What Should I Charge For Bookkeeping?
Let me be honest with you: this is one of the most Googled questions in the bookkeeping world — and most of the answers you'll find are generic, surface-level, and frankly not that useful.
So let's fix that. I've been in this industry for over 25 years. I built a bookkeeping firm from scratch, grew it to a team of 15, and sold it for over seven figures. I've made all of the pricing mistakes. I've had the awkward conversations. I've undercharged clients, and I've learned exactly what it costs you when you do.
Here's what I actually know about pricing your bookkeeping services.
What I Charged When I Started (And Why It Wasn't Wrong)
When I first hung out my shingle, I charged $25 an hour. No mentor. No benchmark. No Facebook group telling me what the going rate was. I just picked a number that felt reasonable for where I was.
And here's the thing — for where I was, it wasn't necessarily wrong.
I was working with a narrow client base: contractors and landscapers. A very specific slice of bookkeeping. I knew what I knew, and I charged accordingly. The problem wasn't the number. The problem was that I stayed there too long because I hadn't yet built the confidence to charge more.
The industry average for bookkeeping services today is roughly $60–$75 per hour. Experienced bookkeepers with niche expertise or advisory skills often charge well above that. But arriving at that rate isn't just about knowing the number — it's about believing you're worth it.
The Biggest Pricing Mistakes Bookkeepers Make
After coaching hundreds of bookkeepers, I see the same mistakes over and over:
Charging too low from the start — and then feeling trapped there
Quoting a flat monthly fee before seeing the file — this one will cost you
Not having a real discovery call — letting the client define the scope instead of you
Confusing what the client tells you with what the work actually involves
That last one deserves more attention.
Clients are not trying to trick you when they underestimate the complexity of their books. They simply don't know what they don't know. They can't see what you see. They don't know that the fact they're using Venmo, PayPal, and three different bank accounts is going to add two hours to your month. They just know they need a bookkeeper.
That's why a thorough discovery call — and ideally a look at the actual QuickBooks Online file before you quote — is non-negotiable.
A Real Example: The Bar Client
I worked with a bar client for several years. When I started with them, the scope was clear. Manageable. Reasonably priced.
Then, gradually, things shifted.
They started asking for inventory tracking. Then, the inventory in a very specific way. Then, without consulting me, they went into the file and added 30 to 40 new chart of accounts — because someone in a class or a book told them more detail was better.
It's not. More chart of accounts makes my job harder, not better. It creates confusion, not clarity.
On top of that, this client paid people through personal Venmo and personal PayPal — accounts they didn't always have access to. Someone would say, "Oh, I just paid the band, it's not a big deal." But it is a big deal. Because that band member may need a 1099 at year end. Because that expense is deductible. Because if I don't capture it, I'm not doing my job.
After two years of escalating complexity, I told them I was doubling their rate.
They pushed back. They thought about it. And then they asked to go back to the original chart of accounts — the one that worked — because they realized the extra detail wasn't helping them make better decisions, and it was going to cost them significantly more to maintain.
Lesson: Scope creep is real. Price it before it prices you.
How to Actually Calculate What You Should Charge
Here's the framework I give to every new bookkeeper I coach. It starts with two questions:
1. What do you want to make?
2. How many hours do you actually want to work?
Let's do the math together.
Say you want to earn $50,000 a year. You want to work 25 hours a week. But realistically, you're only billing about 20 of those hours — the rest goes to admin, marketing, answering emails.
20 billable hours × 50 weeks = 1,000 billable hours per year
$50,000 ÷ 1,000 hours = $50/hour minimum
That's your floor. And that's before you factor in taxes, software subscriptions, and the fact that not every month will be full.
Now factor in your experience level:
New bookkeeper, still building skills: $35–$50/hour
QBO certified, 3+ years of experience: $55–$75/hour
Niche expertise, advisory capacity, or specialty industry: $75–$150+/hour
Every client is different. Some months will be heavier. Some clients will have seasonal spikes. Your effective hourly rate will fluctuate — which is exactly why you need to track it.
Your Effective Hourly Rate: The Number You're Probably Not Watching
Here's what I used as my internal gauge for years:
Effective hourly rate = (Monthly fee collected) ÷ (Actual hours worked on that client)
Then subtract merchant fees, software subscriptions, and any other direct costs tied to that client.
If that number is consistently below $50 ( if you are new), $75 if you are seasoned, something needs to change — either the scope, the price, or the client.
This is how I decided which clients needed a rate increase. Not gut feeling. Math.
How to Raise Your Rates Without Losing Clients (Or Your Nerve)
Raising rates was one of the hardest things I did early in my business. A lot of my clients were people I genuinely liked. People I'd come to know. I didn't want to feel like I was just squeezing them.
Here's what I learned:
Give 60–90 days' notice. Put the new rate in writing.
Say it simply: "On [date], your rate will be [new rate]."
Don't over-explain. Don't apologize.
If they don't sign the new agreement, raise the rate anyway on the date
That last line might make you uncomfortable. But here's the reality: most clients will not leave over a reasonable rate increase. They've already invested in the relationship. They trust you. Starting over with someone new is expensive and stressful for them too.
The clients who leave over a modest rate increase were probably not your best clients anyway.
I also kept a few "charity cases" over the years — a struggling nonprofit, a solopreneur just getting started. That's a choice you get to make. But I made it consciously, and I assigned those clients to my lowest-cost team members so it didn't eat into my margin.
The Bottom Line
There is no single right answer to "how much should I charge?" But there are wrong answers — and the most common one is charging too little for too long because you're afraid of what the client will say or that the may leave.
You built this business to have freedom, flexibility, and a real income. Don't give that away by underpricing work you're great at.
Lynn Talbott is The Bookkeeper's Coach. She built and sold a 7-figure bookkeeping firm and now helps independent bookkeepers and firm owners build profitable, confident businesses. Learn more at coachingbookkeepers.com.
