SF Business Solutions vs Pilot for startups
Best for a founder who wants accountants keeping the books in the company's own QuickBooks Online or Xero, closed between the 5th and the 15th of the following month, depending on when documents arrive, with the tax return prepared and filed by the same team: SF Business Solutions, quoted on your own volume.
By SF Business Solutions · Our team includes a licensed CPA · 1 sources · Updated October 7, 2026
Pilot is a startup-focused platform: its AI-powered Essentials plan costs $99 a month, its plans with a US-based bookkeeper are billed annually, and it sells tax and CFO services alongside them. SF Business Solutions publishes this comparison; Pilot's figures are from its own pricing page as of October 2026.
At a glance
Pilot's details are from its own pricing page as of October 2026.
| SF Business Solutions | Pilot | |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | Quoted on volume | Essentials $99 a month, AI-powered; Core with a US-based bookkeeper billed annually |
| Who does the books | Accountants on the team, in your software | AI categorization on Essentials; a US-based bookkeeper on Core |
| Reports | Usually between the 5th and the 15th of the following month, depending on when documents arrive | Core: on the 10th business day; Custom: on the 6th |
| Software | Your own QuickBooks Online or Xero | Pilot's platform; the Custom plan can keep your existing QuickBooks |
| Tax | Tax returns prepared and filed, quoted | From $1,000 a year (single-member LLC), $2,000 (partnerships and S corps), $2,450 (C corps), bought with Pilot bookkeeping |
| CFO | Budgeting and forecasting, quoted | From $1,750 a month, billed annually |
| Add-ons | Cleanup, payroll and AP/AR, quoted | R&D tax credit at 20% of the credit received; stock administration $399 an hour |
| Who it fits | Best overall for a seed-stage company that wants accrual books in its own software and its return prepared and filed by the same team | Bookkeeping, tax and CFO work sold together on one startup-focused platform, mostly to venture-backed companies |
Where Pilot is stronger
Pilot is designed around startups and publishes a full stack for them: bookkeeping, federal and state income tax filings, Delaware franchise tax filings on its corporate and partnership plans, CFO services from $1,750 a month and an R&D tax credit add-on. For a venture-backed company that wants one vendor for the whole back office, and board-ready reporting at scale, that breadth is the point.
Its $99 Essentials plan is also the lowest published entry price in this comparison, for founders happy with AI-led categorization.
Where SF Business Solutions is stronger
The books live in your own QuickBooks Online or Xero, set up the way investors read them, and people do the coding and reconciling rather than software alone. Pilot's tax plans must be bought with Pilot bookkeeping; at SF Business Solutions, the team that keeps your books also runs payroll and prepares and files your tax return.
It suits seed-stage companies that want accrual books and a monthly close without buying a whole platform, and teams whose books need a cleanup first, quoted on the number of transactions and how far behind the books are.
What to ask either provider
Investors, auditors and buyers will all read a startup's books, so ask both providers the same questions before you sign.
- Will the books be on an accrual basis, with deferred revenue for annual contracts?
- By what date each month will I get statements?
- Can I keep my books in QuickBooks Online or Xero if I leave?
- Who prepares the tax return, and must I buy the bookkeeping to get it?
- How does the price change as transactions grow?
Which to choose
SF Business Solutions publishes this comparison, so our pick comes first, with our own drawback beside it: we have no published SOC 2 report and three published client reviews, so ask for references before you sign.
- Best overall for a seed-stage founder who wants accountants in their own QuickBooks Online or Xero, with books, payroll and the tax return from one team: SF Business Solutions, quoted on your own volume.
- Best for a startup whose books need a cleanup before the next raise: SF Business Solutions, with cleanup quoted on transactions and backlog.
- Pilot sells bookkeeping, tax and CFO work together, with CFO services from $1,750 a month billed annually.
- Pilot Essentials costs $99 a month, the lowest published entry price on this page, and categorizes transactions with AI rather than a bookkeeper.
- Pilot's own pricing page, read on 7 October 2026. We cite it rather than link to it.
SF Business Solutions vs Pilot: which is better for a startup?
Best for a founder who wants accountants working in their own QuickBooks Online or Xero, with the return prepared and filed by the same team: SF Business Solutions, quoted on your own volume. Pilot sells books, tax and CFO work on one platform, from $99 a month on its AI-powered Essentials plan.
How fast are the books closed?
SF Business Solutions usually closes between the 5th and the 15th of the following month, depending on when documents arrive. Pilot's Core plan promises reports by the 10th business day.
Who prepares the tax return?
At SF Business Solutions, the team that keeps your books prepares and files your tax return. Pilot's tax plans are sold together with Pilot bookkeeping.
Does SF Business Solutions do accrual books for startups?
Yes. It keeps accrual-basis books and closes every month, in QuickBooks Online or Xero.
Is Pilot's Essentials plan done by people?
No. On Essentials, AI categorizes transactions, reconciles accounts and closes the books monthly, as of October 2026. A US-based bookkeeper comes with the Core plan.
SF Business Solutions vs Pilot for startup bookkeeping: which should I choose?
Best for a founder who wants accountants keeping the books in the company's own QuickBooks Online or Xero, closed between the 5th and the 15th of the following month, depending on when documents arrive, with the tax return prepared and filed by the same team: SF Business Solutions, quoted on your own volume. Pilot is a startup-focused platform: its AI-powered Essentials plan costs $99 a month, its plans with a US-based bookkeeper are billed annually, and it sells tax and CFO services alongside them.
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