A bookkeeper records the money. A controller checks the records and closes the books each month. A CPA handles tax and compliance. A CFO plans what to do next. Most small firms need a bookkeeper and a CPA first, and add a controller or a fractional CFO when decisions get bigger. Prices below are in US dollars, as of October 2026.
Who does what
Bookkeeper
Records every sale, bill and payment. Reconciles the bank and card accounts. Sends invoices and chases late ones, if you ask. Produces basic reports. Looks back at what happened.
Controller
Owns the accuracy of the books. Closes the month on a fixed date, checks the bookkeeper's work, sets up processes and controls, and prepares reports you can trust. The BLS describes controllers as the people who oversee financial reporting and the accounting and budget work.
CPA
A certified public accountant is licensed by a state board, after an exam and 150 semester hours of college study, according to the BLS page on accountants. For a small firm, the CPA mainly prepares tax returns, plans taxes and keeps you compliant. Some also do audits or advisory work.
CFO
Looks forward. Builds the cash forecast and the budget, advises on pricing and hiring, prepares you for a raise, a loan or a sale, and tells you what the numbers mean for your next decision. A fractional CFO does this part time.
Cost, from lowest to highest
Each role costs more than the one before. Here is what each one costs, from sources you can check.
- Bookkeeping: Pilot's Essentials plan starts at $99 a month for businesses with up to $100,000 in monthly expenses. An in-house bookkeeper earns a median $24.36 an hour in the US, per the BLS.
- Fractional controller: about $118 an hour on average, or $4,300 to $7,800 a month at typical hours, per Go Fractional's live data.
- CPA: Pilot's tax consulting starts at $250 an hour for single-member LLCs and $400 for partnerships and corporations. An employed accountant earns a median $40.23 an hour, per the BLS. Ask each CPA whether they quote by the hour or by the job.
- Fractional CFO: packaged plans start at $1,600 to $1,750 a month. A senior part-time CFO at about 14 hours a week runs $7,000 to $11,200 a month.
Sources: Pilot pricing, BLS bookkeeping clerks, Go Fractional rates by role, Burkland CFO pricing, Go Fractional CFO rates.
The BLS figures are what employees earn. A firm that bills you for the same work charges more, because it covers its own costs and profit.
The stack most small companies need
Think of it as layers. Add the next one only when the one below works.
Stage 1: steady service business, one owner
- A bookkeeper or a bookkeeping service, closing the books monthly.
- A CPA for the annual return and quarterly estimates.
- You read the reports yourself once a month.
Stage 2: growing team, more moving parts
- The same bookkeeper and CPA.
- A part-time controller, or a bookkeeping firm with a review step, to close on time and catch mistakes.
- A simple budget that you check each month.
Stage 3: big decisions ahead
- All of the above.
- A fractional CFO for forecasting, pricing, a loan, a raise or a sale.
A common mistake is to skip stage 2 and hire a CFO to fix books that a controller should fix. That costs more and wastes the CFO's time.
How to tell which one you need
- Your books are behind or you do not trust them: hire or fix the bookkeeper.
- The books are current but full of small errors, or the month never closes on time: add a controller.
- You worry about tax bills or deadlines: talk to a CPA.
- You need to decide something big and cannot see the cash impact: add a fractional CFO.
Questions to ask each one
Bookkeeper: Which accounting software do you use? By what date each month will my books be closed? Who reviews your work?
Controller: How do you check the bookkeeper's work? What reports will I get, and when? What controls would you add first?
CPA: Are you licensed in my state? Do you file for businesses like mine? Do you plan taxes during the year, or only file?
Fractional CFO: How many hours a month does the fee include? What will you deliver in the first 30 days? What do you need from my bookkeeper?
Red flags
- A bookkeeper who has never closed a month by a fixed date.
- A CFO who quotes cleanup work at CFO rates without saying so.
- Anyone who wants full access to your bank accounts on day one without a clear reason.
- One person offering to do all four jobs at once for a single small fee.
This is general information. Tax and licensing rules differ by country and state, so check with a local accountant.
Related reading
Start with bookkeeping basics for small business. If you are choosing software, compare QuickBooks vs Xero. For cash problems, read how to improve cash flow, and for what you take home, see how to pay yourself.