Are you a small business owner feeling overwhelmed by your finances? Many small business owners face the same challenges and wonder if professional accounting services are worth the investment. The big question on your mind is likely, "How much is this really going to cost?"
At Patrick Accounting, we believe in transparency and understand that every dollar counts when you're running a small business. In this article, you’ll learn exactly how much the Core package from Patrick Accounting costs, what drives your specific price, what you get every month, and how to tell if this package is the right fit for your business.
At Patrick Accounting, we offer a wide range of services including accounting, tax preparation, payroll management, and advisory services. Our Core package is your foundation for clarity and compliance. It takes the stress out of bookkeeping and tax deadlines so you can focus on running your business.
Our starting fees are $650 per month, and for more complex needs, prices can range up to $2,500 - $3,000 per month for one entity.
Our typical client pays around $750 to $800 per month for our Core accounting and tax services.
When you include payroll services, the cost averages around $1,000 per month.
We provide payroll through our sister company, Whirks, which specializes in payroll, HR, and employee benefits. By combining Patrick Accounting’s financial services with Whirks’ people management solutions, you get a fully integrated, one-stop shop for all your back-office needs. This partnership allows you to simplify financial and people complexities.
In fact, we require clients to move payroll over when they start accounting with us. Why? Because keeping both under one roof simplifies your back office, improves compliance, and saves time. This integration helps keep your accounting fees lower in the long run, while giving you more accurate, real-time reporting you can trust.
Core is perfect for first-time outsourcers, startups, and owners who want peace of mind with clean books and compliance.
When it comes to pricing accounting services, several factors come into play. We customize our fee based on your specific business needs. The complexity of your books, the volume of transactions, and the technology you use all impact your monthly investment. Here are the three main factors we consider:
One of the largest factors in determining your monthly investment is the volume of business transactions you have per month.
The number of bank accounts, loans, checks, debits, credit card transactions, bills, and vendors you work with each month can all impact the cost. More transactions mean more time spent posting, categorizing, and reconciling your books.
The other large factor in determining your monthly investment is how complex your books are. At Patrick Accounting, several complexity factors go into determining our pricing:
The type of accounting software and technology you use can impact the price. We work with clients who use either QuickBooks Online or Restaurant365. You may incur different costs based on integration and management requirements.
This is common with multi-unit restaurants, physicians, or professional service practices that track multiple offices.
When you start working with Patrick Accounting, there is a collaborative onboarding process designed to align our services with your business needs. We call these Initial Strategy Sessions.
At Patrick Accounting, our onboarding price varies for everyone since it's based on our monthly accounting fee.
For our Core services, the one-time investment is typically twice your monthly accounting fee.
Onboarding fee = (Monthly fee x 2)*
For example, if you come on board at the beginning of the year with a monthly fee of $1,000, your onboarding investment would be $2,000. However, as the year progresses, or if there are multiple tax returns to complete or a lot of book cleanup (and there often is), then the one-time investment can be more significant.
A good rule of thumb is to calculate the monthly fee by the month of the year in which you're starting. So, if you're thinking about making a change in August, and the monthly investment is $1,000, you should expect to invest around $8,000 to get started.
Many factors go into this, such as how up-to-date your current books are and how quickly we can get you caught up. So, don't panic if that feels scary. We can always work with you and break up your investment over time to make sure you're comfortable getting started.
One-time fees cover initial setup and any back work needed to bring your books up to date. When you become our client, we assess the current state of your books and determine what it will take to get everything current. This includes:
Core gives you the foundation for clean books, compliance, and peace of mind. Here's exactly what's included in your monthly investment:
We provide a comprehensive set of financial reports each month, including:
This isn't just a stack of reports. We give you a written summary explaining what the numbers mean. We highlight key changes or concerns and provide actionable insights for your business so you can actually understand what is happening financially.
*Note: 1099s are charged outside of the monthly fee at $150 for the first 1099 and $10 for each additional 1099.
When you start with Patrick Accounting, you'll work with a dedicated team that helps you get set up properly from day one.
We include regular communication as needed to discuss your financial statements, tax questions, and other concerns. You are not just getting a report. You are getting a team in your corner.
As part of our monthly service, we offer exclusive access to our Patrick Academy. Think of it as office hours with your accounting team, whenever you need it. We hold regular sessions where you can ask anything on your mind about running your business, understanding your numbers, or improving profitability.
Common topics our clients bring to office hours:
But you're not limited to these topics. Bring whatever questions or challenges you're facing, and we'll work through them together.
This is a separate cost (approximately $70/month depending on your plan).
We provide assistance with QuickBooks integration and help you troubleshoot common issues.
Core is designed to give you clean books and compliance. If you need more hands-on cash management or strategic planning, you might want to consider our Advanced or Ultimate packages.
Weekly cash flow management and reporting
Accounts payable processing and bill pay services
Receipt and expense management tools (like Dext)
Weekly flash reports
Custom KPI tracking and reporting beyond standard reports
Strategic budgeting and forecasting
13-week cash flow forecasting
Quarterly business strategy sessions
These services are available in our higher-tier packages or as add-ons.
While Core covers your foundational accounting and tax needs, you can customize your package with additional services as your business grows:
Individual Tax Return & Planning: Personal tax preparation and strategic planning for business owners
IRS/State Notice Response & Audit Representation: We handle correspondence and represent you if issues arise with the IRS or state tax authorities
Receipt and Expense Management: Tools like Dext to streamline expense tracking and make bookkeeping easier
Profit First Accelerator Program: Coaching and dashboard access to implement the Profit First methodology in your business
Profit First Accelerator Program: Coaching and dashboard access to implement the Profit First methodology in your businessThese add-ons let you get exactly what you need without jumping to a higher package tier. We can discuss which add-ons make sense for your business during your discovery call.
If you own a restaurant, bar, or food service business, Core gives you everything you need to stay compliant and understand your numbers without the complexity of managing it yourself.
Choose monthly or every-4-weeks bookkeeping to match your restaurant's rhythm. We reconcile your accounts and keep your books current so you always know where you stand.
Running a restaurant comes with unique tax requirements, and we've got you covered:
We provide standard financial reports including your P&L with trends so you can see how your revenue and costs are changing month over month. You will also get KPI trends to track your key restaurant metrics and a monthly financial summary with insight explaining what your numbers mean for your business.
Regular calls, emails, and meetings to discuss your financials, plus mid-year and year-end tax strategy meetings. You'll also get Patrick Academy access with office hours on topics like improving restaurant profitability.
If you're running multiple locations, need weekly prime cost tracking, or want hands-on accounts payable management, check out our Advanced Package which includes weekly cash management and restaurant-specific KPIs like COGS%, labor%, and prime cost tracking.
Core is perfect for specific types of businesses and owners. Here's who thrives with our Core package:
Core might not be enough if you:
If this sounds like you, check out our Advanced Package for weekly cash management and bill pay, or our Ultimate Package for CFO-level insight and quarterly strategy sessions.
While we do not offer any discounts, we guarantee that our work is at the level you would expect. Your fee is based on volume and complexity. By creating simple processes and reducing unnecessary complications, you can help keep your fees lower:
The more organized and consistent you are, the more efficiently we can work, which helps keep your costs in check.
Investing in quality accounting services can save you time, reduce stress, and help you run a more profitable business. Knowing the costs and benefits will help you make the best decision for your business.
At Patrick Accounting, we’re all about transparency because we know surprise fees aren’t fun for anyone. If you’re ready to see if we’re the right fit for your business,
Not quite ready to meet? That’s totally ok! Check out our guide on Who’s a Good Fit for Patrick Accounting to see if our services align with what you need.