Bookkeeping packages small business owners see on a pricing page are shorthand for a defined monthly scope. At Books LA the three tiers are Light from $770 a month, Simple from $1,070, and Full from $1,700. All three include reconciliation of every bank, card, and loan account. They also include transaction coding in QuickBooks Online or Xero, and monthly reports. Simple adds payroll coordination, and Full adds bill pay and receivables. The tier is set by the number of accounts and the work beyond reconciliation.
This post explains what each package actually buys, how we decide which one fits, what is never inside a package, and what moves a business from one tier to the next. In other words, the bookkeeping packages small business owners actually end up with, and why. It is written for owners comparing quotes, and it is deliberately specific, because “bookkeeping from $X a month” tells you nothing until you know what X covers. Our bookkeeper cost in Los Angeles guide covers the wider market; this one covers our own list.
What every package includes
Three things are in every tier. Without them, the rest is not bookkeeping.
- Reconciliation, every account, every month. Bank, credit card, and loan accounts tied to their statements, with the reconciliation report saved. This is the item a cheap quote usually leaves out, and it is the one that makes the numbers true. Our reconciliation guide explains what it proves.
- Transaction coding. Every transaction recorded in QuickBooks Online or Xero, in the right account, with the receipt attached when there is one, and nothing parked in “Ask my accountant.”
- Monthly reports with a note. The profit and loss statement and the balance sheet, plus a short note on what moved. The five reports every owner reads post shows what to look for in them.
Also in every tier: a dedicated contact who knows the file, the year-end package for your CPA, and the Los Angeles calendar. That means we track the city business tax renewal, the CDTFA and EDD deadlines, and the January 1099 filing for every client.
Bookkeeping packages for small business, tier by tier
| Package | Starting at | Accounts | Beyond the core | Fits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Light | $770 a month | Up to 5 bank or credit card accounts | Core only: reconciliation, coding, reports | Service businesses and consultancies with no payroll, or payroll run entirely by a provider the owner manages |
| Simple | $1,070 a month | Up to 10 accounts | Monthly payroll processing for up to 5 employees | Businesses with a small team, where payroll entries and the quarterly tie-outs need to be in the close |
| Full | $1,700 a month | 10 bank, loan, or credit card accounts | Bi-weekly or bi-monthly payroll for up to 5 employees, weekly or bi-weekly bill payments, accounts receivable | Businesses that want the back office run: bills scheduled, invoices tracked, payroll on a faster cycle |
The packages page has the current list. “Starting at” means the figure for a business at the low end of that tier’s volume. More transactions, more entities, or inventory move the quote up within the tier before they move it to the next one.
What is not in any package
- Income tax. We do not prepare returns or advise on income tax. The year-end package goes to your CPA, who does. The CPA handoff post shows what that package contains.
- Catch-up and cleanup. Months or years of unreconciled books are a project, priced by months behind and volume, finished before monthly service starts. Our catch-up bookkeeping cost guide explains the ranges.
- Software subscriptions. QuickBooks Online or Xero is billed to you by the vendor at their published prices, which you can check on Intuit’s pricing page or Xero’s. We do not mark it up or hide it in the fee.
- Entity and legal questions. Structure, contracts, and classification belong to your attorney and CPA. We record what the documents say.
How we decide which package fits
A short call and a look at the file. In practice, three questions settle it. How many accounts have statements? Is there payroll, and who runs it? Does anyone need to pay bills or chase invoices on your behalf? The answers put most businesses in a tier within ten minutes. If the file is behind, the $495 bookkeeping review comes first; it shows what the file currently supports and what the catch-up would involve, before anyone commits to a monthly fee.
What moves a business between tiers
Growth, mostly, and occasionally the reverse. A sixth bank account, a first employee, or the decision to hand off bill pay. The move is a conversation, not a surprise invoice, and it happens with notice. We also move businesses down: a company that stops running payroll in-house or consolidates accounts should pay for the tier it uses. The point of a fixed scope is that both sides know what it covers. Our Los Angeles bookkeeping services guide describes what a monthly service should include, whichever firm you choose.
The price warnings worth repeating
First, a quote under $200 a month for a business with payroll and sales tax is either skipping reconciliation or planning to raise the price later. Second, hourly billing makes the cost unpredictable, so the fixed-scope model is what to ask for. Third, a package without a stated account limit or payroll inclusion is not a package, it is a starting point for a negotiation you will have every month. Our guide to choosing a bookkeeper lists the other questions to ask.
How Books LA handles this
Every client is on one of the three tiers, with the scope written into the agreement, so there is no monthly negotiation. We reconcile to a near zero variance each month, close within the first two weeks, and run the Los Angeles calendar for every file. The tier changes when the business does, by agreement, with notice. If you are comparing quotes, send us the other one; we will tell you plainly what it does and does not cover.
Frequently asked questions
How much do bookkeeping packages for a small business cost?
At Books LA, Light starts at $770 a month, Simple at $1,070, and Full at $1,700. Across Los Angeles, most established small businesses pay between $400 and $1,500 a month for a fixed-scope service. The range mostly reflects accounts, payroll, and what sits beyond reconciliation.
What is included in a basic bookkeeping package?
Reconciliation of every bank, card, and loan account, transaction coding, and monthly financial reports. At Books LA that also means a dedicated contact, the year-end CPA package, and the Los Angeles tax calendar. Payroll, bill pay, and receivables are the add-ons that define the higher tiers.
Is payroll included in bookkeeping packages?
In our Simple and Full tiers, yes, for up to five employees, with the payroll entries and quarterly tie-outs built into the close. Light clients run payroll through their own provider, and we record it. The payroll provider’s own fee is separate in every case.
Why is catch-up work priced separately?
Because a year of unreconciled books is a different job from keeping current books current. It has a start and an end, it is priced by months behind and volume, and it is finished before monthly service begins. Otherwise the monthly fee pays for rescue work. Folding it into a monthly fee produces a weak result for both sides.
Does the package include tax preparation?
No. Books LA is a bookkeeping firm and does not prepare income tax returns or advise on income tax. The package includes the year-end handoff to your CPA, and it includes the transactional taxes: payroll tax records, sales tax returns, 1099s, and the city business tax figure.
Can I switch packages later?
Yes, in either direction, by agreement and with notice. A new account, a first hire, or handing off bill pay moves a business up; consolidating accounts or moving payroll out moves it down. The scope should match what the business uses.
What happens on the first call?
We ask about accounts, payroll, and bill pay, look at the file if you share it, and tell you which tier fits and why. If the books are behind, we recommend the $495 review first so the catch-up is priced before the monthly fee is set.
If you are weighing packages, book a short call and bring the other quote; we will go through both.
Prices shown are the published starting points as of October 2026 and change with volume. Books LA provides bookkeeping services and does not advise on income tax.
