Pricing
5 min read
What's Included in a Bookkeeping Fee (and What Isn't)
Bookkeeping quotes vary wildly because they cover different things. Here's what a monthly fee should include, what's usually extra, and what belongs with your accountant.
Two bookkeeping quotes can be $800 apart and still both be fair. The difference is usually scope: what’s actually included, what’s charged as extra, and what’s left for your accountant to pick up at year end.
Before you compare prices, compare what you’re buying. This guide breaks it down.
Quick answer: a monthly bookkeeping fee should cover bank reconciliations, bills and invoices, payroll and super, and preparing and lodging your BAS. Management reporting, catch-up work and specialist reports are often extra. Tax returns and tax planning sit with your accountant.
What a monthly fee should include
Bank and card reconciliations. Every transaction coded to the right account with the right GST treatment, ideally weekly rather than monthly.
Accounts payable. Supplier bills entered, approved and scheduled so you pay on time without double payments.
Accounts receivable. Invoices raised or matched, and overdue debtors flagged before they become a cash problem.
Payroll and super. Pay runs, Single Touch Payroll reporting, leave and super contributions, which from 1 July 2026 need to reach the fund within days of each payday under Payday Super.
BAS preparation and lodgement. Prepared, reviewed and lodged by a registered BAS agent, on time.
What’s often charged as extra
Service | Why it’s often separate |
|---|---|
Catch-up and backlog work | Months of unreconciled transactions take real hours to fix |
Monthly management reports | Analysis and commentary go beyond data entry |
Cash flow forecasting | Needs assumptions and regular updates |
TPAR lodgement | Only certain industries need it, once a year |
Software migration | Moving from desktop or spreadsheets is a one-off project |
At Equilo, onboarding and backlog clean-up are included, so there’s no setup fee. Monthly reporting and check-ins are an optional add-on, for when you want help reading the numbers rather than just keeping them.
What belongs with your accountant
Your bookkeeper keeps the file accurate all year. Your accountant uses that file to prepare your company and personal tax returns, give tax planning advice, and handle structuring questions. A clean file usually means a smaller accountant’s bill, because they’re not fixing coding errors in June.
Fixed fee or hourly?
Hourly billing punishes you for asking questions and makes costs hard to predict. A fixed monthly fee, scoped to your transaction volume, staff numbers and BAS frequency, means you know the number before you start. It only changes if your business changes shape.
Questions to ask before you sign
Is BAS lodgement included, and are you a registered BAS agent?
How often are bank accounts reconciled?
Is there a setup or catch-up fee?
What happens to the price if I hire more staff?
Who will actually work on my file?
See your number
Our pricing is fixed and transparent. Answer three questions to get your fixed monthly quote, including what’s in scope for your business.