Outsourced Bookkeeping Services Australia: 6 Top Providers
Handing your books to someone else sounds simple until you compare providers. Some only code transactions. Others run BAS, GST, payroll and reconciliation end to end. Prices, software and turnaround times vary widely, and a poor fit can leave you with late lodgements and messy ledgers.
If you are searching for outsourced bookkeeping services Australia wide, here is the short answer. Choose a provider that works in your accounting platform (Xero, MYOB or QuickBooks), has registered BAS agents on staff, and gives you a fixed scope and monthly price. Everything else is a trade-off between cost, specialisation and how closely they work with your accountant.
Below, we compare six providers worth shortlisting, covering what each one does well, who it suits and where it falls short. At Gartly Advisory, we have supported 500+ clients in Melbourne for over 25 years, so we know what good bookkeeping looks like when tax time arrives. Use this list to match a provider to your business, whether you run a single shopfront or an accounting firm.
1. Gartly Advisory
What the service covers
Gartly Advisory is a chartered accounting firm in Ormond, Melbourne. Bookkeeping sits next to tax and advisory work, not apart from it. Geoff Gartly, a Chartered Accountant with 35+ years of experience, leads a team that handles small business accounting and bookkeeping across:
- Ledger upkeep and bank reconciliations
- BAS, GST and compliance guidance
- Tax planning and returns
- Outsourced CFO and advisory support
- SMSF, estate and exit planning
Bookkeeping works best when the person keeping your books also understands the tax result.
Who it suits best
Owners who want more than data entry do well here. The firm works with trades, franchises, caravan parks and property managers, where industry-specific coding affects GST and margins. It also suits growing businesses that want a strategic conversation each quarter, not just a lodged BAS.
The team has run and managed businesses themselves, so advice stays practical. With 25+ years serving Melbourne and 70+ five-star Google reviews, the track record is easy to verify.
Pricing and engagement model
Gartly does not publish a price list. Fees are quoted after a scoping conversation, and you get a defined scope so you know what is included. The main cost drivers are:
- Transaction volume and number of bank accounts
- Your accounting software
- Payroll, if you need it handled
- Advisory or CFO time on top of bookkeeping
Ask for payroll to be named in the written scope if you need it.
Where it may not fit
Relationship-led firms cost more than software-led bookkeepers. If you only want bare-bones data entry at the lowest price, an offshore or app-based provider will undercut Gartly.
Location matters too. The firm is centred on Melbourne, with a smaller presence in Sydney and the Gold Coast. Interstate owners should confirm availability before shortlisting.
2. Visory
What the service covers
Visory is a Melbourne-founded firm that runs the finance function for business owners. Its outsourced bookkeeping services sit inside a wider package:
- Bookkeeping and bank reconciliations
- BAS, GST and payroll processing
- Monthly management reporting
- CFO-level support
A bookkeeper backed by a finance team gives you numbers you can act on, not just lodge.
Who it suits best
Scaling businesses that have outgrown a part-time bookkeeper do well here. You get a full finance team without hiring in-house.
It also suits owners who want monthly reports and cash flow visibility each month, rather than a once-a-year catch-up with the accountant.
Pricing and engagement model
Expect a quote built around scope, usually as a fixed monthly fee. Confirm current pricing directly with Visory, and ask about:
- Your accounting software and any migration work
- Payroll frequency and number of employees
- Reporting and CFO time
- Minimum terms or notice periods
Where it may not fit
The package is broad, so a sole trader with a few dozen transactions a month may pay for services they never use. A simpler bookkeeper will cost less.
Ask who reviews your BAS before lodgement and where the work is performed. Those answers tell you how much oversight you really get.
3. Scale Suite
What the service covers
Scale Suite is an outsourcing provider aimed mainly at accounting practices and bookkeeping-heavy businesses. As we understand it, the team takes on the routine production work that fills your calendar:
- Bookkeeping and bank reconciliations
- BAS and GST preparation
- Payroll processing
- Accounts payable and receivable support
Outsourcing works when someone else carries the routine volume and you keep the client relationship.
Who it suits best
Accounting firms and bookkeepers short on capacity are the clearest fit. If you want extra hands during BAS season without recruiting locally, this model makes sense. Established businesses with steady transaction flow and a repeatable process can use it too.
Pricing and engagement model
Public pricing is limited, so request a written quote before you commit. Arrangements in this category are usually a monthly fee or an hourly allocation, so confirm the basis and check these points:
- Whether you pay per hour, per task or per client
- Which software is covered (Xero, MYOB or QuickBooks)
- Notice periods and minimum terms
- Who is accountable for lodgement errors
Where it may not fit
Owners who want face-to-face advice or industry-specific guidance may find a pure outsourcing model thin. Tax planning, strategy and CFO input usually sit outside the bookkeeping scope, so you would need a separate adviser. Ask where the work is performed and how your data is secured.
4. BDO Australia
What the service covers
BDO Australia is a national accounting and advisory network. For outsourced bookkeeping services in Australia, it sits at the larger end of the market. Bookkeeping is one service inside a wider offering, so expect accounting-led outsourcing rather than a bookkeeping specialty. As we understand it, the scope can include:
- Bookkeeping and reconciliations
- BAS, GST and payroll support
- Management reporting
- Tax, audit and advisory
A large firm gives you depth and governance, but not always a dedicated bookkeeper.
Who it suits best
Mid-sized and larger businesses fit best. Groups with several entities, complex reporting needs or audit requirements gain from one firm across compliance and advisory. Finance managers who want a formal process and clear sign-off will feel at home.
Pricing and engagement model
Fees are quoted per engagement, and BDO does not publish rates. Confirm current pricing directly, and ask:
- Which software and entities the quote covers
- How senior your day-to-day contact is
Where it may not fit
Small owner-operators may find the firm more than they need, and costlier than a specialist bookkeeper. Large networks can also mean less direct access to senior people. Ask who handles your books each month and who reviews your BAS before lodgement.
5. iKeep Bookkeeping
What the service covers
iKeep Bookkeeping is a bookkeeping-focused provider that works remotely with small businesses. As we understand it, the core offering is day-to-day ledger work rather than advisory:
- Bank reconciliations and transaction coding
- BAS and GST preparation
- Payroll and superannuation processing
- Accounts payable and receivable
A specialist bookkeeper earns its place by keeping your ledger clean, month after month.
Who it suits best
Small businesses and sole traders fit best. If you want reliable monthly bookkeeping without hiring staff, a specialist like this keeps things simple.
Remote delivery works well when you already have an accountant for tax and only need the books kept current. You should be comfortable sharing access through cloud software such as Xero, MYOB or QuickBooks.
Pricing and engagement model
Pricing is not widely published, so request a written quote before you commit. Bookkeepers of this type usually charge a monthly fee or an hourly rate, so confirm the basis and ask:
- Which accounting software is supported
- Whether BAS and payroll are included in the fee
- Notice periods and minimum terms
Where it may not fit
Tax planning, structuring and CFO input generally sit outside a bookkeeping-only scope. You would need a separate adviser for those, which can mean two providers to coordinate.
Businesses in specialised industries may also want a provider that knows their sector. Check who reviews your BAS before lodgement, and how your data is stored, when you compare outsourced bookkeeping services in Australia.
6. Outbooks
What the service covers
Outbooks is an outsourcing provider that, as we understand it, supplies bookkeeping support to practices and businesses, often as a white-label extension of your own team. Typical scope:
- Bookkeeping and bank reconciliations
- BAS and GST preparation
- Payroll processing
- Accounts payable and receivable
Outsourcing pays off when it takes volume off your desk, not accountability.
Who it suits best
Accounting firms and bookkeepers with a seasonal backlog are the clearest fit. If you need scalable capacity without hiring locally, this model works.
Business owners can use it too, provided an accountant already handles your tax and advice.
Pricing and engagement model
Rates are not widely published, so ask for a written quote and confirm the basis before you sign. Check these points:
- Whether you pay per hour, per task or per client
- Which software is covered (Xero, MYOB or QuickBooks)
- Minimum terms and notice periods
- Who answers for lodgement errors
Where it may not fit
Expect little tax or strategic advice. That usually sits outside a bookkeeping scope, so you would need a separate adviser.
Industry depth can vary as well. Trades, franchises and caravan parks may prefer a provider that codes for their sector. Ask where the work is performed, how your data is secured and who reviews your BAS before lodgement.
How to choose an outsourced bookkeeper
Match the provider to your business
Start with who you are. An owner-operator needs different outsourced bookkeeping services in Australia than an accounting firm with a BAS backlog. Owners usually want advice alongside the books. Firms usually want white-label capacity. Decide that first and half the list falls away.
Check five things before you sign
Next, put every shortlisted provider through the same test. A registered BAS agent is the minimum, and you can confirm registration on the Tax Practitioners Board register. Then work through the rest.
| Check | What a good answer looks like |
|---|---|
| Software | Works inside your own Xero, MYOB or QuickBooks file |
| Scope | Written list covering BAS, GST, payroll and reconciliation |
| Review | A named person checks your BAS before lodgement |
| Security | Stated data location and multi-factor authentication |
| Exit | Short notice period and you keep your files |
Never hire a bookkeeper who will not put the scope in writing.
Run a one-month trial
Finally, start with a short pilot, ideally one full BAS cycle. Compare their reconciliations against your bank statements and ask your accountant to check the GST coding. Weak work shows up in the first month, so you can walk away before it costs you a late lodgement.
Choosing the right fit for your business
Each provider on this list covers the core work, but the right fit depends on who you are. Accounting firms with a backlog suit the white-label capacity of Scale Suite or Outbooks. Larger groups may prefer BDO. Owners who want advice alongside their books should choose a firm that understands tax as well as ledgers.
Whichever way you lean, insist on a written scope, a named BAS reviewer and a one-month trial before you commit. Good outsourced bookkeeping services in Australia should make tax time easier, not riskier.
If you want your books kept by people who have run businesses themselves, talk to Gartly Advisory about your small business bookkeeping and BAS needs. You will get a clear scope and a quote with no guesswork.
