FlowFi vs a bookkeeper for Australian sole traders
A good bookkeeper is worth every dollar for the right business. They bring human judgement, they know what the ATO looks for, many are registered BAS agents who can lodge for you, and they will notice the thing you did not know to ask about. For a sole trader the typical cost is $300 to $700 a quarter depending on volume, with a one to two week turnaround once you have sent everything in.
FlowFi is software, so it does not replace judgement or advice. What it replaces is the sorting: AI categorises your uploaded statement, flags GST and deductions, and prepares every BAS label with a copy-guide for ATO Online, in minutes rather than weeks, for $29 a month. Many sole traders use FlowFi through the quarter and still pay a bookkeeper or accountant for review and lodgement, which usually costs less because the data arrives clean.
Side by side
| A bookkeeper | FlowFi | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Typically $300 to $700 a quarter for a sole trader, depending on volume and what is included. | Pro $29 a month or $290 a year. Business $59 a month or $590 a year. 14-day free Pro trial, no card. |
| Who it is built for | Any business that wants a human to keep the books and, often, lodge the BAS. | Australian sole traders and freelancers doing their own books, usually with no employees. |
| How transactions get in | You send statements and receipts, or give them access to your accounting software or bank feed. | Upload a CSV or PDF bank statement. No bank login and no bank feed. |
| AI categorisation | No. A person categorises, usually in Xero or MYOB. | YesYes. AI categorises every line of an uploaded statement with a confidence score, asks you to review only the uncertain ones, and learns from your corrections. |
| GST and deduction flagging | YesYes, with human judgement, and they will ask about anything unclear. | YesYes. GST is worked out per transaction and likely deductions are flagged for review. |
| BAS preparation | YesYes. Prepared and reviewed by a person; one to two week turnaround is common. | YesYes. Every BAS label is prepared on a copy-ready card with a guide for ATO Online, and a reminder email lands before the due date with your labels filled in. Or export the pack for your accountant. |
| Tells you what to set aside for tax | YesYes, if you ask, usually at BAS or tax time rather than week to week. | YesYes. Tax Pot shows what to have set aside for tax from your real transactions, the gap, and a weekly amount to close it. You keep the money in your own account. |
| Invoicing | Usually not, or done through software they set up for you. | YesYes. Tax invoices in four styles with your logo, emailed with the PDF attached, a link your client pays from by bank transfer or PayID, quotes accepted online, recurring invoices, and automatic reminders at 1, 7 and 14 days overdue when switched on. |
| Receipts | You send them; they file them. | YesYes. Attach receipts to transactions. |
| Mileage | You keep the log and give them the total. | YesYes. Log trips and apply the ATO cents-per-kilometre rate. |
| Cash-flow forecast | Not usually included at this price. | YesYes. A cash-flow forecast built from your invoices and history. |
| Human support | YesYes. That is the point. | Email support. FlowFi is software; keep your own accountant for advice. |
| Lodges for you | YesYes, if they are a registered BAS agent. | NoNo. You copy the prepared labels into ATO Online in a few minutes, or send the pack to your accountant. |
Bookkeeper fees are typical ranges for a sole trader as at September 2026 and vary widely by location, volume and what is included.
Choose a bookkeeper if
- You want a human to take the BAS off your plate entirely, including lodgement.
- Your affairs are complicated: employees, stock, multiple entities or a history that needs untangling.
- You would rather pay for judgement and a second pair of eyes than learn any software.
Choose FlowFi if
- You are a sole trader with a simple business and the sorting is the part you want gone.
- You want the figures the same day, not in one to two weeks.
- You want to spend $29 a month on software and keep your accountant for advice and the annual return.
Switching from a bookkeeper
Export a statement from your bank
Download a CSV or PDF for the quarter. Ask your bookkeeper for the last BAS they prepared so you can compare.
Upload it to FlowFi
Drop the file in. AI categorises each line, works out GST and flags deductions. Recategorise anything you disagree with; it learns.
Review and lodge
Check the categories, confirm the BAS labels and copy them into ATO Online, or export the pack and have your bookkeeper or accountant review and lodge it for a smaller fee.
Not sure where the export button is? How to export a bank statement CSV from the major Australian banks.
Questions people ask
Can I use FlowFi and keep my bookkeeper?
Yes, and many people do. FlowFi does the categorising through the quarter and exports a clean pack in PDF, CSV, MYOB or Xero format. Your bookkeeper reviews and lodges, which takes them less time.
Will FlowFi catch things a bookkeeper would?
It flags GST and likely deductions on every transaction and asks you to review anything unclear. It will not know that the payment to your brother-in-law was for a business loan unless you tell it, and it does not give advice. A person still adds value on judgement.
Does FlowFi lodge my BAS?
No. FlowFi prepares every label and gives you a copy-guide for ATO Online, which takes about five minutes. If you want someone to lodge on your behalf, that needs a registered BAS or tax agent.
Keep reading
See what your bookkeeper would see, tonight
Upload one CSV or PDF and get categorised transactions, GST and BAS labels in minutes. Free for 14 days, no card.
Start 14-day free trial14 days of Pro free. No credit card. Then $29 a month or $290 a year.
Figures are general information only and may change; check both options' current pricing and features before deciding. FlowFi does not lodge your BAS or give tax advice.