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Accounting · head to head

Bench vs IRIS KashFlow

Bench logo

Bench

Accounting

America's largest bookkeeping service for small businesses

From
$299/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
IRIS KashFlow logo

IRIS KashFlow

Accounting

Online accounting software for UK sole traders and small businesses

From
£13.5/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; IRIS KashFlow advertised monthly prices of £1.35 (Starter) and £2.75 (Business) are a 90% promotional discount off the standard £13.50 and £27.50 rates, and the promotion is described as lasting 6 months before reverting
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Bench and IRIS KashFlow actually diverge.

Attributes where Bench and IRIS KashFlow differ
AttributeBenchIRIS KashFlow
Starting price$299/month£13.5/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 IRIS KashFlow

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 IRIS KashFlow
  • Tax preparationnot IRIS KashFlow
  • Financial reportingnot IRIS KashFlow

IRIS KashFlow

  • business accountingnot Bench
  • invoicing and billingnot Bench
  • VAT managementnot 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

IRIS KashFlow

  • Advertised monthly prices of £1.35 (Starter) and £2.75 (Business) are a 90% promotional discount off the standard £13.50 and £27.50 rates, and the promotion is described as lasting 6 months before reverting
  • Listed prices are in GBP plus VAT, and the platform's plans are built around UK VAT filing rather than other tax regimes
  • Annual pricing is quoted at RRP £162/year (Starter) and £291.50/year (Business) before the same promotional reduction

Pricing, plan by plan

Bench

$299/month

No published plan breakdown. See the Bench review.

IRIS KashFlow

£13.5/month
  • Starter Monthly$13.5/month
    • 10 invoices
    • up to 25 bank transactions
    • single user access
  • Business Monthly$27.5/month
    • unlimited invoices
    • unlimited bank transactions
    • multi-user access
  • Starter Annual$162/year
    • 10 invoices
    • up to 25 bank transactions
    • single user access
  • Business Annual$291.5/year
    • unlimited invoices
    • unlimited bank transactions
    • multi-user access

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 IRIS KashFlow if

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

IRIS KashFlow review

Questions people ask

Is Bench or IRIS KashFlow better?
Neither clearly leads. Bench starts at $299/month and IRIS KashFlow at £13.5/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Bench or IRIS KashFlow?
Bench starts at $299/month and IRIS KashFlow at £13.5/month.
Does Bench or IRIS KashFlow run on more platforms?
Bench runs on Web, Ios, Android. IRIS KashFlow 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 IRIS KashFlow is typically brought in for.
What can Bench do that IRIS KashFlow 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
IRIS KashFlow: What are IRIS KashFlow's core features across all plans?

All IRIS KashFlow plans include unlimited quotes, online VAT submission, mobile app access, 50+ reports, bank feeds, receipt capture, multi-currency support, and payroll for up to 5 employees.

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
IRIS KashFlow: Are there promotional discounts for new IRIS KashFlow customers?

Yes, new customers receive a 90% discount for 6 months on both Starter and Business monthly plans.

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
IRIS KashFlow: Can multiple users access IRIS KashFlow on the Starter plan?

No, the Starter plan is limited to single-user access only. Multi-user access requires the Business plan.

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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