Rickhoff Accounting vs Hilltop Partners: Services, Pricing and Credentials Compared (2026)
Key Takeaways
- Rickhoff Accounting: Evidence Score 62 at 83% coverage. Hilltop Partners: 54 at 83% coverage.
- On price, Rickhoff Accounting publishes a starting price and Hilltop Partners shows pricing we have not verified yet.
- By their own account, Rickhoff Accounting serves restaurants, contractors and dental businesses, while Hilltop Partners names construction and medical.
Sources cited in this article: Firm's own website, State accountancy board, IRS preparer records, DNS check, and our published methodology.
How this list is built: Methodology · Disclosures · About · Report a correction
At a glance
| Rickhoff Accounting | Hilltop Partners | |
|---|---|---|
| Rank on the St. Louis area list | 1 of 10 | 2 of 10 |
| Evidence Score (out of 100) | 62 | 54 |
| Evidence coverage (%) | 83 | 83 |
| Documented services + buyer fit | 35 of 40 pts | 35 of 40 pts |
| Independently verifiable qualifications | 0 of 20 pts | 0 of 20 pts |
| Operational + pricing transparency | 25 of 25 pts | 15 of 25 pts |
| Verified identity + continuity | 2 of 15 pts | 4 of 15 pts |
| Office locality | Chesterfield, MO Self-reported | St. Louis, MO Self-reported |
| Software supported | QuickBooks Online (5 pts) Self-reported | Xero (5 pts) Self-reported |
| Pricing approach published | Publishes a starting price: "starting at $600/mo" (6 pts) Self-reported | Publishes prices: "$1,000 to $5,000 per month" (6 pts) Self-reported |
| Active CPA firm or individual license (state board) | Not verified (searched: State accountancy board) | Not verified (searched: State accountancy board) |
| Current QuickBooks ProAdvisor or Xero advisor listing | Not verified | Not verified |
| Entity found in the state business registry | Not verified | Not verified |
| Operating 1+ year (registry formation date) | Not verified | Not verified |
Rickhoff Accounting publishes from $600 a month (includes business tax return) for bookkeeping on its own site, captured September 26, 2026 (source). We have no verified monthly bookkeeping price for Hilltop Partners, so ask for a quote.
A search that found nothing reads "Not verified": it is not a mark against a firm (how we search).
Full evidence profile: Rickhoff Accounting · Full evidence profile: Hilltop Partners
Where they differ
| Scored item | Rickhoff Accounting | Hilltop Partners |
|---|---|---|
| Reporting cadence stated (4 pts) | Documented (4 pts) | Not documented |
| Named contact / team (3 pts) | Kurt J. Rickhoff, EA (3 pts) | Not documented |
| Communication channel / process (3 pts) | Documented (3 pts) | Not documented |
| Privacy / data-handling page (2 pts) | Not documented | Documented (2 pts) |
What both document
Monthly bookkeeping; AP / AR; Payroll coordination; Month-end close + reporting; Industries served (documented); Local / remote model stated; What is included / excluded; Onboarding described; Working contact route verified
Our read
On the St. Louis list, Rickhoff Accounting leads Hilltop Partners by 8 points, 62 to 54. Most of the difference sits in pricing and process transparency, where Rickhoff Accounting has 25 of 25 points to 15.
Rickhoff Accounting works from Chesterfield, lists "starting at $600/mo" on its pricing, names restaurants, contractors and dental among the industries it serves and works in QuickBooks Online.
Hilltop Partners works from St. Louis, says it serves clients across the US, lists "$1,000 to $5,000 per month" on its pricing and names construction and medical among the industries it serves.
Rickhoff Accounting is the one of the two whose site documents a fit for a buyer who wants a figure before the first call.
Hilltop Partners is the one of the two whose site documents a fit for a business that wants to work remotely.
Neither site gives us evidence for catch-up work, so raise it with both firms on a first call.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is better for catch-up work, Rickhoff Accounting or Hilltop Partners?
Neither site mentions catch-up or cleanup work, so ask both before you commit if you're behind.
Do Rickhoff Accounting or Hilltop Partners publish prices?
Rickhoff Accounting publishes a starting price, and Hilltop Partners shows pricing we have not verified yet. Each profile quotes the page the wording came from.
Where are Rickhoff Accounting and Hilltop Partners based?
Both appear on the St. Louis list: Rickhoff Accounting lists an office in Chesterfield, and Hilltop Partners lists one in St. Louis.
Sources and further reading
Dates are when we checked. Report an error.
- Firm's own websiteChecked Sep 26, 2026 to Nov 7, 2026
- State accountancy boardChecked Sep 26, 2026
- IRS preparer recordsChecked Sep 27, 2026
- DNS checkChecked Sep 26, 2026
- How the Evidence Score worksBookkeeping Index methodology
- Commercial disclosuresBookkeeping Index