Bench — full review and pricing

Quick facts. Bench is operated by Bench Accounting, Inc., headquartered in Vancouver, British Columbia (Canada), with the brand established in 2012 by Ian Crosby and Pavel Rodionov. The operator is Bench shut down operations December 2024 amid funding troubles; assets acquired by Employer.com January 2025. Bench positions itself as a US-Canadian small-business bookkeeping service that shut down in December 2024 and is being revived by Employer.com, billed via the tier structure detailed below.

Bench markets a accounting & payroll subscription targeted at users who want a fully-managed product without piecing it together themselves. The pricing snapshot below pulls Subger's live tracker, so anchor prices stay current as Bench adjusts published rates. The rest of this page details the operator, current tiers, feature coverage, support reach and 10 short FAQs. For the canonical reference, cross-check the vendor's own pricing page — figures here mirror it within the cache window.

Operator background

Bench runs under Bench Accounting, Inc., headquartered in Vancouver, British Columbia (Canada). The product was established in 2012 by Ian Crosby and Pavel Rodionov, and the company is currently Bench shut down operations December 2024 amid funding troubles; assets acquired by Employer.com January 2025. Bench sits in the accounting & payroll category and competes for the same recurring spend as nearby accounting & payroll brands on this site. See related coverage in /en/us/promo and /en/us/deal for cross-brand context.

Headquarters and corporate status

• Legal entity: Bench Accounting, Inc.
• HQ: Vancouver, British Columbia (Canada)
• Founded / launched: 2012 by Ian Crosby and Pavel Rodionov
• Ownership: Bench shut down operations December 2024 amid funding troubles; assets acquired by Employer.com January 2025

The operator's corporate status determines who you contract with at checkout — typically the legal entity above, even if billing goes through a regional reseller.

Why Bench matters in accounting & payroll

Bench positions itself as a US-Canadian small-business bookkeeping service that shut down in December 2024 and is being revived by Employer.com. The 2024-2025 differentiator: Bench shut down December 27, 2024 leaving 35,000 SMB customers; Employer.com acquired assets and is restoring service in early 2025.

Pricing and tier structure

Current tier structure: Essential $299/month; Premium $499/month for bookkeeping + tax filing (legacy pricing). The anchor price referenced for headline comparison is Historical Essential $299/month.

Plan grid

What changes between tiers

Higher tiers typically unlock larger allowances, additional household members or extra premium content; entry tiers exist for trial usage. Live prices in the Subger plan tracker override these anchors when Bench adjusts published rates.

Recent pricing context (2024-2025)

Bench shut down December 27, 2024 leaving 35,000 SMB customers; Employer.com acquired assets and is restoring service in early 2025. Annual commitments commonly trim 10-20% off the headline monthly rate; check the live grid above before purchase.

Feature coverage

Bench ships with the following named capabilities relevant to accounting & payroll:

• Historical online bookkeeping for SMBs
• Dedicated bookkeeper
• Monthly financial statements
• Tax filing add-on
• IOS and Android apps (legacy)

Feature matrix

Platform and device reach

Coverage spans the operator's published device list — typically modern iOS and Android plus a web client; some categories add desktop apps, smart-TV apps or vehicle integrations where relevant. Check the vendor's "Supported devices" page if you depend on a less common platform.

Bookkeeping scope and automation

Bookkeeping scope covers invoicing, VAT/GST returns, bank-feed reconciliation and year-end statements; automation level depends on the tier (manual vs. assisted vs. dedicated bookkeeper).

What this means for buyers

The category-specific behaviour above is the single biggest factor when comparing Bench against alternatives in the same accounting & payroll bracket. Buyers who care about the feature mix detailed here will typically rank Bench higher than buyers focused on price alone.

Support, billing and account management

Bench offers customer support through the operator's standard channels — typically an in-app help centre, email contact and (for paid tiers) live chat or phone support during business hours.

Cancellation and refunds

You can cancel Bench directly from the account dashboard. Refund policy follows the operator's published terms; many accounting & payroll services prorate or do not refund partial periods after the renewal date. See the cancel guide hub for the standard cancellation workflow.

Free trials and money-back

Free trials, money-back windows and intro pricing vary by tier and country. Anchor: Historical Essential $299/month.

Comparison context

In the accounting & payroll category, Bench competes with nearby brands you can browse via /en/us/compare. Buyers commonly look at Bench alongside two or three peers before committing — the side-by-side compare table on this site lets you stack feature coverage and price in one view.

When Bench is the right pick

• You want a US-Canadian small-business bookkeeping service that shut down in December 2024 and is being revived by Employer.com and the feature mix listed above
• The anchor price (Historical Essential $299/month) fits the budget
• The operator's footprint covers your country

When to look elsewhere

• You need a specific feature Bench does not list
• You are in a country outside the operator's main footprint
• The 2024-2025 differentiator (Bench shut down December 27, 2024 leaving 35,000 SMB customers; Employer.com acquired assets and is restoring service in early 2025) is not relevant to your use case

Frequently asked questions

What is Bench?

Bench is a accounting & payroll subscription operated by Bench Accounting, Inc. out of Vancouver, British Columbia (Canada), established in 2012 by Ian Crosby and Pavel Rodionov. It is currently Bench shut down operations December 2024 amid funding troubles; assets acquired by Employer.com January 2025.

How much does Bench cost?

Current tier structure: Essential $299/month; Premium $499/month for bookkeeping + tax filing (legacy pricing). Anchor headline price: Historical Essential $299/month. See the pricing table above for the live grid.

Who owns Bench?

The brand is owned and operated by Bench Accounting, Inc.. Corporate status: Bench shut down operations December 2024 amid funding troubles; assets acquired by Employer.com January 2025.

Where is Bench available?

Bench operates from Vancouver, British Columbia (Canada) with country availability tied to the operator's footprint and licensing reach. Cross-check the vendor's region list before subscribing if you travel often.

Can I cancel Bench any time?

Yes — cancellation runs through the operator's account dashboard. See the cancel guide hub for the standard workflow and country-specific notes.

Does Bench offer a free trial?

Free-trial availability varies by tier and country. The anchor price (Historical Essential $299/month) is the post-trial headline rate; trials, when offered, run 7 to 30 days depending on promo.

What payment methods does Bench accept?

Payment methods follow the operator's checkout — typically major cards (Visa, Mastercard, Amex) plus locally-relevant alternatives like Apple Pay, Google Pay or country-specific wallets.

Is Bench worth it in 2025?

Bench's 2025 value depends on the feature mix you actually use. The 2024-2025 update — Bench shut down December 27, 2024 leaving 35,000 SMB customers; Employer.com acquired assets and is restoring service in early 2025 — is the single most relevant signal for current-year buyers.

How is Bench different from competitors?

Bench differentiates as a US-Canadian small-business bookkeeping service that shut down in December 2024 and is being revived by Employer.com. The operator background, founding year (2012 by Ian Crosby and Pavel Rodionov) and 2024-2025 update give buyers a sense of where the brand sits versus alternatives.

Where can I track Bench pricing changes?

Subger's live tracker updates the anchor price (Historical Essential $299/month) automatically when Bench adjusts published rates. Bookmark the Subger Bench page and check the pricing table above.

Sources and updates

Operator + tier + ownership facts compiled from public vendor disclosures, press releases and regulatory filings current to 2024-2025. Anchor price: Historical Essential $299/month. Last refreshed at the timestamp in Subger's plan tracker.

Related on Subger

Browse adjacent coverage:

• Promo codes hub
• Deals hub
• Cancel guide hub
• Compare services
• True price tracker