Bench vs Fortnox Comparison
Compare Bench vs Fortnox features, pricing, and more.
Last updated: November 2026
Bench
5/10
Online bookkeeping and tax service for US small businesses: a dedicated bookkeeper keeps the books in Bench's own software, with optional tax filing.
Fortnox
6.5/10
Swedish cloud accounting platform covering bookkeeping, invoicing, payroll, supplier invoice approval and reporting for small and mid-sized Swedish businesses and accounting firms.
Feature-by-Feature Comparison
| Feature | | |
|---|---|---|
| Scores | ||
| Overall Rating | 5/10 | 6.5/10 |
| Analytics | 4/10 | 5/10 |
| Compliance | 6/10 | 7/10 |
| Cost | 3/10 | 6/10 |
| Customization | 3/10 | 5/10 |
| Ease of Use | 8/10 | 7/10 |
| Integration | 5/10 | 8/10 |
| Scalability | 3/10 | 6/10 |
| Security | 6/10 | 6/10 |
| Support | 4/10 | 7/10 |
| Pricing | ||
| Free plan | No | No |
| Cheapest paid plan | $199/mo Bookkeeping Light | SEK 238/mo Mini |
| Estimated cost for 10 users | $199/mo Bookkeeping Light | SEK 238/mo Mini |
| Features | ||
| Accounts Payable | ||
| Invoicing | ||
| Payroll | ||
| Accountant Access | ||
| Financial Reporting | ||
| Bank Reconciliation | Not listed | |
| Corporate Cards | Not listed | |
| Expense Management | Not listed | |
| General Ledger | Not listed | |
Bench vs Fortnox cost by team size
| Team size | Bench | Fortnox |
|---|---|---|
| 1 user | $199/moBookkeeping Light | SEK 238/moMini |
| 5 users | $199/moBookkeeping Light | SEK 238/moMini |
| 10 users | $199/moBookkeeping Light | SEK 238/moMini |
| 25 users | $199/moBookkeeping Light | SEK 238/moMini |
| 50 users | $199/moBookkeeping Light | SEK 238/moMini |
The plan that fits each team size, billed monthly, before add-ons and usage charges. Each cost opens that tool's pricing calculator for the team size.
Which One Should You Choose?
Why choose Bench
- Higher Ease of Use score (8/10 vs 7/10)
Why choose Fortnox
- Higher Cost score (6/10 vs 3/10)
- Higher Integration score (8/10 vs 5/10)
- Better fit for enterprise (3/10 vs 1/10)
- Includes Accounts Payable, which Bench lacks
- Includes Invoicing, which Bench lacks
Pros & Cons
Bench
Pros
- A dedicated human bookkeeper does the monthly categorizing and reconciliation, so owners don't need to learn accounting software.
- Flat monthly pricing, with about 20 percent off for annual billing, makes costs predictable.
- The bundled plan adds business tax filing and up to four advisory calls a year from licensed professionals.
- Bench is SOC 2 compliant, and Plaid bank connections are read-only.
- Owners and reviewers describe the dashboard as simpler than QuickBooks for non-accountants.
Cons
- Bench shut down abruptly in December 2024 before Employer.com bought it, and some customers still question its continuity.
- Reviews since the acquisition report slower responses, bookkeeper turnover and late monthly closes.
- It does not handle payroll, invoicing or bill pay.
- Books are kept on a modified cash basis in proprietary software, which makes moving to QuickBooks or Xero harder.
- It is expensive compared with DIY accounting software, and there is no free trial.
Fortnox
Pros
- More than 500 integrations, and one 189 kr licence covers all of them.
- A single platform covers bookkeeping, invoicing, payroll, supplier invoice approval, payments and a company card, which suits Swedish SMEs.
- Accounting firms get a dedicated bureau package for working in their clients' books.
- New companies get six months free, and every new subscription has a 30-day open purchase period.
- Trustpilot and Shopify app reviewers frequently praise customer service and sync reliability.
Cons
- Usage fees for invoices, paid employees and interpretations, plus an Access fee that scales with activity, make total cost hard to predict.
- Three-month agreements cost 15 percent more than the 12-month list prices.
- The product is Swedish-focused, and users have asked for an English interface.
- Some users call the reporting tools dated and say neobank integrations such as Revolut are missing.
Not sold on either?
Frequently Asked Questions
Fortnox scores higher on our Finance Software criteria: 6.5/10 against 5/10 for Bench. The largest gap is in Cost: 3/10 for Bench and 6/10 for Fortnox.
No, neither Bench nor Fortnox lists a free plan.
Fortnox is the better fit for enterprise: we rate it 3/10 for them, against 1/10 for Bench.
Fortnox has Accounts Payable, Invoicing and Payroll, which Bench lacks.
