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Software · head to head

Pilot vs TriNet

Pilot logo

Pilot

Software

Bookkeeping, CFO, and tax for startups

From
$29/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
T

TriNet

Software

Big company benefits and a team deeply involved in running your HR

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Pilot the Essentials bookkeeping plan at $99 per month covers up to $100,000 in monthly expenses, and is cash-basis only using bank and credit card data; TriNet no fixed pricing is published; the site states pricing depends on company size and state and requires talking to a consultant for a quote, per trinet.com, August 2026

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Pilot and TriNet actually diverge.

Attributes where Pilot and TriNet differ
AttributePilotTriNet
Starting price$29/monthOn request
Pricing modelsubscriptionquote
Founded2017Unknown

Identical on both: free tier (No), platforms (Web), 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 Pilot

  • Bookkeeping
  • CFO services
  • Tax preparation
  • R&D tax credits
  • Financial reporting
  • QuickBooks
  • Stripe
  • Brex

Only in TriNet

Nothing recorded that Pilot does not also cover.

What people use each for

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

Pilot

  • Outsourced monthly bookkeeping for startups and small businessesnot TriNet
  • Federal, state and Delaware franchise tax filing for US companiesnot TriNet
  • Fractional CFO support for financial planning and fundraisingnot TriNet

TriNet

No use cases recorded yet. See the TriNet review.

Where each one falls short

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

Pilot

  • The Essentials bookkeeping plan at $99 per month covers up to $100,000 in monthly expenses, and is cash-basis only using bank and credit card data
  • A dedicated US-based bookkeeper, accrual-basis books and phone support require the Core plan, which is contact sales and billed annually
  • Core caps bill management at 10 vendor bills per month
  • Keeping an existing QuickBooks account with historical data requires the Custom plan
  • Accounts receivable, accounts payable, payroll administration and CFO advisory are Custom plan only
  • Monthly reports arrive on the 10th business day on Core and the 6th business day only on Custom
  • Tax filing is sold separately, starting at $1,000 per year for single member LLCs and $2,000 per year for partnerships and S-Corps, billed annually
  • The tax service must be purchased together with Pilot Bookkeeping
  • Partnership and S-Corp tax filing includes up to 25 1099-NEC filings

TriNet

  • No fixed pricing is published; the site states pricing depends on company size and state and requires talking to a consultant for a quote, per trinet.com, August 2026

Pricing, plan by plan

Pilot

$29/month
  • Core$599/month
    • Bookkeeping
    • Accrual basis
    • Monthly close
  • Plus$849/month
    • CFO support
    • Custom reporting
    • Board deck

TriNet

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the TriNet review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Pilot if

  • You need bookkeeping.
  • You also want cfo services.
Pilot review

Choose TriNet if

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

TriNet review

Questions people ask

Is Pilot or TriNet better?
Neither clearly leads. Pilot starts at $29/month and TriNet at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Pilot or TriNet?
Pilot starts at $29/month and TriNet at On request.
Does Pilot or TriNet run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
What is Pilot best used for?
Pilot is most often used for outsourced monthly bookkeeping for startups and small businesses, federal, state and delaware franchise tax filing for us companies, fractional cfo support for financial planning and fundraising. Of those, outsourced monthly bookkeeping for startups and small businesses and federal, state and delaware franchise tax filing for us companies are not what TriNet is typically brought in for.
What can Pilot do that TriNet cannot?
Pilot covers Bookkeeping, CFO services, Tax preparation, R&D tax credits.
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