Global Workforce, Insights
7
min read
If you are pricing up a remote or virtual bookkeeper in the Philippines, you will find salary figures everywhere and total costs almost nowhere. This guide gives you both: what Filipino bookkeepers are typically paid in 2026, the statutory costs that sit on top, the fees you pay a partner, and three worked examples you can compare against your local option.
All figures are in US dollars a month, for a full-time remote bookkeeper working for an overseas business. They are typical ranges, not quotes. For your own figure, use the estimator on our pricing page.
A full-time remote bookkeeper in the Philippines is typically paid between 500 and 1,500 US dollars a month, depending on experience. On an employer of record arrangement, add the Philippine statutory costs, which come to roughly 20 to 23 percent of salary.
Pay for offshore bookkeeping in the Philippines depends far more on experience and software skills than on anything else. These are the ranges we see in the 2026 market for full-time remote work for businesses in Singapore, Australia, the UK and the US. Local jobs in Manila or Cebu pay less. Overseas businesses pay more for strong written English, experience of their accounting practice, and work on their hours.
| Level | What they handle | Typical monthly salary (USD) |
|---|---|---|
| Junior bookkeeper, 1 to 2 years | Data entry, bank feeds, receipt capture, reconciliations with review | 500 to 750 |
| Experienced bookkeeper, 3 to 5 years | Owns reconciliations, accounts payable and receivable, works unsupervised in Xero, QuickBooks or MYOB | 750 to 1,100 |
| Senior or full-charge bookkeeper, 6+ years | Month-end close, accruals, payroll preparation, management reports | 1,100 to 1,500 |
| Qualified accountant (CPA) | Reviews, reporting packs, advisory support to your accountant | 1,500 and up |
Worked out by the hour, that is roughly 3 to 9 US dollars an hour of salary for full-time work. Most of our clients find the experienced level is the sweet spot for bookkeeping: someone who owns the work without needing to be checked line by line, at a fraction of a senior hire at home.
The salary is the biggest number, but it is not the only one. What else you pay depends on how the arrangement is set up.
Your bookkeeper works with you under a service agreement through Linkers. It is the quickest way to start and the simplest to run. You pay:
Here the employment is held by our partner in the Philippines, with full statutory benefits. Your agreement is still with Linkers, and you still receive one invoice from us. Philippine law adds these employer costs:
Together, SSS, PhilHealth and Pag-IBIG come to a little under 15 percent of salary, capped at around 107 US dollars a month for most bookkeeping salaries. Not sure which arrangement fits? Our guide to contractor or employer of record explains the difference in plain words.
These examples show the salary plus the Philippine employer costs on an employer of record arrangement. On a contractor arrangement there are no statutory employer costs, so the salary is the main cost.
For your exact total, ask us for a written quote or build an estimate on our pricing page.
Compare any of these with what a local bookkeeper costs you once superannuation, CPF or pension contributions, leave cover, hiring costs and a desk are added. That gap is why bookkeeping is usually the first role businesses outsource to the Philippines, and the easiest offshore bookkeeping role to get right.
Some businesses want extras. These are quoted before they are added, never assumed:
Your bookkeeper will also need a login to your accounting software. Many Xero plans include users at no extra cost, while some QuickBooks and MYOB plans charge per user, so check yours.
You can find a Filipino bookkeeper on your own through job boards or freelancer marketplaces and pay only the salary. Many businesses try it. What the salary does not include is the time to find and test people, paying someone in pesos every month, 13th-month pay and other obligations, leave and Philippine public holidays, and starting again from scratch if they leave in month two. Our comparison of freelancer marketplaces and a managed remote team goes through the trade-offs honestly.
With Linkers, if your bookkeeper is not the right fit, we assign a different team member free of charge within the first three months and help with the handover, so your month-end does not slip. That is our replacement guarantee. For what happens if things go wrong later, read outsourcing risk management.
For finance work, the Philippines has the deepest pool of accounts staff trained in Australian, Singaporean and UK practice, which is why it is our usual answer for outsourced bookkeeping. Read more about outsourcing to the Philippines.
If your books run on Singapore or APAC hours and value matters most, ask us about Myanmar too. Many of our bookkeeping clients start there: university-educated finance professionals who take accuracy seriously and stay for years, at our best value.
How much is a remote bookkeeper in the Philippines per month?
Salaries for full-time remote bookkeepers typically run from 500 US dollars for a junior to 1,500 for a senior full-charge bookkeeper.
How much is a Filipino bookkeeper per hour?
For full-time work, roughly 3 to 9 US dollars an hour of salary, depending on experience and software skills.
Do I need a company in the Philippines?
No. On a contractor arrangement your bookkeeper works under a service agreement through Linkers. On employer of record, the employment sits with our local partner in the Philippines. Either way, you direct the work and receive one invoice from us.
Will they know Xero, QuickBooks or MYOB?
Yes, if that is what you need. We test for your specific software before anyone starts with you, including smaller tools such as Dext, Hubdoc or Stripe reconciliation.
Can a remote bookkeeper do my tax return?
No. Tax filings and advice belong with a qualified accountant in your own country. A remote bookkeeper prepares clean books so that work is quicker and cheaper.
Is my financial data safe?
NDAs and intellectual property terms are signed before day one. Keep control with named user logins, sensible permissions and approval limits in your accounting system. Your bookkeeper prepares payment runs, and you release them.
Every role is a little different, so the fastest way to an exact number is to tell us yours. Build an estimate on our pricing page and send it to us, or book a call. We confirm the figures in writing, usually the same working day. You can also see how it works and read our case studies.
Chloe