What works for me · what I used
We used Bench for about six years. Here’s why we changed.
Bench made bookkeeping easier for The Madrona Group at a stage when ease and cost mattered most. We later moved to QuickBooks Online as the business became more complex. Those are both true parts of the story.
This is an account of our experience, not a claim that today’s Bench is the same service we used.
Firsthand experience · approx. 6 years
The short verdict
We didn’t leave because Bench failed us.
Something doesn’t have to be bad for you to outgrow it.
I would choose Bench again for that earlier stage of our business. The workflow was straightforward, the price felt accessible, and the people were easy to work with. When The Madrona Group grew into multiple offices with more staff and more complicated accounting needs, the services we needed were no longer a match for the service we had.
We switched to QuickBooks Online. I still think a broker should have a real bookkeeping system—whether Bench is the right one depends on the business you run now, not the one you hope to run someday.
Why we chose it
We needed the books to be handled, not another system to babysit.
When we first chose Bench, the decision was practical: it was easy to use and reasonably priced. I wanted a clearer picture of our numbers without turning bookkeeping into another job for me or the team.
Bench tracked expenses, reconciled the books each month, gave us reports, and prepared the documents we needed at tax time. That took important recurring work off our plate.
The interface was approachable. Just as important, the staff were easy to work with. For a growing real estate business, having people you could actually deal with mattered.
Our experience
For the stage we were in, it earned its place.
We used Bench from roughly 2016 to 2022—about six years. I wouldn’t erase that decision in hindsight. It gave us a manageable bookkeeping routine, timely reconciliations, and reporting we could use while we focused on running the business.
What changed
The business got more complicated.
Multiple offices, staff, and the accounting needs that came with that growth changed the question. It wasn’t simply whether Bench was easy to use. It was whether the services available to us could support the business we had become.
There were limitations, and eventually Bench didn’t offer everything we needed. I don’t want to turn that into a list of problems I can’t substantiate or imply that the current service has the same limits. Our decision was about fit at that time.
The lesson: Choose an accounting system for your current operating complexity. Revisit the choice when the business changes.
That is why we left. Not because I regret using Bench in the first place.
The move
We moved to QuickBooks Online.
Changing accounting systems always comes with some hiccups. Ours was harder because we were also taking on other people’s business accounting systems. There was more to untangle than a simple export-and-import.
Bench combined an outsourced bookkeeping service with a platform. QuickBooks Online is accounting software; it does not, by itself, replace the people doing the bookkeeping. Moving to QuickBooks was not simply swapping one app for another. It changed how we organized the accounting work around the business. Today, an internal bookkeeper handles our bookkeeping and reconciliation in QuickBooks Online.
QuickBooks Online became the system that better matched the breadth of work we needed to manage. That doesn’t make it the automatic answer for every broker. More capability can mean more setup, more decisions, and more work to keep the system clean.
The question to ask first
Who do you want responsible for the books?
Before choosing a product, decide who will do the work:
If straightforward bookkeeping and human support are the need, a service like Bench may fit. If your operation spans offices, teams, and more complex reporting, map those requirements before you choose any platform.
Would I recommend it?
Yes—to the right business.
I would absolutely recommend that brokers put a dedicated bookkeeping service or system in place. For a smaller business that values an easy process and human support, Bench is worth evaluating. I would also choose it again for the stage we were in.
But I wouldn’t pretend that the right tool stays right forever. Ask exactly which services are included today, how the handoff to tax preparation works, and whether the reporting and operating support meet your actual needs.
My verdict: Bench was a good decision for us then. Moving on was the right decision later.
We no longer use Bench. I am now a Bench affiliate, so if you choose its current service through my link, I may receive compensation.
Clear about the relationship
My experience has an end date.
Our firsthand experience with Bench is approximately 2016–2022. We no longer use it; we use QuickBooks Online. The Bench we used may not be identical to the service offered in 2026, so check its current services and terms before deciding whether it fits your business.
The Bench button above is a referral link, and I may be compensated if you sign up through it. That relationship does not change our earlier verdict: Bench earned its place then, but this is not a hands-on review of its current offering.