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Software · head to head

Avalara vs Bench

Avalara logo

Avalara

Software

Tax compliance done right

From
$29/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Bench logo

Bench

Software

America's largest bookkeeping service for small businesses

From
$299/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Avalara plans start at $699 per state per year, so multi-state sellers multiply that figure rather than paying one subscription; Bench recent bankruptcy and acquisition by Employer.com creates uncertainty about product roadmap and support continuity
  • They diverge on capability: Avalara covers Tax calculation, Bench covers Dedicated bookkeeper.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Avalara and Bench actually diverge.

Attributes where Avalara and Bench differ
AttributeAvalaraBench
Starting price$29/month$299/month
Pricing modelsubscriptionUnknown
PlatformsWeb, ApiWeb, Ios, Android
Founded20042012

Identical on both: free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Avalara

  • Tax calculation
  • Returns filing
  • Exemption management
  • Document management
  • Real-time rates
  • QuickBooks
  • NetSuite
  • Shopify

Only in Bench

  • Dedicated bookkeeper
  • Monthly financial statements
  • Bank reconciliation
  • Tax preparation
  • Expense categorization
  • Stripe
  • PayPal
  • Square

Both cover

  • SOC 2
  • Web support

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Avalara

  • Real-time sales tax calculation at checkoutnot Bench
  • Multi-state and multi-jurisdiction tax determinationnot Bench
  • VAT, lodging, communications and excise tax calculationnot Bench
  • Feeding tax results into an ERP or ecommerce platform through the APInot Bench

Bench

  • Bookkeeping outsourcingnot Avalara
  • Tax preparationnot Avalara
  • Financial reportingnot Avalara

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Avalara

  • Plans start at $699 per state per year, so multi-state sellers multiply that figure rather than paying one subscription
  • Billed by transaction, where one API call is one transaction, so cost tracks invoice volume
  • The free option is limited to the Streamlined Sales Tax programme, in up to 25 states and only for qualifying businesses

Bench

  • Recent bankruptcy and acquisition by Employer.com creates uncertainty about product roadmap and support continuity
  • Higher starting cost at $299/month compared to self-service accounting software like Wave or QuickBooks Online
  • Requires manual connection of financial accounts and ongoing coordination with bookkeeping team, less automated than software-first solutions
  • Tax services limited to US income tax returns; no support for complex entity structures or multi-state taxation
  • History of burning through capital rapidly, raising concerns about long-term business sustainability

Pricing, plan by plan

Avalara

$29/month
  • AvaTax$50/month
    • Tax calculation
    • Exemption certificates
    • Returns filing

Bench

$299/month

No published plan breakdown. See the Bench review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Avalara if

  • You need tax calculation.
  • You work on Web, Api.
  • You also want returns filing.
Avalara review

Choose Bench if

  • You need dedicated bookkeeper.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want monthly financial statements.
Bench review

Questions people ask

Is Avalara or Bench better?
Neither clearly leads. Avalara starts at $29/month and Bench at $299/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Avalara or Bench?
Avalara starts at $29/month and Bench at $299/month.
Does Avalara or Bench run on more platforms?
Avalara runs on Web, Api. Bench runs on Web, Ios, Android.
What is Avalara best used for?
Avalara is most often used for real-time sales tax calculation at checkout, multi-state and multi-jurisdiction tax determination, vat, lodging, communications and excise tax calculation, feeding tax results into an erp or ecommerce platform through the api. Of those, real-time sales tax calculation at checkout and multi-state and multi-jurisdiction tax determination are not what Bench is typically brought in for.
What can Avalara do that Bench cannot?
Avalara covers Tax calculation, Returns filing, Exemption management, Document management. Bench covers Dedicated bookkeeper, Monthly financial statements, Bank reconciliation, Tax preparation. Both handle SOC 2, Web support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Bench: What happened to Bench Accounting?

Bench shut down abruptly on December 27, 2024, filing for bankruptcy in Canada with $65 million in debt. The company was acquired by Employer.com on December 30, 2024, and resumed operations in January 2025 under new ownership.

Source
Bench: What are Bench's current pricing plans?

Bench offers Bookkeeping at $299/month (billed annually) and Bookkeeping + Tax at $599/month (billed annually). Both include automated bookkeeping, real-time financial statements, and a dedicated team of bookkeepers.

Source
Bench: Does Bench include tax preparation services?

The Bookkeeping plan includes monthly bookkeeping and year-end tax-ready financial statements. The Bookkeeping + Tax plan adds one-on-one income tax consulting and annual income tax return filing.

Source
Bench: How does Bench's bookkeeping work?

Bench combines proprietary software with human bookkeepers. You connect your financial accounts to automate data entry, and Bench's team handles bookkeeping and provides year-end tax-ready statements. Customers can reach their dedicated team within 24 hours.

Source
Bench: Can I access real-time financial data with Bench?

Yes, Bench provides real-time reporting, allowing you to access or download updated income statements and balance sheets at any time.

Source
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