Pilot
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Finaloop
QuickBooks
Gusto
What is Bench?
Founded in 2012 and based in Vancouver, Bench is an online bookkeeping service for US small businesses. It serves customers through bookkeeping software, financial integrations, and dedicated human bookkeeping and tax professionals.
Bench combines bookkeeping software, financial integrations, and a human bookkeeping team. Customers connect banks, cards, merchant platforms, and payroll providers; Bench imports transactions, categorizes and reconciles accounts, prepares monthly statements, and supplies a tax-ready year-end package. The service is designed to remove routine bookkeeping from the owner while retaining access to a dedicated bookkeeper through messages, calls, or scheduled check-ins.
The product covers monthly bookkeeping, income statements, balance sheets, 1099 reporting, tax preparation, and year-round tax advisory. Bookkeeping Grow is a lighter-touch option, Core adds unlimited communication, and Core + Tax adds licensed tax professionals and business or personal income-tax filing for eligible customers. Bench does not directly run payroll, invoicing, or bill pay, and unsupported data flows may require manual statements.
Bench targets US-based small and growing businesses that prefer managed books over DIY accounting. Public pricing starts at $199 per month for Bookkeeping Grow and $319 per month for Core with annual billing; Core + Tax starts at $599 per month on the current pricing page. Bench is actively sold under its existing name after Employer.com’s acquisition. Bookkeeping and tax remain distinct service scopes.
Key features
Managed monthly books
Dedicated bookkeepers categorize transactions, reconcile accounts, and deliver monthly financial statements.
Tax-ready reporting
Main bookkeeping plans include an IRS-compliant year-end financial package for filing or handoff to a tax preparer.
Business tax filing
Core + Tax adds licensed tax professionals, annual business returns, and tax advisory.
Personal tax filing
Core + Tax includes individual filing for sole proprietors and personal filing options for other eligible entities.
Automated integrations
Bench imports transactions from banks, cards, merchants, and payroll systems through Plaid, Finch, and direct connections.
Financial reports
Customers can view and download income statements, balance sheets, expense reports, and other financial information.
Bookkeeper support
Customers communicate with their dedicated team by message, phone, video call, or scheduled touchpoint depending on plan.
Bench pricing
Bookkeeping Grow starts at $199 per month for eligible businesses. Core is published at $319 per month with annual billing, and Core + Tax starts at $599 per month. Standalone tax is billed annually, while plan availability and final pricing depend on business complexity and eligibility.
| Plan | Price | What's included |
|---|---|---|
| Bookkeeping Grow | $199/moFor eligible businesses under $250,000 annual revenue | Dedicated bookkeeping experts, monthly books, year-end tax-ready package, profit and loss statement, balance sheet, 1099 reporting, and scheduled communication. |
| Bookkeeping Core | $319/mo annuallyAnnual billing | Everything in Grow plus unlimited communication with the bookkeeping team and custom categorizations. |
| Bookkeeping Core + Tax | $599/mo | Bookkeeping plus licensed tax professionals, annual business income-tax filing, eligible individual filing, and tax advisory. |
| QBO Certified Bookkeeper | $55/hr + $1,200 onboarding | QuickBooks-native expert support, dedicated bookkeeper, on-demand sessions, and customizable bookkeeping scope. |
| Full-service tax | $2,880/yrStandalone tax; annual commitment | Business tax filing, year-round advisory, and up to four advisory calls annually; books may be supplied by the customer. |
Free trial: Bench does not currently offer a free trial; customers can book a call to assess fit and pricing.
Pros & cons
Pros
- The $199 monthly Grow plan is a clearly published entry point for eligible small businesses.
- Main bookkeeping plans include monthly reporting and a tax-ready year-end package.
- Core + Tax combines bookkeeping with licensed tax professionals and year-round advisory.
- Bench documents SOC 2 and SOC 3 examinations, read-only connections, and encrypted data.
Cons
- Grow has an eligibility check and is intended for businesses below $250,000 in annual revenue.
- Bench does not directly run payroll, invoicing, or accounts payable.
- Standalone tax is billed annually, and plan pricing varies with business complexity.
- Some unsupported platform data flows require manual statements.
Who is Bench best for?
- US small businesses that want a dedicated bookkeeping team rather than accounting software alone.
- Lean businesses eligible for the lower-touch Grow plan.
- Owners who want bookkeeping and licensed tax professionals from one provider.
- Businesses using mainstream merchant, payroll, and banking platforms supported by Bench.
Coverage
Integrations
Frequently asked questions
What is Bench’s lowest price?
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Bookkeeping Grow starts at $199 per month for eligible businesses. Core is published at $319 per month with annual billing, while Core + Tax starts at $599 per month.
How does Bench bookkeeping work, and how long does it take?
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Bench connects financial accounts and supported business tools, imports transactions, categorizes and reconciles them, and produces monthly reports and a year-end package. Filing and catch-up timelines depend on how promptly historical records and requested information are supplied.
How does Bench compare with Pilot?
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Bench’s current entry plan is $199 per month, while Pilot lists Essentials at $99 per month. Both combine automation with human bookkeeping, but Bench’s Grow plan emphasizes a lighter-touch managed service.
What integrations does Bench support?
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Bench lists Plaid-connected banks and supported connections for Stripe, Square, Shopify, PayPal, Gusto, Paychex Flex, ADP Run, Justworks, Square Payroll, and Intuit/QBO Payroll. Unsupported portions of some platforms may require manual statements.
Who is Bench for?
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Bench is for US-based small and growing businesses that want monthly books, financial reports, and a tax-ready package without managing bookkeeping themselves. Grow is aimed at lean businesses, while Core + Tax adds filing and advisory from licensed tax professionals.
Is Bench secure and accurate, and is it human or AI bookkeeping?
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Bench says it undergoes annual SOC 2 and SOC 3 examinations; data is encrypted in transit and at rest, and financial connections are read-only. Automation handles imports and categorization, while dedicated human bookkeepers review and manage the books.
Sources
Facts and pricing verified on October 19, 2026. Vendors change pricing often, so confirm with Bench before buying. How we research
