Top 8 Bookkeepers in the Dayton-Kettering Area, OH (2026)
Key Takeaways
- Balanced Bookkeeping LLC, in Ludlow Falls, ranks first with an Evidence Score of 63 at 83% coverage.
- We reviewed 40 firms here; 13 of the 13 that met the listing bar reached 70% evidence coverage, and the 8 with at least 6 documented items are numbered.
- Pricing is hidden across the board: no firm here publishes a monthly price, and 12 of 13 don't mention fees at all.
- Compared with every firm we list, this group stands out on verified credentials: 6 of 13 hold a credential a third party confirms (46% against 13%).
Sources cited in this article: DNS check, Firm's own website, IRS preparer records, State accountancy board, and our published methodology.
40 profiles reviewed, 13 met the listing bar, 13 scored (evidence coverage of 70% or more). 8 document at least 6 of the items we score and are ranked by Evidence Score; the other 5 are under the list as Also scored.
Firms on this page have offices in Dayton (8), Beavercreek (2), Fairborn (1), Ludlow Falls (1) and Springboro (1). The page covers 58 towns and cities in the metro area, and a firm elsewhere in Ohio appears on the state page.
How this list is built: Methodology · Disclosures · About · Report a correction
This list numbers the 8 Dayton-Kettering bookkeeping firms with enough documented evidence to rank, out of 13 that met our listing bar, and scores 5 more below it without a number. Start from what you need and use the filters: catch-up work (1 firm) and remote service (1).
Top 8 Bookkeepers in the Dayton-Kettering Area, OH, Ranked by Evidence Score
- Balanced Bookkeeping LLC (Ludlow Falls, OH). Evidence Score 63/100 at 83% coverage. Read the full profileDocuments 5 of 5 core services. Documented fit: construction, law firms; catch-up and cleanup work; Xero users.Who they say they serve (self-reported): construction, law firms, nonprofits.
- Shannon & Company (Beavercreek, OH). Evidence Score 42/100 at 83% coverage. Read the full profileDocuments 3 of 5 core services; CPA license verified with the state board; states it prices by quote.
- Bradstreet & Company (Dayton, OH). Evidence Score 39/100 at 77% coverage. Read the full profileDocuments 2 of 5 core services; CPA license verified with the state board. Documented fit: veterinary, transportation; QuickBooks Online users.Who they say they serve (self-reported): veterinary, transportation, construction, retail, professional services.
- Manning & Associates CPAs (Dayton, OH). Evidence Score 39/100 at 77% coverage. Read the full profileDocuments 3 of 5 core services; CPA license verified with the state board. Documented fit: franchises, restaurants.Who they say they serve (self-reported): franchises, restaurants, construction, real estate, retail.
- Smith & Stueve (Dayton, OH). Evidence Score 33/100 at 80% coverage. Read the full profileDocuments 2 of 5 core services; IRS preparer record found for a named person. Documented fit: construction, real estate.Who they say they serve (self-reported): construction, real estate, healthcare, law firms, hospitality.
- ML Logan & Associates LLC (Dayton, OH). Evidence Score 32/100 at 77% coverage. Read the full profileDocuments 3 of 5 core services; IRS preparer record found for a named person.
- Schock & Poores CPAs (Dayton, OH). Evidence Score 30/100 at 75% coverage. Read the full profileDocuments 2 of 5 core services; CPA license verified with the state board. Documented fit: real estate; QuickBooks Online users.Who they say they serve (self-reported): real estate.
- Liberty Accounting Plus (Dayton, OH). Evidence Score 27/100 at 81% coverage. Read the full profileDocuments 2 of 5 core services; IRS preparer record found for a named person. Documented fit: churches; QuickBooks Online users.Who they say they serve (self-reported): churches.
Also scored
These firms reached 70% evidence coverage, but fewer than 6 of the items we score are documented for them, so they carry a score and no number.
| Firm | Where | Services documented | Software | Pricing | Credentials verified | Coverage (%) | Evidence Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| D3 Financials LLC | Dayton, OH | Not verified | Not verified | Not verified | Active CPA firm or individual license, IRS preparer record | 81 | 20 |
| Tri State CPAs Says it serves: dental, medical | Springboro, OH Local | payroll coordination | Not verified | Not verified | IRS preparer record | 70 | 20 |
| LLOYD, DARNER, GUENTHER, & ELLIS PLL | Dayton, OH | payroll coordination, month-end close | Not verified | Not verified | Active CPA firm or individual license | 75 | 18 |
| Tax Retriever Inc | Beavercreek, OH | payroll coordination | Not verified | Not verified | IRS preparer record | 81 | 13 |
| Sillaman's Tax & Accounting Services, LLC | Fairborn, OH | Not verified | Not verified | Not verified | Not verified | 78 | 2 |
Top firms in Dayton
Bradstreet & Company leads Dayton with an Evidence Score of 39/100 at 77% coverage. Also ranked in Dayton: Manning & Associates CPAs (39/100, 77% coverage), Smith & Stueve (33/100, 80% coverage), ML Logan & Associates LLC (32/100, 77% coverage), Schock & Poores CPAs (30/100, 75% coverage), Liberty Accounting Plus (27/100, 81% coverage).
Comparison table
| Firm | Where | Services documented | Software | Pricing | Credentials verified | Coverage (%) | Evidence Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Balanced Bookkeeping LLC Says it serves: construction, law firms, nonprofits | Ludlow Falls, OH Local | monthly bookkeeping, catch-up/cleanup, AP/AR, payroll coordination, month-end close | QuickBooks Online, Xero | Not verified | Not verified | 83 | 63 |
| Shannon & Company | Beavercreek, OH Local | AP/AR, payroll coordination, month-end close | QuickBooks | Quote only (stated) | Active CPA firm or individual license | 83 | 42 |
| Bradstreet & Company Says it serves: veterinary, transportation, construction, retail, professional services | Dayton, OH | payroll coordination, month-end close | QuickBooks Online, Paychex | Not verified | Active CPA firm or individual license | 77 | 39 |
| Manning & Associates CPAs Says it serves: franchises, restaurants, construction, real estate, retail | Dayton, OH | AP/AR, payroll coordination, month-end close | Not verified | Not verified | Active CPA firm or individual license | 77 | 39 |
| Smith & Stueve Says it serves: construction, real estate, healthcare, law firms, hospitality | Dayton, OH Local + remote | payroll coordination, month-end close | QuickBooks | Not verified | IRS preparer record | 80 | 33 |
| ML Logan & Associates LLC | Dayton, OH Local | AP/AR, payroll coordination, month-end close | QuickBooks | Not verified | IRS preparer record | 77 | 32 |
| Schock & Poores CPAs Says it serves: real estate | Dayton, OH | payroll coordination, month-end close | QuickBooks Online | Not verified | Active CPA firm or individual license | 75 | 30 |
| Liberty Accounting Plus Says it serves: churches | Dayton, OH Local | AP/AR, payroll coordination | QuickBooks Online, Sage | Not verified | IRS preparer record | 81 | 27 |
What the evidence shows
Pricing
No firm on this page publishes a monthly price. 1 of 13 says it quotes each client, and 12 say nothing about fees at all. A written scope with the fee and its limits is the thing to ask for on a first call.
Services and process
If you're behind, start with the 1 firm that says it does catch-up or cleanup work. On this page that's Balanced Bookkeeping LLC. 3 of 13 state how often reports arrive, and 1 describe how onboarding works.
Software and remote work
QuickBooks Online is the software named most, by 4 of 13 firms, ahead of QuickBooks 23% and Xero 8%. If you run Xero, Balanced Bookkeeping LLC names it. 1 of 13 says it works with clients remotely, so a firm across the metro can still take you on.
Licenses and public records
Because Ohio publishes its records as open data, the checks for this group found 6 firms with an active CPA license or permit on Ohio's published register. The CPA records we matched belong to Shannon & Company, Bradstreet & Company, Manning & Associates CPAs and Schock & Poores CPAs. Each profile shows the license or permit number and the date we checked. Check any CPA claim yourself on the Accountancy Board of Ohio lookup.
The ranking
Numbered scores on this list run from 63 down to 27, and the median across every scored firm is 30. 5 more firms reached 70% coverage with fewer than 6 documented items, so they sit under the list as Also scored, without a number. The top of the list: Balanced Bookkeeping LLC (63 at 83% coverage), Shannon & Company (42 at 83% coverage) and Bradstreet & Company (39 at 77% coverage). Dayton has the most numbered firms (6), and the list spans 3 towns in all. A high-coverage firm with a modest score isn't a weak firm. Its site simply leaves more for you to ask.
Dayton-Kettering area in figures
Shares of the 13 firms listed, from accepted evidence only. A firm with no evidence for an item counts as not stating it. Median evidence coverage: 78%; median Evidence Score of the scored firms: 30.
| What the firms state | Share (%) | Firms (of 13) |
|---|---|---|
| Publish a price or starting price | 0 | 0 |
| State they price by quote | 8 | 1 |
| Say nothing about pricing | 92 | 12 |
| Hold a third-party-verified credential | 46 | 6 |
| State a reporting cadence | 23 | 3 |
| Describe onboarding | 8 | 1 |
| Offer catch-up or cleanup work | 8 | 1 |
| Work remotely (stated) | 8 | 1 |
| Mention QuickBooks Online | 31 | 4 |
| Mention QuickBooks | 23 | 3 |
| Mention Xero | 8 | 1 |
| Mention Paychex | 8 | 1 |
| Mention Sage | 8 | 1 |
Frequently Asked Questions
Do any Dayton-Kettering bookkeepers publish their prices?
Not on their websites. 1 of 13 says it quotes each client, and the rest don't mention fees. Ask for the monthly fee and what it covers in writing.
Which firms in Dayton-Kettering take on catch-up bookkeeping?
Balanced Bookkeeping LLC says it does catch-up or cleanup work.
Which Dayton-Kettering bookkeepers work in Xero?
Balanced Bookkeeping LLC names Xero on its site. More firms here name QuickBooks, so ask which one a firm prefers before you switch anything.
Which Dayton-Kettering bookkeepers say which industries they serve?
7 of 13 name them on their own sites, among them Balanced Bookkeeping LLC (construction and law firms), Bradstreet & Company (veterinary and transportation), Manning & Associates CPAs (franchises and restaurants), Smith & Stueve (construction and real estate) and Schock & Poores CPAs (real estate). It's self-reported, so ask for a client reference in your trade.
Every place this page covers (58)
Beavercreek, Bellbrook, Bowersville, Bradford, Brandt, Brookville, Caesarscreek, Carlisle, Casstown, Cedarville, Centerville, Clay, Clayton, Covington, Dayton, Drexel, Englewood, Fairborn, Farmersville, Fletcher, Fort McKinley, Germantown, Huber Heights, Jamestown, Kettering, Laura, Lostcreek, Ludlow Falls, Miamisburg, Moraine, New Jasper, New Lebanon, Newberry, Phillipsburg, Piqua, Pleasant Hill, Potsdam, Riverside, Shiloh, Silvercreek, Spring Valley, Springboro, Springcreek, Staunton, Sugarcreek, Tipp City, Trotwood, Troy, Union, Vandalia, Verona, Washington Township, West Carrollton, West Milton, Wilberforce, Wright-Patterson AFB, Xenia, Yellow Springs.
Sources and further reading
Dates are when we checked. Report an error.
- DNS checkChecked Sep 26, 2026
- Firm's own websiteChecked Sep 26, 2026 to Nov 11, 2026
- IRS preparer recordsChecked Sep 27, 2026 to Nov 10, 2026
- State accountancy boardChecked Sep 26, 2026 to Oct 31, 2026
- Accountancy Board of Ohio: license lookupAccountancy Board of Ohio
- Ohio business entity searchState of Ohio
- How the Evidence Score worksBookkeeping Index methodology
- Commercial disclosuresBookkeeping Index