Bench

Bench is an online bookkeeping service for small businesses with a turbulent recent history. It went offline abruptly on December 27, 2024, locking customers out during year-end close. Employer.com, a San Francisco HR and payroll technology company, announced on December 30, 2024 that it had acquired Bench out of insolvency, saying it would revive the platform and let customers either keep their service or port their data. Bench and a subsidiary filed for bankruptcy in Canada in January 2025, reportedly with roughly $2.8 million in cash against $65.4 million in liabilities. On August 11, 2025, Employer.com consolidated Bench and its other acquisitions under the Mainstreet name, while the Bench name stays in use at bench.co.

The status in 2026 is mixed. Bench's own site says it is fully operational as an Employer.com company and is actively onboarding new and returning customers. Independent reviews are more critical: one reports that the post-restart experience has been marked by late filings, unresponsive support and lingering data portability concerns, and another notes Bench still runs on a proprietary platform where clients cannot directly export their data. Treat the company's claims with some caution. I did not find current plan prices in these results, so request a written quote, plus assurances about data export and filing deadlines, before signing.

Bench may suit very small businesses that want a done-for-you bookkeeper, but you should compare it with alternatives that give direct access to your own books. Compare Bookkeeper360, Botkeeper and QuickBooks. Browse the Finance & Accounting tools directory for more.

Done-for-you bookkeeping

Small businesses.

Tax-ready books

Year-end.

Is Bench still operating?

Yes, as an Employer.com company, per its site.

What happened in 2024?

It shut down on December 27, 2024 and was acquired out of insolvency.

Can I export my data?

One review says clients cannot directly export.

How much does it cost?

No current price was found; request a quote.