Hire a Filipino Bookkeeper. QuickBooks-Ready, 75% Less Than US.
Filipino bookkeepers hold accounting degrees, work in QuickBooks and Xero daily, and support US, UK, and Australian firms remotely. Hire through RecruitGo with full Philippine labor law compliance, from recruitment through payroll and benefits.
Why Filipino Bookkeepers Work for Accounting Firms Worldwide
The Philippines produces over 30,000 accounting graduates annually. Most hold a Bachelor of Science in Accountancy (BSA) or Accounting Technology, and many have passed the Philippine CPA licensure exam. You are hiring trained accountants who specialize in bookkeeping and are proficient in the same cloud platforms your firm already uses.
Filipino bookkeepers are not self-taught spreadsheet operators. Most hold BSA or BSAcc degrees with formal training in double-entry accounting, financial statement preparation, and auditing fundamentals. Many have CPA qualifications or are CPA board exam passers.
The Philippine BPO industry has trained thousands of bookkeepers on Western cloud accounting platforms. QuickBooks Online, Xero, MYOB, Sage, FreshBooks, Wave, and NetSuite are standard tool sets. Many hold certifications (QuickBooks ProAdvisor, Xero Advisor).
A full-time Filipino bookkeeper costs a fraction of the equivalent US hire. Even after mandatory benefits (SSS, PhilHealth, Pag-IBIG, 13th month pay), total employer cost is approximately 121% of base salary. US accounting firms save hundreds of thousands annually by building offshore teams.
Philippine accounting education covers both Philippine Financial Reporting Standards (based on IFRS) and US GAAP principles. Filipino bookkeepers working for US firms are familiar with accrual vs cash basis, chart of accounts structures, and the reporting formats US CPAs expect.
Bookkeeper Cost Comparison by Country
Select a market to see monthly salary ranges by experience level, hourly rates, and cost savings compared to US hiring.
The largest offshore bookkeeping talent pool in Asia. Most candidates hold accounting degrees, are proficient in QuickBooks and Xero, and have experience working with US, UK, and Australian firms.
What Can a Filipino Bookkeeper Handle?
Filipino bookkeepers work as embedded members of your finance team. They handle the full bookkeeping cycle in your cloud accounting platform, communicating directly with your CPA, controller, or finance lead.
EOR-Employed Bookkeeper vs Freelance Contractor
Bookkeepers access your bank feeds, accounting software, financial records, and tax data every day. This is not a role where a casual freelance arrangement makes sense.
| Comparison | EOR-Employed (RecruitGo) | Freelance / Direct Hire |
|---|---|---|
| Employment status | Fully employed with local contract | Independent contractor (often misclassified) |
| Social security | SSS, PhilHealth, Pag-IBIG all covered | None. Your liability if reclassified |
| 13th month pay | Calculated and paid by EOR | Not applicable (but legally required if deemed employed) |
| Income tax | Withheld and remitted by EOR | Bookkeeper's responsibility (often not filed) |
| Financial data access | Governed by employment contract with NDA, data handling, and confidentiality clauses | Freelance NDA has limited enforceability across borders |
| Accounting software access | Revocable per employment terms. Clear offboarding protocol | No enforceable access control after contract ends |
| Work product ownership | All work product owned by you via employment agreement | Ownership ambiguous without explicit assignment |
| Termination protection | Managed per Philippine labor law with proper due process | No protection. Risk of DOLE complaints |
| Your legal risk | Zero. EOR bears employer liability | Full. You may be deemed the employer |
Hire Your Bookkeeper in 3 Steps
Share your accounting software (QuickBooks Online, Xero, MYOB, Sage, etc.), transaction volume, industry, reporting requirements, and whether the bookkeeper will report to your CPA, controller, or directly to you. We recommend the right experience level: general bookkeeper, full-cycle bookkeeper, or bookkeeper with specialized industry experience.
We source from our bookkeeping talent pools and test each candidate on: accounting software proficiency (timed exercises in QBO or Xero), bank reconciliation accuracy, financial statement comprehension, English communication, and attention to detail. You receive 2 to 3 candidates with test scores, accounting credentials, work samples, and video introductions.
Select your bookkeeper. We sign the local employment contract, register them with SSS, PhilHealth, and Pag-IBIG, set up compliant payroll in PHP, and coordinate secure access to your accounting platform. Your bookkeeper starts reconciling and posting within the first week.
Hire Bookkeepers From Other Countries Too
The Philippines is our top market for bookkeepers, but we also source from these countries based on your timezone, accounting standards, and budget.
Hiring a Bookkeeper
Frequently asked questions about hiring Filipino bookkeepers through RecruitGo.
Filipino bookkeepers range from $350 to $1,300/month depending on experience and scope. Entry-level bookkeepers (basic transaction entry, categorization, simple reconciliation) cost $350 to $500. Mid-level bookkeepers (full-cycle bookkeeping, financial statement preparation, multi-entity work) cost $500 to $800. Senior bookkeepers (complex reconciliation, audit support, industry specialization) cost $800 to $1,300+. The equivalent US role costs $3,500 to $5,500/month.
Most Filipino bookkeepers in our talent pool are proficient in QuickBooks Online (QBO), with many also experienced in QuickBooks Desktop, Xero, MYOB, Sage, FreshBooks, Wave, and NetSuite. Some hold certifications such as QuickBooks ProAdvisor or Xero Advisor. We test for software proficiency as part of our vetting process using timed exercises in your specific platform.
Yes, and this is the most common setup. Your Filipino bookkeeper handles daily transaction entry, categorization, reconciliation, and month-end close. Your US-based CPA or controller reviews the work, handles tax filings, and provides strategic guidance. The bookkeeper communicates directly with your accountant via Slack, email, or video calls.
Philippine accounting education is based on Philippine Financial Reporting Standards, which are closely aligned with IFRS. Many Filipino bookkeepers also have direct experience with US GAAP through years of working with American firms in the BPO industry. They understand accrual vs cash basis, standard chart of accounts structures, and the reporting formats that US accountants expect.
We assess: accounting credentials (BSA/BSAcc degree, CPA status), software proficiency (timed QBO or Xero exercises covering reconciliation, journal entries, and report generation), accuracy (error detection tests using sample data sets), English communication (written and verbal), and industry experience. We present 2 to 3 candidates with test scores, credential verification, work samples, and video introductions.
When hired through RecruitGo, your bookkeeper is bound by a Philippine employment contract with enforceable NDA, data handling, and confidentiality clauses. Access to your accounting software is governed by role-based permissions that you control. We recommend VPN access, two-factor authentication, user-level audit trails in QBO/Xero, and separate login credentials. On termination, we manage the full offboarding process including access revocation.
