Why Choose The Audit Shop?
Certified, credentialed bookkeeping without the big-firm price tag — and you always own your own books.
The Problem with Your Options
Most small businesses face a frustrating choice: pay CPA-firm rates for basic bookkeeping, hand your books off to a faceless national service, or try to keep up with them yourself between everything else you’re doing. We built something better.
Doing It Yourself
Free until it isn’t. Reconciliations slip, categorization gets messy, and by tax time you’re untangling a year of guesswork.
Big Firms & National Services
Premium rates, a rotating cast of staff, and a support ticket queue instead of a person who actually knows your business.
The Audit Shop
Certified bookkeeper. Small-business pricing. You own your data. Local support when you need it.
How We Compare
A side-by-side look at the usual options for getting your books done.
| What You Get | The Audit Shop | CPA / Accounting Firm | National Online Service | Doing It Yourself |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cost | ||||
| Monthly Cost | Flat monthly rate | $300–$800+/mo | $200–$500+/mo | $0 (plus your time) |
| Setup / Catch-Up Fees | Quoted upfront | Billed hourly | Often extra | N/A |
| Who Does the Work | ||||
| Who You Talk To | Your bookkeeper, directly | Junior staff, then a partner | Rotating support team | Just you |
| Certified & Credentialed | Yes | Yes | Varies | N/A |
| Your Books | ||||
| Platform | QuickBooks or Manager.io — your account | Varies by firm | Often their proprietary software | Whatever you set up |
| You Own Your Data | Always | Usually | Sometimes locked in | Yes |
| Books Stay Current | Monthly, guaranteed | Often quarterly | Varies | Whenever you get to it |
| Support | ||||
| Where They’re Based | Lexington, KY | Varies | Call center | N/A |
| Response Time | Same business day | 1–3 days | When they get to it | N/A |
Why This Matters
Current Books Win
Books that are a quarter behind can’t tell you anything useful. Current books mean you know where you stand every single month.
You Own It
Your books live in your own QuickBooks or Manager.io account — not a system you’d lose access to if you ever switched providers.
Built for Your Business
A restaurant, a contractor, and a retail shop don’t need the same chart of accounts. We set yours up to match how you actually operate.
Fair Pricing
Big firms charge for overhead you don’t need. We keep costs down without cutting corners — professional bookkeeping at prices that make sense.
Real Support
We’re in Lexington. When you call, you talk to the person who actually does your bookkeeping — not a call center reading from a script.
Flexible
Need payroll support? Catch-up work on a year of backlog? A QuickBooks or Manager.io setup from scratch? We can help with almost all of it.
Getting Started Is Simple
No complicated contracts. No months of waiting. Here’s how it works:
1
Quick Chat
Tell us about your business and where your books stand today
2
We Get Set Up
QuickBooks or Manager.io connected, chart of accounts built
3
We Catch You Up
Any backlog gets reconciled before we start monthly work
4
You’re Current
Monthly bookkeeping and reporting from here on out
Common Questions
My books are already a mess. Can you help?
Yes. Catch-up and cleanup work is one of the most common things we do — we’ll get your books reconciled and current, then keep them that way.
What’s different from hiring a part-time bookkeeper?
No payroll, no benefits, no sick days to plan around. You get certified, consistent bookkeeping without adding an employee.
Will I still work with my CPA?
Absolutely. We keep your books clean and organized so your CPA’s job at tax time is easier — we’re not a replacement for tax filing.
Do I need to already use QuickBooks?
No. We’ll help you get set up on QuickBooks or Manager.io — whichever fits your business best — if you’re not already using one.
What about my existing data?
You keep it. If you’re already on QuickBooks or Manager.io, we work in your existing account — nothing to migrate.
Can we talk before I commit to anything?
Yes. We start with a free consultation to understand your books and your business before any pricing is discussed.
Ready for books you can trust?
Certified bookkeeping, clear pricing, local support — at a price that makes sense for your business.