Pilot

Who Pilot serves

• US-based companies (entity must be a US entity)
• High-growth startups (pre-revenue through growth stage)
• Ecommerce and consumer/retail businesses
• Professional services firms (agencies, consultancies, law firms, MSPs)
• Other growth-minded small and medium businesses

Core service lines

Bookkeeping

• Ongoing bookkeeping using QuickBooks Online
• Cash or accrual-basis bookkeeping, depending on your needs
• Monthly closes with reconciled bank, credit card, payroll, AP, inventory, and payment platforms
• Standard or custom chart of accounts
• Triple-checked monthly financial statements
• Reporting timed to a clear schedule (for example, on or around the 10th business day for many plans)

Tax

• Corporate income tax preparation and filing at federal, state, and many city levels
• Support for C‑corps, S‑corps, partnerships, and single-member LLCs (when paired with Pilot Bookkeeping)
• 1099-NEC e‑filing for eligible plans
• Guidance and preparation for R&D tax credit claims, including required IRS documentation
• Option to have Pilot handle tax filings or coordinate with your existing tax preparer

CFO services (fractional / outsourced CFO)

• Financial and operating models tailored to your business
• Budgeting and forecasting (including base / bull / bear scenarios)
• Cash-flow and runway analysis
• Pricing and monetization support
• Headcount and compensation planning
• Investor and board reporting support
• Fundraising and M&A support (including data rooms, narratives, and diligence preparation)
• Engagement levels that range from foundational support to deeply embedded partnership, with cadence from monthly reviews to weekly working sessions

Outsourced operations / COO-style support

• Finance and operations support bundled with bookkeeping
• Help setting up banking, payroll, HR, and benefits workflows
• Invoice collection and bill payment support
• Vendor management and expense operations
• Options for higher-volume AP/AR and more complex operational setups

R&D tax credit services

• Assessment of whether your company and activities are likely to qualify
• Calculation of qualifying R&D expenses
• Preparation of required IRS forms (such as Forms 6765, 8974, and related payroll/tax forms)
• Coordination with your tax preparer or with Pilot Tax
• Support with documentation needed if the IRS reviews your claim

Stock administration (through partners like Carta or Pulley)

• Setup and configuration help for early-stage companies using supported cap table platforms
• Keeping the cap table in sync with equity grants and changes
• Support that scales as the company grows

Geographic footprint

• Pilot serves US entities regardless of where founders are physically located
• Offices in San Francisco, CA and Nashville, TN

What Pilot does not do

• Does not currently support non‑US legal entities as primary clients
• Does not file personal income tax returns
• Does not provide sales tax compliance services (but can recommend third-party options)
• Does not act as a full‑time corporate officer; CFO services are fractional / advisory in nature

Bookkeeping plans

Pricing for bookkeeping is on an annual subscription, billed monthly or annually, and scales with your average monthly expenses and support needs.

Essentials (bookkeeping)

• Designed for smaller businesses that primarily need clean, timely books
• Uses AI to categorize transactions, reconcile accounts, and close books monthly
• Includes:
• Cash-basis bookkeeping using data from your bank and credit cards
• Standard chart of accounts
• Year-end package for your tax preparer
• Instant AI answers about past transactions and current cash flow
• In-app support

Core (bookkeeping)

• Designed for startups and growing businesses that use their books for operational decisions
• Exact pricing depends on your expense level and complexity
• Includes everything in Essentials, plus, for eligible customers:
• US-based bookkeeper who handles and reviews your books
• Choice of cash- or accrual-basis bookkeeping
• Connections to banks, credit cards, payroll, AP, inventory, and payment platforms
• Bill management up to a defined volume per month
• Custom chart of accounts
• Reporting on a defined business day each month
• Support from a dedicated team via app, email, and phone

Custom (bookkeeping)

• Designed for larger or more complex companies needing a tailored setup
• Includes everything in Core, plus the option to add:
• Use of your existing QuickBooks account and historical data
• Support for more complex corporate structures
• Custom workflows and reporting
• Faster reporting timelines
• Full accounts receivable and accounts payable
• Payroll administration
• CFO advisory and additional planning support

Tax services

Pilot Tax is purchased separately from bookkeeping. Pricing depends on entity type and scope.

Examples of published starting points include:

• Single-member LLC packages (when paired with Pilot Bookkeeping)
• Partnership and S-corp packages
• C‑corp packages

Additional charges may apply for:

• Extra state or city income tax filings
• Foreign subsidiaries or shareholders
• Foreign financial account reporting
• Individual returns associated with business owners
• Tax consulting billed on an hourly basis

Exact prices vary and may change over time; customers should confirm current rates with Pilot.

CFO services pricing

Pilot offers multiple CFO engagement tiers with published example monthly fees, which may include:

• A foundational tier for performance analysis and core planning
• A mid-tier for more involved strategic projects and growth support
• A custom tier for companies needing deep, ongoing finance leadership

Each tier typically includes a defined cadence of meetings, access to a dedicated CFO, and specific deliverables like a custom financial model, scenario planning, KPI dashboards, and board / investor support.

Outsourced operations / COO services

Pilot offers tiered pricing for operations support, ranging from a one-time setup package for brand-new companies to ongoing monthly plans for companies with active operations.

Scope can include incorporation setup (through partners), banking setup, payroll and HR configuration, and ongoing AP/AR and operations support. Pricing scales with complexity and transaction volume.

R&D tax credit and stock administration

• R&D tax credit services are typically charged as a percentage of the credit received, up to a published maximum benefit per year
• Stock administration support is offered on an hourly or tiered basis, with special considerations for very early-stage companies

How to get an exact quote

Because pricing depends on your entity type, monthly expenses, systems, and the mix of services you choose, any numbers on the public site are examples only. For an exact quote and the most up-to-date pricing, customers should:

• Visit the pricing page on pilot.com, and/or
• Contact the Pilot sales team using the "Talk to our team" or "Contact sales" options on the site

Who Pilot supports

• Companies that are legal US entities (Pilot can work with US entities even if founders are located elsewhere)
• Startups at various stages, including pre-revenue
• Ecommerce and consumer/retail businesses
• Professional services firms (agencies, consultancies, law firms, MSPs)
• Nonprofits and other small businesses that fit Pilot's service model

Pilot does not currently:

• Serve foreign entities as the primary company of record
• Provide personal income tax preparation
• Offer sales tax filing services

Getting started and onboarding

• Pilot uses QuickBooks Online as the underlying accounting system for bookkeeping
• Setup typically includes connecting your financial institutions, payroll, payment processors, and any inventory or ecommerce systems
• Pilot charges an onboarding fee (commonly equal to one month of bookkeeping) to ensure the initial setup and historical cleanup are handled properly
• For customers switching from other platforms (such as Xero), Pilot can help migrate historical balances into QuickBooks

Requirements to work with Pilot

Published requirements include:

• Electronic access to your financial transactions (online banking / statements)
• Use of expense reporting software
• No commingling of personal and business expenses

How the service works

• Bookkeeping and tax services are offered on an annual subscription basis, with monthly or annual billing
• Bookkeeping plans scale based on average monthly expenses and support needs (for example, number of institutions, transaction volume, and AP/AR support)
• You are assigned a dedicated finance expert or team; support is included and typically provided in-app, by email, and in some cases by phone
• Response times are generally targeted within about one business day for typical questions

Scope of bookkeeping and tax work

• Bookkeeping focuses on maintaining accurate, timely financial records and producing monthly financial statements
• Tax services cover corporate income tax returns and related filings; R&D tax credit engagements include calculating and documenting eligible credits
• Additional AP/AR support, R&D studies, and certain tax filings may be available as add-on services, billed separately

Subscription, changes, and cancellation

• Subscriptions continue through the end of the current billing period
• If you prepay for a year and your expenses or support needs grow beyond the initial scope, Pilot may adjust pricing based on the updated level of complexity
• If you choose not to renew at the end of your term, you can notify Pilot in advance so billing stops for the next cycle

Data, systems, and integrations

• Pilot standardizes on QuickBooks Online so that your books remain portable and easy for tax preparers, investors, banks, and other professionals to work with
• Pilot can help migrate from other systems into QuickBooks Online using summarized monthly entries for past periods
• For ecommerce and inventory-heavy businesses, Pilot can work with common inventory platforms and recommends specific systems in some cases

Limitations and what to do when something is unclear

• Pilot does not provide legal advice, investment advice, or personalized financial guarantees
• Outcomes such as successful fundraising, acquisitions, or audit results cannot be guaranteed
• When a customer question falls outside the standard scope shown here or in other documents, they should contact Pilot directly through the contact options on pilot.com for clarification

Ask anyway — the agent will say plainly that it is not published rather than guess.