Outsource Accounting Services in Singapore

Get a dedicated, qualified accountant for less than the cost of a single in-house hire. We keep your books clean and your reports current, remotely, so you can stop spending evenings on spreadsheets.

WHAT IT IS

What is outsourced accounting?

Outsourced accounting means hiring an external accountant to run your books instead of employing someone in-house. A good provider handles your bookkeeping, bank reconciliation, financial statements, payroll and monthly management reports, so you get a full finance function without the cost of a full finance department.

It's how most Singapore SMEs keep their accounting accurate without carrying a salaried hire. You hand over the transactional work, keep the oversight, and get back the hours you were losing to spreadsheets.

With us, the accounting covers bookkeeping and reconciliation, SFRS-compliant financial statements, payroll with CPF, accounts payable and receivable, and management reporting.

What's covered Full function
Bookkeeping & reconciliation
SFRS financial statements
Payroll with CPF
Accounts payable & receivable
Management reporting

*Full finance function, no in-house headcount needed

The Decision Rule
Outsource (most SMEs)
Under S$5M revenue

Lower cost, better compliance, more time for growth.

Hybrid model

Outsource transactional work to us; keep light strategic oversight in-house.

Hire in-house (large SMEs)
S$5M+ revenue

Daily on-site control worth the overhead at scale.

*The honest decision is about revenue and complexity

OUTSOURCE VS IN-HOUSE

Should you outsource accounting or hire in-house?

For most Singapore SMEs under S$5 million in revenue, outsourcing is the clearer choice. It costs less, keeps your compliance on track, and frees up your time. Hiring in-house only starts to make real sense above roughly S$5 to 8 million in revenue with complex operations, where daily, on-site finance control is worth the overhead.

The honest decision rule is about revenue and complexity, not preference. Below the threshold, an in-house hire sits idle part of the month while still costing you a full salary. Above it, the volume justifies a dedicated seat.

In between, many businesses run a hybrid: outsource the transactional work to us, keep light strategic oversight in-house.

COST COMPARISON

In-house vs outsourced: the real cost

Metric In-house accountant Outsourced (us)
Monthly base S$3,500 to S$4,500 One fixed fee from far less
Plus CPF, benefits, software, training, desk Nothing, all included
Fully-loaded / year S$62,000 to S$87,000 A fraction of that
Cover if they leave You carry the recruitment gap Always covered seamlessly
Expertise One person's technical knowledge A qualified Financial Controller (Mehdi Javed)
Annual Cost Comparison
In-house accountant S$62,000 – 87,000 /yr

Salary, CPF, benefits, desk, software

Save 20–60% = S$10K–60K /yr
AFSB outsourced S$2,400 – 30,000 /yr

Transaction-based pricing, scales with you

*Based on typical Singapore SME scenarios

PRICING

How much does outsourcing accounting cost in Singapore?

Outsourced accounting typically runs S$200 to S$2,500 a month depending on transaction volume and the services you need, far below the S$62,000 to S$87,000 fully-loaded annual cost of an in-house accountant. Most SMEs save 20 to 60% by outsourcing, which works out to roughly S$10,000 to S$60,000 a year.

Pricing tracks your actual transaction volume, not a fixed tier, so a lean business pays lean fees. You can see the full breakdown on the pricing page.

Get an exact figure with a fixed quote built around your real activity.

Get a fixed quote →
WHEN TO HIRE IN-HOUSE

When should you hire an in-house accountant instead?

Hire in-house once your revenue passes roughly S$5 to 8 million, your transaction volume is high, and you need daily financial control on site. At that scale a full-time accountant earns their salary. Below it, you'd be paying S$60,000-plus a year for someone who is busy only part of the month.

There's no prize for hiring early. Most growing SMEs get better results keeping the work outsourced until the volume actually fills a full-time role.

Revenue Threshold Guide
Under S$1M /yr DIY or managed service
Outsource
S$1M – 3M /yr Full managed service
Outsource
S$3M – 5M /yr Managed + advisory
Outsource
S$5M – 8M /yr Consider in-house
Hybrid
Over S$8M /yr Full-time hire justified
In-house

*Indicative, complexity and transaction volume also matter

4 Things to Check
1
Who does your work? You should know exactly who keeps your books, not a faceless queue.
2
Compliance calendar? A good provider tracks every reporting deadline so nothing slips.
3
Track record? Timely, accurate reporting. Ask for references or examples.
4
Data security? Cloud software with proper access controls, not files over email.

AFSB answer

Named FC. Calendar tracked. 15+ years track record. Cloud-only, access-controlled.

*Favour providers who give you a single named accountant

CHOOSING A PROVIDER

What should you look for in an outsourced accounting provider?

Check four things: who actually does your work, how they manage your compliance calendar, their track record on timely, accurate reporting, and how they protect your data. Avoid providers who assign a rotating team you never speak to, and favour one who gives you a single, named, qualified accountant.

Start with the person. You should know exactly who keeps your books, not a faceless queue.

Then the calendar. A good provider tracks every reporting deadline so nothing slips.

Finally, data security. Look for cloud software with proper access controls, not files traded over email.

How the Switch Works

How does the switch to outsourcing work?

It's a clean handover that usually takes a few weeks. We collect your existing records, set up or take over your Xero or QuickBooks, and pick up your monthly cycle with no gap in your books. You keep full visibility throughout, and you approve everything before it's finalised.

01

We collect your records

We collect your existing records and review where things stand, no scramble on your side.

02

We set up your software

We set up or take over your Xero or QuickBooks Online, you get real-time access throughout.

03

We run your monthly cycle

We run your monthly cycle with no gap in your books. You review and approve everything before it's finalised.

WHY CHOOSE US

Why choose accountantforsmallbusiness.com?

Because you get one named Financial Controller with 15+ years of experience, transaction-based fixed pricing, and a remote model that keeps fees low. You're not paying for a Singapore office, and you're not handed to a rotating team. Mehdi Javed knows your business and keeps your books ready for your tax agent to file.

  • Remote means lower cost, no local office overhead to pass on, so you get senior-level work at a price an in-house hire can't match.
  • Transaction-based pricing that scales with you, no renegotiation, no surprises.

Why Remote Works

20–60% Typical cost saving vs in-house
15+ Years Multi-entity SME experience
S$0 Singapore office overhead passed on

Frequently Asked Questions

Will I lose control of my finances?
No. You keep full visibility through Xero or QuickBooks and approve everything before it's finalised. Outsourcing the work doesn't mean handing over control.
Is my financial data safe?
Yes. Everything runs in cloud accounting software with proper access controls, not files traded over email, so your data stays secure and access stays yours.
How does the handover work?
We collect your records, set up or take over your software, and pick up your monthly cycle with no gap. A clean handover usually takes a few weeks.
Do you file my tax and GST?
No. We keep your books clean and your statements ready. Your GST and corporate tax are filed by your licensed Singapore tax agent, and accurate books are what let them file on time.
Can I scale the service as I grow?
Yes. Because pricing tracks your transaction volume, the service scales up or down with you, with no renegotiation of fixed tiers.

Spending evenings on the books?

Get a fixed quote and hand your accounting to one qualified person who keeps it clean every month, for a fraction of an in-house hire.

Get a quote  →

Accountant for Small Business is a remote accounting firm serving Singapore sole proprietors, Pte Ltd companies, e-commerce sellers and growing SMEs. We handle bookkeeping, CPF payroll, SFRS financial statements and monthly management reports, so your records stay clean, your tax agent can file on time, and you always know what you're paying.

Singapore-focused • Cloud-based delivery via Xero & QuickBooks • Fixed monthly fees • No hidden costs

Mehdi Javed Chat with Mehdi