How much does an accountant cost for a small business? Fees by model and what drives them

An accountant for a small business costs a monthly retainer, an hourly rate, or a project fee, and the right number depends on scope, volume, and review. Numetix publishes three monthly tiers for bookkeeping, reporting, and advisory, with tax return preparation quoted separately. Compare quotes on scope, not only the headline fee.

QUICK ANSWER: HOW MUCH DOES AN ACCOUNTANT COST?

• Accountants price by monthly retainer, hourly rate, or fixed project, and public wage data gives a floor but never a quote.
• Fees follow transaction volume, the number of accounts and entities, how fast you need results, and whether review and advice are included.
• Ask for a written scope, a list of exclusions, and the name of the reviewer before you compare prices, and keep tax work as its own quote.

Numetix is the expert-led, AI-powered, human-in-the-loop bookkeeping layer for founder-led service firms, so the books an accountant relies on are reviewed by a named person each month. This guide explains the pricing models, what public wage data does and does not tell you, and how to compare quotes.

How do accountants price their work?

What do public wage figures say?

Wage data sets a floor, not a quote. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports median pay of $50,670 a year for bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks, which is about $24.36 an hour or $4,222.50 a month, and $83,680 a year for accountants and auditors, about $40.23 an hour or $6,973.33 a month (BLS bookkeeping clerks, BLS accountants and auditors). Both figures are wages only, before payroll taxes, benefits, software, and supervision, so a provider's price sits above them.

What drives the price?

Our guides to outsourced bookkeeping cost per month and the cost of outsourcing accounting services show how these drivers combine.

What do Numetix's published tiers cover?

Numetix publishes three monthly tiers with no hourly billing. Tax return preparation is quoted separately and is not included in any tier.

Which should you hire first?

• Start with a bookkeeper or a reviewed bookkeeping service when the books are late, unreconciled, or owner-run, because every later question depends on clean records.
• Add a CPA when you need formal filings, signed statements, or advice on structure. Our bookkeeper vs CPA comparison shows where each role starts and stops.
• Add a controller or fractional CFO when forecasting, lender reporting, or margin questions need planning. See the fractional CFO cost per month guide for that step.
• Keep tax preparation as a separate quote so you can compare like with like.

What should you ask before you sign?

Frequently asked questions

How much does an accountant charge per hour?

Rates vary by market and specialty, so there is no single figure. Public wage data for the median accountant is only a floor, before overhead, review, and software. Ask for a written scope and a not-to-exceed number rather than comparing hourly rates alone.

Is a bookkeeper cheaper than an accountant?

Usually, because bookkeeping is recording and reconciling while accounting adds review, advice, and sign-off. Public wage data shows a lower median for bookkeeping clerks than for accountants. Most small firms need clean books first, then add an accountant when the questions get harder.

What does tax preparation cost?

Tax return preparation is priced separately from monthly accounting, and fees depend on the return and the preparer. Ask for a written fee before you engage anyone, and keep it separate from the monthly accounting quote so you can compare like with like.

Numetix is the expert-led, AI-powered, human-in-the-loop bookkeeping layer that keeps the books reviewed every month so any accountant you hire starts from numbers you can trust. See our bookkeeping services built for professional services firms.