Virtual Bookkeeping Services Pricing: Key Cost Drivers

Virtual bookkeeping services pricing ranges from $200 to $2,500 per month, and the gap often comes down to factors that are not obvious upfront.

Transaction volume, sales channels, reconciliation complexity, and industry-specific needs all influence what you actually pay. Without understanding these cost drivers, you risk overpaying for services you do not need or underpaying for coverage that leaves gaps in your books.

For ecommerce sellers juggling multiple platforms and high transaction counts, the wrong pricing model can quietly drain profits.

In this guide, you will learn what drives costs, how pricing differs by industry, and how to evaluate what your business truly requires.

Why virtual bookkeeping services pricing depend on your industry

Virtual bookkeeping services provide remote financial management, from basic transaction recording to complex multi-channel reconciliation.

But the complexity of your operations drives massive price variations. An ecommerce business selling on Amazon, Shopify, and wholesale channels might pay $1,500 monthly for services that cost a single-location service business just $400.

Consider these industry contrasts:

• Ecommerce: Multiple sales channels, thousands of transactions, inventory synchronization across platforms, and marketplace fee reconciliation
• Construction: Project-based costing, job tracking, compliance reporting, equipment depreciation
• Professional services: Simple invoicing, minimal inventory, straightforward expense tracking

The difference is the order complexity and compliance requirements.

For example, ecommerce brands selling on platforms like Shopify and Amazon often face the steepest manual bookkeeping costs, making automation critical for controlling expenses while maintaining accuracy.

Let us break down the six main factors that determine your actual ecommerce bookkeeping bill.

Suggested read: Save More Than 90% on Bookkeeping Costs

The 6 key factors that shape your virtual bookkeeping services pricing

Your bookkeeping bill is shaped by these six drivers. Understanding them helps you predict costs and identify savings opportunities:

1. Transaction volume and order complexity

High-volume businesses or those with complex orders (bundles, variants, discounts) require more processing time. A business with 5,000 simple orders might pay less than one with 1,000 complex multi-item orders.

2. Number of sales channels and platforms

Each additional channel multiplies the reconciliation work. Managing Shopify, Amazon, and eBay means three different fee structures, three payout schedules, and three sets of tax rules.

3. Regulatory compliance requirements

Sales tax nexus, industry-specific regulations, and international VAT add layers of complexity. Businesses selling in multiple states face exponentially higher compliance costs.

4. Manual entry vs. automated workflows

Manual bookkeeping costs scale linearly with volume. More orders mean more hours. Ecommerce businesses using automation platforms like Webgility can reduce manual reconciliation by 90%, lowering both direct costs and error rates.

Suggested read: How to Automate Ecommerce Bookkeeping in 2026

5. Catch-up and cleanup work

Backlogs and historical errors inflate initial costs. Businesses months behind on bookkeeping often pay cleanup fees that exceed regular monthly rates.

6. Scope of service

Basic transaction recording costs far less than comprehensive services, including inventory tracking, financial analysis, and tax preparation.

Next, see how these factors play out across different industries and what you can expect to pay.

Suggested read: A Guide to Ecommerce Accounting Process Improvement

Bookkeeping cost drivers by industry: What to expect

Here is what typical businesses pay for bookkeeping, by industry and approach.

Table 1: Virtual bookkeeping services pricing by industry

Construction businesses need specialized job costing that most automation tools cannot handle. Service businesses have simpler needs but still benefit from automated invoice tracking. 

Ecommerce sits in the sweet spot, where automation delivers massive ROI due to high transaction volume and standardized processes.

But what do you actually get for your money? Let us break down what is included in a typical bookkeeping package.

Suggested read: Multichannel Sales Tax Automation Made Simple

What is included in a virtual bookkeeping package for your industry?

Here is what you can expect from a standard package and what costs extra.

Standard virtual bookkeeping services

• Bank and credit card reconciliation
• Accounts receivable and payable management
• Basic financial reporting (profit and loss, balance sheet)
• Monthly closing procedures
• General ledger maintenance

Industry-specific add-ons

Ecommerce additions:

• Multi-channel order reconciliation
• Inventory cost tracking and synchronization
• Marketplace fee allocation
• Ecommerce sales tax filing across jurisdictions
• Payout reconciliation with timing differences

Construction additions:

• Job and project costing
• Progress billing and retention tracking
• Equipment depreciation schedules
• Certified payroll reporting

Real estate additions:

• Escrow account management
• Commission calculations and splits
• Property-level profit and loss reporting

Common premium add-ons across all industries:

• Payroll processing
• Sales tax filing
• CFO-level analysis and planning
• Rush work or same-day posting

For ecommerce specifically, automation platforms like Webgility handle order posting, inventory sync, and payout reconciliation as standard features, reducing the need for costly add-ons that traditional bookkeepers charge separately.

Now, let us compare your main options for getting the job done: hiring vs. automating.

Comparing your options: Freelancer, firm, in-house, or automation-first

Each model offers a different mix of cost, control, and scalability.

Freelance bookkeeper

• Cost: $20 to $50 per hour, or $200 to $500 per month for ongoing services
• Pros: Flexible, personal service, lower cost than firms
• Cons: Limited availability, single point of failure, varying expertise levels
• Best for: Small businesses with simple needs and tight budgets

Bookkeeping firm

• Cost: $500 to $2,500 per month, depending on transaction volume and complexity
• Pros: Team coverage, established processes, broader expertise
• Cons: Less control, higher costs, potential communication gaps
• Best for: Growing businesses needing reliable, comprehensive service

In-house bookkeeper

• Cost: $48,000 to $70,000 per year plus benefits (add 20% or more for overhead)
• Pros: Dedicated resource, deep business knowledge, immediate availability
• Cons: Highest total cost, management overhead, difficult to scale
• Best for: Larger businesses with complex, daily bookkeeping needs

Automation-first (hybrid) model

• Cost: Starts at $19/month
• Pros: Real-time data sync, SKU-level profitability, seamless accounting integration, scales with order volume without adding head
• Cons: Requires initial setup, still needs human oversight for exceptions
• Best for: Ecommerce and multi-channel businesses with high transaction volume

Webgility enables businesses to automate reconciliation, order posting, and inventory sync, so you pay for expert review only when needed, not for every transaction.

But what is the real cost difference? Let us run the numbers on each approach.

Calculating your true cost: A step-by-step ROI example

Use this formula to compare your options and see real savings potential with virtual bookkeeping services pricing.

Step 1: Calculate the current manual cost

• Hours spent on bookkeeping per week x hourly rate
• Include: data entry, reconciliation, error correction, reporting
• Do not forget: the opportunity cost of your time if doing it yourself

Step 2: Estimate outsourced cost

• Monthly service fee + setup costs and add-on services
• Factor in: rush fees, cleanup costs, annual increases

Step 3: Calculate automation or hybrid cost

• Software subscription + part-time bookkeeper oversight
• Include: one-time setup, training time

Step 4: Compare the total cost of ownership

Example: Mid-size ecommerce business

• 2,000 orders per month across Shopify, Amazon, and wholesale
• Current state: 30 hours per week, manual bookkeeping

Manual approach:

• 30 hours per week x $25 per hour = $3,000 per month
• Annual cost: $36,000

Traditional outsourcing:

• Base service: $900 per month
• Multi-channel add-on: $200 per month
• Sales tax filing: $150 per month
• Total: $1,250 per month ($15,000 per year)

Automation + oversight:

• Webgility: $19 per month
• Bookkeeper oversight (5 hours per week): $500 per month
• Total: $519 per month ($6,228 per year)

Now, use this insight to choose the approach that best fits your business.

How to choose the right approach for your business

Here is how to choose the right fit after you’ve evaluated virtual bookkeeping services pricing:

• If you have fewer than 500 monthly transactions, a single sales channel, and a straightforward expense structure, a freelancer may be the best fit
• If you have complex financial needs, multiple entities, or require industry-specific expertise, consider a bookkeeping firm
• If you have 10,000+ monthly transactions and need real-time control, in-house hiring may be necessary
• If you have multiple sales channels and high transaction volume but want cost efficiency, automation-first is the right choice

For ecommerce businesses, the cost comparison shifts dramatically when you factor in what automation eliminates. A platform like Webgility does not replace your bookkeeper. It removes the manual work that drives up their hours and your costs.

With Webgility, you get:

• Automatic order posting from Shopify, Amazon, eBay, Walmart, and other channels directly into QuickBooks or Xero
• Real-time fee tracking that captures marketplace commissions, payment processing fees, and shipping costs at the transaction level
• Payout reconciliation that matches deposits to orders without manual spreadsheet work
• SKU-level profitability so you know exactly which products and channels drive margin

Dan DeLong (Danwith), an accounting consultant working with ecommerce clients, faced a common problem.

His clients had invested in technology, but still could not use their sales data to make better business decisions. Their tech stacks were disconnected, and manual processes created gaps in financial visibility.

After implementing Webgility for his clients, DeLong saw immediate results.

His clients now save an average of 38 hours per month on bookkeeping tasks. The platform also helped recover hidden costs that marketplace platforms do not clearly break down, giving clients accurate gross profit data by channel.

In the first few months of 2021 alone, his clients collectively saved nearly 1,000 hours of manual work.

Schedule a demo with Webgility today.

Frequently asked questions (FAQs)

How do I know if my business needs automation for bookkeeping?

If you have high transaction volume, multiple sales channels, or spend more than 20 hours a month on manual entry, automation can save time and reduce errors.

What’s typically included in a virtual bookkeeping package?

Most packages include bank reconciliation, accounts payable and receivable, and basic financial reports. Industry-specific add-ons like inventory tracking or job costing may cost extra.

Can automation fully replace a bookkeeper?

Automation handles most repetitive tasks, but a bookkeeper is still valuable for oversight, tax compliance, and strategic financial analysis.

How can I compare costs between manual, outsourced, and automated bookkeeping?

Calculate your current time and hourly rate, compare them with quotes from firms, and add up the software and oversight costs for automation. This helps identify the most cost-effective option.