Pilot review: Bookkeeping, tax and CFO services for startups and small businesses, AI-assisted
Bookkeeping, tax and CFO services for startups and small businesses, AI-assisted
Starts at $99/mo, free plan: no, free trial: free trial (length not stated), prices checked on October 29, 2026.
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What Pilot does
Does a company's bookkeeping with AI plus human staff, and adds tax filing, CFO advisory and operations support if needed.
Pilot is a back-office service provider for startups and small businesses. It combines an AI accountant with human staff. The AI categorizes transactions, reconciles accounts and closes the books each month, and the books are kept in a QuickBooks Online file that Pilot sets up and manages. Higher bookkeeping tiers add a US-based bookkeeper, cash or accrual accounting, and support by phone and email.
Beyond bookkeeping, Pilot sells tax filing, CFO advisory, operations support, stock administration and R&D tax credit claims. Pilot says it connects to Mercury, Stripe, Gusto, Ramp and 10,000+ more tools, so data flows into the books automatically.
Pricing is published only in part. The Essentials bookkeeping plan is $99 per month and covers up to $100,000 in monthly expenses. The Core and Custom bookkeeping plans are handled through Contact Sales. CFO plans start at $1,750 per month billed annually for Basic, $3,150 for Essentials and $5,250 for Custom. Tax plans are quoted per year and must be bought with Pilot bookkeeping. The R&D tax credit costs 20% of the credit received. The site offers a free trial but does not state how long it lasts, and it does not describe a free plan. Pilot works mainly with US banks and payment platforms, and it states that it is not a public accounting firm.
- AI transaction categorization and reconciliation
- Monthly book close
- Plain-English AI answers about cash flow
- QuickBooks Online file managed by Pilot
- US-based bookkeeper on higher plans
- Federal and state tax filing
- CFO advisory with financial models
- R&D tax credit claims
Good for / Not for
Good for
- Startups that want their books closed monthly without doing the work
- Small businesses that want bookkeeping and tax from one provider
- Companies that want CFO calls and financial models as they grow
Not for
- Teams that need a free plan, since none is described
- Businesses with mostly non-US banks and payment platforms
- Buyers who want tax services without bookkeeping
How to start
Limits and gotchas
From the official site and docs of Pilot, checked on October 29, 2026.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Essentials bookkeeping has a published price of $99 per month
- One provider covers bookkeeping, tax, CFO advisory and R&D tax credit claims
- AI handles categorization and reconciliation, with a QuickBooks Online file managed for you
- Connects to Mercury, Stripe, Gusto, Ramp and 10,000+ more tools, per the vendor
- Higher plans include a US-based bookkeeper and dedicated CFO calls
Cons
- No free plan is described; only a free trial of unstated length is mentioned
- Core and Custom bookkeeping prices are not published and require Contact Sales
- Tax plans must be purchased together with Pilot bookkeeping
- Essentials bookkeeping is limited to up to $100,000 in monthly expenses
- Mainly supports US-based banks and payment platforms
Our take
Pilot fits founders and small teams who want to hand off bookkeeping and later add tax or CFO help from the same provider. The $99 per month Essentials plan gives a clear starting price, and the pages describe a path up to a dedicated bookkeeper and CFO calls. It is a poorer match if you want a self-serve software tool, a free plan, or full price transparency: Core and Custom bookkeeping need a sales conversation, and tax plans require bookkeeping. The pages also say Pilot mostly supports US banks and payment platforms, so companies with mainly non-US accounts should check compatibility first. Pricing and scope come from the vendor's own pages only.
Comparisons and lists with Pilot
Coming soon
Coming soon — we are writing comparisons that include Pilot.
Pilot pricing
| Plan | Monthly billing | Annual billing (per month) | Limits / what’s included |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bookkeeping Essentials per month | $99 | — | Up to $100,000 in monthly expenses |
| CFO Basic per month, starts at, billed annually | — | $1,750 | Monthly call with your CFO |
| CFO Essentials per month, starts at, billed annually | — | $3,150 | Bi-weekly call with your CFO |
| CFO Custom per month, starts at, billed annually | — | $5,250 | Weekly calls with your CFO |
Free trial: free trial (length not stated). Free plan: no.
Prices checked on on the official Pilot pricing page. “—” = not published.
All Pilot plans, limits and annual prices →
Frequently asked questions
How much does Pilot bookkeeping cost?
The Essentials bookkeeping plan is $99 per month and covers up to $100,000 in monthly expenses. Core and Custom bookkeeping are handled through Contact Sales.
Does Pilot have a free plan or trial?
The site shows a free trial button but does not state its length. No free plan is described.
How much do the CFO plans cost?
CFO plans start at $1,750 per month billed annually for Basic, $3,150 for Essentials and $5,250 for Custom.
Can I buy tax services without bookkeeping?
No. The pricing page says tax plans must be purchased with Pilot Bookkeeping.
Which tools does Pilot connect to?
The vendor names Mercury, Stripe, Gusto and Ramp plus 10,000+ more tools. It primarily works with US-based banks and payment platforms.
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