Athlone Insights
How much does Bookkeeping cost per month in 2025
numbers in focus
Overview We discuss the average Bookkeeping Services Costs, Charges and Rates in the United States. Updated February 2025
region / United States / online services
read time / 7 minutes
How much should you pay for bookkeeping?
How much should you pay for bookkeeping? Let’s cut through the noise and weigh up between a $200/month virtual assistant and a $5,000/month CFO service.
Understanding what you’re really paying for
Bookkeeping is the backbone of tax compliance, investor trust, and growth decisions.
Real estate companies see the real necessity in tracking rental income, security deposits, and property-specific expenses.
Entrepreneurs, want be looking at burn rate calculations and runway projections.
As Marcus Lemonis advises, “If you don’t know your numbers, you don’t know your business.”
Let’s decode bookkeeping costs—and value—by comparing your options
JAN 2025 data
region / United States / online services
Provider Type
Monthly cost
Typical Deliverables
Best For
Differences
DIY Bookkeeping
$20 – $150
Basic transaction tracking, basic reports
Solopreneurs, single-property owners
Cost-effective, immediate access.
Risks: Limited expertise, high error risk, no strategic guidance. May require manual reworks and rarely boosts revenue.
Freelancers
$300 – $800
1 Monthly reconciliations
2 basic tax prep
Startups, small portfolios (1–5 properties)
Affordable, flexible.
Risks: Inconsistent quality, limited scalability. May need frequent corrections and lacks growth-focused insights.
Virtual Bookkeepers
$500 – $2,500
1 Industry-specific reporting,
2 payroll,
3 BAS lodgment
SMEs, agents with 10+ listings
Saves time, tailored reporting.
Risks: Communication gaps, dependency. Potential delays in complex scenarios (e.g., multi-state compliance).
Athlone Partners
$840 – $4,000
1 Bookkeeping
2 CPA-guided advisory
3 custom reporting
4 real-time analytics
5 automation
5 CFO advisory
Growing SMEs
Established SMEs
Growing Real estate firms
Startups
Entrepreneurs
Founders
Series A & B funded
CPA expertise
Quickbooks ProAdvisor
Automation
Proactive compliance
Custom financial reports
Extended advisory
Competitive Costing.
Risks: No tax reporting.
Boutique Firms
$2,500 – $5,000
1Trust accounting,
2 CPA-guided advisory 3depreciation schedules, 4CFO advisory
Established SMEs, Growing real estate agencies,
Series A&B funded
Strategic tax optimization, compliance assurance.
Risks: Higher cost. Over-servicing risk if needs are mismatched.
Enterprise Firms
$5,000 + per month
1Multi-state compliance, 2portfolio analytics
Medium to Large Enterprise,
Large developers
Series C startups
Advanced analytics, audit-proof systems.
Risks: Inflexible pricing. May overcomplicate workflows for smaller businesses.
The hidden cost of cheap bookkeeping
A $300/month freelancer might seem like a steal—until they miscategorize $50,000 in income, triggering an IRS audit.
For startups, a $500 QuickBooks cleanup now could prevent a $25k Series A funding delay.
For Real estate, you have these risks:
1. Trust accounting errors
Mixing tenant security deposits with operating funds = state-specific legal penalties (e.g., CA Civil Code §1950.5)..
2. Depreciation oversights
Missing $15k+/year in MACRS deductions for property assets.
3. Payroll compliance
Misclassifying contractors? That’s a $10k+/employee fine.Misclassifying contractors? That’s a $1k–$5k/employee fine (IRS Form SS-8).
Start with systems, not spreadsheets
Athlone CPA’s 3-Step Framework:
- Automate: Sync bank feeds to QuickBooks (saves 10 hrs/month).
- Categorize: Custom charts of accounts for 1031 exchanges or SaaS burn rates.
- Analyze: Weekly cash flow snapshots + quarterly cap rate/NOI reviews.
Example: A San Francisco real estate firm saved $28k/year by automating rent roll tracking across 22 properties.
The “scope creep” factor
Additional costs arise from:
- Multi-state compliance: Managing sales tax across TX, CA, NY? +25% fees.
- R&D tax incentives: Startups filing IRS Form 6765 pay +$2k/month for specialized CPA support.
- Bespoke reporting: Investor-ready GAAP financials = +$500–$1k/month.
Cost vs. Value
For Startups
- Investors may demand GAAP-compliant books. A $5k audit prep avoids a $50k valuation haircut during due diligence.
For Real Estate firms
- $1,200/month bookkeeping = $48k/year in recovered deductions (repairs, depreciation).
- $3,500/month CFO services = $200k+ in R&D credits/tax deferral strategies.
Your numbers tell a story
In 2025, 68% of failed U.S. startups cited “financial disorganization” (Clutch 2025). So its vital to consider professional help to grow you business sustainably. Consider your options and reach out to Athlone Partners to discuss your goals.