Hourly, fixed-fee or per-transaction: how to compare bookkeeping quotes
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Bookkeepers charge in three ways. The model decides how the bill moves from month to month; the written scope decides what you are actually paying for.
Short answer: hourly billing charges for the time used, a fixed monthly fee charges one agreed amount for a defined scope, and per-transaction pricing charges by volume band. Two quotes with the same number can cover very different work, so compare what each one includes, in writing.
Three ways bookkeepers charge
| Model | How you are billed | Suits | Watch for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hourly | For the time used each month | Irregular or very small amounts of work | The total moves every month, and a messy month costs more |
| Fixed monthly fee | One agreed fee for a defined scope | Businesses that want a known monthly cost | What happens when volume grows past the scope |
| Per transaction or tiered | A band set by how many transactions you have | Steady, high-volume businesses | How a transaction is counted, and what is extra |
One-time work, such as catching up past months or moving to new software, is usually priced on its own, whichever model the monthly work uses.
What moves the number, whichever model
Under any of the three, the work is set by the same things: how many transactions there are, how many accounts and sales channels have to be reconciled, which filings are included, and how far behind the books are. Our pricing page sets these out. Payroll, inventory, foreign currency and job costing add to every month on top of them.
What a written quote should spell out
How to compare two quotes
Put the quotes side by side and compare scope first, then price. A lower monthly figure that leaves out the GST return or the payroll filings is not cheaper if you still have to pay someone to do them. Ask each provider what a busy month would cost, and who files if a deadline falls while they are away.
The year-end and the tax return are a separate line in most quotes. Monthly books that are kept current make the year-end smaller, which is where a good monthly service tends to pay for itself.
How to keep the cost down
- Keep business and personal money in separate accounts
- Connect bank and card feeds to the accounting software
- Send receipts and statements every month, not once a year
- Close accounts and cards the business no longer uses
- Reply to questions about unclear transactions while you still remember them
Questions people ask
How much does a bookkeeper cost in BC?
In the Vancouver market, firms billing hourly charge about $75 to $150 an hour, which puts most small businesses between $600 and $2,000 a month, and flat monthly plans run roughly $300 to $2,000 depending on volume. Your own figure depends on the scope, so ask for a written quote. We send ours within one business day.
Is it better to pay a bookkeeper hourly or a fixed monthly fee?
A fixed monthly fee gives a known cost and does not rise when a month takes longer. Hourly billing can suit very small or irregular work. Whichever you choose, the scope should be written down.
Are bookkeeping fees tax-deductible?
Yes. The CRA lists accounting and other professional fees among the business expenses you can deduct, when they are for earning business income.
Is GST charged on bookkeeping fees?
A GST-registered bookkeeper adds 5% GST to the fee. If your business is registered for GST, you can generally claim it back as an input tax credit.
Is PST charged on bookkeeping in BC?
Not now. Budget 2026 added accounting and bookkeeping services, along with other professional services, to the PST list from 1 October 2026, and the province paused the change before it took effect. A pause is not a repeal; the guide linked below tracks it.
Why is catch-up bookkeeping priced separately?
Months that are behind need reconstructing from statements and receipts, which is a different amount of work from keeping a current month. It is usually quoted once, before it starts.
How our fixed monthly fee is scoped →
What monthly bookkeeping should deliver →
The catch-up bookkeeping checklist →
Switching bookkeepers: the handover checklist →
Want this handled for you
This is the work we do for clients every month. Tell us what you sell and where your books stand, and a written plan and a fixed monthly price follow within one business day.
We set up and keep books in QuickBooks Online and Xero →
info@orbisaccounting.ca