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Best Online Bookkeeping Services for Small Businesses in 2025

Running a small business in 2025? You’re juggling a million things—customers, inventory, that leaky office sink—and keeping your books straight probably isn’t your favorite part. Enter best online bookkeeping services: they promise to make your financial life easier, but here’s the catch—not all are created equal. As a U.S.-based CPA firm at Mainstay Accounting (yep, that’s us—check out www.mainstayaccounting.com), we’ve seen the difference between slick, low-touch online platforms and real, human-powered best online bookkeeping services. Spoiler: the human touch, especially from a firm like ours, can save you more money in the long run. Let’s dive into what you need to know to find the right fit this year.

Why Online Bookkeeping Matters in 2025

Before we get into picking the best online bookkeeping services, let’s talk about why it’s a big deal for small businesses today.

Tech’s Everywhere

By 2025, cloud tools are king—your books need to keep up. A client of ours was still using paper ledgers last year; switching to online saved them hours and a filing cabinet.

Time’s Tight

You’ve got better things to do than crunch numbers. Good bookkeeping frees you up to grow your business, not just manage it.

Money Talks

Accurate books mean better tax savings and loan-ready financials. Skimp here, and you’re leaving cash on the table—or worse.

What Are the Best Online Bookkeeping Services?

So, what qualifies as the best online bookkeeping services? It’s not just about a fancy app—it’s about results. Here’s the breakdown.

Automation vs. Human Expertise

Online platforms offer slick software—think auto-categorized expenses. But the best online bookkeeping services pair that with real people who get your business. A client tried a hands-off platform and ended up with a tax mess we had to fix—software didn’t catch what a CPA would.

Real-Time Access

Cloud-based tools let you peek at your numbers anytime. At Mainstay Accounting, our best online bookkeeping services give you that, plus human insight to make sense of it.

Cost That Counts

It’s not just about low fees—it’s value. Cheap platforms might save you now but cost you later. We’ll get into why.

 

Platform vs. Firm:  The Big Debate

When hunting for the best online bookkeeping services, you’ll face a choice: a low-interaction platform or a U.S.-based CPA firm like ours. Here’s how they stack up.

Online Platforms: Fast but Flimsy

These are the “set it and forget it” options—low cost, minimal human contact. A client went this route and loved the price—until they needed a loan and their books were a jumble. No one was there to help.

CPA Firms: Human Power Pays Off

The best online bookkeeping services from a firm like Mainstay Accounting blend tech with expertise. We’re U.S.-based CPAs who save you money long-term—think tax deductions a bot misses or financials that wow a bank.

How to Find the Best Online Bookkeeping Services in 2025

Not sure where to start? Here’s what to look for to land the best online bookkeeping services—with a nudge toward firms over faceless platforms.

Step 1: Prioritize Expertise

Software’s great, but it’s no CPA. Look for a firm with accounting pros, not just tech wizards. Our team at Mainstay Accounting has saved clients thousands by catching what algorithms can’t.

Step 2: Demand U.S.-Based Humans

Offshore or no-contact services might be cheap, but they don’t get your business—or U.S. tax law. A client ditched an overseas platform for us after a costly compliance slip-up. Local CPAs know the game.

Step 3: Check the Tech

The best online bookkeeping services use tools like QuickBooks Online for real-time access. We pair that with human oversight so you’re never guessing what your numbers mean.

Why Cheap Platforms Cost More Long-Term

Here’s the kicker: those low-touch online platforms might not be the deal they seem. The best online bookkeeping services save you more by avoiding these traps.

Tax Troubles

A platform might track expenses, but it won’t strategize deductions. We had a client whose DIY app missed $4,000 in write-offs—our CPAs caught it, proving human expertise pays.

Loan Letdowns

Banks want polished financials. A client’s platform-generated reports were a mess—loan denied. With Mainstay’s best online bookkeeping services, they’d have been funded fast.

Cleanup Chaos

Errors pile up without oversight. We’ve fixed books from cheap services that cost clients double what they “saved” in fees. Quality upfront is the real bargain.

The Payoff of Picking Right

Get the best online bookkeeping services with a firm like ours, and here’s what you gain.

More Time, Less Stress

A client told us, “I used to dread bookkeeping. Now I hand it to Mainstay and focus on my business.” That’s the freedom a CPA firm brings.

Tax Savings Galore

Our U.S.-based CPAs maximize deductions platforms miss. One business saved enough their first year with us to cover our fees twice over.

Growth Ready

Clean books open doors—loans, investors, you name it. A client landed a big expansion loan thanks to our work—try that with a bot.

How to Choose in 2025

Ready to find the best online bookkeeping services? Here’s your no-stress guide.

Know Your Needs

Need basic tracking or full-on tax prep? We tailor our services at Mainstay Accounting to fit—platforms can’t flex like that.

Vet the Team

Ask: Are they CPAs? U.S.-based? Human? We check all those boxes, and our clients see the difference.

Test the Waters

Start small and see the value. A client began with us on basics in 2024—by 2025, they were all-in, loving the savings.

Hit Us Up

Not sure? Visit www.mainstayaccounting.com or drop us a line. We’re here to show you what the best online bookkeeping services can do.

Wrapping It Up

In 2025, the best online bookkeeping services aren’t about the flashiest app—they’re about real value that saves you money and stress. Sure, low-interaction platforms are tempting, but they can’t match the long-term wins a U.S.-based CPA firm like Mainstay Accounting delivers. From tax savings to loan-ready books, we’ve got the human touch that beats a bot every time. Ready to see the difference? Head to www.mainstayaccounting.com—let’s make 2025 your best financial year yet.

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330.870.3601

Send Us A Message

letstalk@mainstayaccounting.com

Office Location

77 Milford Drive, Suite 204
Hudson, OH. 44236

Indiana Location

110 E Wayne St Floor 12
Fort Wayne, IN 46802

Focus On Growing Your Business, Trust Us With The Accounting

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Beth Calderon

Advanced Planning & Succession Team Coordinator

Beth joined our advanced planning team as a seasoned administrative professional with over 16 years of experience supporting C-suite executives in the financial services industry. A master of organization and efficiency, Beth is committed to fostering seamless collaboration and serving as a resourceful and entrepreneurial-minded administrative leader who thrives on wearing many hats. Additionally, Beth enjoys and is very much dedicated to serving as a client concierge, providing best-in-class service to all advanced planning clients.

Ben Lepinski CPA

Ben Lepinski is a Certified Public Accountant in the state of Minnesota. He graduated Summa Cum Laude from Saint John’s University in Collegeville, Minnesota with a BA in Accounting & Finance with a Public Accounting Concentration. After spending 2.5 years in the Big 4, Ben decided to pursue his passion of working with small business owners to help them navigate complex tax situations for clients who may be overlooked by larger firms. Growing up in rural Minnesota, Ben takes extreme pride in helping his community and those around him. For Ben, accounting is a way to benefit those around him and provide trusted advisory services as well as obtaining financial stability and helping clients understand the importance of accurate financial reporting. Outside of work, Ben enjoys spending time with his fiancée, Rachel, and his Sheepadoodle, Kai. His other interests include cars, trivia, and woodworking. Ben is also very active in local cornhole and cribbage leagues. He currently resides in Dayton, Minnesota, about 30 minutes North of the Minneapolis/St. Paul metropolitan area.

Lisa Good

Tax Preparer

I started my professional tax career in 1999, at a large retail tax chain. I took advantage of every tax class that I was offered, worked my way up to Senior Tax Advisor and Assistant Manager at my office. I was doing close to 400 personal returns each year and had the highest rate of returning clients. Eventually I became an instructor there. I also took college courses and earned my associate degree in accounting. In 2017 I left there and started my own tax business, in addition to working full time outside my home. I doubled my clients each year, solely from word of mouth. I understand every aspect of the tax return, the beginning, the middle, and the end, which includes the filing of the tax return, federal, state and city. In December of 2022, I was fortunate to be hired here to do taxes full time, which had always been my dream, and now it’s my reality. I continue to learn every day; my colleagues are tremendously knowledgeable. I am in the Canfield, Ohio office, where I handle the local clients and businesses, as well as our clients all over the county. I address all IRS/State notices, meet with clients and electronically file/paper mail all returns that are complete. I do plan to take the Enrolled Agent Exam this fall, after tax season slows down. I love helping people, it is very rewarding for me. I love learning, and I love my work, I am grateful to be here and to know that I am an asset to this company.

Chad Reineke

Advanced Planning & Succession Team Lead

Chad is an experienced investment and advanced planning professional specializing in capital gains, estate tax, investment strategies, business succession, and post business sale planning. After retiring from professional baseball in 2014, Chad completed his MBA and joined a regional financial planning firm to begin his career in financial services. Within a few years in the business, he realized that his passion was working with entrepreneurs and helping them solve their biggest challenges. With that in mind, he began developing a team of strategic partners around him that specialize in all the areas of planning that business owners require. Chad's role is to help our clients identify current and future planning "blind spots" and to coordinate the appropriate resources to appropriately address those needs.

Jamila Mansour, CPA

Sr Tax Preparer

Jamila Mansour is a Certified Public accountant licensed In Ohio. With over 7 years of professional experience, she has developed a deep understanding of tax regulations and practices. In previous positions, her expertise allowed her to to work with high net worth individuals, trusts, corporations, and partnerships, providing them with comprehensive tax planning and compliance services. She enjoys building strong client relationships and providing personal guidance to help achieve goals.Jamila is a Cum Laude graduate from Cleveland State University where she was involved with many organizations including Beta Alpha Psi. Outside of her career, she enjoys spending time with her husband Mohammad and two sons Zach and Noah.

Emery Rich

Sr Tax Preparer

I grew up in South Texas, I started my journey at H&R Block, I fell in love with tax compliance with individuals and small businesses specializing in working in tax research. I graduated Summa Cum Laude from A&M Corpus Christi in 2022. Moved to Minnesota that summer and I worked at a local mid-size regional firm in Minneapolis where I furthered my knowledge working with a large team of CPAs and gaining more experience in organizing small businesses (S-Corp & Partnership financials), quarterly estimates, and K2/K3 preparation. I'm currently working on obtaining my CPA license here in Minnesota. I look forward to building on the experience I've obtained, my desire to learn and improve is one of my strongest characteristics.

Mark Walker CPA

Director of Tax

Mark is a Certified Public Accountant with over 40 years of tax and investment experience, primarily with HNW clients. While still a student at Pace University, he was recruited into a HNW tax pilot program at Coopers and Lybrand (now Price Waterhouse Coopers LLP). Subsequently, he worked in various HNW tax programs including Rockefeller and Company, the current Rockefeller Capital Management, before he was recruited to financial services. Mark was a Managing Director at Citigroup Global Markets Inc for 19 years, moving to Morgan Stanley where he worked in discretionary and non-discretionary advisory programs before making an intra-firm move to Graystone, the institutional arm of the firm. He currently holds Series 27 and Series 66 licenses. Mark has a BBA in Public Accounting from Pace University and an MBA in Finance from Fordham University. He is married 35 years to his wife Eileen, has four adult children, and currently lives in Pearl River, NY.

Jackie Kwasinski

Accounting Manager

Jackie has over 22 years of experience in the accounting industry. She spent most of her career at a mid-size accounting firm in the Chicagoland area, where she started right out of college and served as their Controller for almost 15 years. As a Certified QuickBooks ProAdvisor, Jackie leverages her expertise to help small businesses streamline their financial processes. Making the switch from being on the corporate side of accounting to helping small businesses has not only been rewarding for her, but seeing the impact it makes on small businesses has driven her to go above and beyond. Jackie’s personable attitude and attention to detail enable her to tailor each project to the specific needs of her clients. She is strongly committed to providing efficient results and creating solid relationships with her clients. Jackie graduated magna cum laude from Elmhurst University and was a member of the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society.

Brenda Weingardt

Office Manager

Brenda Weingart, Certified Advanced QuickBooks ProAdvisor Office Manager, Canfield Office Over 20+ years of bookkeeping, office, and QuickBooks experience (both Desktop and now Online versions).

Responsible for local and non-local customer relations (via in person/phone/email), general office tasks, co-managing TaxDome portal, client accounts, compiling final tax return invoices and tax return access to clients.

Outside of work, I love to participate in Revolutionary War Re-enacting and camping. I have 2 grown children, 4 cats, 1 dog, and my daughter (still at home) has 3 indoor rabbits.He’s been fortunate to mentor under a couple of well known and highly regarded tax and financial advisors, becoming practiced at coordinating the financial, legal, and accounting teams needed to solve the multitude of tax exposures faced by the SME community.

Ian Grove

Founder

Ian came into professional services in 1999 via the banking industry and moved into regional mortgage operations management. He remained active in the banking sector as an operations manager through 2011. After a 3 year sabbatical, he decided to pursue a career within the financial service space with a focus on HNW families and their business interests.

He’s been fortunate to mentor under a couple of well known and highly regarded tax and financial advisors, becoming practiced at coordinating the financial, legal, and accounting teams needed to solve the multitude of tax exposures faced by the SME community.