Monthly bookkeeping costs in Quebec: The real numbers (2026)

At a Glance. In Quebec, bookkeeping is most often covered as part of a comprehensive accounting budget with a median annual cost of approximately $3,000, or about $250 per month. Most businesses spend between $500 and $6,000 per year, or about $40 to $500 per month, depending on the industry and the scope of the engagement. These figures are not estimates: they are based on actual fees from 1,248 engagements completed through Bankeo (2024-2026), out of more than 15,000 requests received. Bookkeeping alone falls at the lower end of these ranges; a full-service engagement including year-end closing and taxes approaches the median.

Type “monthly bookkeeping cost” into a search engine and you’ll find vague answers: “it depends,” “request a quote.” We wanted to do better. Bankeo has been connecting entrepreneurs with accountants since 2023, and every contract we facilitate provides us with a real price, agreed upon between a real client and a real professional. This guide translates that data into monthly equivalents for 2026, explains what drives the bill up or down, and provides a simple framework to assess your business’s situation, whether you’re self-employed or an incorporated company.

What bookkeeping in Quebec (really) covers

Before comparing prices, you need to compare what’s included. A comprehensive bookkeeping service typically includes:

• Recording transactions: Sales, purchases, expenses, and reimbursements are recorded and categorized for each period.
• Bank Reconciliation: Your accounts and cards synced with your books, for reliable figures at all times.
• Tracking the GST and QST: Taxes collected (GST 5%, QST 9.975%), input tax credits and refunds, returns filed with the CRA and Revenu Québec.
• Regular reports: Income statements, accounts receivable, and accounts payable, so you can take control of your business instead of just going with the flow.

What isn’t always included: preparing year-end financial statements, tax returns (federal T2 and Quebec CO-17 for a corporation, T1 and TP1 for a self-employed individual), payroll and source deductions, and tax planning. Hence the golden rule: always compare quotes based on the same list of services included; otherwise, you’re comparing apples to oranges.

How much does it cost per month: The actual figures from the Bankeo Fee Barometer

Most pages that cover this topic don’t provide any figures. Here are ours. They’re based on actual fees from 1,248 contracts completed through Bankeo (2024-2026), drawn from over 15,000 requests received, and detailed in the Bankeo Fee Barometer : A median accounting budget of about $3,000 per year, with most businesses falling between $500 and $6,000. On a monthly basis, this amounts to a median of about $250 per month, ranging from $40 to $500 per month depending on the industry and the scope of the engagement.

How to read this table: These amounts cover a full accounting service, including bookkeeping, and often year-end closing and tax filings. The monthly equivalent is simply the actual annual range divided by twelve and rounded. Bookkeeping alone, for a low volume of transactions, falls at the lower end of the range for your industry; a package that includes financial statements, taxes, and consulting approaches the median and may exceed it. Your actual price is negotiated directly with the professional: this is a guideline, not a quote.

What causes your bill to vary from month to month

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

• Transaction volume: Twenty invoices a month don’t take as much time to process as three hundred sales, returns, and multiple payment terminals.
• Frequency of monitoring: Monthly bookkeeping costs more than quarterly bookkeeping, but it helps avoid surprises and the need to catch up.
• Payroll and source deductions: Each employee requires the calculation and remittance of source deductions to the CRA and Revenu Québec, which are often billed as a separate module.
• Number of accounts and Tools: Multiple bank accounts, cards, online sales platforms, and cash registers increase the number of reconciliations.
• The status of your files: Catching up on several months’ worth of bookkeeping costs more than keeping up with it regularly; staying up to date is the best way to save money.

To get a quick overview of your business, here’s the framework we use with entrepreneurs:

Bookkeeper, accountant, or CPA: Who does what?

The price also depends on who you hire to do the work. The three profiles complement each other:

• The bookkeeper: It handles day-to-day operations, including data entry, reconciliation, and tracking of the GST and QST. This is often the most cost-effective option for monthly bookkeeping.
• The accountant: They prepare financial statements and tax returns for corporations (T2, CO-17) or self-employed individuals (T1, TP1), and advise you on tax matters and business structure.
• The CPA: A designation regulated by the Ordre des CPA du Québec, required in particular for financial statement certification engagements (audits or reviews) mandated by certain lenders and partners.

Many businesses combine the first two options: regular monthly bookkeeping, plus an accountant for year-end closing and consulting. The key is for both to work from up-to-date records and to communicate with each other. Well-maintained books also reduce the year-end bill, because the accountant starts with a reliable foundation instead of having to rebuild everything from scratch.

Five tips for paying the right price, month after month

• Stay up to date. Catching up is the most expensive part of bookkeeping: reconstructing six months of transactions always costs more than keeping track of them as they happen.
• Compare on an equal basis. Ask for a list of what’s included: Does it include GST/QST? Is payroll included? Are year-end closing procedures included? A “cheap” flat-rate package that excludes everything rarely ends up being cheaper.
• Adjust the frequency to match your volume. A self-employed person with a low volume of business doesn’t need weekly tracking; a business with payroll and inventory does.
• Automate document collection. Photos of invoices, bank connections, centralized statement filing: fewer hours spent on data entry, lower costs.
• Review the terms of engagement annually. Incorporation, hiring, a new sales platform: as your needs change, your plan should adapt. To get a sense of your overall budget, see How Much Does an Accountant Cost in Quebec? and the Accounting Rates by Industry; and if you’re still hesitant to outsource, compare the The True Cost of Accounting Software vs. Hiring an Accountant.

Frequently asked questions

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

On a monthly basis, the median accounting budget for a Quebec SME is approximately $250 per month ($3,000 per year), with most businesses falling between $40 and $500 per month ($500 to $6,000 per year) depending on the industry, based on actual fees from 1,248 contracts finalized through Bankeo (2024-2026) out of more than 15,000 requests received. Bookkeeping alone falls at the lower end of these ranges; a breakdown by sector is provided in the Bankeo Fee 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 flat rate, and each 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 agreed upon directly with the professional, based on your volume and what’s included in the service.

A bookkeeper or an accountant: Which one do I need?

For day-to-day tasks (data entry, bank reconciliation, GST/QST), a competent bookkeeper is often sufficient and more cost-effective. For financial statements, T2 and CO-17 returns for a corporation, or tax planning, you’ll need an accountant, and a CPA in cases where financial statements require certification. Many businesses combine the two services, and this is often the most cost-effective option.

Does bookkeeping include GST, QST, and payroll?

Comprehensive bookkeeping typically includes tracking and filing GST (5%) and QST (9.975%) returns with the CRA and Revenu Québec. Payroll and source deductions are often an additional module, billed based on the number of employees and the frequency of pay periods. Make sure these services are clearly listed in the quote before comparing prices.

How much does it cost to catch up on bookkeeping?

More expensive than regular bookkeeping, because it involves reconstructing months of source documents, redoing reconciliations, and filing overdue returns. The cost depends on the number of months that need to be caught up and the condition of your documents: a catch-up project typically falls at the high end of the price range for your industry in the first year, then drops back to the regular rate once the books are up to date.

Is bankeo’s service really free?

Yes. Bankeo is completely free for entrepreneurs, with no commitment. The accountants in our network pay a fee per file, an amount known in advance. You’ll never receive an invoice from Bankeo, and if the match isn’t a good fit, even months later, we’ll connect you with another accountant at no cost: we’re always here to support you.

Official sources

1. Revenu Québec, GST/HST, and QST for Businesses
2. Revenu Québec, Source Deductions, and Contributions
3. Canada Revenue Agency, Bookkeeping
4. Ordre des CPA du Québec
5. Éducaloi, Businesses, and Organizations