Offshore bookkeeping cost calculator for CPA firms
Compare what your bookkeeping costs in-house with the two offshore models CPA firms are quoted most often, hourly and dedicated FTE, using published 2026 market rates for India, and include the cost every rate card leaves out: the time your seniors spend reviewing offshore work.
Built by the Chartered Accountants at ADAPT & Associates LLP in Bodakdev, Ahmedabad, who do this work for US firms inside their own QuickBooks Online, Xero or Sage subscriptions. India is 9.5 to 13.5 hours ahead of US time zones, so work handed off at your close of business is usually done before your next morning.
Worked example: a firm moving two bookkeeping roles offshore
These are the calculator's default inputs. The wage is the US Bureau of Labor Statistics median for bookkeeping, accounting and auditing clerks; the 30 percent loading, 8 review hours a month per role and $75 reviewer cost are placeholders to replace with your own numbers.
| Line | Working | Annual cost |
|---|---|---|
| In-house | 2 roles x $50,670 (BLS median) x 130% loading | $131,742 |
| Reviewer time | 2 roles x 8 hrs a month x 12 x $75 | $14,400 |
| Offshore hourly | 2 x 160 hrs a month x 12 x $8 to $20, plus review | $45,120 to $91,200 |
| Offshore dedicated FTE | 2 x 12 x $1,200 to $2,000, plus review | $43,200 to $62,400 |
Saving against in-house: hourly $40,542 to $86,622 (31% to 66%); dedicated FTE $69,342 to $88,542 (53% to 67%). The hourly range is wide because the top of the market rate, worked for a full month, approaches what a dedicated person costs. Reviewer time decides where in each range you actually land.
The three pricing models
| Model | How it is billed | Fits | The catch |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hourly | Hours actually worked, about $8 to $20 an hour | Overflow, tax-season peaks, uneven volume | The meter rewards slow work and month-end bills move |
| Dedicated FTE | A fixed monthly fee per person, about $1,200 to $2,000 for a bookkeeper or staff accountant | Steady volume where you want one person who learns your clients | You still manage and review that person, and cover leave and attrition |
| Fixed monthly retainer | One number for a written scope (books, volume, close dates) | Firms that want the vendor to carry the efficiency risk | Only as good as the written scope; vague scope drifts |
2026 rates behind the numbers
Checked 21 October 2026. Vendor figures are published planning ranges, not a regulated tariff and not ADAPT's prices.
| Item | 2026 figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| US bookkeeping, accounting and auditing clerks, median pay | $50,670 a year, $24.36 an hour (May 2025) | US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook |
| Offshore basic bookkeeping, hourly | $8 to $15 an hour | Acculink, 2026 pricing breakdown |
| Offshore advanced bookkeeping, hourly | $12 to $20 an hour | Acculink, 2026 pricing breakdown |
| India general bookkeeping, hourly | $11 to $18 an hour | MYCPE ONE, 2026 US vs India comparison |
| Dedicated junior bookkeeper, India | $1,200 to $1,500 a month | MYCPE ONE, 2026 US vs India comparison |
| Dedicated staff accountant, India | $1,500 to $2,000 a month | MYCPE ONE, 2026 US vs India comparison |
| Dedicated senior accountant or team lead, India | $2,000 to $2,800 a month | MYCPE ONE, 2026 US vs India comparison |
Related: US bookkeeping services from India, Offshore bookkeeping cost for CPA firms in 2026, offshore bookkeeping for US, UK, AU and NZ firms, QuickBooks Online bookkeeping from India, get a fixed monthly quote.
Frequently asked questions
How does the calculator estimate my onshore cost?
It starts from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics median pay for bookkeeping, accounting and auditing clerks, $50,670 a year (May 2025), and adds the loading percentage you enter for benefits, payroll taxes, software seats and space. The 30 percent default is a placeholder, not a statistic. Replace both numbers with your own payroll data for a real answer.
Where do the offshore rates come from?
From rates other offshore vendors published for 2026: Acculink puts basic bookkeeping at $8 to $15 an hour and advanced at $12 to $20, and MYCPE ONE puts a dedicated bookkeeper or staff accountant in India at about $1,200 to $2,000 a month. The calculator shows the low and high end of those ranges. They are market planning figures, not a regulated tariff and not ADAPT's prices.
Why does the calculator add reviewer time?
Because review is where offshore savings disappear. Every hour a senior on your side spends checking or fixing offshore work is a cost the vendor's rate card leaves out. If your reviewer hours per role stay high after the first two or three months, the team is trained on the software but not on US bookkeeping practice, and cost per finished file is what you should compare.
Which model should a CPA firm choose: hourly, dedicated FTE or retainer?
Hourly suits overflow and seasonal peaks. A dedicated FTE suits steady, year-round volume where one person learning your clients is worth more than flexibility. A fixed monthly retainer suits firms that want a written scope and want the vendor, not you, to carry the risk of slow work. Many firms start hourly for a pilot and move to FTE or retainer once volume is predictable.
What does ADAPT charge?
ADAPT & Associates does not publish USD rates. We price on a fixed monthly retainer scoped by number of client books, transaction volume and close calendar, give you one written number after a 30-minute scoping call, and start with a one-month paid pilot on real work. The work happens inside your own QuickBooks Online, Xero or Sage subscription.
B-103, Elanza Crest, Sindhu Bhavan Road, Bodakdev, Ahmedabad 380054, Gujarat, India
+91 70162 62615 · info@adaptassociates.com