Why Our Members Switched
Amadae vs Bench
Amadae is best for
- Former Bench customers who want done-for-you books somewhere stable
- Creators and solo businesses that want taxes filed, not just books closed
- Owners who want quarterly estimates and S corp strategy included, not referred out
Bench is best for
- Businesses that only want bookkeeping and financial statements, nothing more
- People comfortable with the service under its new ownership
The verdict
Bench built something real: done-for-you bookkeeping at a price small businesses could afford, and many customers genuinely liked it. Then in December 2024 it shut down overnight, and thousands of businesses spent days locked out of their own books before the Employer.com acquisition restored access. That is not trash talk, it is the reason 'Bench accounting alternative' became a search term. Amadae does the same done-for-you job, adds tax filing, quarterly estimates, and S corp strategy as standard rather than an upsell, and keeps your books on a platform with real accountants you can text. If you left Bench, or never stopped wondering whether you should, this is the comparison to read.
Online bookkeeping service · Updated 2026-09-29
Bench pricing vs Amadae
Amadae
All plans 100% deductible
- LLC plan from $249/month: monthly bookkeeping, quarterly estimates, business and personal returns, real accountants
- S corp plan from $349/month: adds payroll, reasonable salary and the S corp return
- A free financial review comes first, so you know what you would save before paying
Bench
- Monthly subscription bookkeeping; tax filing support on higher tiers
- Check current pricing with Bench directly, as plans have changed under the new ownership
Bench operates under Employer.com ownership following the December 2024 shutdown and acquisition; confirm current plans and terms on bench.co. Amadae Accounting is quoted after a free review.
Feature comparison
| Amadae | Bench | |
|---|---|---|
| Automated bookkeeping on its own ledger | Bookkeeping team working in Bench's own software | |
| Business and personal tax filing | Included with Amadae Accounting | Tax filing support on higher tiers |
| Quarterly estimated taxes | Calculated and scheduled for you | Guidance on higher tiers |
| S-corp formation and election | ||
| Business banking and cards | ||
| Invoicing and payments | ||
| Intelligent Assistant (Mozart) | Included in every module | |
| Personal finance and forecasting |
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Pros and cons
Amadae
Pros
- Done-for-you books plus tax filing, quarterly estimates, and S corp strategy as standard
- Banking, invoicing, and payments feed the books automatically
- A named accountant you can text who answers the same day
- Every filing comes with IRS acceptance confirmation you can verify
Cons
- You get your exact price on a call, not from a list
- More platform than a business that only wants monthly statements
Bench
Pros
- Pioneered affordable done-for-you bookkeeping with a real team behind it
- Simple product: books closed monthly, statements delivered
- Service continued under Employer.com after the 2024 shutdown
Cons
- The December 2024 shutdown locked customers out of their books with no warning
- Bookkeeping-first: taxes, estimates, and strategy are add-ons or elsewhere
- Books live in proprietary software, which makes leaving harder
What happened to Bench Accounting
In late December 2024, Bench announced it was shutting down effective immediately. Customers, many mid-year-end close, temporarily lost access to their own books and records at the worst possible time in the accounting calendar. Days later, Employer.com acquired Bench and restored access, and the service has continued under the new ownership since.
None of that erases what Bench did well for a decade: real humans closing books monthly at a price sole proprietors could afford. But it changed the question customers ask. It is no longer just 'is the bookkeeping good?' It is 'what happens to my books if something happens to the company?'
Where Amadae is different
Amadae does the job Bench customers signed up for, books done for you by real accountants, and closes the gaps that were always there. Tax preparation and filing are part of the service, not a higher tier. Quarterly estimates are calculated and scheduled during the year. S corp election and reasonable salary are modeled when they would save you money. And because banking, invoicing, and payments live in the same platform as the ledger, the books stay current without anyone re-keying data.
The stability question deserves a plain answer too: your books, statements, and filings are exportable, your filings carry IRS acceptance you can verify independently, and there is a named accountant in a text thread who knows your account, not a queue.
How to choose
If bookkeeping alone is genuinely all you need and you are comfortable with the service under its new ownership, Bench remains a straightforward option. If the shutdown made you want your books, taxes, and estimates in one place with people you can reach, Amadae's free financial review will quote your situation and, if you are migrating, walk through bringing your Bench history over.
What you get with Amadae
One flat monthly price. Real accountants who know how creators get paid.
- Automated bookkeeping on its own ledger
- Business and personal tax filing
- Quarterly estimated taxes, calculated and scheduled
- S-corp formation and election
- Business banking and cards, built in
- Intelligent Assistant (Mozart) included in every module
Free 30-minute review. Transparent pricing.
Plans from
$249/mo
If you make $40K - $69K. Flat, no hourly bills.
- Monthly profit and loss reports
- Tax set-aside management
- Expense categorization
- Real-time financial dashboard
- Business bank account connections
- Individual tax return included*
Common questions
Bench vs Amadae FAQ
Did Bench Accounting shut down?+
Yes, abruptly, in late December 2024, and customers temporarily lost access to their books. Employer.com then acquired Bench and restored service, which has continued under the new ownership since.
What is the best Bench alternative?+
It depends on what you want after bookkeeping. If the answer is nothing, several bookkeeping-only services compete on price. If you want books plus tax filing, quarterly estimates, and S corp strategy from one team, that is exactly the job Amadae is built for, with a free review to price your situation first.
Can Amadae migrate my Bench books?+
Yes. Export your financial statements and transaction history from Bench, and Amadae rebuilds the current year on its own ledger during onboarding, reconciled so comparatives carry over.
Does Amadae file taxes, or just do bookkeeping like Bench?+
Both. Amadae Accounting includes monthly bookkeeping plus preparation and filing of business and personal returns, quarterly estimates, and S corp payroll where it applies. With Bench, tax support has been a higher-tier or separate concern.
How do I know Amadae will not disappear like Bench did?+
No company can promise forever, so judge the structure instead: your data is exportable, filings carry independently verifiable IRS confirmations, and the service is built on its own platform rather than resold labor. Ask the same structural questions of any provider you consider.
See how Amadae compares to Bench
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