Graphite vs Pilot
Choose Graphite if you want a custom-scoped finance team that can take on accounting, tax, payroll, and HR; choose Pilot if you want a lower-priced bookkeeping entry point with published service tiers. Both offer accounting and strategic finance support for startups. The deciding questions are how much of your back office you want to outsource, whether you need a dedicated bookkeeper from the start, and how quickly you need monthly reports.
Last updated October 27, 2026.
At a glance
| Dimension | Graphite | Pilot |
|---|---|---|
| Accounting price | Starts at $1,500/month; custom-scoped | Essentials $99/month; Core starts at $299/month billed annually |
| Finance and CFO price | Finance starts at $2,000/month | CFO Basic starts at $1,750/month billed annually |
| Tax services | Starts at $400/month; available as a single service | Entity-based annual pricing; requires Pilot Bookkeeping |
| Payroll and HR | Payroll from $500/month; HR from $700/month | Operations Essentials from $850/month; requires bookkeeping |
| Monthly close or reports | Standard close target: 15th business day | Core reports: 10th business day; Custom: 6th |
| Contract terms | Core services: 6 months; tax: 12 months | Core and CFO starting prices shown with annual billing |
| Dedicated accounting support | Dedicated team included in accounting service | US-based bookkeeper included with Core |
| Accounting basis | Not published | Essentials: cash basis; Core: cash or accrual |
| Integrations and systems | QuickBooks Online clients: Ramp Stack rollout | Published integrations include Stripe, Gusto, Ramp, and QuickBooks Online |
| Client support | Service Lead and client success specialist; shared channel and email | Essentials: in-app; Core: in-app, email, and phone |
Scroll the table sideways to compare each row.
Which should you choose?
Choose Graphite if
- Startups seeking a dedicated accounting team from the outset
- Companies scoping accounting, finance, tax, payroll, and HR together
- Buyers who want to purchase a single service and add others later
Choose Pilot if
- Small businesses starting with cash-basis bookkeeping
- Startups seeking a published entry price for a dedicated bookkeeper
- Teams prioritizing an earlier published monthly reporting target
The verdict
Graphite is the better fit when you want to scope several back-office functions with one provider and value the option to buy those services individually. Pilot is the better fit when you want to start with cash-basis bookkeeping at a published price, then consider a dedicated bookkeeper, tax, or CFO support as your needs grow. Compare quotes for the same work: Pilot’s lowest-priced plan does not include a dedicated bookkeeper, while Graphite’s accounting starting price includes a dedicated team.
Graphite vs Pilot: common questions
- Are Graphite and Pilot both available to new customers?
- Yes. Graphite and Pilot both publish current service offerings and ways to get started, so this is a viable comparison for a buyer choosing an outsourced finance provider.
- Which costs less to start?
- Pilot lists Essentials bookkeeping at $99 per month and Core, which includes a dedicated bookkeeper, from $299 per month when billed annually. Graphite lists accounting with a dedicated team from $1,500 per month. The starting services differ, so request matched-scope quotes.
- Can I get a dedicated bookkeeper with either provider?
- Graphite lists a dedicated team with its accounting service. Pilot includes a US-based bookkeeper with Core, but not in its Essentials plan description.
- Can I buy tax services without bookkeeping?
- Graphite says customers can start with Tax as a single service. Pilot states that its tax filing plans must be purchased with Pilot Bookkeeping.
- Which delivers monthly financials sooner?
- Graphite’s standard monthly close target is the 15th business day, subject to receiving client inputs. Pilot lists reports on the 10th business day for Core and the 6th for Custom.
- Do Graphite and Pilot offer payroll and HR support?
- Graphite lists separately priced payroll and HR services. Pilot lists payroll, HR, and benefits support in its Operations Essentials offering, which must be purchased with Pilot Bookkeeping.
- What is the main difference when choosing between Graphite and Pilot?
- Graphite lets buyers custom-scope individual or combined accounting, finance, tax, payroll, and HR services. Pilot publishes distinct bookkeeping tiers, including a lower-priced cash-basis option, alongside tax, CFO, and operations offerings.