Simple, Transparent Pricing
Pay for the work, not for a headcount
No dedicated-staff lock-in required to get started — pay for what you need, scale up as the relationship grows.
Per-Client Bookkeeping
$180–$350/ month
Flat monthly bookkeeping for one of your clients — you keep the relationship, we do the work.
Per-Return (Tax Season)
$35–$220/ return
Simple individual returns from $35, business returns (1120S/1065) from $120.
Hourly Support
$12–$22/ hour
Flexible hourly bookkeeping ($12–$18) or tax prep & review ($18–$22) for overflow work.
How pricing works
Agreed before any work starts.
- 1
Scope the workload
Clients, volume, and complexity
- 2
Pick a model
Per client, per hour, or per return
- 3
Work delivered
Billed on the model you chose
- 4
Scale up or down
Busy season in, quieter months out
Why firms outsource
In-house hire vs. outsourced support
Move the sliders to see what handing off your own client load could cost over a year.
Your numbers
One in-house hire, year-round
$45,000–$55,000
Salary, taxes, and benefits — plus 4–8 weeks to hire and train.
Ardafis per-client bookkeeping
$17,280–$33,600
8 clients × $180–$350 per month × 12 months.
An estimated $11,400–$37,720 less per year than one in-house hire.
Illustrative estimate using our published per-client range and general US salary figures — not a quote. Your actual cost depends on each client's volume and complexity.
In-house hire
Cost
$45,000–$55,000 a year in salary, taxes, and benefits
Ramp-up
4–8 weeks to hire and train
Busy season
Fixed capacity year-round
Coverage
Single point of failure if staff leaves
Ardafis Partners
Cost
Pay only for the clients, hours, or returns you hand off
Ramp-up
Days to onboard on your existing software
Busy season
Scale up for tax season, scale down after
Coverage
Team-backed continuity across engagements
General US market figures for illustration — your actual savings depend on workload and current staffing.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Do we have to sign a long-term contract?
No. Engagements run per client, per hour, or per return — you can start small and scale up as the relationship proves out.
How is work billed during tax season vs. the rest of the year?
Bookkeeping and payables/receivables work is typically billed per client per month or hourly. Tax-season return prep is billed per return, so your costs scale directly with volume.
What software do you need access to?
Whatever your firm already uses — QuickBooks, Xero, Sage, Odoo, Drake, UltraTax, Lacerte, or ProSeries. We don't require you to switch platforms.
How is our clients' data kept confidential?
Every engagement is covered by an NDA, access is scoped per client rather than firm-wide, and credentials are never shared over unsecured channels. See our Security page for details.
Who signs and files the work — you or us?
You do. Our partners are ACCA-qualified, not US-licensed CPAs or EAs, so we prepare returns, filings, and workpapers to your standard, and your licensed CPA or EA reviews, signs, and retains full professional responsibility — the same as if the work were done in-house.
You stay the licensed professional of record
Our partners are ACCA-qualified, not US-licensed CPAs or EAs — so we never sign, file, or represent a client before the IRS or a state agency. We prepare returns, filings, and workpapers to your firm's standard; your licensed CPA or EA reviews, signs, and retains full professional responsibility and the client relationship, exactly as if the work were done in-house.
Partners reply within one business day
Not sure which pricing model fits?
Tell us the workload and we'll recommend a structure — no pressure, no obligation.