Merritt Bookkeeping Review: Features, Pricing, & Alternatives

Do you find it challenging to harmonize and keep up to date with your accounting books for your small business?

Then, you need a reliable bookkeeping solution to manage your taxes, finances, and accounting needs.

One pocket-friendly solution that provides timely and accurate financial reports is Merritt Bookkeeping.

It is a SaaS software that claims to offer financial reporting and bookkeeping services for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

Now, the question becomes, how good is it, how does it compare with popular accounting platforms, and Is it right for your business?

In this Merritt Bookkeeping review, we will share our honest opinion of the software after using it for a few weeks.

We evaluated it on its pricing, features, pros and cons, and use cases. We will also share other experts’ and users’ feedback on the platform.

The goal is to help you understand if Merritt Bookkeeping suits your business needs.

SMB Guide’s Verdict for Merritt Bookkeeping

After objectively reviewing and assessing Merritt Bookkeeping software, we rate it 8 out of 10, and here is why.

The platform suits SMEs with simple bookkeeping needs and low-volume transactions.

In this review of Merritt Bookkeeping, I’ve followed SMB Guide’s detailed criteria for evaluating the bookkeeping software.

Factor	Rating (out of 10)
Pricing	8
General Ledger and Chart of Accounts	7
Bank Integration and Reconciliation	8
Financial Reporting	8.5
AP and AR Management	6
Payroll and Tax Management	6
User Interface and User Experience	9
Integrations, Compatibility, & Supported Platforms	8
Customer Support	8
SMB Guide Rating	8

It offers an affordable plan with decent support and QuickBooks integration. The reports the software generates are timely and accurate.

In addition, you get paired with a professional, dedicated bookkeeper who guides you on best practices of business accounting and bookkeeping processes.

The platform integrates with popular third-party platforms like payroll services and is compatible with Windows, macOS, and Linux.

However, you should note that there is no native mobile app, free demo, or trial for the service. 

Overall, Merritt Bookkeeping is a decent platform for any small business that needs reliable and pocket-friendly bookkeeping software.

Pricing

Merritt Bookkeeping offers only one pricing plan, and it’s simple. It costs $190/month and packs these valuable features:

• In-depth monthly financial reports
• Monthly account reconciliation statements
• A personal bookkeeper is assigned to each client
• 1099 filing
• Online QuickBooks set-up and subscription
• Bank and credit card integration

Who is it for: Small businesses looking for simple bookkeeping services with low transaction volume.

General Ledger and Chart of Accounts

The platform adheres to the industry standards of the general ledger and chart of accounts since it uses QuickBooks as its primary accounting system.

It gives users the freedom to tweak and customize their accounts to fit their financial model, whether it’s grouping, categories, or sub-categories.

One thing to note is while it offers a standard bookkeeping structure through QuickBooks, it comes with some limitations.

For example, it lacks the flexibility of tweaking QuickBooks settings or adding a new account.

Bank Integration and Reconciliation

Most banks and credit cards integrate seamlessly with Merritt Bookkeeping software. It makes it easy for users to import their statements to QuickBooks, which helps lower data entry errors and saves time.

However, users must review the financial statements and group them properly in QuickBooks.

Another perk of this feature is that it offers monthly bank reconciliation services. It means the software takes your bank statements and compares them with transactions on QuickBooks to spot any errors.

If there are discrepancies or missed entries, the software highlights and reconciles them. It helps ensure accuracy in the books.

Financial Reporting

Users of Merritt Bookkeeping can expect to access monthly tax-ready financial reports. They can comprise cash flow statements, balance sheets, or P&L accounts.

In addition, clients can access various other reports like vendor expenses, customer sales, class income statements, budgets vs. actuals, and more.

The best part is you can customize the reports to fit your financial structure. For example, by columns, dates, or any other filters.

One thing to note is that this platform doesn’t provide some advanced reporting features. Some include cash flow projection, forecasting and budgeting, and financial ratios.

AP and AR Management

Clients should note that Merritt Bookkeeping doesn’t provide account payable and receivable management services.

It means you’re responsible for customer and vendor relationships. It can include bill payments, collection, monitoring payments, generating and invoicing customers, and more.

The software can only record AP and AR transactions on QuickBooks, but the workflows are your responsibility.

So, if you’re a client that relies on automation in cash flow management, you need to note this.

Payroll and Tax Management

It is another service that Meritt Bookkeeping doesn’t offer. Users need to find a third-party provider to help them process payrolls, file tax returns, and more.

Examples of platforms that you can use are Gusto and Paychex since they integrate well with Merritt Bookkeeping. One thing that the software offers is tax-ready financials.

They’re statements that the platform prepares in compliance with tax law. Once generated, a user can use them to file tax returns or hire a CPA to do it on their behalf.

User Interface and User Experience

The UI and UX of this software are intuitive and simple. A user can access the reports and books through the QuickBooks dashboard, which is easy to navigate.

You can find various tabs that have varied features and functions.

In addition, it’s easy to tweak and customize the dashboard, where you can choose a theme, add widgets or change the design.

The UX is smooth; you can contact a dedicated bookkeeper by phone or email. The personal bookkeeper can offer tips on best practices for improving your business’s financial performance.

Integrations, Compatibility & Supported Platforms

Since it uses QuickBooks as its leading accounting software, it is compatible with Linux, Windows, and macOS.

As a user, you can use any web browser that supports QuickBooks online to access your reports and books. 

In addition, Merritt Bookkeeping integrates with third-party payroll platforms like ADP, Gusto, and Paychex.

These platforms make it easy to link QuickBooks and Merritt Booking payroll data. One thing to note is that this software has no native mobile app.

You can only access it through a web browser. In addition, it doesn’t integrate with popular project management platforms, which can limit the efficiency and functionality of small businesses.

Customer Support

The platform offers unlimited phone and email support to its users. In addition, Merritt Bookkeeping has self-help resources like articles and FAQs that cover bookkeeping fundamentals, tax prep tips, QuickBooks tips, and more.

Accessing these resources is free, and easy to learn more about accounting and bookkeeping. One thing to note is that there is no live chat or community forum yet.

Merritt Bookkeeping – Unique Features

• Dedicated Bookkeeper: One of its unique features is that users can access all their bookkeeping needs from a single point of contact. It helps the personal bookkeeper understand the client’s business better and be able to provide tailored tips and guidance.
• Monthly Flat Fee: Users pay a flat fee without extra charges regardless of transactions made and how complex the books are. It makes the software pocket friendly and predictable, unlike other platforms that charge by transaction or hourly.

What Experts Say About Merritt Bookkeeping

Merritt Bookkeeping has received positive reviews from both users and experts, and here is what they say:

• Google 5/5 (82 reviews)
• Yelp 4.9/5 (35 reviews)

So grateful I found Jordan and his Team! They are so on top of my bookkeeping, always making sure my business is covered. The communication is *chefs kiss*. Their process is so easy, and the reports they send are so helpful. Very affordable, and worth every penny. Highly recommend this company to anyone looking for the perfect bookkeeper!

MaLinda A, Local Guide – Verified Google review

Merritt’s team is excellent for small business bookkeeping! They have a great process for getting started and are very responsive. I had them do a full review of my previous 2 years and found their methodology superior to my old method.
My LLC has different business streams and they are great at keeping it all straight. They also have excellent reporting which is on par with what you would get in a mid-sized company and a dedicated CFO.

Paul Van H. – Verified Google review

Merritt Bookkeeping Alternatives

Merritt Bookkeeping may not fulfill all your accounting needs, and if you want to explore alternatives, here are suitable ones to consider:

QuickBooks Live

You can use QuickBooks with Merritt Bookkeeping. The difference with QuickBooks Live is you’re using QuickBooks with Quickbooks-certified in-house bookkeepers to help you.

Pricing starts at $200/month and scales with your monthly expense volume. This fee is in addition to your QuickBooks Online subscription.

It’s best for small businesses who want to manage books, taxes, payroll, and expenses all in one place with professional support.

Get your free consultation today!

Bench

It is a SaaS accounting software that provides a dedicated bookkeeper and tax-ready financial reports for SMEs.

The main difference between Bench and Merritt Bookkeeping is that Bench has a mobile app.

It also packs more advanced features like sales tax management, cash flow analysis, payroll integration, and more.

However, Bench is pricey, costing $299/month for up to 1k of monthly expenses. In addition, Bench doesn’t provide QuickBooks online integration.

It makes it ideal for SMEs willing to pay more for advanced features that Merritt Bookkeeping doesn’t offer.

xendoo

Xendoo is a cloud-based bookkeeping and accounting platform that is focused on helping small businesses.

Get a dedicated team of experts who know the complexities of your business, your industry, and how to help you save on taxes—all while keeping your books organized and on-time.

Further reading: 7 more Merritt Bookkeeping alternatives

Getting Started with Merritt Bookkeeping

Getting started with Merritt Bookkeeping is simple. Sign up through their website, and you will get assigned a personal bookkeeper.

The work of the dedicated bookkeeper is to help you set up an online QuickBooks account to work on your books.

In addition, get guidance and tips on the best ways to improve your business books. Through the QuickBooks dashboard, you will access monthly tax-ready financial reports.

So, don’t wait until your financial books are out of control. Get started today and streamline your accounting processes.

Merritt Bookkeeping FAQs