Median vs Kruze Consulting
Two good options for very different buyers. Kruze is the premium CPA firm for heavily venture-backed C-corps. Median is the AI-native firm for startups that want books updated daily and a price they can read off the page before they book a call.
| Median | Kruze Consulting | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | AI-native firm that keeps its own ledger | Established CPA firm for VC-backed startups |
| How often books are touched | Updated every business day | Monthly |
| Pricing model | Flat fee, banded by annual revenue | Packages priced in ranges by complexity |
| Starting price | $200 / mo under $250K revenue | Bookkeeping from $650 / mo, plus an onboarding fee |
| Accounting basis | Cash or accrual | Accrual, GAAP-oriented |
| Dedicated accountant | Yes, on every account | Yes |
| AI assistant access | Read-only MCP server for Claude | MCP access not stated |
| Built for | Software and services startups, pre-seed to Series B | Funded Delaware C-corps with $500K+ raised, pre-seed to Series C |
Public pricing and terms as of September 2026. Models differ, so figures are not directly comparable. Confirm current details with each provider.
Where Kruze wins
Kruze is a genuine, established CPA firm with deep roots in the venture market, and for a heavily funded C-corp that is real value. If you want a firm whose clients have collectively raised over $15 billion, by Kruze's own figure, that produces board-ready GAAP financials and can sit next to your investors, Kruze has earned that reputation.
It also does things Median does not. A few are worth naming plainly so you can weigh them.
- 409A valuations, with Kruze managing the engagement and an independent appraiser doing the valuation, which Median does not offer.
- Fundraising and board help from a team that includes former venture capitalists.
- Help moving from QuickBooks Online to NetSuite once you outgrow it.
- A long, established track record specifically with venture-backed C-corps.
Where Median wins
Median is built for founders who want their books current, not closed three weeks after the month ends, and who would rather know the exact price before the call than a range that depends on their complexity.
- Books categorized and posted every business day instead of once a month, so cash and burn stay close to current.
- A published flat fee set by your annual revenue, $200 a month under $250K and $500 from $250K to $1M, with seats and reports included, instead of a package range sized to your complexity plus an onboarding fee.
- A read-only MCP server, so an assistant like Claude can answer questions straight from your live books.
- A fit for bootstrapped and profitable companies too, not only funded C-corps.
How each one is built
Kruze is a people-first firm that works inside QuickBooks Online and has helped clients that outgrow it move to NetSuite. Its strength is human expertise applied to your books on a monthly cadence, which is why its pricing reflects the staff time your complexity requires.
Median is AI-native. Software does the high-volume categorization and posting every business day, a dedicated accountant reviews the exceptions and owns the result, and the ledger Median keeps is the system of record rather than a file touched once a month. That keeps books current and gives founders answers on business days. Complex work is scoped separately.
Pricing compared
Kruze publishes three bookkeeping packages: Basic at $650 to $850 a month, Founder Timesaver at $850 to $1,500 a month, and Premium priced on contact. Every package is accrual basis with a dedicated accounting manager, and Kruze charges a one-time onboarding fee on top. Tax, R&D credit and CFO work are quoted separately. Verified on kruzeconsulting.com/pricing 2026-09-30.
Median publishes a flat monthly fee set by annual revenue: $200 a month under $250K regardless of financial account count, and $500 a month from $250K to $1M, with reports, scenarios, daily bookkeeping and every seat included, and no setup fee. Above $1M the price is scoped on a call. Tax filing is an add-on from $1,499 per year and R&D credit work is $5,000 flat under a $50,000 estimated credit and 10 percent of the credit at $50,000 and above. The band is set by revenue rather than by complexity, so at the early and growth stages the number is on the page and it is typically a fraction of a premium firm. Competitor figures are current as of September 2026 and the two are not apples to apples, since they price on different axes.
Frequently asked questions
The questions to ask any bookkeeping service
A printable list covering what they actually do, who does the work, who pays when an error reaches your tax return, and what leaving looks like. Ask us the same ones, and ask them too.
See the answers on your own books first.
Share accountant access to QuickBooks or Xero 48 hours ahead and we will spend twenty minutes going through what is actually wrong, ranked, with what each one costs you. You keep the findings whether or not you work with us.
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