Decimal
Managed bookkeeping service powered by technology.
About Decimal
Decimal assigns your business a dedicated bookkeeper backed by transaction categorization software and a client-facing dashboard. Day-to-day, the bookkeeper reconciles accounts, categorizes transactions, and closes the books monthly. You log in to see a live P&L, balance sheet, and cash flow view rather than waiting for a monthly PDF from a traditional firm. Books are kept in QuickBooks or Xero, so you own the data and your CPA can access it directly at tax time. Decimal fits small businesses with $500K–$5M in annual revenue that have outgrown DIY bookkeeping but don't want to hire a full-time bookkeeper. It competes directly against Bench and traditional local bookkeeping firms. The technology layer gives you more visibility than a typical outsourced arrangement, but the core product is still a managed service — you are paying for a human to do the work, not for software that does it automatically. The model has real gaps. If your books are complicated — multiple entities, inventory, project-based billing — Decimal's bookkeepers may not have the vertical depth a specialized firm would. There is no free trial, pricing scales with transaction volume, and switching costs are real once a year of history lives in their system. Businesses that want to stay hands-on with their own books will find this overkill.
Best for
Small businesses wanting outsourced bookkeeping with dedicated human oversight and tech automation
Key Features
- Managed bookkeeping with dedicated human bookkeepers
- Automated monthly financial statement preparation
- Real-time financial dashboards
- Technology-powered transaction categorization
- Tax-ready books maintenance
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Dedicated named bookkeeper handles reconciliations and month-end close, not a rotating support queue
- Books kept directly in QuickBooks or Xero, so your CPA accesses the same file at tax time with no data conversion
- Real-time dashboard shows P&L, balance sheet, and cash flow between monthly closes — more visibility than most outsourced bookkeeping firms offer
- Tax-ready books maintained throughout the year, reducing year-end cleanup work for your CPA
- Connects to bank feeds, credit card processors, and expense tools like Expensify, reducing manual data entry
- Faster onboarding than hiring a W-2 bookkeeper — no recruiting, benefits, or coverage gaps during illness or turnover
Cons
- No free trial or evaluation tier — you commit at $299/mo before verifying fit with your specific books
- Pricing scales with transaction volume, so fast-growing businesses may see costs rise significantly without a clear rate card
- Bookkeepers are generalists — businesses with inventory accounting, construction job costing, or multi-entity consolidations often need more specialized expertise
- Switching costs are meaningful after 12+ months; extracting and migrating historical data to a new provider or in-house bookkeeper takes real effort
- The automation layer handles categorization but the product is human-led, so turnaround on questions depends on bookkeeper availability, not instant software response
- Smaller user community than Bench or QuickBooks Live means fewer peer reviews, community resources, and third-party integrations built specifically for the platform
Ledger Brief Take
Positions itself as tech-enhanced outsourcing rather than pure software, combining human bookkeepers with automation to compete against both traditional firms and DIY platforms like QuickBooks. The "real-time dashboard" suggests more client visibility than typical outsourced bookkeeping, though the actual AI/automation component appears secondary to the managed service model.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions accountants ask about Decimal.
What does Decimal's $299/mo entry price actually include?
The base plan covers a dedicated bookkeeper, monthly reconciliations, and access to the real-time dashboard. Higher tiers unlock more transactions per month and additional services. Pricing scales with volume, so businesses processing hundreds of transactions monthly will pay more than the entry rate. No free trial is available.
Does Decimal work with QuickBooks or Xero, or does it use its own ledger?
Decimal works inside your QuickBooks Online or Xero account. Your chart of accounts, historical transactions, and reports stay in those platforms. Your CPA or tax preparer can access the file directly without any data export or conversion.
How does Decimal compare to Bench?
Both are managed bookkeeping services with dedicated bookkeepers and client dashboards. The critical difference: Bench uses its own proprietary ledger, so leaving Bench means exporting data and rebuilding history elsewhere. Decimal keeps books in QuickBooks or Xero, which lowers switching risk. Bench has a larger user base and more published reviews.
Who should not use Decimal?
Businesses with inventory-heavy operations, multi-entity structures, construction job costing, or nonprofit fund accounting will likely find Decimal's generalist bookkeepers insufficient. Solo freelancers or very early-stage businesses with minimal transactions are also overpaying at $299/mo when Wave or a part-time local bookkeeper would cover the need.
How does Decimal handle data security and access controls?
Because books live in QuickBooks or Xero, security follows those platforms' standards. Decimal connects via OAuth integrations rather than storing your banking credentials directly. You control user permissions inside QuickBooks or Xero and can revoke Decimal's access at any time without losing your data.
How long does onboarding take before the books are current?
Decimal typically takes two to four weeks to onboard a new client, depending on how far behind the books are and how quickly you provide bank statements and prior records. If you are mid-year with unreconciled accounts, expect the onboarding period to run longer and potentially carry a catch-up fee.