Salary is only one part of the cost of hiring a bookkeeper. A useful comparison also includes employment costs, systems, recruitment and the time your business spends reviewing the work. It should compare the same hours, duties and level of responsibility.
This guide uses a $72,000 annual salary as an illustration, not a market salary benchmark or a claim about what every Australian business pays.
The real cost structure
Assume the $72,000 salary excludes superannuation and is fully subject to the 12% super guarantee rate. Salary plus super would be $80,640 a year, before other applicable costs. The ATO publishes the current super guarantee rates.
- Salary: $72,000 in this example.
- Superannuation: $8,640 on the stated assumption.
- Other employment costs: include applicable insurance, payroll tax and any additional entitlements using the rates relevant to your business.
- Operating costs: accounting software, equipment, workspace and access management.
- Recruitment and onboarding: advertising or agency fees, interviews and time spent teaching your processes.
- Management and continuity: work reviews, leave planning, handover and any separately arranged cover.
Avoid counting the same cost twice
For this annual-salary example, ordinary salary paid during leave is already within the salary figure. Do not add the same wages again as a separate cash cost. Budget separately for any applicable leave loading or additional cover, and consider the effect of leave on available working hours. Fair Work explains how annual leave is paid.
Keep cash costs separate from estimates of management time or lost capacity. Both matter, but combining them without labels can exaggerate the comparison.
Compare three different working arrangements
A local employee
A local bookkeeper can work closely with your business and handle duties requiring a physical presence. You recruit and employ the person, provide the tools, manage their work and arrange continuity. This can suit a substantial recurring workload and a business with the capacity to supervise it.
A dedicated offshore team member
A dedicated offshore bookkeeper works in your systems and reports to your finance lead. With Lynk’s managed staffing service, Lynk recruits and employs the person in the Philippines and provides payroll, HR, the Manila office, equipment and local support. Your business sets priorities, provides process training and reviews the work.
The monthly fee includes salary, employment costs and agreed Lynk support. Setup, the refundable deposit and specialist software are separate. Use the construction accounts role guide and current pricing calculator to plan the role, then obtain a candidate-specific quote.
A bookkeeping service or contractor
A bookkeeping service may quote for defined tasks, transaction volumes or hours, with its own delivery and review arrangements. A contractor may work directly with your business for agreed hours. Ask who performs the work, who checks it, what is included and what happens during absences. Compare that scope with a dedicated full-time hire before comparing annual prices.
Choose the scope before comparing the price
- Workload: Which transactions and deadlines recur each week or month?
- Experience: Do you need processing support, reconciliations, construction job costing or more experienced month-end support?
- Systems: Which accounting and payroll tools must the person already know?
- Approvals: Who checks entries, approves payments and retains responsibility for reporting and compliance?
- Capacity: Is there enough ongoing work, and does your finance lead have time to manage the person?
There is no universal revenue threshold or savings percentage that answers these questions. Compare quotes against your actual duties, hours, software, support and notice terms.