How I Quote My Monthly Bookkeeping Services

I've seen a lot of shady pricing strategies from others in this field. So I figured I should sit down and walk you through exactly how I quote my services—and why my inquiry process might feel a little invasive.

Spoiler: I'm not trying to be nosy. I'm trying to be fair.

‍

Why I Can't Give You a Price Right Away

After you inquire with me, I'll pretty much immediately let you know I can't give pricing without seeing either bank statements or your current books.

I know. It's annoying when you just want a number.

But here's why I do it this way: I base my pricing on the average volume of transactions each month and the number of accounts that will need to be reconciled. That means all your bank accounts, credit card accounts, loan accounts, payment processors—all of it.

If you don't already have those accounts linked in your current QuickBooks file, you'll need to download and send me PDF statements for all of them.

‍

Yes, I Know It Feels Vulnerable

Sending over your bank statements definitely sounds a little scary. I get it. You're handing over financial info to someone you just emailed.

But I can guarantee you: I'm not judging. I'm not even looking closely at the transactions. I'm literally just counting them to determine your average transaction load for each account.

I had a client who apologized three times before sending statements because they had "so many coffee shop purchases." I didn't notice. And I wouldn't have cared if I did because girl same

‍

How I Actually Calculate Your Rate

Once I have your numbers, I pull out my handy dandy Google Sheet pricing calculator and plug everything in.

The calculator looks at:

• Your total average monthly transaction volume across all accounts
• The number of accounts that need reconciling AND the average transaction load for each account
• The complexity of your transactions (payroll? Multiple payment processors? Loan accounts?)

Then it spits out your custom monthly rate.

‍

What I Don't Do

I do not charge based on revenue. And I do not have flat-rate fees for everyone.

Why should someone with pretty simple books—maybe one checking account and 50 transactions a month—pay the same rate as a high-volume, complex business with five accounts and 500 transactions?

That's not fair. And I'll never do that.

‍

The One Thing I Do Have: A Minimum Rate

In the spirit of full transparency, I do have a set minimum rate. It's disclosed on my services page.

Even if your books are super simple, there's a baseline amount of time it takes to reconcile accounts, review transactions, and keep things accurate. That minimum covers that time.

But beyond that? Your rate is customized to your actual workload.

‍

Why Custom Pricing Actually Benefits You

I can't tell you how many times potential clients have told me they were quoted a flat $500/month from another bookkeeper—without anyone looking at their books first.

Sometimes that's a great deal. Sometimes it's way overpriced for what they actually need.

Custom pricing means:

• You're not subsidizing someone else's complicated books
• You're not overpaying for simple bookkeeping
• You know exactly what you're paying for

And honestly? It keeps me from getting burned too. I've heard horror stories from bookkeepers who quoted flat rates and then realized they'd signed up for 10+ hours of work a month at $300.

Nobody wins in that scenario.

‍

What Happens After I Quote You

Once you have your custom rate, you'll know exactly what to expect each month. No surprise fees. No "oh actually it's more because you had extra transactions this month."

Your rate is your rate.

If your business grows significantly—like you add multiple new accounts and double your transaction volume—we'll revisit pricing. But that's a conversation, not a surprise invoice.

‍

The Bottom Line

My pricing process might require a few extra steps upfront, but it's worth it. You get a fair rate based on your actual needs, and I get to run a sustainable business without undercharging or overcharging anyone.

If you're ready to get a custom quote for your bookkeeping, reach out here.

Invite me to your QBO file or send over those statements (I promise I'm not judging), and I'll get you a number within 24 hours.