall in the current year | 1,910.00 |
| Bookkeeper360 | From 400.00 | From 1,000.00 | From 5,800.00 |
| Pilot Essentials | 99.00 | Not priced on its page | 1,188.00 plus catch-up |
Merritt’s $200 a month catch-up rate is shown as a 20% discount, so check it is still offered. Bench’s free catch-up covers the current year only. None of these figures include a tax return. Owner time matters too: our guide to how much a bookkeeper costs prices the same work as a hire, a freelancer and software.
BEFORE YOU SIGN
What should you ask a bookkeeping service before you sign?
Can I see my own books?
A login to the ledger, not just a PDF each month. If you leave, you want the history to leave with you.
How is each month proven?
Ask whether every bank and card account is reconciled to the statement balance each month, and how you would see it if one doesn’t tie.
What does catch-up cost, in writing?
Per month, flat or free with conditions. Get the number before the work starts.
Who files the taxes?
Some services file, most hand off to your accountant. Either works if you know which.
How do I leave?
Which reports and exports you get on the way out. Our guide to switching bookkeepers lists what to ask for, and outsourced bookkeeping covers the handover.
What is the cheapest bookkeeping service for a small business?
On list price, Pilot Essentials at $99 a month and Bench Bookkeeping Light at $199 a month ($1,910 a year) were the lowest on October 20, 2026. Both have limits: Pilot’s on monthly expenses, Bench Light’s on revenue of $250K a year or less.
Is Bench still a good option?
Bench operates again under Employer.com after its December 2024 shutdown, with plans from $199 to $649 a month. It suits owners who want tax filing from the same provider. The full history is on our Bench alternative page.
Does ZeraBooks file taxes?
No. ZeraBooks keeps and reconciles the books and sends reports on your schedule. Your accountant or tax preparer files the return from them.
Can ZeraBooks match what I pay now?
Tell us your current monthly fee and what it covers on a free call, and we will quote against it. ZeraBooks starts from $150 a month, and catch-up is quoted separately before any work begins. See bookkeeping services.
Do any of these connect to my bank?
Pilot says its Essentials books are kept from your bank and card data; check how each other service collects transactions. ZeraBooks has no bank feed: you upload statements, and each month is proven against them.
WE DO YOUR BOOKS
Already paying for bookkeeping?
Tell us the number on a free call.
We’ll quote against it, from $150 a month, with catch-up priced before anything starts. Book the free call.
Last updated October 20, 2026 · Written by Damin Mutti, founder of ZeraBooks