Guide
Software pricing units explained
Per user, per company, per seat, per return: what each vendor charges per, and what makes the bill grow.
The same dollar figure can mean very different bills depending on the unit behind it. BILL’s page has two things that cost $49, Gusto’s Solo and Simple plans both start at a $49 base, and OnPay advertises “starts at $55” for a plan whose base is $49. This guide sets out the units accounting-software vendors charge per, with a current example of each and what makes the bill grow. Prices are US list prices as of October 8, 2026.
What each vendor charges per
| Vendor | You pay for | Example list price | The bill grows with |
|---|---|---|---|
| QuickBooks Online | Each company | Plus: $140 a month per company, up to 5 users | The number of client companies on QuickBooks Online |
| Xero (US) | Each organization | Growing: $59 a month per organization | The number of organizations (client files) |
| SmartVault | Each user, with a minimum per plan | Business Pro: $85 per user a month billed monthly, $65 billed annually; minimum 3 users | Headcount |
| Karbon | Each user | Team: $79 per user a month paid monthly, $59 paid annually | Headcount |
| TaxDome | Each seat, per year, by length of commitment | Essentials: $800 per seat per year on a 1-year commitment | Seats (pricing stops at 25; larger teams get a quote) |
| Dext | Each account (Business plan) | Business: $31.50 a month, or $25.21 a month billed annually; includes 5 users and 250 documents a month | Accounts; the practice plan is described as per client, with no published price |
| BILL | Each user, plus fees per payment | Essentials: $49 per user a month; the accountant console is $49 a month for the whole firm | Users, and the number and type of payments |
| Fathom | A company allowance, plus a fee per extra company | Pro Silver: $315 a month includes 10 companies, then $31 for each extra company; Portfolio: $67 a month for 100 companies | Companies |
| Gusto | A base fee, plus a fee per person | Simple: $49 a month plus $6 per person a month | Employees and contractors paid |
| OnPay | A base fee, plus a fee per worker | $49 a month plus $6 per worker a month | Workers paid |
| Lacerte, ProSeries, Drake Tax, CCH Axcess | A licence per tax year, sized by return volume, plus fees per return | See the tax software guide | Return volume and licence size |
What ten units cost under each model
The table works out the list-price arithmetic for ten units, so you can see how the models behave. Each line uses a different unit, so do not compare the lines as if the tools were substitutes. Prices exclude tax, add-ons and per-transaction fees.
| Plan | Units | Arithmetic | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| QuickBooks Online Plus | 10 companies | 10 × $140 | $1,400 | $16,800 |
| Xero Growing | 10 organizations | 10 × $59 | $590 | $7,080 |
| SmartVault Business Pro, billed monthly | 10 users | 10 × $85 | $850 | $10,200 |
| SmartVault Business Pro, billed annually | 10 users | 10 × $65 | $650 | $7,800 |
| Karbon Team, paid monthly | 10 users | 10 × $79 | $790 | $9,480 |
| TaxDome Pro, 1-year commitment | 10 seats | 10 × $1,000 a year | $833.33 | $10,000 |
| BILL Essentials | 10 users | 10 × $49 | $490 | $5,880 |
| Gusto Simple | 10 people | $49 + 10 × $6 | $109 | $1,308 |
| OnPay | 10 workers | $49 + 10 × $6 | $109 | $1,308 |
| Fathom Pro Silver | 12 companies | $315 + 2 × $31 | $377 | $4,524 |
TaxDome is priced per seat per year, so its monthly figure is one twelfth of the yearly price; Essentials is a single-seat plan, so the ten-seat line uses Pro. Fathom’s Silver plan includes 10 companies; the line shows 12 companies, two over the allowance.
Why the unit decides who feels a price increase
An increase of the same size lands differently under each unit. QuickBooks Online’s list price for Plus rose by $25 a month per company on August 1, 2026, from $115 to $140: a firm that pays for 50 client companies pays 50 × $25 × 12 = $15,000 a year more, while a firm that runs one company pays $300. A $10 increase per user, like the one SmartVault’s page first showed on October 2, 2026, scales with headcount instead: 10 users cost $1,200 a year more. Under a base-plus-person model like OnPay’s, an increase to the base fee lands once per account, and an increase to the per-worker rate scales with the number of workers. The calculator works out the cost for your own counts.
Terms you will see
- List price. The price a vendor publishes for a plan, before promotions, tax and add-ons.
- Seat or user. One person’s login. Vendors define the two words differently, so read the definition on the page.
- Account. One customer’s subscription. Dext’s Business plan, for example, is priced per account and includes 5 users.
- Organization. Xero’s word for one company file.
- Base fee plus per-person fee. A fixed monthly amount plus an amount for each person paid, used by Gusto and OnPay.
- Per-transaction fee. A charge per payment or filing, on top of the plan. BILL’s page lists, for example, ACH at $0.59, a mailed check at $1.99 and an international USD wire at $19.99 (read September 8, 2026).
- Pay-per-return. A low annual fee that includes a few returns, with a charge for each further return. Drake’s pay-per-return plan costs $379.99 and includes 10 individual returns; extra individual returns are $49.99 each.
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Get free price alertsCommon questions
What is the difference between per user, per seat and per account pricing?
A user or seat is usually one person’s login, while an account is one customer’s subscription, which may include several users: Dext’s Business plan is priced per account and includes 5 users. Vendors define the terms differently, so check the definition on the pricing page.
Why is QuickBooks Online priced per company?
Each QuickBooks Online subscription covers one company file, so the bill grows with the number of companies. A firm that pays for many client companies feels a per-company increase many times over.
What does “base fee plus per person” mean?
A fixed monthly fee plus a charge for each person paid. For example, Gusto’s Simple plan is $49 a month plus $6 per person a month, so 10 people cost $49 + 10 × $6 = $109 a month.
How do I compare a per-user price with a per-company price?
Work out the total for your own counts under each model: the price times the number of units, plus any base fee, for the same billing period. The per-unit figures are not comparable on their own.