15 Best Accounting Firms for Startups in 2025 Founder-Tested

Many small businesses and freelancers find it a cost-effective solution, particularly with its free version for lower revenue users. Some users commend its ability to streamline operations, automate workflows and provide comprehensive reports, making it a solid alternative to competitors like QuickBooks. You record income only when you receive payment and log expenses only when you pay for something.

• Through their experience, your accountant will have seen many different arrangements around financing, accounting methods, startup strategies, and more.
• Pilot is a provider of back-office services, including bookkeeping, controller services, and CFO services.
• Whether you have a CRM solution like HubSpot, Salesforce, etc. or a WMS solution like Softeon, you can likely feed data from your software and apps into your ERP.
• As the company grows, management eventually hires the appropriate personnel and brings these financial functions in-house.
• Both of these funding arrangements have become increasingly common among startups.
• We focused on the consumer finance industry, and Salient’s technology serves loan servicing operations.
• Mistakes in automation can compound over time, so periodic audits will help catch discrepancies before they become bigger issues.

Business Accounting Software Pros

Cloud-based systems also store your data securely online, so you can access real-time insights without being tied to one computer. Accountancy Cloud provides detailed startup accounting services with online accounting, CFO support, and R&D tax credits. Their full-service approach handles bookkeeping, payroll management, cash flow analytics, and tax compliance. The company helps with business formation, VAT returns, annual accounts, financial modeling, and investor readiness services. Accounting software helps business owners understand how money flows in and out of their businesses.

Which Is the Best Accounting Software?

In practice, this neat separation between contractor and employer might not always exist. In many industries, it is common for contractors to work with in-house teams, receive company-specific training, and bill hourly. An independent contractor is technically a business entity rather than an employee. In theory, an independent contractor is someone who is in control of the conditions of their employment and is paid for the product of their services that are produced independently. More complex enterprise resource planning softwaresuch as Oracle Netsuite, may even make sense for your startup if you are in the right industry and depending on where your aspirations take you.

Scaling with your business

While exact pricing remains private, Salient’s platform creates significant operational savings. Westlake Financial saved $12 million yearly after using their platform. Each client gets their own private cloud setup with dedicated success managers and top-tier service level agreements. The platform matches https://jt.org/accounting-services-for-startups-enhance-your-financial-operations/ startups with financial experts who have deep industry knowledge. Their rigorous vetting process accepts only the top 2% of financial professionals. Some sources mention their simple startup package starts at about $300 per month.

What features should I look for in an accounting tool?

QuickBooks Online is great for small business owners who need premium business accounting software. If you’ve already used QuickBooks in the past, say the desktop version of QuickBooks, you may want to upgrade to the online version. The online version gives you access from anywhere, plus you get access to the faster loading Android and iOS mobile apps. Kruze Consulting specializes in startup accounting, relying on experienced accounting, tax, and finance professionals, using best-in-breed financial tools and systems.

Scaling (multi-state, employees, recurring revenue)

• Ensuring you are fully covered in the event of a costly misfortune will ensure you don’t end up taking a hit to your business that you can’t recover from.
• Decimal works with a variety of industries, including ecommerce, software-as-a-service (SaaS), agencies, real estate, and restaurants.
• It will be very important if a major corporation asks to acquire you for hundreds of millions of dollars, or if you are raising outside funding from a professional investor.
• In SaaS, income is generated from subscriptions rather than one-off sales.
• AccountEdge is a desktop accounting software designed for startups and small to medium-sized businesses.
• Bench is built for startups that need basic bookkeeping with clear monthly reports.

Although there are many other kinds of funding arrangements, the most common are equity and debt. Your accountant has some expertise to offer when it comes to raising capital. While they will not go out and secure the funds or represent you in the negotiation process, your accountant will be aware of what funders look for when making investments in startups. Regarding the number of employees, sales, and market share, startups look an awful lot like small businesses. While it’s true that startups and small businesses operate simultaneously, a startup has its sights set on larger horizons than a small business – with big implications.

• Personal compatibility, communication style, and shared vision matter as much as technical capabilities and service offerings.
• Their services are tailored to each business’s needs to ensure their finances are taken care of by a team of experts.
• Gone are the days of chasing down managers for signatures or going line by line through every expense report.
• Brex truly brings “real time” to tracking spend and budget management features.
• They were so effective, they caught unpaid invoices and errors from vendors.
• First and foremost, you will want an accountant experienced with startups.

The firm excels in serving tech and service startups with non-US founders or international teams. They have built expertise in working with SaaS/PaaS businesses, e-commerce operations, software developers, and service agencies. The team supports company formation, helps navigate compliance, and manages investor relations. Their perfect client retention rate over five years demonstrates their success with these specialized segments. Paro takes a different approach from other startup accounting firms by avoiding standardized monthly packages. Each contract’s price depends on direct negotiations with matched professionals.

Essential Cloud Accounting Software Features

In particular, you will want someone who is well-versed in the Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP). Offering a competitive benefits package will be the key to drawing in quality talent to staff your startup. Knowing what benefits to offer is an often tricky calculus of weighing competitor offerings, costs to you, and costs to employees. Our Entrepreneur’s Business Tax Pack eBook will tell you all you need to know about making the most of your tax filings accounting for startups at your startup. Protecting your business from risk is one of the simplest cost-aversion strategies.