1-800-Accountant Review

Monday, July 7th

2025 Bookkeeping Service Reviews

1-800-Accountant

• Three pricing tiers from $209/month to $419/month, all billed annually
• Access to client portal across all plans
• Dedicated accountant included in every tier
• Integration with QuickBooks Online, FreshBooks, and Wave
• Proprietary ClientBooks platform with accrual-based accounting capabilities
• Year-round tax advice and quarterly reviews
• Business and personal tax preparation in higher tiers
• Financial planning services available
• Priority support for Enterprise customers
• Financial reporting capabilities in top tier

You might be tempted by 1-800Accountant's seemingly budget-friendly prices and their ClientBooks platform that integrates with QuickBooks Online, FreshBooks, and Wave. But here's what you need to know: despite their stellar ratings on major review sites and claims about seamless accrual-based accounting, small business owners report a very different experience. You'll likely find yourself trapped in an aggressive sales pitch for expensive services you don't need - and if you do become a customer, you might face improperly filed taxes and endless frustration, despite their promises of expert bookkeeping support. (Remember that old saying about things that seem too good to be true?)

Annual billing advertised as monthly

While 1-800Accountant markets their plans with monthly pricing, everything is actually billed annually - which we find deceptive. You're looking at three tiers that have changed in more than name since the last time we reviewed this bookkeeping service:

• Tax Advisory ($209/month): The entry-level plan gets you portal access, a dedicated accountant, year-round tax advice, and quarterly reviews. Think of it as the bare minimum for tax planning. There's no bookkeeping software on this plan, let alone a dedicated bookkeeper.
• Core Accounting ($249/month): Steps up to include both personal and business tax prep, plus bookkeeping software. The value proposition improves here, but you're still looking at that annual commitment, and you'd be doing your bookkeeping yourself.
• Enterprise Business ($419/month): The full package adds a dedicated bookkeeper, priority support, and financial reports. It's a significant jump in price from their previous $399 Enterprise tier, but despite being a premium tier, it lacks a lot of features their rivals offer.

You could end up paying even higher prices than those listed. Buried in an FAQ article, we found mention that your bookkeeping fees are dependent on the volume of your transactions.

No more free Startup tier

The most notable shift from 1-800Accountant's old structure is the elimination of their free "Startup" plan that used to help with LLC filing. The new lineup focuses more heavily on tax services and accounting support, but at higher price points across the board. While you get more dedicated support now, the annual billing requirement remains a sticking point that feels somewhat dishonest in their marketing approach.

A troubling picture of deceptive practices

While 1-800Accountant displays high average ratings on a couple of third-party review sites, dig a little deeper and you'll find a very different story. Customers consistently report aggressive sales tactics and high-pressure consultations that feel straight out of "Wolf of Wall Street", and past employees have confirmed they were coached to lie to prospective clients.

Service quality falls dramatically short of promises

The problems go beyond just sales tactics. When customers do sign up, they face unresponsive service, missed appointments, and serious tax filing errors - even when paying thousands of dollars. One customer paid $10,000 for comprehensive services but ended up having to handle their own bookkeeping and payroll, while waiting months for basic W-2 forms despite repeated requests. Another revealing case: a business owner spent two years with their books being neglected for 6-month stretches because the company "didn't think they were a client anymore". If you do manage to get someone on the phone, you'll likely spend half the call just reminding them who you are. And if you try to cancel early-on? Good luck - one solo-preneur was charged $692 for just 23 days of essentially no service, despite being promised a 30-day refund window.

The verdict: avoid at all costs

Given 1-800Accountant's deceptive pricing tactics, aggressive sales practices, unresponsive service, and serious tax filing errors, we absolutely cannot recommend them for any business. Despite their seemingly attractive pricing starting at $209 monthly, you'll likely end up paying thousands upfront (since billing is actually annual) for subpar service - or worse, facing costly tax errors. Save yourself the headache and considerable expense by choosing any other reputable bookkeeping service on our list. (Sometimes the best accounting advice is knowing when to close the books on a bad option.)