Accounting firm
Where are you in your accounting journey?
Pre-launch and operating owners need different things. Pick the track that matches you. You can switch any time.
I want to start an accounting firm
Costs, licensing, the entity, the gear, the order to do it in. Honest guides for the part you have to do yourself. The one thing we'll do for you on day one is your website.
- What it really costs
- License, registration, and insurance
- Gear, branding, and the basics
- A starter website that books calls
I want to grow my accounting firm
More clients, better pricing, your first hire, Google and Facebook ads, and the systems that take you from solo to a real team.
- Local SEO and Google Business Profile
- Google Ads, Facebook, retargeting
- Pricing that protects margin
- Hiring, training, and scaling teams
What we do for owners, either track
Start here
The guides to read first: what it costs, what it pays and how to get going.
- Startup cost How much do you need to start an accounting firm
- Profit How much profit can an accounting firm make
- How to start How to start an accounting firm step by step
- Get customers How to get clients for an accounting firm
- Google Ads How to run Google Ads for an accounting firm
- Website How to make a website for an accounting firm that books calls
Is an accounting firm right for you?
An accounting firm is one of the most durable professional service businesses you can build. Every business needs books kept, taxes filed, and someone to call when the numbers stop making sense. The work is recurring, the relationships are sticky, and clients rarely switch once they trust you.
It suits a CPA or experienced bookkeeper who wants to trade billable hours for a practice that runs staff and software. The hard part is rarely the accounting. It's pricing the engagement, getting found by the right clients, and hiring as you grow. The start-here guides cover each step.
- Startup cost $3k–$15k Entity, hardware, tax software, E&O insurance, website
- Earning potential $80k–$1M+ Solo CPA vs. multi-staff firm
- Licensing Often required CPA license for attest work, plus E&O insurance
- Demand Year-round Recurring books, tax season spikes
The money figures come from our startup cost guide and profit guide, where each range is broken down line by line.
What you can realistically earn from an accounting firm
Your own billable hours plus a few monthly retainers.
Staff doing the work while you sell and review.
Recurring advisory, a niche brand, and a manager running ops.
Ballpark monthly ranges for a typical US operation, worked through in the profit guide. Your market and pricing move these.
Accounting firm: common questions
What owners ask before they commit.
How much does it cost to start an accounting firm?
A home-based solo practice opens for roughly $3k–$15k: entity filing, hardware, tax software, E&O insurance, and a website. The bigger number is runway, so plan about six months of living expenses on top. An office and staff turn it into a $50k-plus launch.
Read the full guide →How much can an accounting firm make?
A solo, home-based firm typically nets $80k–$200k a year at a 55%–80% margin, because overhead is thin. A small firm with one to three staff nets $90k–$300k, and a 5 to 15 person firm $250k–$1M+. Margins are strongest on advisory and monthly retainers, not one-off returns.
Read the full guide →Do I need a license to start an accounting firm?
For bookkeeping and tax prep, often no. For audits, reviews, and signing attest work you need a CPA license and usually a firm permit. The setup guide walks through registration step by step.
Read the full guide →How do I get my first accounting clients?
Referrals and local visibility win: a Google Business Profile, a niche you can name, and a site that ranks for "accountant + your city" beat cold outreach for most new firms.
Read the full guide →How should I price accounting work?
Fixed monthly fees per service (not hourly) are increasingly the norm and protect your margin on efficient work. The pricing guide covers packages, scope, and billing.
Read the full guide →How do I grow an accounting firm beyond myself?
Growth comes from productizing services, hiring and training staff, and moving clients from compliance work to higher-margin advisory. The growth guide breaks down the sequence.
Read the full guide →