Cost of bookkeeping per month in Quebec: the real figures (2026)

In short. In Quebec, bookkeeping is most often included in a full accounting budget, with a median of approximately $2,000 per year, or around $165 per month. Most businesses spend between $500 and $6,000 per year, or about $40 to $500 per month, depending on the sector and the scope of the engagement. These figures are not estimates: they are based on the actual fees for 1,248 engagements completed through Bankeo (2024-2026), out of more than 15,000 requests received. Only one bookkeeping engagement falls at the lower end of these ranges; a full engagement, including year-end closing and tax preparation, is closer to the median.

Type "accounting cost per month" into a search engine and you'll find vague answers like "it depends" or "request a quote." We wanted to do better. Bankeo has been connecting entrepreneurs and accountants since 2023, and each completed engagement provides us with a real price, agreed upon between a real client and a real professional. This guide translates this data into monthly equivalents for 2026, explains what makes the bill go up or down, and gives you a simple table to benchmark your business, whether you're a sole trader or an incorporated company.

What does a bookkeeping outfit (really) cover?

Before comparing prices, you must compare the contents. A complete bookkeeping service typically includes:

• Recording of transactions: sales, purchases, expenses and reimbursements, entered and classified for each period.
• Bank reconciliation: your accounts and cards are linked to your books, for reliable figures at all times.
• Monitoring of GST and QST: taxes collected (GST 5%, QST 9.975%), input tax credits and refunds, returns filed with the CRA and Revenu Québec.
• Regular reporting: profit and loss statement, customer and supplier accounts, to manage your business instead of being controlled by it.

What isn't always included: preparation of year-end financial statements, tax returns (federal T2 and Quebec CO-17 for an incorporated company, T1 and TP1 for a self-employed individual), payroll and DAS (Declaration of Social Security Contributions), and tax planning. Hence the golden rule: always compare quotes based on the same list of inclusions, otherwise you're comparing apples and oranges.

How much does it cost per month: the real figures from the Bankeo Barometer

Most pages that address this topic don't provide any figures. Here are ours. They are based on the actual fees of 1,248 mandates completed through Bankeo (2024-2026), out of more than 15,000 requests received, and detailed in the Bankeo Barometer : a median accounting budget of approximately $2,000 per year, with most companies spending between $500 and $6,000. In monthly terms, this equates to a median of approximately $165 per month, and from $40 to $500 per month depending on the sector and the scope of the mandate.

How to read this table: These amounts cover a full accounting engagement, including bookkeeping, and often year-end closing and tax returns. The monthly equivalent is simply the actual annual range divided by twelve, rounded up. A single bookkeeping engagement, for a low volume of transactions, falls at the lower end of your industry's range; an engagement that includes financial statements, taxes, and consulting approaches the median and may exceed it. Your actual price will be determined directly with the professional: this is a guideline, not a quote.

This is what causes your bill to vary from month to month.

Two companies in the same sector can pay anywhere from one to three times as much. Here are the real factors:

• The volume of transactions: twenty invoices per month do not require the same time as three hundred sales, returns and several payment terminals.
• The frequency of monitoring: monthly monitoring costs more than quarterly monitoring, but it avoids surprises and catch-ups.
• Payroll and DAS: each employee adds source deductions to be calculated and remitted to the CRA and the Canada Revenue Agency, often billed as a separate module.
• The number of accounts and tools: multiple bank accounts, cards, online sales platforms or cash registers multiply the reconciliations.
• The status of your files: catching up on several months costs more than regular monitoring; staying up to date is your best way to save money.

To quickly understand your business, here is the framework we use with entrepreneurs:

Bookkeeper, accountant, or CPA: who does what

The price also depends on the person you entrust with the work. The three profiles are complementary:

• The accountant: they handle the day-to-day operations, such as data entry, reconciliation, and monitoring of GST and QST. This is often the most economical option for monthly tracking.
• The accountant: he prepares the financial statements, the company's (T2, CO-17) or self-employed's (T1, TP1) income tax returns, and advises you on taxation and structure.
• The CPA: a title regulated by the Quebec CPA Order, required in particular for financial statement certification engagements (audit or review) required by certain lenders and partners.

Many businesses combine the first two approaches: regular monthly bookkeeping, plus an accountant for year-end closing and consulting. The important thing is that both parties work on up-to-date records and communicate effectively. Furthermore, clean books reduce year-end closing costs, as the accountant starts with a reliable base instead of having to rebuild everything.

Five tips to pay the right price, month after month

• Stay up to date. Catching up is the most expensive aspect of bookkeeping: reconstructing six months' worth of documents always costs more than keeping track of them as they are received.
• Compare on a level playing field. Demand a list of inclusions: VAT included or not, payroll included or not, year-end bonus included or not. A "cheap" package that excludes everything rarely ends up being cheaper.
• Adjust the frequency to your volume. A low-volume freelancer doesn't need weekly follow-up; a business with payroll and inventory does.
• Automate parts collection. Invoice photos, bank connections, centralized statement submission: fewer hours of handling, lighter billing.
• Review your contract annually. Incorporation, hiring, a new sales platform: your needs change, your service package must adapt. To assess your overall budget, see how much an accountant costs in France and the accounting rates sector by sector ; and if you're still hesitant to delegate, compare the true cost of accounting software to that of an accountant .

Frequently asked questions

How much does bookkeeping cost per month in Quebec in 2026?

In monthly terms, the median accounting budget for a Quebec SME is approximately $165 per month ($2,000 per year), with most businesses spending between $40 and $500 per month ($500 to $6,000 per year) depending on the sector. This is based on the actual fees for 1,248 mandates completed through Bankeo (2024-2026), out of more than 15,000 requests received. Only one bookkeeping service falls below these ranges; details by sector are available in the Bankeo Barometer .

Why talk about a monthly equivalent rather than a fixed monthly price?

Because actual fees are most often negotiated as an annual budget or a flat fee, and every case is different, dividing the actual annual range by twelve provides a fair basis for comparing monthly quotes, without inventing an "average price" that doesn't exist. Your final price is always adjusted directly with the professional, based on your volume and the services included.

An accountant or a bookkeeper: which do I need?

For day-to-day tasks (data entry, bank reconciliation, VAT), a competent accountant is often sufficient and more cost-effective. For financial statements, T2 and CO-17 returns for an incorporated company, or tax planning, you need an accountant, and a CPA in cases requiring financial statement certification. Many businesses combine both, and this is often the most economical approach.

Does bookkeeping include VAT and payroll?

Full bookkeeping services typically include tracking and filing GST (5%) and QST (9.975%) returns with the CRA and Revenu Québec. Payroll and DAS (Declaration of Annual Social Data) are often an additional service, billed based on the number of employees and payroll frequency. Verify these inclusions in writing in the quote before comparing prices.

How much does it cost to catch up on bookkeeping?

More expensive than regular monitoring, because it requires compiling months' worth of documents, redoing reconciliations, and filing overdue tax returns. The cost depends on the number of months to catch up and the condition of your documents: a catch-up file is generally at the higher end of the price range for your sector in the first year, then drops to the regular rate once the records are up to date.

Is Bankeo's service really free?

Yes. Bankeo is completely free for entrepreneurs, with no commitment required. The accountants in our network pay a fee per completed transaction, an amount known in advance. You never receive an invoice from Bankeo, and if the initial agreement isn't working out, even months later, we'll introduce you to another free accountant: we're always there to support you.

Official sources

1. Revenu Québec, VAT and VAT for businesses;
2. Revenu Québec, source deductions and contributions;
3. Revenue Agency of the | Canada , keeping accounting records;
4. Quebec CPA Order
5. Educaloi, businesses and organizations