RaketTax vs. a Private Bookkeeper for 8% Freelancers

For most freelancers on the 8% flat rate, RaketTax replaces the day-to-day work a private bookkeeper would otherwise charge for — logging income, applying the ₱250,000 exemption, computing the tax, and generating the 1701Q or 1701A — for free, with the option to add a partner bookkeeper only for the filing step. A private bookkeeper still earns their fee for genuinely complex situations: graduated rates, multiple businesses, or hands-on tax planning.

Here is an honest, task-by-task comparison so you can decide which fits your setup.

What a private bookkeeper actually does for an 8% freelancer

The 8% rate was built to remove most of what a bookkeeper traditionally does. There are no itemised expenses to reconcile and no audited financial statements to prepare. What is left is mostly mechanical:

• Tally your gross receipts for the quarter.
• Apply the ₱250,000 exemption correctly (once a year, cumulative — see how the exemption works).
• Compute the 8% due and fill out Form 1701Q or 1701A.
• Encode and submit it through eBIRForms, and tell you what to pay.

A bookkeeper typically charges a flat fee per filing — the amount varies a lot by bookkeeper and city, so ask upfront — and the value is a human relationship: someone to call when your situation gets unusual, or to catch an edge case you would not know to look for.

What RaketTax does instead

RaketTax automates the mechanical part of that list. You log each client payment as it lands — see how to register and start if you have not yet, or let RaketTax Launchpad register you (or update the registration under the TIN you already have) for a one-time fee if you would rather skip that step entirely — and the app:

• Applies your ₱250,000 exemption in the correct quarter and carries the cumulative math forward.
• Computes the 8% tax due, matching the BIR's own worksheet.
• Generates a ready-to-file 1701Q or 1701A — see the step-by-step 1701Q guide.

Tracking your income is free. From there you either file it yourself through eBIRForms, or send it to the RaketTax VIP Concierge — partner bookkeepers who encode and submit the return for you and upload the BIR confirmation to your dashboard. So the comparison is not really "software or a bookkeeper" — RaketTax helps you prepare your numbers either way, and VIP Concierge covers the same filing step a private bookkeeper would, without you having to find and vet one yourself.

Side by side

Task	Private bookkeeper	RaketTax
Logging income	You send records; they re-enter it	You log it directly in the app
₱250,000 exemption	Tracked manually, quarter to quarter	Automatic, cumulative
Computing the 8% tax	Manual	Automatic
Filling out 1701Q / 1701A	Manual encoding	Auto-generated, pre-filled
Filing with the BIR	Included in their service	Do it yourself, or the VIP Concierge
Typical cost	A fee per filing, every quarter	Free to track; pay only per filed return
Best for	Complex or non-8% situations, personalised advice	Straightforward 8% freelancers who want speed and low cost

Where a private bookkeeper still makes sense

• You are on graduated rates or the Optional Standard Deduction instead of 8%, with real itemised expenses to track. See the 8% rate versus graduated rates.
• You are approaching or past the ₱3,000,000 VAT threshold and need help transitioning your registration.
• You run multiple businesses or a more complex structure than a single freelance practice.
• You need actual tax planning advice for an unusual situation. RaketTax is a preparation tool, not a CPA — for anything outside the ordinary, talk to a bookkeeper, a CPA, or your RDO.

Can you use both?

Yes. Plenty of freelancers use RaketTax to keep an accurate, always-current ledger and hand the prepared numbers to their own accountant, rather than paying that accountant to reconstruct the numbers from scratch every quarter. Others skip hiring anyone and use the built-in VIP Concierge instead. Neither choice is wrong — the point is that your income record and your tax computation should not depend on remembering to email someone before a deadline.

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Frequently asked questions

Can RaketTax completely replace my bookkeeper?

For most freelancers on the 8% rate, RaketTax replaces spreadsheets and manual form-filling — it handles the tracking, the exemption (for pure freelancers), the computation, and the form generation, and the VIP Concierge covers the actual filing. But RaketTax is not a CPA. If you are not on the 8% rate, your situation is complex, or you need real tax planning advice, keep a CPA or bookkeeper in the loop.

Is a bookkeeper legally required for 8% freelancers?

No. The 8% flat rate was specifically designed to remove the itemised bookkeeping and audited-financial-statement requirements that used to make hiring one necessary. You are free to self-file.

Does RaketTax replace the manual Books of Accounts the BIR requires?

No — the BIR still requires a physical Books of Accounts even on the 8% rate. RaketTax's Notebook copy mode formats your digital ledger to match the columnar journal, so copying it by hand takes minutes instead of an afternoon.

Should I hire a CPA or use online tax software?

For a straightforward 8% freelancer, online tax software like RaketTax covers the tracking, the computation and the form, and you don't need a CPA for any of it. Hire a CPA when your situation needs professional judgment: graduated rates with real expenses, income near the ₱3,000,000 VAT threshold, several businesses, or a notice or audit from the BIR. Many people use both: software for the everyday ledger, and a CPA for the unusual year.

How much does a private bookkeeper typically charge an 8% freelancer?

It varies by bookkeeper and city, usually a flat fee per quarterly or annual filing. Compare that ongoing cost against RaketTax's free tracking and pay-per-filed-return model, or its VIP Concierge fee, to see which fits your budget.