Did you know Entrepreneur named bookkeeping as one of the most profitable online small businesses?
The low overhead and next-to-nothing startup costs combined with the $80+ per hour rate help it land this coveted title.
And that’s why, if you’re in the market for a new online career, I highly recommend starting a virtual bookkeeping business.
Even if you have absolutely zero professional bookkeeping experience, you can get started with this in-demand, high-paying, remote-friendly career path. Here’s how.
Sign up for a FREE Discovery Series to learn how to own a successful digital bookkeeping biz.
What Does A Bookkeeper Do, Anyway?
Many people confuse a bookkeeper with an accountant. In reality, they are two very completely different careers. For starters, accountants often require a degree or even certification. Bookkeepers, on the other hand, don’t require formal education.
Education aside, the roles of a bookkeeper and accountant are also quite different.
What An Accountant Does
You may use an accountant to do your taxes each year, and for good reason: Accountants figure out taxes owed and prepare tax returns. But they also help individuals and businesses:
- Organize financial records
- Comply with state and federal laws
- Examine financial statements
- Evaluate records and suggest ways to save money
Often, accountants audits financial statements, but aren’t responsible for day-to-day finances. That is, they don’t pay bills or deal with accounts payable or accounts receivable.
What A Bookkeeper Does
Unlike accountants, bookkeepers often take charge of a business’s daily financial health. They may be responsible for paying bills or collecting payments on invoices. Other responsibilities of bookkeepers include:
- Updating financial records
- Creating financial reports
- Checking records for accuracy
- Posting financial records in computer programs
- Putting debits and credits to appropriate accounts
A bookkeeper may also receive receipts, reimburse company employees for work-related expenses, and take charge of accounts receivable.
Generally, a bookkeeper is responsible for keeping track of all debits and credits — money going in and money going out on a daly basis.
How Much Can I Earn?
For an entry-level bookkeeper, hourly rates hover at about $18.50 an hour. This comes out to nearly $40,000 a year. Keep in mind, this is for bookkeepers who work in the accounting department of a company or corporation.
Bookkeepers who strike out on their own can often earn three times that rate (or more). Mostly because freelancers, like virtual bookkeepers, can set their own rates. And, because these bookkeepers often work for multiple clients, their combined hourly rate is much greater than the set pay of an employee position.
Can I Really Become A Bookkeeper Without A Degree?
You sure can! According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), entry-level bookkeepers don’t have a degree. Instead, candidates rely on a combination of existing skills and on-the-job training to be successful in the workplace.
What About Previous Professional Experience?
Again, because a bookkeeper does not advise organizations on financial records, no previous experience is required. Many bookkeepers gain experience on the job while working in accounts receivable, accounts payable, or in an administrative-type role.
Find out more about what bookkeepers need to be successful during the free discovery series at Bookkeepers.com.
Where Can I Find Remote Bookkeeping Jobs?
Almost every business — large and small — benefits from the services of a bookkeeper. While there aren’t specific companies that routinely hire bookkeeping candidates, almost any remote-friendly company will, at some point, have the need for a bookkeeper.
Keep an eye on Indeed for remote bookkeeping jobs updated daily. Be sure to bookmark my weekly job leads page, I’m always quick to share legitimate bookkeeping jobs!
You can even subscribe to FlexJobs if you’re worried about scams. FlexJobs individually screens every single listing on their site and guarantees they are 100% legit. It does cost a monthly fee, but it may be worth the cost for peace of mind 🙂
Freelancing as a Virtual Bookkeeper
Don’t forget to sign up for popular freelance marketplace sites. Often, you can find a variety of bookkeeping jobs posted across the different platforms. These can range from temporary gigs to long-term projects.
The key to success as a new freelancer is to pick a niche and stick with it. In this case, maybe you’d like to become a bookkeeper who helps florists. Or maybe you’d like to work as a virtual bookkeeper for lawyers. You can always expand your niche, but in the beginning it’s a good idea to focus on a particular client and grow organically.
Once you have a niche in mind, it’s time to set up a freelance service site that sells your bookkeeping services for you. This is actually really easy to do (I promise!). And all starts with a well-branded domain name. For example, yourname.com or yournamebookkeeping.com
Curious if you can turn your name into a website? Check to see if it’s available by typing it in the box below:
Getting your own freelance bookkeeping website set up is an important step. But what comes next is even more important: getting clients!
A great place to start learning the basics of securing clients is by reading (and re-reading) the book: How To Open Your Own In-Home Bookkeeping Service.
It’s packed with a lot of insight and helpful tips for gaining traction as a home-based bookkeeper!
Help! I Want To Start A Virtual Bookkeeping Business But Need Step By Step Guidance
No problem. I too like a little hand holding when it comes to going down a new path. And there’s nothing wrong with that!
If you’d like to build a solid foundation that leads to a thriving bookkeeping business, I highly recommend Bookkeeper Launch and their free discovery series.
Ben Robinson, the mastermind behind this online course, breaks down the business behind bookkeeping step by step.
He’ll also give you the tools needed to start from scratch and grow to a thriving, independent bookkeeper regardless of your previous experience.
But before you go all in and sign up, be sure to take this free 3-part training series. In it, you’ll learn what a bookkeeper does, why it may be a good fit for you, and whether or not you’ve got what it takes to get started.
I WANT TO LEARN ABOUT BOOKKEEPING FOR FREE
Happily,
Ashlee Anderson
P.S. This post contains affiliate links. Learn how I use them by reading my disclosure statement.
Thanks for this article! A good overview with great information.
I would love to learn more using the free 3 part training class, but after several attempts, never received the video via email. I checked my spam as well. Nonetheless, thanks for the other links and information.
Ashley i hav none and i mean no book keeping experience!! Just alot of drive and love numbers. So what is your recommendation stsrting at ground zero?????
Jimmie, you just need to look for some sort of bookkeeping training course (ie. the one that she talks about in this post) to learn the basics of bookkeeping, and then basically you’ve just gotta get out there and start offering your services to businesses. It’s not as easy as it sounds though, believe me!
Hi Ashlee,
I do have bookkeeping experience (6 years worth) and I wish to become a virtual one from home. I’ve been told I may need an accounting certificate to do so. Do you think this is necessary? Great website btw! You are a wealth of knowledge.
Thanks for the guide. There are also some websites and companies that hire MS Excel professionals. Here’s a guide that lists such 5 companies: https://www.webemployed.com/remote-excel-jobs-websites/
I am bookkeeper from India, and have experience of almost 3 years , can I become freelance bookkeeper and get work from US
I have Bookkeeping certificate Iam very dedicated to my studies. Iam determined to achieve good things in life. My dream is to studying finance to my kids better education an contribute to my community.
Hi Zanele,
Such great goals! Good luck to you 🙂
Happily,
Ashlee
Hi. I got a Bookkeeping and accounting Certificate from RI College (outreach program) and I also have a bachelor degree in Business Administration from Romania where I use to be a CFO at the construction company for 12 years. After I have equated my Diploma in the US I started working a part-time job as a CFO Assistant and Bookkeeper in the US. I learned Quickbooks very well and very quick, I still work in QB at that part-time job, but I need more flexible hours by work from home as an experienced bookkeeper. My part-time job that I have right now is also flexible.
Can you please help me to get a virtual Bookkeeping job? Thanks.
Hi, Ashley I have bachelor degree in accounts, can I start doing book keeping from home or if you know anyone hiring
Hi Nayaz,
With a degree in accounting, I’m sure you’d make a great bookkeeper! Be sure to check Indeed for listings. You can also offer your bookkeeping services directly to clients as a freelancer. Good luck!
Happily,
Ashlee
Ashley what is the best computer program for bookkeeping. I work right now for a publishing company and do a lot of bookkeeping in quickbooks. Would like to learn more about quickbooks. I also do a lot of recording in excel. Which is better for a home bookkeeping business. Thank you, Alice
Hi Alice,
Great question! It honestly depends on the client or company you work for. As a general practice, it’s best to know both Quickbooks and Excel (I find lots of smaller businesses use Quickbooks). There are tons of online courses that’ll teach you the ins and outs of both Quickbooks and Excel — it never hurts to keep learning 🙂 Check out Udemy or Alison for tons of options!
Happily,
Ashlee
It is also an amazing article for beginners. 🙂
Could you please tell me how to get traffic for beginners bloggers.
Thanks
I researched this to death, asked many people about it as I have a 1 month old and was desperate.
If you have never worked in bookkeeping you will not be able to get a job working it from home. Who would hire that? This article is really here to advertise the bookkeeping launch program. It cost THREE THOUSAND DOLLARS and it still won’t have you working from home.
I was really hoping and betting on this….
Thank you for stopping by. As a career coach that specializes in remote work, I’ve had a number of clients who have gone on to start successful bookkeeping careers without any previous bookkeeping experience. It’s not always easy to do so, but a lot of people have transferable skills they can highlight to position themselves as a remote bookkeeper.
For example, many individuals with administrative experience can transfer those skills to bookkeeping. I like to remind clients that you are more than your current (and former) job titles.
You can certainly transition to many different careers, even without experience. If you need any help, please do not hesitate to reach out 🙂
Happily,
Ashlee
Thank you so much Ashley for all the helpful information and links to advance me to my next goal!
I am looking forward to reading the book and looking over the 3 step course, however that link is not working for the course. Can you send me that link?
With much appreciation,
Tammy
Thank you so much Ashley for your wise advises. I found this site when I looking for a work from home job option opportunity. I have not idea that bookkeeper could to be in the list, was awsome to learn that.
I am interested to receive the link to acces to 3 steps course by email.
Best regards,
Your article is very inspirational especially to aspiring newbies in freelancing.
Thank you 🙂
This is great! So many people need to know about working in this area because it sounds so appealing! I have been working to help people with work from home also!
Thank you! So glad you find it useful 🙂
The video link is broken.
Thank you! I’ve fixed it. 🙂
Happily,
Ashlee
Found this really interesting, thanks for sharing!
Awesome! Glad you found it useful 🙂
Happily,
Ashlee
Hi ashlee, as a college student without previous job experince how can I make progress to being a bookkeeper?
Hi Ryan,
One of the best ways to make progress is to become very well versed in common bookkeeping software, like QuickBooks. If you’re able to track spending and income using QuickBooks software and generate invoices, you’ve already accomplished quite a bit of what a bookkeeper does! Learning about spreadsheets, specifically Google Sheets and Excel is also helpful. To make progress, always, always, always focus on hard skills! Your hard skills (like software knowledge) are going to be what make you a candidate for an interview. Good luck 🙂
Happily,
Ashlee
Thank you for this wonderful blog. Often, people use the terms accountant and bookkeeper interchangeably. But, you have explained the difference between the words so precisely and accurately clearing the confusion of many.
Along with the job description, you have also explained the ways to become a bookkeeper and to find jobs using online portals.
Hence, your blog is a must-read for anyone who is a bookkeeper or aspires to become one. Great work!!
In what accounting world would someone with no comprehension of accounting principles bea good bookkeeper? Duh speaking from 42 years of experience.
Hi Jackie,
Accountants are not bookkeepers and bookkeepers are NOT accountants. Even the Bureau of Labor Statistics states that bookkeepers DO NOT require formal education. Instead, on-the-job training or certification are enough to get an ENTRY LEVEL role. That’s amazing that you have 42 years of experience. It doesn’t mean you have to gatekeep bookkeeping for beginners 🙂
Happily,
Ashlee
VOLHA
KHAMIANOK
Hi, my name is Olga.
I am a professional bookkeeper with more than 17 years of experience. Working for NBH Services Inc. I can provide professional bookkeeping services for businesses such as information technology, refueling stations.
I work with listed software: QuickBooks Online, Word, Excel. I can successfully keep track of finances. Personal qualities: perseverance, attentiveness, the ability to work with large quantities of information, accuracy, self-organization.
Becoming a bookkeeper is a great idea. I am also planning for the same. This post is really amazing, and I am glad I found this. It helps me to enhance my knowledge in this. So thanks for sharing. keeps sharing more valuable content like this.
Hi Ashlee, I am a non-bookkeeping graduate and a full time employee now but I want to learn and be a virtual bookkeeper. Can you help me how to? Thank you very much in advance!
A nice article. Thanks for sharing!
Thank for sharing this, I really enjoyed reading it 🙂
This is a great post! Thanks so much for sharing!