We also meticulously reviewed the services, awards, portfolios, industry reputation, pricing, and client reviews of nearly 100 agencies to bring you a list of the top 10 accounting firms for startups. Check out our featured agencies and their specialties to find the right partner for your accounting needs.

The Number 1 Accounting Firm for Startups as Selected by DesignRush Is...

1. Pilot

• Best for: Overall
• Average hourly rate: $1
• Minimum budget: Inquire
• Founded: 2017
• Size: 250-499
• Location: San Francisco, CA
• Notable clients: Trash, Lattice, Airtable, Scale AI, Passage AI

Pilot is an accounting firm for startups that provides bookkeeping, fractional chief financial officer (CFO), and tax services to growing businesses. Its skilled accountants use cutting-edge workflows superior to traditional error-prone accounting. So far, Pilot has helped 1,750+ customers save over $35 million in research and development (R&D) tax savings. Some of the services this startup accounting firm is expert in include finance tools integration, tax, R&D tax credit, building budgets, and fundraising preparation.

Pilot Success Story

• Challenge: Trash is a video editing platform that had one of its founders keep company books for two years. Instead of investing time in building the startup's product, Karina Bernacki lost hours manually handling budget reports and other accounting tasks. When the company secured a National Science Foundation (NSF) grant, it needed to provide regular reporting on how the funding was spent. This is when Trash reached out to Pilot.
• Solution: When Pilot took over, it synced all Trash's financial accounts, including payroll and accounting cards. The agency reconciled all books and started creating monthly statements, so all books were up to date. Finally, Pilot built custom reports for NSF to keep track of its funds.
• Results: Thanks to working with Pilot, Trash now leaves a better impression on investors, having the board focus on strategy instead of financial decisions. NSF funding reports will make it easier for Trash to apply for future grants and raise more funds.

Check Out Pilot Agency Profile

2. Graphite Financial

• Best for: Scaling financial processes
• Average hourly rate: Inquire
• Minimum budget: Inquire
• Founded: 2016
• Size: Under 49
• Location: New York, NY
• Notable clients: Caraway, Confiant, SETTLE, SunScoop, The Muse

Born out of a VC fund, Graphite Financial provides startup accounting services that include bookkeeping, fractional CFO, and tax. The company has helped several hundred startups with industry-specific accounting and bookkeeping, financial modeling, fundraising, long-term strategic plans, corporate tax filings, sales tax, and more. Graphite Financial specializes in working with businesses from SaaS and tech, eCommerce, health tech and healthcare, biotech, and other spheres.

Graphite Financial Success Story

• Challenge: Caraway is a cookware brand that started with a small team and limited funding. As the business began to grow, it became obvious it needed professional assistance with finance and accounting.
• Solution: Graphite Financial provided guidance as Caraway navigated scaling its business, which made financial processes more complex. The accounting firm for startups helped the company establish processes for accounts receivable, bill payment, and other essential financial functions.
• Results: By having Graphite Financial handle all financial aspects of its business, Caraway didn't have to worry about the intricacies of back-end CPG accounting, and its core team was able to focus on building and expanding the business.

Check Out Graphite Financial Profile

3. airCFO

• Best for: Account receivables
• Average hourly rate: Inquire
• Minimum budget: Inquire
• Founded: 2013
• Size: Under 49
• Location: Cleveland, OH
• Notable clients: Apartment List, Crosschq, 1Konto, Liveflow, Basis

airCFO offers startup accounting services in the fields of accounting, finance, people operations, and tax. Over 300 startups have trusted airCFO with processes like expense management, financial statement preparation, cash flow projections, budgeting, modeling, tax laws, and IRS guidance. With automated tools and tailored advice, airCFO enables startups to easily scale their infrastructure and get a strong hold of their accounting capabilities.

airCFO Success Story

• Challenge: Apartment List is an online rental marketplace that has grown to advertise over 5 million rental units on its platform. To support such rapid growth, the company needed assistance from a professional startup accounting firm.
• Solution: airCFO took over all accounting and financial initiatives, most notably with account receivables. The company helped customize the delivery of products and services to support the quick expansion of Apartment List’s business.
• Results: Apartment List made significant financial savings by outsourcing all finances to airCFO instead of hiring an in-house CFO. Thanks to the accounting firm's flexibility, the startup successfully scaled and eventually hired an internal financial expert to work alongside the airCFO.

Check Out airCFO Agency Profile

4. Burkland

• Best for: Accounting process automation
• Average hourly rate: Inquire
• Minimum budget: Inquire
• Founded: 2004
• Size: 100-249
• Location: San Francisco, CA
• Notable clients: Aletha Health, GoFormz, Locale, Imubit, Revelstoke

Burkland is a company that provides startup accounting services for over 800 venture-backed startup clients. So far, the accounting firm has helped its clients raise over $14.4 billion in funding by letting them focus on business growth while tackling all accounting and financial tasks. Burkland specializes in tax preparation, tax credit research, financial guidance in strategic scaling, bookkeeping, and financial systems.

Burkland Success Story

• Challenge: Aletha Health is a healthcare startup that started out by manually running all its accounting processes. During its first rapid growth phase, the company faced challenges in maintaining the accuracy and efficiency of its bookkeeping.
• Solution: Burkland set out to automate most of Aletha Health’s processes, including integrating its accounting software with its sales platform. All sales data could be handled in one place, enabling Burkland to reconcile transactions at the end of each month.
• Results: Thanks to Burkland, Aletha Health now has clean accounting books and automated accounting processes that are quicker and more accurate. Reporting accurate sales taxes protects the business during due diligence and with investors.

Check Out Burkland Agency Profile

5. Early Growth

• Best for: Inventory management
• Average hourly rate: Inquire
• Minimum budget: Inquire
• Founded: 2008
• Size: 50-99
• Location: San Jose, CA
• Notable clients: Enplug, Student Loan Hero, Tonal, Joinesty, Origin Materials

Early Growth is the largest national startup accounting firm in the venture capital space. The company is a one-stop shop for all startup financial activities, including fund accounting, equity management, risk management, and financial operations. Early Growth has helped over 5,000 clients, specifically venture capital backed companies, SaaS, life sciences, eCommerce, and technology hardware companies.

Early Growth Success Story

• Challenge: Enplug is a startup that transitioned to a SaaS-based model early in its growth phase. As the number of subscribed users grew, the company realized its burning need for professional accounting.
• Solution: Early Growth handled transaction categorizations, reviewed and cleaned up line items in the business’ chart of accounts, and streamlined all accounting and financial processes. Besides that, the accounting firm managed monthly close and managing inventory, invoicing, and bill payments.
• Results: With Early Growth handling all financial processes, the company could focus on growing the business and attracting more investors. Enplug successfully raised $3.5 million in seed funding and continued to grow.

Check Out Early Growth Agency Profile

6. Accountancy Cloud

• Best for: R&D tax
• Average hourly rate: Inquire
• Minimum budget: Inquire
• Founded: 2014
• Size: Under 49
• Location: London, United Kingdom
• Notable clients: Scape Technologies, London Filmed, Homevest, Friday, Manyone

Accountancy Cloud is an accounting firm for startups that provides bookkeeping, CFO, and tax services for startups and scale-ups. This startup accounting company covers a wide range of services, including accounting, R&D tax credits, CFO services, invoices, receipts, expenses, taxes, and tax returns. Accountancy Cloud won numerous accolades, such as Accounting Excellence Medium Firm of the Year, British Accountancy Awards Independent Firm of the Year, and Accounting Excellence Innovative Firm of the Year.

Accountancy Cloud Success Story

• Challenge: Scape Technologies, a computer-vision startup, needed to file its R&D tax credit claim in a reliable, error-free way. With research and development efforts scattered across multiple platforms, it was difficult to handle the complexity of accounting processes.
• Solution: Accountancy Cloud leveraged its expertise to streamline and handle all accounting processes. The firm ensured that R&D credit tracking went flawlessly with a combination of manual and automated work.
• Results: Thanks to Accountancy Cloud's help, Scape Technologies could claim £500,000 of R&D tax cash refund and further grow its business.

Check Out Accountancy Cloud Agency Profile

7. Learn & Grow Financial

• Best for: Regulations compliance
• Average hourly rate: Inquire
• Minimum budget: Inquire
• Founded: 2018
• Size: Under 49
• Location: Los Angeles, CA
• Notable clients: Honey, Selling Signals, Donut Media, Boulevard Labs, Brex

Learn & Grow Financial is a small team of highly skilled accountants, fractional CFOs, and tax experts focusing on helping startups and growing businesses tackle their financial processes. This startup accounting company uses cutting-edge financial technology to streamline its clients' operations and provide strategic advice and planning as they grow. Learn & Grow Financial specializes in accounts payable, R&D tax credit, revenue growth, and other key performance indicator tracking, as well as accounting automation.

Learn & Grow Financial Success Story

• Challenge: Honey is a tech startup that started out with an internal bookkeeper, but as the company grew, it needed high-level support to manage the financial aspects of the expansion.
• Solution: Learn & Grow Financial helped Honey manage gross margin and profitability by channel, amortizing expenses and transitioning to accrual-based accounting. The accounting firm for startups ensured that Honey's rewards program was compliant with all financial regulations. Finally, Learn & Grow helped Honey automate payroll and accounts payable processes to handle the large volume of transactions.
• Results: Supported by Learn & Grow Financial, Honey managed to scale from 11 to almost 100 employees with the financial infrastructure able to support this growth. Honey gained better insights into its finances, which empowered it to make better financial decisions.

Check Out Learn & Grow Financial Agency Profile

8. Hiline

• Best for: Financial records
• Average hourly rate: $1
• Minimum budget: Inquire
• Founded: 2016
• Size: 100-249
• Location: Syracuse, NY
• Notable clients: Avidon Health, Ritual, Vetted, Flow Kana, Life Choices Center

Leveraging the power of hi-tech financial solutions, Hiline helps startups and growing businesses manage their accounting. This startup accounting company has provided custom financial solutions to over 300 startups, aiding them with bookkeeping, CFO services, HR and payroll, accounts payable, spending management, and tax. Hiline integrates modern software solutions like QuickBooks Online, Basis FP&A, BILL Accounts Payable, and Spend & Expense software to automate and streamline financial processes.

Hiline Success Story

• Challenge: Avidon Health used an external bookkeeper with limited availability, which created operational gaps. A junior team member ran its accounting and finance, and he struggled to tackle more complex issues. The company also lacked timely financial reporting that would help make better financial decisions.
• Solution: Within the first month, Hiline performed a historical cleanup of Avidon Health's financial records. The accounting team set up and started tracking important metrics to give the business a better insight into its finances. Hiline provided the consistency and availability that Avidon Health was lacking.
• Results: Thanks to Hiline's support, Avidon Health's SVP of Operations could focus on her duties, helping the company scale while making sure the finances were in order.

Check Out Hiline Agency Profile

9. Milestone

• Best for: Fractional CFO
• Average hourly rate: Inquire
• Minimum budget: Inquire
• Founded: 2020
• Size: Under 49
• Location: Carmel, IN
• Notable clients: DemandJump, Lessonly, Arborgold, Blind Zebra, Innovate Map

Milestone is a startup accounting company that helps nonprofits and high-grow businesses with monthly accounting, fractional CFO, financial system design and implementation, payroll, and other services. The firm offers plans tailored to its clients' size and budget, providing anything from weekly bookkeeping to consultancy in financial review and board meetings. Milestone has extensive expertise working with SaaS, startup, and scaleup companies from different industries.

Milestone Success Story

• Challenge: DemandJump is a SaaS startup that had to quickly find an accounting firm after its CFO resigned, leaving the company without a dedicated expert to help with growth plan execution.
• Solution: Milestone provided startup accounting services, including fractional accounting and CFO services through a combination of the latest financial software and its financial leadership expertise. The accounting firm for startups took over daily bookkeeping and strategic guidance around financial decisions.
• Results: The adoption of financial technology allowed DemandJump to improve operational efficiency and information flow. The day-to-day operations enabled the business to successfully prepare for scaling knowing all back-office operations were streamlined.

Check Out Milestone Agency Profile

10. Schultz & Associates, CPA

• Best for: Receipt management
• Average hourly rate: Inquire
• Minimum budget: Inquire
• Founded: 1992
• Size: Under 49
• Location: Canton, MI
• Notable clients: Westland CPA, Livonia, Plymouth, Vincent Ricca, Express Payroll Solutions

Schultz & Associates, CPA, provides startup accounting services tailored to industries like dental, veterinary, optometric, construction, and law. The company offers business accounting, tax services, bookkeeping, payroll processing, filing back taxes, and many other startup accounting services. Schultz & Associates has a portfolio of over 200 satisfied clients and specializes in multi-state income tax and multi-state sales tax issues.

Schultz & Associates, CPA Success Story

• Challenge: Westland CPA is a plumbing business that has experienced a rapid growth in demand for its services. With the increased volume of accounting tasks, the company needed an outside firm to handle its accounting and bookkeeping. Also, Westland CPA needed a professional for tax preparation (Form 1120S) and tax planning.
• Solution: Schultz & Associates provided full-service accounting support that included weekly payroll processing, end-of-year accounting, and tax preparation. The firm helped Westland CPA switch from QuickBooks Desktop to QuickBooks Online and choose which processes to handle internally. On top of it, Schultz & Associates simplified the invoicing process for long-term projects, assisted in switching to automated bill payment, and streamlined receipt management.
• Results: After Schultz & Associates took over accounting, the business had more free time to focus on other activities, adding an extra 2-5 service calls per week and growing its revenue.

Check Out Schultz & Associates, CPA Agency Profile

How We Picked the Best Startup Accounting Services

To narrow down the top startup accounting services, we reviewed their clients' testimonials, case studies, industry reputation, team expertise, certifications and accolades, and executive management. Our team of agency experts developed a scoring system to measure their overall performance based on several important factors:

• Accounting expertise: The scope of financial and accounting services the firm specializes in
• Reviews: Quality of work, client satisfaction, timely delivery, and level of trustworthiness
• Portfolio: The accounting company's track record of successful collaboration
• Awards and press: Financial industry reputation and innovation, awards, and recognitions
• Team bios: The agency’s qualifications and team dynamics
• Top accounting services: Areas of expertise and industry-specific knowledge

Visit the DesignRush Agency Ranking Methodology for more information on how we research agencies.

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