Transactions arrive
Bank and card activity syncs through Plaid, or you import CSV, OFX, and QFX files with duplicate protection.
AI BOOKKEEPING FOR SMALL BUSINESS
AI bookkeeping that suggests a category — and tells you when it is unsure.
ConsulBooks connects your business bank and card accounts and suggests a category for every transaction, with a confidence score and a reason. Your saved rules run first, AI suggestions are an optional setting, and anything uncertain comes to you. Plans start at $12 per month.
HOW THE AI WORKFLOW RUNS
Human-in-the-loop, by design.
Your rules run first
Vendor rules you approved earlier handle repeat activity instantly, so AI is used only where it adds something.
A suggestion, with its reason
Remaining transactions get a suggested category, a confidence score, and a short reason you can read and judge. Turning on AI suggestions is your choice, and a model-only suggestion always waits for your approval.
You answer the exceptions
Anything under your confidence threshold waits for you. Approved answers become balanced journal entries and can teach a new rule.
WHAT AI HANDLES WELL HERE
Routine categorization at volume
- Consistent categories across recurring vendors
- Confidence scores and plain-English reasoning on every suggestion
- A review queue that surfaces only uncertain items
- Rules learned from your own corrections
- Posted-ledger reports and an accountant export package
WHAT WE DO NOT LET AI DO
Judgment stays with you
- Post low-confidence transactions without your approval
- Decide tax treatment or file returns
- Replace your CPA's review of financial statements
- Move money, pay bills, or run payroll
- Train external models on your financial records
SECURITY AROUND THE AI
Bank credentials never touch ConsulBooks.
Plaid handles institution sign-in, connection tokens are stored encrypted, records are isolated by workspace, and an authenticator app is required before a financial workspace opens. Details are on our security page.
AI BOOKKEEPING VS. A FULL SUITE
Fewer decisions, if that is what you need.
Large accounting suites add AI on top of payroll, invoicing, inventory, bill pay, and projects. If you need those modules, choose one of them. If your books are mostly bank and card activity that needs consistent categories and a clean export, ConsulBooks is built for exactly that job.
See the candid competitor comparisonsHOW IT COMPARES
Priced and built for one job, not ten.
Regular U.S. list prices, checked . Each row links to a sourced comparison that also says when the other product is the better choice.
- ConsulBooks Starter$12/mo
Connect accounts, AI categorizes, one-download accountant package.
See plans - QuickBooks Simple Start$38/mo
Full suite: invoicing, payments, payroll add-ons, chart of accounts setup.
Full comparison - Xero Early$25/mo
Full platform with usage limits on the entry plan.
Full comparison - FreshBooks Lite$23/mo
Invoice-led; bank reconciliation starts on a higher plan.
Full comparison
See all comparisons or read the comparison methodology. Product names are trademarks of their owners; ConsulBooks is not affiliated with them.
COMMON QUESTIONS
Before you hand transactions to AI.
What does AI actually do in ConsulBooks?
Saved vendor rules and your own history run first and handle most repeat activity. AI suggestions are an optional setting you turn on: when enabled, remaining transactions get a proposed category, a confidence score, and a plain-English reason.
Does a suggestion post without me?
A suggestion from the AI model never posts on its own. Only a rule you already approved can post automatically, and only above the confidence threshold you set. Everything else waits in the Needs your input queue.
Is AI bookkeeping accurate enough for my accountant?
Every posted transaction keeps its category, confidence, reason, and change history, and exports come as balanced posted-ledger reports. Your accountant reviews the same record you see, with read-only access you control.
Is my bank data used to train an AI model?
No. Categorization requests are sent without storage or training retention, Plaid holds your banking credentials, and connection tokens are stored encrypted and isolated per workspace.
What does AI bookkeeping cost?
Starter is $12/month, Business is $24/month, and Growth is $49/month, each with 10% off when billed yearly. Saved-rule categorization and the optional AI suggestions are included in every plan.
LESS SORTING. SAME CONTROL.
Let AI do the first pass on your books.
Starter is $12/month, and yearly billing saves 10%.
Get started