Outsourcing Accounting vs In-House: 7 Reasons to Build a Remote Team Instead

At Vintti, we help startups and SMBs build high-performing accounting teams across Latin America (LATAM). We believe that outsourcing accounting shouldn't mean giving up control. Instead, with the right approach—like remote staffing—it becomes a strategic advantage.

Outsourcing accounting has evolved. It’s no longer just about handing off your books to a third party. With global connectivity, it’s now possible to build an in-house team that just happens to be remote—and cost-effective.

In this article, we’ll break down the traditional models of in-house and outsourced accounting, introduce a smarter hybrid approach, and explain why companies like yours are increasingly choosing to build remote accounting teams.

What’s the Difference Between In-House and Outsourced Accounting?

At a glance, in-house accounting typically involves hiring full-time employees who work directly in your office (or remotely within your country). This model gives you total oversight but comes with high costs: salaries, benefits, overhead, and time-consuming recruitment.

Outsourcing accounting, by contrast, usually means hiring a firm or freelancer to handle some or all of your financial tasks. While it can be cheaper, you sacrifice some control and visibility.

But there’s a third way—one that combines cost savings with strategic oversight.

Building a remote accounting team through a staffing agency like Vintti gives you the ability to hire full-time LATAM professionals who integrate into your systems, report directly to you, and work in your time zone.

This isn’t traditional outsourcing accounting—it’s remote insourcing, optimized for today’s global workforce.

Outsourcing vs In-House Accounting: Which Is Best?

Let’s compare three models side by side:

💡 The Takeaway:

If you want control like in-house hiring but with the cost-efficiency of outsourcing accounting, building a remote LATAM team through Vintti offers the best of both worlds.

When Should You Outsource Your Accounting?

Many business owners cling to in-house accounting because it's familiar. But there are clear warning signs that it's time to consider a shift:

• You or your leadership team are spending too much time on financial admin
• You’re hitting growth ceilings due to limited financial insights
• You're juggling compliance issues or inconsistent reporting
• You can’t justify hiring a full-time controller or CFO
• Your current team lacks experience with niche sectors like SaaS, ecommerce, or crypto

Outsourcing accounting doesn’t have to mean losing oversight. With a remote staffing partner, you can scale your finance department quickly—without compromising on quality or visibility.

7 Benefits of Outsourcing Accounting & Bookkeeping With a Remote Team

Thousands of businesses—from high-growth startups to lean SMBs—are moving away from traditional outsourcing models. Here’s why they’re building remote accounting teams instead:

1. Lower Costs Without Losing Control

Hiring LATAM professionals through Vintti saves up to 60% on total compensation costs compared to U.S.-based employees. You retain direct oversight—without the price tag of hiring locally or the lack of visibility with traditional outsourcing accounting firms.

2. Access to Niche Talent

From SaaS metrics to ecommerce reconciliations, LATAM accountants often bring deep vertical experience, along with U.S. GAAP proficiency and even Big Four backgrounds. Vintti helps you tap into this specialized talent pool.

3. Real-Time Collaboration in Your Time Zone

Unlike offshore teams in Asia or Eastern Europe, LATAM-based professionals are in your working hours. That means daily standups, real-time Slack communication, and faster decision-making.

4. Scalability as You Grow

Need a junior bookkeeper today and a senior controller next quarter? Remote staffing lets you scale up or down without the lag and overhead of traditional hiring cycles.

5. Faster Hiring, Less Headache

At Vintti, we source, vet, and present top accounting candidates within days—so you can build your dream finance team without wasting months on recruiting.

6. Focus on Strategic Goals

Outsourcing accounting frees you to focus on forecasting, growth strategy, and fundraising—while your remote team handles the reconciliations and reports.

7. More Visibility & Control Than Traditional Outsourcing

Your team works within your systems, on your schedule, and under your guidance. This isn’t “set it and forget it”—it’s embedded partnership with real accountability.

5. Top 5 Companies for Outsourcing Accounting Services

If you're ready to explore outsourcing accounting, here are five reputable companies—each with a distinct approach:

1. Vintti (That’s Us)

At Vintti, we specialize in helping startups and SMBs build remote accounting teams across Latin America. We’re not a traditional outsourcing accounting firm—we’re a remote staffing partner. That means your team members are fully embedded in your organization, work in your time zone, and use your internal tools—just at a significantly lower cost.

✅ Save up to 60% on hiring cost
✅ Work with vetted LATAM professionals in your time zone
✅ Scale your finance team with zero hiring overhead
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Best For: U.S.-based startups and growing businesses looking for full-time, embedded accounting professionals—without the cost or complexity of hiring in-house.

👉 Want to build your LATAM accounting team? Let’s talk.

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2. Pilot

Founded in 2016, Pilot is one of the most prominent accounting service providers for startups and high-growth companies in the U.S. With over 1,000 customers, including heavyweights like OpenAI and Lattice, Pilot combines human expertise with proprietary software to streamline bookkeeping, CFO, and tax services.

Key Stats:

• Raised over $160M in funding from investors like Sequoia and Stripe
• Services include monthly bookkeeping, R&D tax credit help, CFO services, and financial planning
• Integrates directly with QuickBooks, Gusto, Stripe, and Expensify

Best For: Seed to Series C startups looking for a tech-first solution and full-stack financial services with deep SaaS experience.

3. Bench

Bench Accounting serves more than 15,000 small businesses across the U.S. The company has carved out a niche with its friendly UI, dedicated bookkeeping teams, and integrated tax support. Bench specializes in helping businesses with under $5M in annual revenue, particularly those in service and retail sectors.

Key Stats:

• Founded in 2012 and has raised over $100M in funding
• Offers monthly financial statements, real-time insights, and year-round tax filing support
• Pricing starts around $299/month, with tax services bundled at higher tiers

Best For: Solopreneurs, consultants, and small business owners who want a plug-and-play bookkeeping service with tax compliance built-in.

4. QuickBooks Live

Launched by Intuit, QuickBooks Live is an add-on service to the ubiquitous QuickBooks platform, which already boasts over 7 million global users. This service connects small businesses to U.S.-based certified bookkeepers who can manage day-to-day financials directly within the software.

Key Stats:

• Costs range from $200–$400/month, depending on company complexity
• All bookkeepers have U.S.-based certification and undergo QuickBooks training
• Turnaround time for cleanup services: typically 30–45 days

Best For: Existing QuickBooks users who need direct human help without switching platforms or hiring a full-time employee.

5. Toptal

While not an accounting firm in the traditional sense, Toptal (short for "Top Talent") provides access to the top 3% of freelance finance professionals globally. Companies use Toptal to find highly skilled consultants, controllers, and interim CFOs—many of whom come from firms like McKinsey, PwC, or Goldman Sachs.

Key Stats:

• 200,000+ applicants yearly, with only 3% accepted into the talent pool
• Trusted by over 21,000 clients, including Airbnb, Duolingo, and Shopify
• Hourly rates range from $90 to $250+, depending on seniority and specialization

Best For: Businesses that need highly strategic finance professionals on a contract basis—ideal for fundraising, M&A, or financial modeling projects.

Don’t Just Outsource—Build Smarter

The days of either/or decisions are over. You no longer have to choose between expensive in-house hires and low-visibility outsourcing accounting firms.

Remote staffing through Vintti offers a smarter third option—one that’s already helping dozens of companies scale finance operations without breaking their budgets.

Outsourcing accounting through a LATAM-based remote team gives you access to niche expertise, real-time collaboration, and measurable cost savings—while keeping your financial oversight in-house.

👉 Let us help you build a remote accounting team that works like your own.

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