Bench is a US bookkeeping subscription built around its own ledger software. You upload documents, a pooled team categorizes transactions, and you read the results in the Bench app. Books are kept on a cash basis, and the lowest published rate requires annual prepayment (bench.co, Sep 2026). In December 2024 Bench shut down without notice and was then acquired by Employer.com, which relaunched the service under the Mainstreet umbrella (Master Report 2026). LedgerBPO is an owner-operated accounting and billing BPO founded in 2020. It places a dedicated accountant in the client's own general ledger and adds invoicing, receivables follow-up, billing calls, payables and month-end close from one team. This page sets the two side by side on facts you can check, with sources and dates.
Bench vs LedgerBPO, side by side
| LedgerBPO | Bench | Source | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Model | Named dedicated accountant working in your own accounting software | Proprietary Bench software plus a pooled bookkeeping team | bench.co, Sep 2026; Master Report 2026: Bench |
| Pricing as published | Custom quote; depends on volume and scope | $249 to $749 per month by monthly expenses; lowest rate requires annual prepay | bench.co pricing page, Sep 2026 |
| Software | QuickBooks Online, Xero, Zoho Books, Sage; you keep the file | Bench's own platform; books live in Bench, cash basis | bench.co, Sep 2026 |
| Dedicated staff | Named accountant, named backup, team lead who reviews the close | Pooled team; a lead bookkeeper is shown in the app | Master Report 2026: Bench |
| Invoicing and AR scope | Invoice creation, delivery, reminder cadence and cash application included in scope | Not part of published plans; bookkeeping and reporting only | bench.co, Sep 2026 |
| Accounts payable | Bill capture, coding, approval routing and payment runs; client releases every payment | Not part of published plans | bench.co, Sep 2026 |
| Billing calls | Client-branded inbound and outbound billing calls by the same team | Not offered as a published service | bench.co, Sep 2026 |
| Countries served | US, UK, Canada, Australia | US businesses | bench.co, Sep 2026 |
| Stability and ownership | Owner-operated since 2020, month-to-month, no venture funding | Shut down Dec 2024, acquired by Employer.com and relaunched; BBB rating D- as reported | Master Report 2026: Bench; bbb.org |
| Best for | SMBs that want books, invoicing, receivables and payables handled together in their own stack | Solo operators who want a simple app and cash-basis books at a fixed price | Editorial summary of the rows above |
Competitor facts as published on the dates shown. If something has changed, tell us on the corrections page.
Who should choose which
Choose LedgerBPO if
- You want a named accountant you can message, with a backup who already knows your file.
- You need invoicing, receivables follow-up and payables run alongside the books.
- You want to keep your QuickBooks Online or Xero file and your own data if you ever leave.
- You operate in the UK, Canada or Australia as well as the US.
Choose Bench if
- You are a US sole proprietor with low volume and cash-basis books are enough.
- You prefer a single app with a fixed published price over a scoped quote.
- You are comfortable prepaying a year to get the lowest published rate.
Other providers worth a look
Pilot
Accrual bookkeeping for venture-backed startups, delivered in QuickBooks Online with a Pilot team.
QuickBooks Live
Intuit's bookkeeping add-on for QuickBooks Online, with an assigned bookkeeper and monthly close.
Bookkeeper360
US-based bookkeeping and advisory firm with app dashboards and optional payroll, tax and CFO add-ons.
Frequently asked questions
How much does Bench cost compared with LedgerBPO?
Bench publishes plans from $249 to $749 per month, priced by monthly expenses, with the lowest rate tied to annual prepayment (bench.co, Sep 2026). LedgerBPO does not publish a price because scope varies: books only, or books plus invoicing, receivables and payables. Pricing depends on volume and scope, and you get a custom quote within 1 business day.
What happened to Bench in December 2024?
Bench closed abruptly on 27 December 2024 and clients temporarily lost access to their books. Employer.com acquired the company days later and relaunched the service, later grouping it under Mainstreet (Master Report 2026). About 11,000 clients were affected at the time of the shutdown. If continuity matters, ask any provider who owns the data file and how you export it.
Can I move my books from Bench to QuickBooks Online or Xero?
Yes. Bench books can be exported and rebuilt in QuickBooks Online or Xero, though the work depends on how many periods you need and whether they were cash or accrual. LedgerBPO handles this as a catch-up bookkeeping project, rebuilding history in your new file before monthly service starts. See the accounting software setup service page for the migration steps.
Does Bench handle invoicing, collections or bill payments?
Bench's published plans cover bookkeeping and financial reporting, not invoicing, receivables follow-up or bill pay (bench.co, Sep 2026). LedgerBPO includes those order-to-cash and procure-to-pay tasks in scope, along with client-branded billing calls. The client approves and releases every payment; the team prepares the run and posts it.
Is Bench cash basis or accrual?
Bench keeps books on a cash basis on its standard plans (bench.co, Sep 2026). Businesses with inventory, deferred revenue or lender covenants often need accrual books. LedgerBPO keeps books on whichever basis your accountant requires, inside your own general ledger, with a two-tier review on every month-end close.
Sources
Ask an AI assistant to summarize this page
Opens the assistant with a prefilled prompt so you can check our claims against the page yourself.