Bench is a managed bookkeeping service that pairs cloud-based accounting software with a dedicated human bookkeeper assigned to each client. Each month, Bench connects to a business's bank accounts, credit cards, and payment processors—including Stripe, Square, Gusto, and Shopify—to import and automatically categorize transactions. The in-house team then reviews, adjusts, and closes the books, delivering finalized monthly financial statements: profit and loss, balance sheet, and an expense summary. Tax preparation and filing are available as separate add-on services. Bench is now part of Mainstreet, which also offers banking and entity formation.
The service targets US-based sole proprietors, freelancers, and small businesses that want accurate monthly books without hiring a bookkeeper or learning accounting software themselves. It's particularly well-suited for service businesses, agencies, e-commerce operators, and independent professionals with moderate transaction volume—businesses large enough to need regular financial reporting but small enough that a fractional bookkeeping team is more economical than a full-time staff hire. Bench is less suited for businesses that need real-time reporting, multi-entity consolidation, or accrual-basis accounting with complex revenue recognition.
Pricing is tiered by monthly expense volume, with an annual billing option that lowers the effective monthly rate. Tax services are priced separately. Onboarding involves importing historical transaction data, which can take several weeks for businesses with longer operating histories or messier prior books. Day-to-day, the service requires minimal owner involvement—Bench reaches out when it needs clarification on a transaction. A business owner or finance lead primarily interacts with Bench through its dashboard and via the dedicated bookkeeper for monthly review calls and year-end preparation.
