From passion projects, content creation has evolved into a legitimate business. As a content creator, including YouTubers, podcasters, influencers, and bloggers, you must manage your income, expenses, taxes, and growth.
Let’s admit it, most creators would rather focus on their craft than on spreadsheets and receipts.
This is where bookkeeping comes in. These services will make sure your finances are in order, you are set for taxes, and your business has the insights needed for growth.
Here are six bookkeeping services for content creators.
1. EasyBooks by EasyFiling: Simplified Bookkeeping for Creators with U.S. LLCs
Best for: International content creators and influencers who operate through U.S.-based LLCs
EasyBooks by EasyFiling has advanced features tailored for self-employed non-residents who derive income from the US and wish to claim business expenses.
It provides a hassle-free bookkeeping experience every month that includes:
- Managing multi-channel income from AdSense, PayPal, Patreon, etc., in different currencies.
- Strategic categorization of business expenses to optimize tax savings.
- Assistance with foreign-owned LLCs and their particular U.S. compliance requirements, such as Form 5472.
- Year-end financial summary preparation and tax filing support.
- Creators’ personalized business model tailored experience, along with bookkeeping instruction.
EasyBooks provides a custom, cost-effective solution if you are an international freelancer or content creator who has created an LLC in the U.S.
2. Bench Accounting: Human-Powered Bookkeeping with Stunning Reports
Best for: Creators needing a financial all-in-one solution who prefer minimal involvement.
Bench ranks among the most renowned bookkeeping services available, and for a good reason, and was designed for creators. Turn-key income tracking, tax filing, and meticulous bookkeeping are included.
With Bench, you’ll receive:
- An in-house accountant who takes care of your bookkeeping every month.
- Stunning monthly reports that reflect your revenue, expenditure, and overall profit.
- Tax-ready year-end packages for your accountant or Bench’s tax department.
- Stripe, PayPal, Shopify, and many other payment processing tools are integrated.
- A user-friendly dashboard that provides a succinct snapshot of your finances.
Bench provides fully tax-compliant books throughout the year, whether it’s advertising revenue, affiliate marketing, brand deals, or even selling courses.
3. QuickBooks Live Bookkeeping: Live assistance with bookkeeping while you use QuickBooks.
Ideal for: Creators who are using QuickBooks Online and want to get help from a live professional.
QuickBooks Live Bookkeeping is an excellent add-on if you’ve started with QuickBooks Online but need guidance on keeping records accurately and systematically organized.
Here is what is included:
- One-on-one sessions with certified QuickBooks ProAdvisors
- Live chat and video calls to go through your books together
- Regular monthly reconciliations to make your records clean and ready for audits
- Precise reports and business model insights customized for your company
- Automatic syncing from bank accounts and even Etsy, YouTube, and Patreon
This is perfect for creators who want more oversight of their books but need an expert at their side to help avoid costly mistakes.
4. Xendoo: Weekly bookkeeping updates with CPA access
Best for: Up-and-coming creators who need more frequent updates and targeted tax strategies
Xendoo has a well-defined set of services for rapidly scaling content creators who want more help managing their finances because of growth. It’s constructed for entrepreneurs who want their numbers current and decisions to be made readily.
Xendoo’s standout features include:
- Weekly bookkeeping updates rather than the customary monthly catch-ups.
- Each plan includes a dedicated account manager alongside CPA consultations.
- Flat-rate pricing structure without hidden fees.
- Premium plans include support for tax return filing and strategy.
This is fantastic for influencers, podcasters, or even YouTubers who utilize multiple platforms and wish to get militant regarding their tax obligations without losing organizational structure.
5. Collective Bookkeeping plus S-Corp Management for High-Earning Creators.
Best for: Full-time content creators earning $80,000+ annually who wish to form or manage an S-Corp.
If you’re earning serious revenue with your content business, consider running it as an S Corporation. For creators and even solopreneurs, Collective is a service designed to streamline that transition into more efficient structures without the myriad operational headaches.
Here’s what Collective provides:
- S-Corp Formation and ongoing compliance management
- Monthly fee for bookkeeping and financial reporting
- Payroll services for paying yourself and contractors
- Business and personal tax filings
- Strategic savings on taxes
Collective’s sustained income-earning creators possess incredible strength with a package merging effortless bookkeeping, entity management, and tax strategy all under one roof.
6. Merritt Bookkeeping: Affordable and Reliable Service for Creators on a Budget
Best for: Looking for straightforward bookkeeping as a solo creator with a set price
Merritt Bookkeeping shines where no other service does. Not every creator wants dashboards or a tax consultant. Sometimes, one needs clean books delivered monthly at a price that won’t break the bank.
Here’s what you get with Merritt:
- No-nonsense, $190/month pricing
- Consistent monthly reports
- Bank and credit card account integration
- Portals that give minimal but valuable data
- Good customer service and great, solid reviews from small business owners
Merritt has great value for those starting or looking for a low-cost option to manage their finances. They offer quality while removing extra services that add unnecessary costs and may not be needed.
Conclusion
As a content creator, you already fulfil several roles: writer, videographer, marketer, and editor. You can, however, leave accounting to the experts. The right bookkeeping service will help you monitor cash flow, alleviate stress during tax season, and enable informed business choices.
No matter whether you are operating a side hustle or looking to take on full-time content creation, every goal and budget has an option.
Be freed from the burdens of bookkeeping by choosing a partner who understands the specific challenges and revenue streams of digital creators.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. What are the advantages associated with bookkeeping for creators?
Content creators often generate revenue from multiple platforms, including YouTube, sponsorships, affiliate programs, and even merchandise. Bookkeeping services aid in tracking income, managing related expenses, preparing for tax, and comprehending the financial picture of the individual. This is necessary if you are running your content as a business, and declaring it through an LLC or S-Corp.
2. Are U.S. bookkeeping services available to international creators?
Absolutely! EasyBooks by EasyFiling is one of many services that assist international creators who form U.S. LLCs. They deal with specific tax compliance issues such as Form 5472 filing and multi-currency income, which is the norm for non-American entrepreneurs.
3. Do these services assist with tax issues as well?
Tax filing services are often available with most of the bookkeeping services featured, or they have a CPA who works with them. For example:
- Bench and Xendoo have tax service departments.
- Collective offers personal and business tax filing in their packages.
- EasyBooks has Form 5472 and tax filing services for foreign-owned LLCs in the U.S.
4. What is the distinction between doing your bookkeeping and using a service?
As with any task, doing DIY bookkeeping with software such as QuickBooks or Excel affords your business much control over your finances. However, it is the most time-consuming option and requires significant training. Using a bookkeeping service lets you delegate these tasks to professionals, get consistent and accurate support, and save time, something that goes a long way for content creators because it frees them from having to deal with accounting work.