A monthly bookkeeping package is exactly what it sounds like: your bookkeeping gets done every month, on a set schedule, for a fixed monthly fee, rather than being billed by the hour or handled as one-off projects whenever things pile up.
That distinction matters more than it sounds. Project-based or ad-hoc bookkeeping tends to happen in bursts, usually right before BAS or tax time, which means your records are only ever current in the weeks leading up to a deadline. A monthly package flips that. The work happens on a rhythm, so your books stay current all year, not just when something's due.
Here's what that rhythm actually looks like, and what it costs.
The rhythm
What "monthly" actually means in practice
A proper monthly bookkeeping service follows a repeatable cycle each month, not just a vague promise to "get to it eventually." At advancr, that cycle looks like this:
- Documents due by the 5th. Bank statements, receipts, and invoices go into your shared workspace on a set date each month.
- Bookkeeping completed by the 15th. Transactions are coded and accounts reconciled within a defined window, not whenever there's capacity.
- Reporting delivered by the 20th (on Momentum and Velocity plans). A monthly financial summary lands in your workspace before the month is out, not weeks later.
- Queries handled within a set turnaround, typically 3 to 5 business days, so clarifications don't sit unanswered.
The point of this structure isn't just tidiness. It's what makes the monthly fee possible to fix in the first place. When the scope and schedule are defined upfront, there's no ambiguity to bill extra for later.
What's inside
What's typically included in a monthly package
Regardless of provider, a genuine monthly bookkeeping package usually covers:
- Ongoing bookkeeping and transaction coding
- Bank and credit card reconciliation
- Accounts payable and receivable recording
- GST coding and BAS-ready records
- Structured digital document management
Higher tiers often add monthly reporting, cash position visibility, or forward-looking financial commentary on top of that base. What should not be part of the base monthly fee, unless explicitly stated, is BAS lodgement itself or payroll processing. Those are typically priced as separate add-ons, since not every business needs them every month.
The cost
What monthly bookkeeping packages cost
Monthly bookkeeping in Australia commonly runs from around $200 to $800 a month, depending on the scope included and the size of the business. At advancr, that breaks down as:
| Plan | Monthly fee | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Core | $249/mo | Ongoing bookkeeping, reconciliation, and compliance-ready records |
| Momentum | $449/mo | Everything in Core, plus a monthly financial summary and cash position visibility |
| Velocity | $749/mo | Everything in Momentum, plus forward-looking financial awareness and a quarterly review |
Add-ons sit on top of any plan rather than being folded into the base fee: BAS Preparation & Lodgement is $140/quarter or $70/month, Payroll Processing starts at $150/month, and Catch-Up Bookkeeping (for businesses starting behind) is $249 per month of catch-up required.
Compared
Monthly package vs one-off or hourly bookkeeping
| One-off / Hourly | Monthly package | |
|---|---|---|
| When work happens | Whenever booked or billed | On a fixed schedule every month |
| Cost predictability | Varies by hours or project | Fixed, agreed upfront |
| Books currency | Often only current near deadlines | Current all year round |
| Best for | Very occasional, minimal bookkeeping needs | Any business with regular, ongoing transactions |
For a business with genuinely minimal, irregular transactions, hourly or one-off bookkeeping can still make sense. For anyone processing transactions every month, which is most small businesses, a monthly package tends to cost less over a year and leaves you with current, accountant-ready records at any point, not just at tax time.
Every advancr plan is month-to-month with no lock-in contract. You can upgrade, downgrade, or cancel at any time, so starting smaller and upgrading later is usually the lower-risk option.
Choosing a plan
How to choose the right monthly package
Start by matching the scope to what you actually need right now, not where you expect to be in a year:
- Just need clean, reconciled, compliance-ready books? A base-tier plan covers that without paying for reporting you won't use.
- Want to understand what's actually happening in your numbers each month, not just have them reconciled? Look for a plan that includes a monthly financial summary and cash position visibility.
- Need forward-looking visibility into cash timing and emerging trends? That's typically a top-tier feature, not a base inclusion.
Most providers, advancr included, let you move between tiers as your needs change, so starting smaller and upgrading later is usually the lower-risk option.
Common questions
Frequently asked questions
Ongoing transaction coding, bank reconciliation, accounts payable and receivable recording, and BAS-ready records. Reporting and forward-looking insight are typically features of higher-tier plans rather than the base inclusion.
For any business with regular, ongoing transactions, usually yes, since the monthly fee is fixed regardless of how busy the month gets, while hourly billing rises with transaction volume.
Not by default in most cases. BAS preparation and lodgement is commonly priced as a separate add-on, even though your books should always be kept BAS-ready as part of the base service.
Yes, with most providers you can move to a higher tier at any time, with the change taking effect from your next billing cycle rather than requiring a new contract.
