Short answer: Keeper is a low-cost, app-first option where a tax pro reviews and signs your return. If you want an ongoing relationship with a Tax Pro who knows your business, help with S-Corp decisions and payroll, or bookkeeping built around consultants and coaches, the main alternatives are Sumly, a CPA paired with accounting software, or hiring an enrolled agent or CPA directly.
This guide is for independent consultants, fractional executives and coaches, whether you think of yourself as a freelancer, a 1099 contractor, a sole proprietor or the owner of a single-member LLC. The right choice depends less on the app and more on how much human help you want during the year.
What does Keeper include in 2026?
Keeper's published plans, as of October 2026:
- Bookkeeping Only, $20 a month: automatic expense tracking and deduction categorization. No tax filing.
- Standard, $199 a year: bookkeeping plus a federal return and up to two state returns, reviewed and signed by a tax pro.
- Premium, $399 a year: adds audit protection, quarterly tax payments, one-on-one tax pro meetings, amendments and late filings.
- Business, $1,199 a year: adds a year-end book review and close, and S-Corp and partnership filing.
For many freelancers with simple returns, that is a strong value. People start looking for alternatives when they want more than a review at filing time.
Why do self-employed professionals look for a Keeper alternative?
The reasons we hear most often from consultants and fractional executives:
- They want the same Tax Pro all year, someone who already knows their clients, their home office and their S-Corp question before they ask it.
- Their business has outgrown a filing-season relationship: multiple clients, uneven income, an S-Corp election to consider.
- They need payroll because they are paying themselves a salary through an S-Corp.
- They want bookkeeping and tax planning in one place rather than an expense tracker plus a separate preparer.
Saving on taxes is the most common reason people come to Sumly: 70% of Sumly users list it as a goal when they sign up. Most of them have already tried an app, an accountant or both.
What are the best Keeper alternatives for someone who wants a real Tax Pro?
| Option | Price | Tax Pro relationship | Bookkeeping | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sumly | Strive $49/mo or Thrive $149/mo; tax filing add-on: Schedule C $499, S-Corp $699, state included | Tax Pro chat on Strive; a dedicated Tax Pro on Thrive, with payroll | Automatic, built for the self-employed | Consultants, fractional execs and coaches who want planning and filing in one place |
| Keeper | $199 to $1,199 a year depending on plan | Return reviewed and signed; one-on-one meetings on Premium | Automatic expense tracking | Freelancers with simpler returns who want a low price |
| QuickBooks plus a CPA | QuickBooks $20 to $115/mo; CPA filing typically $750 to $2,500+ | Whatever your CPA offers | Full accounting software you run yourself | Businesses with inventory, employees or accrual needs |
| A CPA or enrolled agent on their own | Filing typically $750 to $2,500+; bookkeeping $2,400 to $6,000+ a year if outsourced | Personal, but often seasonal | You or a bookkeeper handle it | Complex situations or anyone who wants a local relationship |
Keeper prices from Keeper's pricing page; QuickBooks prices from NerdWallet's March 2026 pricing guide. Check each provider for current offers.
How do Sumly and Keeper compare for a fractional executive?
Both automate expense tracking and both put a tax professional on your return. The differences are in how much of the year that person is involved and what else is included.
Sumly's Thrive plan pairs you with a dedicated Tax Pro and includes payroll, which matters once you have elected S-Corp status and need to pay yourself a reasonable salary. Keeper's Business plan includes S-Corp filing and a year-end book close.
If your return is straightforward and price is the deciding factor, Keeper is hard to beat. If you want a person who helps you decide things before December 31, like whether to elect S-Corp status or which retirement plan to open, that ongoing relationship is what Sumly was built around.
What does a real Tax Pro catch that an app misses?
Worked example. A fractional COO earns $160,000 in net profit as a single-member LLC. Software tracks her expenses well. A conversation with a Tax Pro in October surfaces three decisions:
- Opening a Solo 401(k) before December 31 lets her defer $24,500 as the employee, on top of the employer contribution.
- Her home office, used only for work, is worth $1,500 a year under the simplified method ($5 x 300 square feet), which she had not been claiming.
- With steady income above $150,000, she starts modeling an S-Corp election for next year, so the decision is made with numbers rather than guesses.
At a combined rate of around 30%, the first two alone cut her tax bill by roughly $7,800. None of them show up as a transaction to categorize. They come from someone asking the right questions at the right time.
Want a rough sense of what you might be missing? Our free Tax Savings Calculator estimates it in about two minutes.
How do I choose?
- Choose Keeper if your return is simple, you are comfortable working mostly in an app and you want the lowest price.
- Choose Sumly if you are a consultant, fractional executive or coach who wants bookkeeping, quarterly estimates and a Tax Pro who knows your business, all year.
- Choose a CPA with accounting software if you have inventory, employees beyond yourself or need accrual-basis books.
- Choose a CPA or enrolled agent on their own if your situation is unusually complex and you want a local, in-person relationship.
Frequently asked questions
Does Keeper have real tax professionals?
Yes. On its filing plans, Keeper says a tax pro reviews and signs each return, and its Premium plan adds one-on-one meetings.
What is the difference between a Tax Pro and a tax app?
An app organizes your information and can file a return. A Tax Pro interprets it: what to elect, when to time income or purchases, and how to handle anything unusual.
Is Sumly cheaper than a CPA?
Sumly Strive at $49 a month plus the $499 Schedule C filing add-on comes to $1,087 a year. CPA filing typically costs $750 to $2,500 or more before bookkeeping, so the cheaper option depends on the quote and services included.
Can I switch from Keeper to Sumly mid-year?
Yes. Connect your accounts and Sumly pulls in this year's transactions. January 1 is the cleanest switch, but mid-year works.
Which option is best for an S-Corp owner?
Look for payroll and S-Corp filing. Keeper's Business plan includes S-Corp filing; Sumly's Thrive plan includes payroll and a dedicated Tax Pro, with S-Corp filing available as a $699 add-on, state included.
Sources and further reading
Keeper, pricing (read October 2026); NerdWallet, QuickBooks pricing (updated March 2026); IRS, Simplified option for home office deduction; IRS, 401(k) limits for 2026. Tax situations vary, so confirm specifics with your tax professional.
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