Bookkeeping cost guide

How much does bookkeeping cost for an owner-operator?

The monthly price only makes sense after you compare what is included, what triggers an extra charge, and who is responsible for year-end tax work.

Reviewed July 25, 2026 · Educational information, not tax, legal, accounting, or regulatory advice.

Compare scope before price

A low advertised fee can cover software access, a limited number of transactions, or basic monthly categorization. A higher fee may include reconciliation, financial statements, quarterly estimates, tax preparation, or advisory work. Put every quote into the same scope before comparing it.

  • Entity and truck count: confirm whether the price is per business, per truck, or per account.
  • Monthly volume: ask for the transaction, bank-account, credit-card, and settlement limits.
  • Catch-up work: determine whether old or unreconciled months are separately priced.
  • Tax work: identify whether return preparation, estimated-tax calculations, and tax advice are included.
  • Software: confirm whether accounting software and receipt-capture tools are included or billed separately.

A trucking-specific quote should explain the workflow

Owner-operator books commonly include carrier settlements, factoring deposits, fuel purchases, repairs, insurance, permits, tolls, equipment payments, and owner draws. Ask how the bookkeeper will match settlement detail to deposits and how missing documents are handled.

The output should also be explicit: at minimum, know when the monthly books close, which reports you receive, and what will be delivered to your tax professional.

Use published prices as reference points, not identical comparisons

ATBS publishes several plan prices and feature lists for owner-operators. Those packages are useful market evidence, but they should not be treated as an apples-to-apples comparison unless the service scope, tax work, transaction limits, and contract terms are the same.

AICA's trucking bookkeeping offer is $1 for the first month, then $59 per month for streamlined operations. Tax preparation, cleanup, payroll, bill pay, and regulatory representation are outside the standard bookkeeping scope.

Questions to ask before signing

  • What exactly causes the monthly price to increase?
  • How quickly after month-end will the books be reconciled?
  • Who owns the accounting file and can it be exported?
  • What happens if I leave the service?
  • How are corrections and year-end adjustments handled?
  • Is tax preparation included, optional, referred out, or completely separate?

Primary sources