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Accounting · head to head

Bench vs Fiken

Bench logo

Bench

Accounting

America's largest bookkeeping service for small businesses

From
$299/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Fiken logo

Fiken

Accounting

Norwegian accounting software for sole proprietors and small companies

From
219/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Bench recent bankruptcy and acquisition by Employer.com creates uncertainty about product roadmap and support continuity; Fiken bank integration available only as add-on (69 NOK/month)
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Bench and Fiken actually diverge.

Attributes where Bench and Fiken differ
AttributeBenchFiken
Starting price$299/month219/month
Pricing modelUnknownsubscription
PlatformsWeb, Ios, AndroidWeb
Founded2012Unknown

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

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 Bench

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

Only in Fiken

Nothing recorded that Bench does not also cover.

What people use each for

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

Bench

  • Bookkeeping outsourcingnot Fiken
  • Tax preparationnot Fiken
  • Financial reportingnot Fiken

Fiken

  • Solo accounting and invoicing for small businessesnot Bench
  • Multi-user accounting collaboration at no extra costnot Bench
  • Invoice management with EHF e-invoice supportnot Bench
  • Bank integration for transaction trackingnot Bench

Where each one falls short

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

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

Fiken

  • Bank integration available only as add-on (69 NOK/month)
  • Project accounting requires separate add-on (69 NOK/month)
  • Payroll and employee features cost extra (69 NOK/month)
  • Physical mail invoicing costs 25 NOK per invoice

Pricing, plan by plan

Bench

$299/month

No published plan breakdown. See the Bench review.

Fiken

219/month
  • Base Plan$219/month
    • Complete accounting functionality
    • Unlimited invoice sending via email and EHF
    • Unlimited user accounts

Which should you pick?

Choose Bench if

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

Choose Fiken if

Nothing in the data separates Fiken from Bench on the points above - pick on price and on how each one feels to use.

Fiken review

Questions people ask

Is Bench or Fiken better?
Neither clearly leads. Bench starts at $299/month and Fiken at 219/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Bench or Fiken?
Bench starts at $299/month and Fiken at 219/month.
Does Bench or Fiken run on more platforms?
Bench runs on Web, Ios, Android. Fiken runs on Web.
What is Bench best used for?
Bench is most often used for bookkeeping outsourcing, tax preparation, financial reporting. Of those, bookkeeping outsourcing and tax preparation are not what Fiken is typically brought in for.
What can Bench do that Fiken cannot?
Bench covers Dedicated bookkeeper, Monthly financial statements, Bank reconciliation, Tax preparation.

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
Fiken: Is there a free trial for Fiken?

Yes, Fiken offers a 30-day free trial with no credit card required. After the trial, the base plan costs 219 NOK per month.

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
Fiken: Do additional users cost more on Fiken?

No, Fiken includes unlimited user accounts at no extra cost on the base plan.

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
Fiken: What add-ons are available and how much do they cost?

Monthly add-ons include bank integration, project accounting, KID number system, and API access (69-99 NOK each). Time tracking, payroll, and expense reimbursements also cost 69 NOK per month. Annual tax filing costs 1,290 NOK for sole proprietors or 1,590 NOK for limited companies.

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
Fiken: What are the per-transaction costs?

SMS invoicing costs 3 NOK, e-invoicing via Vipps costs 5 NOK, physical mail invoicing costs 25 NOK, and credit checks cost 15 NOK per transaction.

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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