In this Bench Accounting review, we look at how it compares to Maxim Liberty’s bookkeeping services. Bench provides a tech-based solution where you get a dedicated bookkeeper. However, Maxim Liberty offers more personal support and costs less. In this review, we will help you decide which bookkeeping service works best for your business.

Bench Accounting Review vs. Maxim Liberty

1. BBB Rating: Bench Not Accredited vs. Maxim Liberty A+

Despite operating since 2012, Bench Accounting is not accredited by the Better Business Bureau (BBB). Being unaccredited means that Bench.co has not met all the criteria that the BBB considers essential for consumer trust, such as transparency, responsiveness, and trustworthiness standards. In contrast, Maxim Liberty holds an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau, reflecting its commitment to these standards.

2. Proprietary Bench.co vs. Best of Breed Software

Bench.co is primarily a software as a service (SaaS) company that relies on its proprietary software to handle your bookkeeping. So, you’re confined to the features available within their platform. If your needs evolve and require more advanced capabilities, you might find yourself limited. Additionally, switching to a different service can present difficulties in transferring your bookkeeping data.

Maxim Liberty: Maxim Liberty focuses solely on providing bookkeeping services, giving you the freedom to choose from industry-standard software like QuickBooks, Xero, Wave, Sage, or any other popular platform. They also support various industry-specific software, ensuring you maintain flexibility and ease of switching providers. With Maxim Liberty, your data remains yours to keep, and you’re free to take it with you if you decide to move on. They aim to retain your business because of the quality of their service, not because your data is locked into a proprietary system.

3. Customer Reviews: 1-star Bench.co Reviews vs. 5-star for Maxim Liberty

Bench Accounting Reviews

Currently, Bench.co has a 3.6-star rating on Trustpilot, with over 1,500 user reviews. The platform is known for its user-friendly interface and dedicated bookkeeper services, although many users have expressed concerns about its pricing and service limitations.

Recently, Bench has received a significant number of 1-star reviews on platforms like the Better Business Bureau. Most reviews on this site are highly critical, with only 1-star ratings and no positive or moderate ratings. Below are some recent BBB reviews of Bench Accounting.

This company should not be in business. Very poor inter-communication. They ignored my directions from the start resulting in late filings and thousands of dollars of penalties. They said they would help mitigate the fines and now I can’t get a hold of anyone. ***** this business. Unbelievable they operate this way. – Matt H., October 10, 2024

First, I have been with Bench for 6 years. They used to do the books, then contract taxes out to Taxfyle. That worked just great. They flipped me to their new in-house service this year, which is trash. It has been 3 weeks since I received a response from Bench. It is August, but my taxes are not done. I scheduled a call today, but nobody called me. They sent me a draft that my financial advisor told me is off by $5,000-$6,000 or more. I corrected them and sent all documents in July…..crickets. They don’t respond to their own message board/workstation/platform. I get automated emails weekly telling me it is my fault that taxes aren’t done, but my responses go unanswered. This is causing me major problems while trying to work with a bank right now. The worst service I have ever received. I’m dropping them and their bookkeeping service after 6 years.” – Jay M., August 7, 2024

“Everything is done through their system, that’s ok, but to get an actual human to answer takes long. They’re prices compared to others are 3 times more expensive and for the quality of customer service, it does not add up. I got charged $7500 to do my 2023 tax return and my revenue was barely $15k.. I started my business a year and a half ago, I did not have experience with business accounting, so I took the first and quickest option, it resulted in me having to overpay for bad service.” –  Thomas B., July 17, 2024

“This is an awful company. All accounts were connected, yet I still had to upload every single document; I had to manually categorize all transactions; I may as well have done it myself with QuickBooks. It is nearly June; my taxes still haven’t been filed. I canceled services and yet was charged again. Multiple people work on my books and taxes and do not communicate. Each person gives various answers to questions. DO NOT USE THIS COMPANY.” – Jessica G., May 28, 2024

“This service is awful, spent 2 weeks doing a 2023 catch up , took all of my money just to have to amend. 2024 we are 5 months in and nothing absolutely nothing has been reconciled. I have paid 5k for nothing , worst decision. Not to mention, I went to the company two weeks ago and they did nothing about my complaint. Nothing. Do not purchase , DO NOT PURCHASE. 1 star only because it asked.” – Bianca A., May 22, 2024

“Oh, Bench, where do I begin? Our journey together has been like a rollercoaster designed by a clown full of unexpected twists, turns, and a few too many pies in the face. From the magical year of 2020, we embarked on an adventure, not knowing it would turn into a saga worthy of its own sitcom. Our point of contact changed more often than a chameleon in a disco, each time promising a smooth transition that felt more like a game of hot potato. The nuances and complexities of our account were supposed to be handled with care, yet they were tossed around like a salad, leading to a delightful mix of confusion and misplaced assumptions. Let’s not forget the enchanting dance of communication with our main Bench point of contact, our very own guide through this nightmare. Their performances were nothing short of spectacular, a blend of confusion, misinformation, and the occasional contradiction. It was like watching a mime trying to explain quantum physics utterly baffling but strangely captivating. If you like jokes, you should hear the one were they cancel tax fillings the week before they are due after months of working with their team to get everything reviewed and ready for filing. Their solution, leave your business hanging and waiting for updates and promises that never seem to come all while collecting their monthly ******** and service fees but never actually providing the contracted services. Use Bench if you like your accounting services like a rollercoaster without the thrill, a puzzle without a solution.” – Nick G., April 4, 2024

“I had a terrible experience with Bench. They were not good at providing reports and would take weeks or even months to deliver them. I had to keep reminding them repeatedly. The bookkeepers kept switching, which made it clear that they were likely not an excellent company.Moreover, they did not provide basic reports, such as a payroll summary for workers’ comp or a report for specific vendors. P&L and year-end reports were all that they offered, and they bundled everything together, so I had no idea if they were even categorized correctly. When I needed a subcontractor report, I discovered that they had not properly categorized that expense despite asking me to categorize everything.To make matters worse, they couldn’t remember essential details such as my landlord, the vehicles for which I made payments, or which suppliers provided what supplies. I had to itemize everything myself, repeatedly.I have no confidence in the accuracy of my books for the three years I used their services. I made the mistake of trusting them because they were recommended by my payroll company.To add insult to injury, they charged me for the following year, even after I had canceled their services. It was a nightmare dealing with them.” – Renee W., Feb 21, 2024

“DO NOT USE THIS COMPANY FOR YOUR BOOKKEEPING. This company not only destroyed me financially charging 6-8 transactions every day ranging from $250 – $630 for each transaction at the lowest point of our seasonal business resulting in 6-8 overdraft charges for each day. It took me 3 months to try to cancel with them (and they’re still relentlessly trying to charge my account) and tried everything I could to get my bank to stop allowing money to be withdrawn from my account. They have now successfully destroyed my 12 year relationship with ********** and I’m working hard to get all new bank accounts open with another company. This is a mistake I wish I would have never made. Do NOT trust these guys, you will regret it if you do. You get what you pay for. Get a real bookkeeper or do the bookkeeping yourself. They don’t even deserve the minimum 1 start I’m giving them.” – Joseph C., Feb 2, 2024

“The company has gone downhill since I started with them 3 years ago. The first year I used them, things were decent not great, but it has declined over the past few years. Last year I hired them to do my taxes. The accountant disappeared for three weeks and No one could find her!! My taxes were late, and so I found another accountant, but I left bookkeeping with them. When my bookkeeper left the company, it went downhill. S. my new bookkeeper never introduced herself an course be bothered to set up any calls. Needless to say I blew my top when it took 3 wells to get an answer to a question. Just one simple question, they sent me to talk with 7 other people because Sasha went on vacation and couldn’t be bothered to just answer a damn question Then they passed me over to another another who promised he’d take care of things. Never heard back from him. Then I called and kept hearing hung up on. I’ve literally spoken to 9 people, just trying to get one question Answered. Finally was told after three weeks of being tossed around with that I needed to use tax jar. Like they couldn’t have just told me that in a quick email. Three weeks. No return calls, missed meetings, bouncing from one idiot to another. Then on top of that C. called to tell me she thought my language was inappropriate. She started to chastise me becausei was so fed up with being ignored for 3 weeks and said things that hurt their feelings. Oh, and 3 Out of 4 times I called, I’d get a voice Mail, “leaves message and we’ll get back to you” uh…no they don’t, and what kind of professional company says leave a voicemail and never once returned the call? When I did talk to them, half of the time the call would get dropped. What a mess, and when I asked for some accountability there is none. SO I got angry and said some colorful words. THe head of their “customer relations” called to chastise me for using bad language. Horrible way to handle a situation they caused.” – Misty B, Aug 31, 2022

Key Highlights:

• Ease of Use: Bench offers an intuitive interface, making it easy for business owners with little to no accounting knowledge.
• Dedicated Bookkeeper: Customers appreciate the personal touch of having a dedicated bookkeeper, making financial management less of a hassle.

Concerns Raised:

• Pricing: Starting at $249 per month, Bench is significantly more expensive compared to other bookkeeping services.
• Limited Services: Bench is primarily designed for cash-based accounting, which may not meet the needs of businesses that require more advanced accrual-based bookkeeping.

Rating:
★★★☆☆ 3.6/5 based on 1,500+ reviews.

Maxim Liberty Reviews

Maxim Liberty has consistently impressed its clients and currently holds a 5.0-star rating on Trustindex.io. Clients frequently highlight the company’s personalized services, affordability, and long-standing relationships.

Below are recent reviews of Maxim Liberty from the Better Business Bureau.

“Maxim Liberty has been serving us for more than 17 years and we are very happy with their services. They have been an integral part of growing our business. I highly recommend Maxim Liberty for anyone who needs bookkeeping services like bank reconciliations, billing, invoicing, payroll, sales taxes and/or financial reporting.” – Rekh M, July 13, 2022.

Key Highlights:

• Affordability: Maxim Liberty starts at just $50 per month, a fraction of Bench’s pricing. This makes Maxim Liberty one of the most cost-effective bookkeeping services in the industry.
• Custom Solutions: Clients appreciate the ability to tailor services to their specific bookkeeping needs, including both cash-based and accrual-based accounting.
• Outstanding Customer Service: Clients rave about the responsive and personalized customer support, ensuring that every business receives attention to detail.
• A+ BBB Rating: The Better Business Bureau has given Maxim Liberty it’s highest possible A+ rating.

Rating:
★★★★★ 5.0/5 based on verified client feedback.

4. Service Offerings: Monthly vs. Flexible Plans

Bench Accounting services are primarily focused on downloads, reconciliation, and reporting on a “monthly” basis. There is no support for weekly or daily updates. Also, they do not focus on crucial bookkeeping services such as manual data entry, accounts payable management, accounts receivable management and sales tax filings.

Maxim Liberty services are customized to meet your needs. You can choose from monthly, weekly and even daily update plans. And from a wide variety of bookkeeping services.

Pricing: $249/mo vs. $50/mo

Bench Accounting’s $249/mo plan

Bench.co offers services that are comparable to Maxim Liberty’s most basic $50/mo starter plan. The bench.co plan includes the monthly software subscription. In Maxim Liberty’s case, the software subscription may vary from $0 to $100 per month depending on the features you need. However, you get the best bookkeeping service using the best bookkeeping software for your business. Bench.co does not offer plans to match Maxim Liberty’s $100/mo weekly update and $200/mo daily update / full service capabilities.

Maxim Liberty Plans from $50/mo

Maxim Liberty offers various bookkeeping pricing plans tailored to meet your diverse needs:

• • $50 per month: Comparable services to the Bench’s $249/mo plan. The plan includes one-time catch-up or clean-up, automated and manual data entry, bank reconciliations and financial reporting on a monthly basis.

• • $100 per month: Same services as $50/mo plan but with updates done on a weekly basis.

• • $200 per month: Comprehensive full service plan with daily updates. In addition to all the basic services, this plan includes accounts payable management, accounts receivable management, sales tax filings, and more. The plan also includes payroll processing as long as your software includes a full-service subscription for payroll.

• • $225 per month for accounting firms: Special plans to handle the multiple clients for accounting firms.

5. Cancellation Policy: Annual Contract vs. Cancel Any Time

With Bench Accounting, you commit to an annual contract. In contrast, Maxim Liberty offers a “cancel anytime with prorated refunds” policy. They want you to stay because you like their service, not because you’re locked into a contract. And the best part? The very first payment comes with a 100% money-back guarantee.