Bookkeeper hourly rates in Australia (2026)

The average bookkeeper hourly rate in Australia was $79.27 for general bookkeeping, according to the Institute of Certified Bookkeepers’ 2024 Annual Bookkeeping Survey. That is what a contract bookkeeper charges you. A full-time bookkeeper on your payroll earns less per hour (about $36.84 on the Jobs and Skills Australia median), but you add super and other on-costs on top. A Philippines-based bookkeeper you hire directly costs around $1,400 a month, which works out at roughly $8.50 an hour.

Below we show where each number comes from and what pushes bookkeeping costs up or down. Then we price the same work by the hour, as a fixed monthly fee and as a salary, so you can see which model is cheapest for your volume.

What is the average bookkeeper hourly rate in Australia?

For contract rates, the best benchmark we know of is the ICB’s 2024 Annual Bookkeeping Survey. It came out in June 2025 and drew 811 responses, just over 88% of them from ICB members. Its general bookkeeping rates:

• National average: $79.27 an hour
• Within 100km of a capital city: $80.77 an hour
• More than 100km from a capital city: around $75.98 an hour
• ICB members: $79.91 an hour
• Bookkeepers not affiliated with any association: $69 an hour

Rates rose by an average of 7.3% across bookkeeping, BAS and higher-end consulting work. BAS and advisory jobs usually cost at least the general rate, often more. A registered BAS agent carries obligations that a data-entry bookkeeper doesn’t.

There’s no city-by-city figure. If you’re in Brisbane, Sydney or Melbourne, the capital-city average of $80.77 is as close as the published data gets. The survey also describes a trade made up largely of sole operators and small teams, with more of them moving into advisory work and changing how they bill as the work gets more strategic.

What does a bookkeeper do?

Get clear on the services required before you compare bookkeeping fees, because two quotes often cover different work. Jobs and Skills Australia’s definition is people who maintain and evaluate records of financial transactions in account books and computerised accounting systems. Its task list includes:

• keeping financial records, and maintaining and balancing accounts
• monitoring cash flow and lines of credit
• preparing financial statements, budget and expenditure reports using ledgers and accounting software
• preparing invoices, purchase orders and bank deposits
• reconciling accounts against monthly bank statements
• verifying recorded transactions and reporting irregularities to management
• preparing forms such as the GST paid and collected for your BAS

For most small businesses the weekly list is shorter. Basic bookkeeping tasks mean data entry, bank reconciliation, accounts payable and receivable, and payroll processing. A more experienced professional bookkeeper might also put together management reports or do some financial analysis. Tax planning and the tax return itself normally sit with your accountant. When two quotes look far apart, check where each one draws the line between bookkeeping support and accounting services.

None of this is glamorous, but maintaining financial records properly holds the rest of your financial management together. When the books are current, a business owner can make informed decisions from real numbers, and the accountant gets clean financial data at year end instead of a shoebox of receipts.

How much does a bookkeeper cost as an in-house employee?

If you hire an in-house bookkeeper onto your own payroll, the wage is lower per hour, but it is not the whole cost.

Jobs and Skills Australia reports median weekly earnings of $1,400 for full-time bookkeepers, from the ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours (May 2025). JSA notes it is a guide only and not a wage rate. On a 38-hour week that is about $36.84 an hour, or about $72,800 a year. JSA’s own median hourly earnings figure for bookkeepers is $37, compared with $47 for all occupations. A median is not the same as an average salary, but it is the most reliable published bookkeeper salary guide for Australia.

On top of the wage you pay:

• Superannuation at 12%, the current super guarantee rate according to the ATO. That takes the hourly cost to about $41.26.
• Paid annual leave. Full-time employees get 4 weeks a year under the National Employment Standards. You pay for 52 weeks but get about 48 weeks of work, which lifts the cost per hour actually worked to about $44.70 with super.
• Payroll tax, if your total Australian wages exceed your state’s threshold. In NSW the threshold is $1.2 million a year and the rate is 5.45% on wages above it.
• Workers compensation insurance, equipment, software licences and recruitment.

These are our calculations from the published figures. Your own numbers will depend on the person’s experience, your state and your award or agreement. Also note that JSA’s figure is for bookkeepers generally; 60% of bookkeepers work part-time, so many businesses pay for fewer than 38 hours.

What affects bookkeeping costs?

Two businesses can pay very different amounts for the same bookkeeper hourly rate, because the hours needed are different. These are the main things that increase bookkeeping costs.

Transaction volume

The number of transactions is the biggest driver of hours. A sole trader with minimal transactions and one bank account may need an hour or two a month. A business with hundreds of supplier bills, sales and card payments needs far more coding and reconciliation, whatever the rate.

Bank accounts and entities

Each bank account, credit card and loan account is another reconciliation every month. Multiple accounts across several entities or a trust structure add time, so tell any bookkeeper how many you have before they quote.

Payroll complexity

Payroll adds work every pay cycle. A few salaried staff are simple. Several awards, casual shifts, penalty rates and allowances take longer, and Payday Super now means super must reach each fund within 7 business days of payday, so payroll can no longer wait until the end of the quarter.

BAS and regulatory compliance

Preparing and lodging BAS is a regulated service. Under the tax laws that govern BAS services, a provider charging a fee must be registered with the Tax Practitioners Board, which is part of why registered BAS agent work is priced at or above general bookkeeping. If your bookkeeper also lodges, expect that to show in the fee.

Catch-up work and software

Catch-up work, where months of transactions need sorting at once, takes more hours than keeping up as you go. Software subscriptions such as Xero, MYOB or QuickBooks are usually a separate cost to the business, not part of the bookkeeper’s rate.

Experience, membership and location

In the ICB survey, members averaged $79.91 an hour against $69 for unaffiliated bookkeepers, and rates near capital cities were higher than regional rates. Experience and qualifications matter too, so check them along with communication skills when you hire.

Hourly bookkeeping rates or a fixed monthly fee?

Most local bookkeepers offer one of two pricing models: an hourly rate, or a fixed monthly fee for an agreed scope.

Hourly rates provide transparency about what each hour costs, and suit businesses whose needs change from month to month. The downside is that the final cost moves with the work, so a busy quarter or a catch-up job can lift the bill.

A fixed monthly fee gives you price certainty. The firm estimates your transaction volume and sets a fee for an agreed list of tasks. Check what happens if you go over that volume, because extra work is often billed on top.

Neither pricing model is automatically a lower cost. Ask for the hours a fixed fee assumes, multiply them by the hourly rate, and compare the two on the same work.

Bookkeeping costs for small businesses: hourly, package or offshore hire

Here is the same workload priced three ways. We have used 40 hours a month (about 10 hours a week) and a full-time 165 hours a month.

Model	Rate basis	40 hours a month	Full-time (about 165 hours a month)
Local contract bookkeeper, hourly	$79.27 an hour (ICB 2024 average)	About $3,170	About $13,080
Local monthly package	Fixed fee, usually built from expected hours at a similar rate	Often similar to hourly for the same hours	Rarely offered at full-time volume
Local employee	$1,400 a week median plus 12% super	Part-time pro rata, about $1,650	About $6,800
Your own offshore bookkeeper, direct hire	Around $1,400 a month salary	Usually hired full-time	Around $1,400, plus a one-time recruitment fee

The offshore salary is Tarino’s typical salary for a Philippines-based bookkeeper. It works out at roughly $8.50 an hour on a 38-hour week. Budget extra for Philippine employer costs such as 13th month pay, plus equipment and software. The recruitment fee through Tarino is $5,000 excl. GST, paid once per placement, with no monthly fees.

A monthly package is how many local bookkeeping services sell their time to small businesses. Packages are not always cheaper than hourly. They are a way of paying for the same hours in a predictable amount, so compare them against the hours they include.

When is the hourly rate the cheapest option?

The hourly rate wins when the work is small. If your books need four or five hours a month, paying $79 an hour for a skilled local bookkeeper who also handles your BAS lodgement is sensible. You would not hire anyone full-time for that.

The maths changes as hours grow. At around 20 hours a month, a local contract bookkeeper costs about $1,585 a month, which is already more than a full-time offshore bookkeeper’s salary. At full-time volume, the gap is about $11,700 a month.

The cost savings only count if the work is done well, so weigh the rate against what you get. For a cost comparison of outsourced bookkeeping options, including an offshore agency, read our guide to outsourced bookkeeping in Australia. To run the numbers for your own role, use the cost calculator.

What do you get for a lower hourly rate?

A cheaper hour is only worth it if the work is right. When you hire your own offshore bookkeeper, you get one person who works only on your file, during your business hours, in your Xero, MYOB or QuickBooks account. Over time they learn your suppliers, your coding and your month-end routine.

What you give up is the convenience of a local firm that handles everything, including BAS lodgement. Under the Tax Agent Services Act, BAS services provided for a fee must come from a registered BAS or tax agent, and the Tax Practitioners Board warns of significant civil penalties for unregistered providers. The common setup is that your offshore bookkeeper prepares the reconciliations and BAS workpapers, and your registered agent reviews and lodges. Confirm the arrangement with your accountant or a qualified adviser.

Our bookkeeper role page lists the tasks and software these hires cover, and how to hire an offshore bookkeeper walks through screening and onboarding.

What does a direct hire cost through Tarino?

Tarino recruits; you hire and pay your bookkeeper directly. Our fee is $5,000 excl. GST per placement: $250 upfront, credited back when you hire, and $4,750 on hire. There is no monthly fee and no margin on salary.

We build a pool of 1,000+ candidates per role, screen them through CV checks, video screening, a practical bookkeeping task and a structured interview, and send you 3 to 4 finalists in about two weeks. If the hire does not work out, our 6-month replacement cover applies for the same role. See pricing.

For comparison, one published agency rate is A$1,099 per person per month plus A$1,200 per hire, paid on top of salary. Over a year that is about $14,400 in fees, compared with a one-time $5,000.

How should you pick a rate model for your business needs?

1. Count your hours. Look at the last three months and estimate weekly bookkeeping hours honestly, including chasing receipts and payroll inputs.
2. Under 20 hours a month: stay with a local hourly bookkeeper or package.
3. Steady full-time volume: compare a local employee with a direct offshore hire, and keep a registered agent for BAS review.
4. Check the total, not the rate. Add super, leave, payroll tax where it applies and software to any employee figure before you compare.

If you want help working out which model fits your volume, book a 30-minute call and we will go through the numbers with you.