AI bookkeeping tools are not one kind of product. Some sell software your team operates. Some pair software with a bookkeeper or accountant. Others sell a managed bookkeeping service with a finance team. A low software subscription and a full-service monthly fee do not buy the same work.
Disclosure: Median publishes this comparison and is one of the providers covered. We reviewed the linked vendor pricing pages on September 25, 2026. Prices and packages can change; confirm the current quote and scope with each provider before choosing.
Which AI bookkeeping options should you compare?
- Median: Managed bookkeeping with a dedicated accountant, transactions posted every business day, and two flat monthly plans for eligible companies. Pricing is based on annual revenue and financial-account count.
- Puzzle: Bookkeeping software you can operate yourself, plus options for expert-reviewed and full-service bookkeeping delivered by a vetted partner.
- Digits: Accounting software with automated bookkeeping, reconciliation, reporting and a developer API/MCP. Its pricing page lists the Pro tier as coming soon; an accounting partner program is also shown.
- Fondo: Startup bookkeeping plans with monthly, quarterly or annual close options, plus tax and other services.
- Zeni: AI bookkeeping plans paired with a dedicated finance team, with separate CFO and tax offerings.
- CoCountant: Controller-led bookkeeping and finance subscriptions with service levels, monthly close and published response commitments.
Start by asking who does the work, who reviews it, how often the books are updated, and what the price includes. The amount of AI matters after those responsibilities are clear.
What do the published prices include?
The following prices are the amounts displayed on each provider's own pricing page when checked. These are starting or listed prices, not quotes for identical scopes.
| Provider | Model | Published price shown | What to check |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median | Managed bookkeeping with a dedicated accountant | Essential $200/month; Growth $500/month; Scale custom | Essential: under $250K annual revenue and up to 7 financial accounts. Growth: $250K to $1M, or below $250K with 8 or more accounts. Scale: over $1M, scoped from active accounts and posted ledger lines. |
| Puzzle | Software, with optional bookkeeping service | Software: $30, $72, $120 or $360/month. Expert Reviewed service: from $171/month with Core, for eligible companies | Service price varies with monthly expenses and software plan. Expert Reviewed has eligibility limits; Full Service is a separate option. Annual software billing saves 20%, per the page. |
| Digits | Accounting software | Essentials $65/month; Core $100/month; Pro $250/month, marked “coming soon” | Confirm availability and whether you want to operate the software yourself or use an accounting partner. |
| Fondo | Managed startup bookkeeping | Monthly from $399/month; quarterly from $1,198/quarter; annual from $950/year | The listed close frequency differs by plan. “As low as” pricing may depend on fit. TaxPass is separate. |
| Zeni | Bookkeeping with a dedicated finance team | Starter from $549/month or $494/month billed annually; Growth from $799/month or $719/month billed annually | Pricing depends on complexity, monthly expenses and annual revenue. CFO and tax plans are separate. |
| CoCountant | Controller-led subscription service | Launch $160/month; Scale $460/month; Command $1,270/month | Compare the stated close timing, included operations support, controller involvement and service-level terms by tier. |
Median's flat prices are not per-transaction fees. Essential is $200 per month for a company below $250,000 in annual revenue with up to seven financial accounts. Growth is $500 per month from $250,000 to $1 million, and it also applies below $250,000 when a company has eight or more financial accounts. Above $1 million, Median scopes a Scale plan from $55 per active financial account per month plus $0.60 per posted general-ledger line. The per-account and per-line rates apply only to Scale. See Median's pricing page for definitions and inclusions.
Which options are software, services or both?
Software you operate
Digits lists software plans with automated bookkeeping and reconciliation, financial statements, bank and payroll connections, bill pay, invoicing and an API/MCP. Its comparison grid shows some reporting and dashboard features gated by plan or partner access. The $250 Pro tier is marked as coming soon on the pricing page, so ask when it is available before including it in a buying decision. Digits also lists an accounting partner program, but the pricing page does not provide a comparable bookkeeping-service price.
Puzzle's software-only plans give a team a general ledger and AI features for categorization, reconciliations and review. The buyer still needs to decide who handles the close and owns corrections. Puzzle also sells service add-ons, so it should not be described as software-only across the board.
Software plus a bookkeeping service
Puzzle currently offers Expert Reviewed bookkeeping and Full Service through a vetted partner. Expert Reviewed is listed from $171 per month for the Core plan plus service, for companies with up to $10,000 in monthly expenses and other eligibility requirements. Its pricing page says the service includes a monthly close, transaction review and corrections when needed, and bank and card reconciliations checked. The page presents Full Service separately, with a named bookkeeper and a broader monthly close. Ask which service level the quote covers and what the full price will be at your expense volume.
Managed bookkeeping and finance services
Median, Fondo, Zeni and CoCountant all describe offerings that include people in the process, but the work and cadence differ. Median says transactions are categorized and posted every business day, with a dedicated accountant; bank and card reconciliation is normally monthly. Fondo lists monthly, quarterly and annual close schedules, each with a dedicated accountant. Zeni pairs its bookkeeping platform with a dedicated finance team. CoCountant publishes tier-specific controller involvement, close timing and response commitments.
These labels do not tell you everything. Ask whether “daily” means transactions are posted daily or a completed close is delivered daily. Those are different claims. Also confirm who resolves exceptions, whether reconciliations are included, and what the service considers a completed month-end close.
Who is each option a fit for?
- Choose software-first if someone on your team can own categorization, reconciliations, review and follow-up. Digits and Puzzle's software-only plans are relevant starting points. Compare the workflow, the features you will use, and the subscription price.
- Consider Puzzle's service option if you want its software plus partner-delivered bookkeeping and meet the published eligibility limits. Ask for the all-in figure at your monthly expense level and whether Expert Reviewed or Full Service is being quoted.
- Consider Fondo if you want a dedicated accountant and the close frequency on the plan matches your reporting needs. Its annual plan is explicitly described as closing books once per year, which is a poor match if you need regular current reports.
- Consider Zeni if you want bookkeeping with a dedicated finance team and may also need its separately priced CFO or tax services. Compare the annual-billing amount with the monthly price and identify any services outside the bookkeeping plan.
- Consider CoCountant if controller oversight, a specified response SLA or its included finance operations are priorities. Check the tier: close timing and features differ across Launch, Scale and Command.
- Consider Median if you want a managed bookkeeping service with a dedicated accountant, daily posting, and a flat monthly price within the Essential or Growth revenue/account bands. Median may be a weaker fit if you prefer to run the ledger yourself, need a different service scope, or have more than $1 million in annual revenue and want a fixed published price before scoping.
Median is the publisher, so use the same criteria for every provider, including us. The strongest reason to choose a service is that it takes defined work and follow-up off your team's plate. The strongest reason to choose software is that your team wants direct control and has the time and accounting judgment to operate it.
What should you ask before buying?
- What is the update and close cadence? Get separate answers for transaction posting, reconciliations and the completed month-end close.
- Who owns exceptions and corrections? Ask whether a named accountant reviews the books, what they correct, and how you raise a question.
- What is included in the quoted price? Check account limits, expense or transaction thresholds, software fees, add-ons, reports, tax work and any setup charge.
- Will the plan change as the company grows? Ask for the triggers, notice period and the price at your current and expected volume.
- Can you see a sample deliverable? Review a redacted report package and confirm that it contains the statements and detail your board, lender or tax preparer needs.
For a broader provider shortlist, see our comparison of bookkeeping services for startups. For the cost components behind provider quotes, read what startup bookkeeping costs in 2026.
Where should you start?
Write down your current financial accounts, approximate monthly activity, reporting deadlines and who on your team can own accounting follow-up. Then request quotes from providers whose service model fits. If you are evaluating Median, its published pricing and plan definitions show whether the flat Essential or Growth plan fits before you book a conversation.