Do I need a bookkeeper or an accountant?
A bookkeeper records what happened; an accountant decides what it means and signs what gets filed. Most incorporated businesses need both jobs done — the question is how many people it takes.
The jobs are genuinely different. Bookkeeping is the recording layer: categorizing transactions, balancing accounts, keeping the ledger true. Accounting is the judgment layer: tax positions, year-end statements, the T2, planning, and professional accountability for what gets filed.
The traditional setup, and its seam
Most small businesses bolt the two together: a bookkeeper monthly or quarterly, an accountant at year-end. The seam is the problem — the accountant inherits a year of someone else’s records, re-learns your business every spring, and bills for the archaeology. Errors cross the seam a season late.
What changed
The recording layer is exactly what software does better than people — which is taxifi’s design: AI does the bookkeeping continuously, and a Canadian accountant reviews, advises, and files, one team with no seam.
The honest answer
You need both functions. Whether that is two providers and a seam, or one system, is the real decision — and it usually shows up in your April invoice either way.
This is general information, not tax advice for your situation. Book a call and a Canadian accountant will give you the answer for your business.
Common questions
Is a bookkeeper cheaper than an accountant?
Per hour, usually — and the roles are priced for different work. The real cost comparison is the whole stack: bookkeeping plus year-end plus the rework where they meet. That total is what to compare against a flat monthly price.
My accountant says my books arrive messy. Whose fault is that?
The seam's. When recording and reviewing live in different shops, nobody owns the gap between them. Closing the seam is more effective than assigning the blame.