Bench vs Found (2026): which should you pick?

Pick Bench if

• Fits if you'd rather pay someone to do the monthly books than do them yourself
• Makes sense if you're a small US business that also wants tax filing from the same provider

Look elsewhere if

• Pricey if you're a small outfit: $399 a month for the base plan and $649 with tax filing
• Skip it if you want a free plan or a trial, because there's neither
• Not for you if your business is outside the US
• Watch out: monthly tax pricing needs a 12-month commitment, and bigger QuickBooks plans start at $999 a month
• Watch out: Bench paused operations in December 2024 and resumed in January 2025 under Employer.com

Pick Found if

• Fits if you're self-employed in the US and will run all your business money through one account
• Works for small businesses that pay contractors and want 1099s e-filed from the same app

Look elsewhere if

• Skip it if you want to keep banking elsewhere, as importing other accounts needs Plus at $35
• Not for you if your business is outside the US or you don't have a Social Security number
• Too light for businesses that need full accounting software, since Found is a bank account first
• Watch out: domestic wires are $15 each and paper checks $1 each, cheaper only on Pro at $80 a month
• Watch out: Found Assistant is in beta, Found gives no tax advice, and paid-plan trials charge your Found balance

Bench

• Bench serves U.S.-based businesses; it is a service with a monthly fee, not software you run yourself.
• The base Bookkeeping plan is $399 a month, and Complexity 3 QuickBooks plans start at $999 a month.
• Monthly tax pricing needs a 12-month commitment bought at least 3 months before the filing deadline.
• Bench paused operations in December 2024 and resumed in January 2025 under Employer.com.

Found

• Found is a bank account, not standalone software: the bookkeeping works on money that runs through it, and other accounts can be imported only on paid plans.
• Only US-based businesses can open an account, and the owner needs a Social Security number.
• Some banking costs extra: domestic wires are $15 each ($10 on Pro) and paper checks $1 each (free on Pro).
• Found Assistant is in beta, and Found says it gives no legal or tax advice.

Bench

Assigned bookkeeper

Each business is matched with a bookkeeper who reconciles accounts transaction by transaction and can be reached by phone, message or video call.

Monthly books and year-end financials

Plans deliver up-to-date monthly books and year-end tax-ready financial statements, with reviews by multiple bookkeepers each month.

Business tax filing

The tax plans add filing of business income tax returns by licensed tax professionals, with up to four advisory calls a year.

Catch-up bookkeeping

Past months that were never reconciled can be cleaned up; the page says catch-up for the current year is free with an annual plan.

Work inside QuickBooks Online

A separate QBO plan has Bench's bookkeepers work in your existing QuickBooks account instead of Bench's own software.

Read-only account access

Bench says it connects to financial accounts with read-only access to import transactions for bookkeeping.

Found

Business checking and cards

A checking account held at Lead Bank, Member FDIC, with physical and virtual Mastercard debit cards and team cards with spending limits.

Automatic bookkeeping

Card spending is categorized and flagged as write-offs, receipts attach by photo, and P&L, balance sheet and expense reports are kept current.

Taxes set aside

Found estimates taxes in real time and moves money into a Taxes Pocket as you are paid. It generates Schedule C and 1120 or 1120-S forms.

Invoices

Unlimited invoices, scheduled and recurring invoices, estimates and payment requests on every plan.

Contractor payments

Pay contractors by ACH, text or email with no per-contractor fee, collect W-9s and generate and e-file 1099-NECs for free.

Found Assistant

An AI assistant, in beta, that answers questions about your income and taxes and can draft invoices.

Bench

• Bookkeeping Light$199

  per month, billed monthly

  Monthly books for micro businesses with $250K a year or less in revenue; 20% off with annual payment.

• Bookkeeping$399

  per month, billed monthly

  Monthly books, year-end tax-ready financials and unlimited contact with your bookkeeper; $3,830 a year if paid annually.

• Bookkeeping + Tax$649

  per month, billed monthly

  Bookkeeping plus business income tax filing and up to four tax advisory calls a year; $6,230 a year if paid annually.

• Full-service tax$300

  per month, 12-month commitment

  Tax filing and year-round advisory without bookkeeping; $2,880 a year if paid annually.

• QBO Bookkeeping: Complexity 1$399

  per month, billed monthly

  Cash-basis books kept inside your own QuickBooks Online, up to 500 transactions a month.

• QBO Bookkeeping: Complexity 2$699

  per month, billed monthly

  Cash or accrual books in your QuickBooks Online, up to 2,000 transactions a month.

Found

• Found$0

  Banking, automatic expense categorizing, receipts, P&L and balance sheet, tax estimates, unlimited invoices and contractor payments.

• Found Plus$35

  per month, billed monthly

  Or $315 a year. Adds imports from up to 10 other accounts, categorizing rules, custom tags, in-app tax payments, 1.50% APY up to $20,000 and priority phone help.

• Found Pro$80

  per month, billed monthly

  Or $720 a year. Adds 2.50% APY on all balances, 1% cash back on card purchases, free checks, cheaper wires and an account manager.

Bench

• Annual discount

  Save 20% on a 12-month plan

  Bench's pricing page lists 20% off its bookkeeping, tax and QuickBooks plans when you pay for 12 months at once.

Found

• Annual discount

  Save 25% with yearly billing

  Found Plus costs $315 a year instead of $35 a month, and Found Pro $720 a year instead of $80 a month.