Bench is a done for you online bookkeeping and tax service for small businesses, now owned by Employer.com after it shut down without warning in December 2024. Plans now start at $199 a month, which is far more than AI bookkeeping software, and the shutdown is a real trust issue, so most owners should look elsewhere for now.
What Bench is
Bench is an online bookkeeping service, not just software. You get a human bookkeeper who does your books each month using Bench's own platform Bench ↗. It was founded in Vancouver in 2012 as 10sheet Inc., renamed Bench in 2013, and marketed itself as a virtual accounting department for small businesses Accounting Today ↗. It grew to more than 600 employees and raised $113 million in total funding, according to Accounting Today Accounting Today ↗.
On December 27, 2024, Bench shut down abruptly, leaving about 35,000 customers unsure about their tax and accounting work Accounting Today ↗. On December 30, a message on Bench's site said Employer.com had bought the company and service would continue on the same platform Accounting Today ↗. Employer.com told TechCrunch customers could port their data or keep their service under the new owner Accounting Today ↗.
Today Bench's site offers four kinds of help: monthly bookkeeping with Bench software, a fractional bookkeeper who works in your existing QuickBooks Online account, catch up bookkeeping for months or years of backlog, and business and personal tax filing Bench ↗ Bench pricing ↗.
What it does well
It takes the work off your plate. Bench's bookkeeping plans include tax ready books at year end and unlimited access to your bookkeeper by phone, message and video call Bench pricing ↗. That is a different product from AI software, where you still review and approve the work.
Tax can be bundled. The Bookkeeping + Tax plan adds licensed tax professionals, end to end business tax filing and up to four advisory calls a year Bench pricing ↗.
Catch up help is generous. If you sign up for an annual plan, Bench says it will catch up the current year for free; businesses more than a year behind get a custom flat quote Bench pricing ↗. You can also keep your own system and hire a Bench bookkeeper by the hour to work inside QuickBooks Online Bench pricing ↗.
Where it falls short
The 2024 shutdown is the main concern. Customers lost access with no warning, and the service only continued because Employer.com bought it days later Accounting Today ↗. Employer.com was formed in November 2024 and is focused on employer of record, payroll and workforce services Accounting Today ↗. Bench's own site does not mention the ownership change Bench ↗. We left Bench out of our bookkeeping guide for this reason.
It is expensive next to software. The cheapest plan is $199 a month and only for businesses with $250,000 or less in annual revenue Bench pricing ↗. By comparison, QuickBooks Online starts at $38 a month and Zoho Books at about $15 a month billed yearly QuickBooks pricing ↗ Zoho Books pricing ↗.
There is no free trial, just a 90 second interactive demo Bench ↗ Bench pricing ↗. Bench's site does not describe any AI features Bench ↗. Some tax plans require a 12 month commitment if you pay monthly Bench pricing ↗. Hands on testing is in progress; we will update this review with results.
Pricing and plans
Bench lists these plans, with 20 percent off for annual billing Bench pricing ↗. Bookkeeping Light costs $199 a month or $1,910 a year, for businesses with $250,000 or less in revenue. Bookkeeping costs $399 a month or $3,830 a year. Bookkeeping + Tax costs $649 a month or $6,230 a year.
Tax only plans are also available Bench pricing ↗. Full Service Tax costs $300 a month or $2,880 a year; monthly billing needs a 12 month commitment and must start at least three months before the filing deadline. Returning tax customers can pay $1,200 a year, with advisory calls at $250 each. A fractional bookkeeper costs $55 an hour plus a $1,200 one time onboarding fee.
There is no free plan or free trial Bench ↗ Bench pricing ↗. If you do sign up, export your records often, as Bench's 2024 customers learned the hard way Accounting Today ↗.
Who should (and shouldn't) use it
- Good fit: existing Bench customers whose books are up to date and who are happy with their bookkeeper Accounting Today ↗ Bench pricing ↗.
- Good fit: owners who want a human to do everything and can afford $199 to $649 a month Bench pricing ↗.
- Skip it if: the 2024 shutdown makes you uneasy about trusting it with your financial records Accounting Today ↗.
- Skip it if: you are comfortable reviewing AI suggestions; software costs a fraction of the price QuickBooks pricing ↗ Zoho Books pricing ↗.
Alternatives worth a look
- QuickBooks Online: our pick, with AI help inside the software most accountants use, from $38 a month QuickBooks pricing ↗.
- Zoho Books: our budget pick, with real accounting and bank feeds from about $15 a month yearly, plus a free plan Zoho Books pricing ↗.
- Digits: our upgrade pick, where AI does more of the bookkeeping itself, from $65 a month Digits pricing ↗.
- Xero: automatic bank reconciliation and payment follow ups from $27 a month Xero pricing ↗.
Where it appears
ComparedThe Best AI Bookkeeping Software for Small BusinessesWhat’s good
- Continued under new owner
What to know
- Shut down suddenly Dec 27, 2024
- Uncertain track record since
Key features
- Bookkeeping service (history)
Questions people ask
Is Bench still in business?
Yes. It shut down on December 27, 2024, and Employer.com bought it days later and kept the service running Accounting Today ↗. Its site lists active plans today Bench pricing ↗.
How much does Bench cost?
Plans start at $199 a month for Bookkeeping Light, with Bookkeeping at $399 and Bookkeeping + Tax at $649. Annual billing saves 20 percent Bench pricing ↗.
Does Bench have a free trial?
No. Bench offers a 90 second interactive demo but no free trial Bench ↗ Bench pricing ↗.
Who owns Bench now?
Employer.com, a company formed in November 2024 from Recruiter.com Ventures brands, bought Bench on or around December 30, 2024 Accounting Today ↗.
Where this comes from
Checked Oct 9, 2026. Vendor pages describe their own products; independent sources add outside views. Hands on testing is in progress.
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