Bookkeeper vs DIY Bookkeeping Cost Calculator: Price Your DIY Side
A bookkeeper vs DIY bookkeeping cost calculator should start with your own numbers, and this one does exactly that: it estimates what your DIY side costs and leaves the comparison to you.
This free DIY Bookkeeping True-Cost Calculator from LiveFixPro Bookkeeping turns your own hours, software and fix-it costs into one monthly and yearly estimate. Doing your own books has a cost even when no invoice arrives, and most of it is your own time.
It runs in your browser. Nothing you enter is uploaded, sent or stored, and it works offline once the page is open.
What the calculator asks for
Every box is your own number. There are no preset values, and you enter 0 where something doesn't apply.
Hours per month on bookkeeping. Entering, categorizing, reconciling, chasing receipts and fixing mistakes.
Value of one of those hours. What the hour is worth to your business, or what you'd pay for it.
Accounting software per month. For example, your QuickBooks® plan.
Other bookkeeping apps and tools per month. Receipt capture, bill pay add-ons, spreadsheets.
Paid help to fix bookkeeping problems in the last 12 months. The total of what you actually paid.
Late fees, interest or missed early-pay discounts in the last 12 months that came from disorganized books.
What you get back
Estimated cost per month and per year, plus the hours per year you spend on bookkeeping.
A breakdown table showing your time, software and tools, paid help and late charges, each with its share of the total.
A plain-English sentence summing it up, including how much of the total is the value you placed on your own time.
Print or CSV. Print the results or download them as a CSV.
How the math works
It's shown on the page. Hours per month times the value of an hour times 12, plus monthly software and tool costs times 12, plus the fix-it and late-charge totals you entered.
This is an estimate from your numbers. It doesn't compare doing it yourself with any service, and it makes no claim about cost differences.
What this number can leave out
A calculator can only add up what you tell it. A few things often get missed:
Hours you didn't count. Time spent hunting for a receipt, re-doing an import or answering a question from your lender or accountant.
Month-end delay. Decisions made without current numbers because the books are a few weeks behind.
Your hour's other use. What else that hour could have gone toward in the business.
Cleanup later. The time and cost of fixing a backlog if reconciliations slip.
Where to find your numbers
Your calendar or phone usage can show how long a typical bookkeeping session runs. Software and app costs are on your subscription statements. Paid help and late fees are in your own records for the last 12 months. If you have to estimate an hour's value, pick a number you can explain.
If you want to compare options
Ask any bookkeeper or service for a written scope: what is included each month, how fast the books are closed, who reconciles the accounts and what costs extra. Then compare like with like, using your own number from the calculator.
Want to see what monthly bookkeeping would involve?
LiveFixPro Bookkeeping offers monthly bookkeeping $499/mo and Cleanup for QuickBooks® Users $1,999 fixed one-time. What each includes is confirmed on the free consult. Book a free consult and we'll talk through where your books stand.
FAQ
What does a bookkeeper vs DIY bookkeeping cost calculator do?
This one prices the DIY side only. It adds your hours, the value of your time, software and app costs, paid fixes and late charges into a monthly and yearly estimate. It doesn't put a figure on any bookkeeper or service, so the comparison is yours to make.
What is the cost of doing your own bookkeeping?
It depends on your own numbers: the hours you spend, what an hour is worth to your business, your software and app costs, any paid help to fix problems, and any late charges. The calculator adds them into a monthly and yearly estimate.
Does the calculator upload or store my numbers?
No. It runs in your browser, and nothing is uploaded, sent or stored. You can print your results or download a CSV.
What might the estimate leave out?
Hours you didn't count, delays from books that run behind, what else your time could have gone toward, and cleanup later if reconciliations slip.
Estimate your cost now
Use the calculator above to see your monthly and yearly estimate, and book a free consult if you'd like to talk through monthly bookkeeping.
QuickBooks® is a registered trademark of Intuit Inc. LiveFixPro is independent and not endorsed by Intuit.
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Bookkeeping Services FAQs
What are bookkeeping services for small businesses?
Bookkeeping services keep your day-to-day financial records accurate—categorizing transactions, reconciling accounts, and preparing clean books so you can see cash flow and make decisions with confidence.
Who is this for?
U.S. small businesses that want reliable monthly bookkeeping and clear books without hiring a full-time in-house bookkeeper. Deep QuickBooks cleanup is available separately when your books need a catch-up.
What’s included in monthly bookkeeping?
Transaction categorization, bank and credit-card reconciliation, and organized books ready for review.
How is pricing structured?
Monthly Bookkeeping is $499/mo, Support for QuickBooks Users is $149.99/mo, Cleanup for QuickBooks Users is $1,999 fixed one-time, and Catch-up Bookkeeping starts from $799.99 one-time. Final scope is confirmed on a free consultation.
Do you use QuickBooks?
Yes—work is for QuickBooks® users. Cleanup and ongoing bookkeeping can connect to your QuickBooks Online file when that is the right fit. LiveFixPro is independent and not endorsed by Intuit Inc.
How do we get started?
Book a free consultation on our calendar. We’ll confirm scope, access needs, and the right package before work begins: Book a free consultation
Intuit, QuickBooks, and QuickBooks ProAdvisor are registered trademarks of Intuit Inc. used with permission under the QuickBooks ProAdvisor Agreement.