Outsourced CPA & EA vs Hiring In-House

A full-time accountant costs far more than salary once you add benefits, software and management — and one person rarely covers bookkeeping, tax and CFO work. Here is the comparison.

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What you get

One flat fee · vs a salary

Bookkeeping + tax + CFO in one
No salary, benefits or PTO gaps
A whole team, not one person
Scale up or down anytime

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Hiring a full-time accountant costs far more than salary once you add benefits, software, and management — and one person rarely covers bookkeeping, tax, and CFO work. Here's how outsourcing compares.

The real cost of an in-house hire

Salary is only part of it. Add employer payroll taxes, benefits, software, equipment, and management time and an $80,000 accountant can cost well over $100,000 loaded.

Employer payroll taxes on top of salary
Benefits, PTO, equipment, and software
Management time and coverage gaps during turnover

Estimate the difference with our cost calculator.

One person rarely covers everything

Bookkeeping, tax filing, and CFO-level strategy are different skills. A single in-house hire usually covers one well and the others poorly.

A CPA and EA to prepare and sign returns
Bookkeepers for clean monthly books
CFO-level support for forecasting and board reporting

Want the strategic layer? See our virtual CFO service.

Key takeaway: An outsourced team gives you bookkeeping, tax, and CFO skills together — usually for less than a single in-house salary, with no coverage gaps.

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FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Is outsourcing cheaper than hiring an accountant?

Usually. A loaded in-house salary often exceeds $100,000 once benefits and overhead are counted, while an outsourced team covers bookkeeping, tax, and CFO work for a fraction of that.

Will I get the same attention as an in-house hire?

You get a dedicated team rather than one person, with coverage that doesn't disappear during PTO or turnover.

Does the outsourced team also file my taxes?

Yes. A CPA and EA prepare and sign your returns, which an in-house bookkeeper typically can't do alone.

Can I scale the service up or down?

Yes. Outsourced plans flex with your needs each month, unlike a fixed in-house salary.

Get a whole finance team for less

See what outsourced bookkeeping, tax and CFO would cost you — get a flat quote.