QuickBooks Cleanup Cost: What You Should Pay and What You Should Get
If your QuickBooks file has unreconciled accounts, duplicates and a pile of "Uncategorized Expense," you don't need more data entry. You need a cleanup. Here's what it usually costs, what it should include and how to compare quotes.
Typical price ranges
Bookkeeping firms' published ranges (for example certumsolutions.com and wurthy.co, accessed Oct 29, 2026) run from about $500–$1,500 for a file one to three months off, to several thousand dollars for multi-year cleanups. These are approximate and change. The spread comes from how far back problems go, how many accounts need reconciling, and transaction volume. Many firms only quote after a review.
What a cleanup should include
- Bank and credit card accounts reconciled to statements for the agreed period
- Duplicate and miscategorized transactions corrected
- A simplified chart of accounts (see our chart of accounts guide)
- Uncategorized and suspense items cleared
- Corrected profit and loss and balance sheet at the end
- A short summary of what was fixed
What a cleanup at most firms doesn't include
- Months that were never entered at all. Most firms price that separately as catch-up bookkeeping (see catch-up bookkeeping cost).
- Ongoing monthly bookkeeping afterward
- Tax filing and anything a licensed tax professional handles
Red flags in a quote
- No start and end dates
- Open hourly billing with no estimate or cap
- A promise to "make it balance fast" (often a hidden adjusting entry)
- Nothing delivered at the end to show what changed
Our flat price: Books Clean-Up
Linked-do-Books publishes the math:
- $150 per month behind
- $600 minimum, $1,800 cap
- Examples: 3 months = $600, 6 months = $900, 12 months or more = $1,800
Our Books Clean-Up covers both: within the scope you pick, months that were never entered and records that need fixing are priced the same way.
The work is technology-assisted with human review, 100% remote, for small businesses nationwide. After cleanup, you can keep the books current with Lite at $199/month, and you can cancel anytime under the terms of your engagement. See Books Clean-Up scope or call (406) 500-5242.
How to prepare
- Give view access the safe way (see how to give your bookkeeper access safely).
- Gather bank and card statements for the period.
- List any accounts or loans not connected to QuickBooks.
- Note anything you already know is wrong.
Frequently asked questions
How long does a QuickBooks cleanup take?
It depends on how many months need work and how many transactions there are.
Is cleanup the same as catch-up bookkeeping?
No. Cleanup fixes records that exist but are wrong. Catch-up enters months that were never recorded. Our Books Clean-Up can cover both within the scope you pick.
Do I need to stay on monthly bookkeeping after?
No, it's optional. It does keep the file from slipping again.
Linked-do-Books, 226 S Cruse Ave, Helena, MT 59601 · (406) 500-5242