How Much Does a Bookkeeper Cost in BC? 2026 Prices
Real 2026 prices for small business bookkeeping in BC: monthly and once-a-year options by revenue, payroll per employee, and what it costs to hire your own bookkeeper.
JHG Tax TeamReviewed by the JHG Team
Updated October 2026 with our current published prices and the latest Job Bank wage data for bookkeepers in British Columbia.
How much does a bookkeeper cost in BC? For a small incorporated business, outsourced bookkeeping at JHG starts at $195 a month (revenue under $50,000, with your corporate tax return included), or $1,650 a year if we do the whole year at once. If you hire your own bookkeeper instead, Job Bank puts the median bookkeeper wage in British Columbia at $28.00 an hour, before employer costs. Below are the full price bands, what changes the price, and how to find good bookkeeping near you in Abbotsford, Langley and the Fraser Valley.
How much does a bookkeeper cost in BC in 2026?
Most bookkeepers price small businesses in one of three ways: by the hour, by a fixed monthly fee, or once a year at year end. We use fixed prices based on your yearly revenue, because revenue is a fair stand-in for how much work your books take. These are our published prices, before GST:
| Yearly revenue | Monthly books | Once a year |
|---|---|---|
| Under $50,000 | $195/month | $1,650/year |
| Under $100,000 | $245/month | $2,250/year |
| Under $200,000 | $295/month | $3,500/year |
| Under $350,000 | $365/month | $4,250/year |
| Under $500,000 | $475/month | Monthly only |
| Under $750,000 | $625/month | Monthly only |
| Under $1 million | $1,250/month | Monthly only |
| $1 million or more | Fixed quote | Fixed quote |
Both options include your corporate tax return (T2). Monthly bookkeeping also includes bank reconciliation, financial reports and unlimited email and phone support. The once-a-year option includes the full year of books, your T2 and your GST and PST filing. See the full table and what a small business accountant does for an incorporated business. You can compare both side by side on our bookkeeping and payroll prices.
Monthly or once a year: which costs less?
On paper, once a year is usually cheaper. Monthly bookkeeping costs more over twelve months but gives you something the annual option cannot: books that are current all year.
- Choose monthly if you need to know where you stand during the year, you have staff, you file GST quarterly, or a lender or partner asks for up-to-date statements.
- Choose once a year if your business is simple or quiet, you have few transactions, and you are happy to see the full picture at year end.
Example: a corporation with $80,000 in yearly revenue falls in the “under $100,000” band. Monthly books cost $245 a month, or $2,940 over a year. Once-a-year books cost $2,250. Both include the T2. The $690 difference buys you twelve months of current books and reports instead of one catch-up at year end.
What does payroll add?
Payroll is priced per employee, per month, on top of your bookkeeping plan:
| Employees | Price per employee, per month |
|---|---|
| 1 employee | $50 |
| 2 to 5 employees | $40 |
| 6 to 20 employees | $35 |
| More than 20 | Fixed quote |
That covers weekly or monthly pay runs, source deductions (CPP, EI and income tax) and T4 slips at year end. More on our bookkeeping and payroll service.
Hiring your own bookkeeper vs outsourcing
Hiring a bookkeeper as an employee makes sense once you have enough work to fill their week. Job Bank’s wage data for bookkeepers (updated November 19, 2025, reference period 2023-2024) shows the following hourly wages. The Lower Mainland-Southwest region includes the Fraser Valley.
| Area (per hour) | Low | Median | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| British Columbia | $19.44 | $28.00 | $47.45 |
| Lower Mainland-Southwest | $20.00 | $28.85 | $45.00 |
At the BC median of $28.00 an hour, a bookkeeper working 10 hours a week costs about $14,560 a year in wages alone. On top of that you pay the employer share of CPP and EI, vacation pay, software and your own time to train and supervise them. You also still need an accountant for your year-end and tax returns.
Outsourcing usually costs less until your business has a steady, full-time volume of transactions. It also means you are not stuck when your one bookkeeper is sick, on holiday or leaves.
Tip: if you want more than a bookkeeper, for example an accountant who visits once a month and meets with you about your numbers, that is a different service. Our fractional accountant service starts at $1,950 a month and is built for businesses that need accounting, tax and compliance handled, not just the books.
What changes the price of bookkeeping?
- Revenue and transaction volume. More sales, bills and bank lines mean more work. That is why our prices follow revenue bands.
- Number of accounts. Every bank account, credit card and payment processor has to be reconciled.
- Sales taxes. In BC, many businesses track GST and PST separately. Once your taxable sales go over $30,000 in four consecutive calendar quarters, you generally have to register for GST/HST.
- Payroll. Each employee adds pay runs, remittances and a T4.
- Catch-up work. If your books are months or years behind, the first job is getting them current. We look at what is missing first and give you a fixed quote before we start.
- Records. Clean, complete records are faster to work with. Photos of receipts are fine.
Important: the CRA generally requires you to keep your records and supporting documents for six years from the end of the last tax year they relate to, whoever keeps your books.
Self-employed and not incorporated?
If you are a sole proprietor or contractor, you may not need monthly bookkeeping at all. Our self-employed return with books done for you starts at $245: you hand us your statements and receipts, we do the year-end bookkeeping and file your T1 with the business statement (T2125). If you already track your own income and expenses, the self-employed return starts at $145. Details on our self-employed tax page.
Finding bookkeeping near me in Abbotsford, Langley and the Fraser Valley
When you search for bookkeeping near you, look for three things: a published price or a fixed quote before work starts, someone who also handles your tax returns, and a way to work that suits you.
Our main office is in Abbotsford at Unit 4 – 34581 4 Ave, and we also have a satellite office in Aldergrove. Most clients never need to visit: you send your documents from your phone, talk to us by phone or video, and sign electronically. The price is the same either way. If you are in Abbotsford, Mission or Chilliwack, see our Abbotsford accounting page. If you are in Langley City or Township, see how we work with Langley businesses.
Questions to ask before you hire a bookkeeper
- Is the price fixed, or hourly? Ask what happens if a month is busier than usual.
- What exactly is included? Reconciliations, reports, GST and PST returns, payroll, the year-end and the tax return are often priced separately.
- Who files my taxes? If your bookkeeper and your accountant are different people, you pay twice for the year-end hand-off.
- How do I send documents? Phone photos, email, a shared folder or a bank feed all work. Pick what you will actually keep up with.
- What if my books are behind? Get the catch-up price in writing before the monthly plan starts.
- Which software do you use? If you already have a program, check they work in it.
What to give your bookkeeper to start
- Bank and credit card statements for the period
- Receipts and invoices (photos are fine)
- Access to your accounting software, if you use one
- Your rough monthly revenue, which sets the plan price
- Payroll details if you have employees
Comparing software before you decide? Read our guide to bookkeeping software for small businesses in Canada.
Want us to keep your books? Book a free call and you will have a fixed quote before we start.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a bookkeeper cost per month in BC?
At JHG, monthly bookkeeping for an incorporated business starts at $195 a month for revenue under $50,000 and goes up by revenue band, to $1,250 a month for revenue under $1 million. Your corporate tax return is included. Prices are before GST.
How much does a bookkeeper make an hour in BC?
Job Bank reports a median wage of $28.00 an hour for bookkeepers in British Columbia, with a range of about $19.44 to $47.45 an hour (updated November 2025). In the Lower Mainland-Southwest region the median is $28.85.
Is it cheaper to hire a bookkeeper or outsource?
For most small businesses, outsourcing costs less. A part-time employee at the BC median wage working 10 hours a week costs about $14,560 a year in wages before employer costs, while outsourced monthly books with the T2 included start at $2,340 a year at JHG.
Do I need a bookkeeper if I am self-employed?
Not always. Many sole proprietors only need their books done once a year at tax time. Our self-employed return with year-end bookkeeping starts at $245.
Can I get bookkeeping done remotely?
Yes. You can send documents from your phone, meet by phone or video and sign electronically. You can also visit our Abbotsford office. The price is the same.
What if my books are behind?
We look at what is missing first and give you one fixed price to bring your books up to date before we start. You never get charges you did not agree to.
Self-employed or running a business?
We handle self-employed returns from $145, corporate returns from $800 and monthly bookkeeping from $195.