Zeroing in on just a few bookkeeping niches rather than multiple niches can increase your expertise and authority. In turn, this can translate into less competition, greater trust among clients, and in many cases, premium pricing for your accounting services. It just boils down to choosing the right niche market with enough demand to match your unique skill set.

Factors for Picking a Good Bookkeeping Niche

First, an accounting niche should have enough demand to warrant outsourcing bookkeeping services. This is a necessary precursor to anything else. You should be confident that there will be a genuine need among prospective clients to justify concentrating on a particular niche. Next, the niche should be big enough that you can find a reasonable number of clients. By default, you won’t have access to as many clients as you would if you were running a generalist bookkeeping business. But your market research should indicate a sizable number of clients to ensure it’s profitable. Third, choose a bookkeeping niche that caters to your specific skills and background. For example, if you used to work in real estate and have a passion for it, that would likely be a good choice for your accounting practice. Note that many Keeper customers mainly focus on the following niches:

• eCommerce
• Nonprofits
• Real estate
• Dental/orthodontics

While focusing on a specific industry that matches this criteria won’t necessarily guarantee success, it can be a lucrative niche for many bookkeepers. With that said, here are our 21 top accounting niches.

1. Construction

The construction industry has a reputation for having strict, complicated accounting requirements. Companies need to understand things like subcontractor management, job costing, and capital gains tax, which is why many prefer to outsource. That, combined with high demand and the need for specialized knowledge, sets the stage for higher accounting fees than many other industries. If you have the expertise, you can command top dollar for serving this specific niche in your bookkeeping business.

2. Real Estate Brokerages and Agents

As we mentioned before, real estate is one of the more popular niches that Keeper customers specialize in. Like construction, there’s plenty of demand for professional accounting services for real estate brokerages and agents. And in many high-growth markets, demand is continually increasing. Real estate also requires a high level of accounting expertise that many brokerages and agents lack, which means many feel more comfortable outsourcing to a niche accounting firm.

3. Real Estate Title Companies

This is one of the more complex and involved bookkeeping clients, where you need to have an understanding of things like property transfers and escrow accounts. But if you’ve got the knowledge, real estate title companies can be one of the more profitable clients for a bookkeeper.

4. Fix and Flip Real Estate Investors

These clients have a different set of accounting needs than traditional real estate inventors. As a result, many require a highly specialized bookkeeping service. As long as you partner with high-value investors who are bringing in large amounts of income from their flips, this can be an ideal client.

5. Restaurants

The restaurant industry is one of the biggest, with total sales exceeding $1 trillion in 2023. From small mom-and-pops to large-scale chains, restaurants of all sizes need reliable, accurate bookkeeping, as it’s an integral part of effective business management. Because of the extensive bookkeeping services list, this industry requires areas like food cost analysis and tips reporting, many restaurant owners prefer to outsource, which means there’s plenty of demand. And with a high transaction volume, many accounting professionals stand to earn big profits from this chosen niche.

6. Janitorial Services

Compared to most of the other industries on this list, janitorial services is fairly straightforward with its accounting requirements. That said, many of these clients lack the in-house expertise to handle accounting and would rather outsource it to a professional bookkeeper. This is especially true for a smaller business owner with a heavy workload. Considering how ubiquitous this profession is, there’s a good chance you can produce a steady income from it.

7. Landscaping

While you should be aware that landscaping often has seasonal fluctuations because of the varying workload, it’s still a stable niche overall, with high demand throughout most of the country. While larger companies often have an in-house bookkeeping team, many small businesses can benefit from the expertise of a bookkeeping firm.

8. eCommerce

The size of the eCommerce industry is staggering and had a value of $25.93 trillion in 2023. And with a CAGR of 18.9% from 2024 to 2030, it’s not slowing down. With tax complexities common in eCommerce and a high demand for skilled bookkeepers, this type of niche client should be on the radar of many accountants.

9. Law Firms

This mainly applies to smaller law firms that lack an in-house accounting team. Because of the large scale of this industry and the inherently complex nature of law firm reporting, it has high demand and often commands large profits. 1099 preparation is extremely important for law firms because they have so many vendors, and it can usually become important in litigation and their corresponding settlement talks.

10. Medical Doctors and Small Clinics

This also applies primarily to small-scale doctors and clinics, as opposed to large hospitals. Financial reporting can be complex and requires a high level of accuracy. With medical doctors and small clinics in nearly every corner of the country, bookkeeping in this specific industry can yield high profits and plenty of business.

11. Optometrists

Insurance and Medicare don’t cover most of these services, so optometrists must run a smarter business than most medical practitioners. This means that many seek the services of a professional bookkeeping business to handle their accounting software and manage their financial records. Whether virtual bookkeeping or physical bookkeeping, the complexity involved with a potential client in this niche makes it potentially lucrative.

12. Dentists

Dentists are located in every nook and cranny of the country, generate consistent revenue, and most have a steady customer base. That, combined with the expertise it requires for dental-specific medical coding, means a bookkeeper can often charge a significant rate.

13. Veterinarians

The pet industry is a big one. It was valued at $320 billion in 2023 and is expected to grow to around $500 billion by 2030. When you consider the difficulties of managing accounting, especially for small veterinary offices, it’s easy to see why many turn to a bookkeeping service.

14. Software/SaaS

This industry has experienced monumental growth in recent years. In 2024, it was valued at $317 billion and has future projections of reaching over $1.2 trillion by 2032. With this growth comes plenty of opportunities for specialization in software/SaaS. Because these companies often face challenges like reporting for subscriptions and customer churn and need robust accounting, it can be a profitable niche.

15. IT Companies

Like other areas of tech, the IT industry is experiencing rapid growth. And because of unique accounting needs like software development and managing remote employees, many seek the services of accounting firms. While this can be a competitive field, there’s plenty of potential if you have strong expertise.

16. Engineering Firms

When it comes to revenue potential, engineering firms can be extremely high-value clients. Accountants have to navigate difficult revenue reporting rules and have a clear understanding of industry nuances. If you have the skillset, you can bypass many competitors and partner with steady clients.

17. Marketing Agencies

Marketing agencies can have multiple forms of revenue, such as project-based deals, retainers, and bonuses. Because most are so focused on business growth, customer service, and landing new clients, they’re often quick to partner with an accounting firm to ensure accurate reporting.

18. HVAC Companies

These companies have a lot of moving parts, including service contracts, inventory, and employee payroll. Because of the inherent complexity, many prefer to outsource bookkeeping to a professional. If you’re an accountant with plenty of expertise in this niche, you should be a frontrunner for winning their business.

19. Plumbers

The vast majority of small business plumbers lack a dedicated in-house accounting staff. This, combined with intricate reporting practices on service contracts, inventory, labor, and more, makes them a prime candidate for professional bookkeeping services. And because plumbers are located in nearly every city and town, there should be no lack of potential customers.

20. Nonprofits and Churches

First, note that many nonprofits have sizable assets and incomes, so this isn’t pro bono work. Offering bookkeeping services in this niche requires specialized knowledge. If you possess the right skill set, it should be fairly easy to win over these types of clients. Not to mention, your work can have a meaningful impact.

22. Trucking Companies

This last niche idea applies specifically to trucking companies, not individual truckers. Accounting can be incredibly complicated and requires reporting things like hours of service, truck maintenance, and fuel tax, making it something many companies would rather outsource.

Streamline Operations with Keeper

Regardless of the specialized niche you choose, it’s important to use the right bookkeeping practice management software to streamline operations and improve client service. One of the best platforms that assists in nearly every area of bookkeeping is Keeper. It can be used to facilitate seamless communication with clients, perform comprehensive task management, automate file review, produce professional financial reports, and much more. Keeper is also the first tool that integrates directly with QuickBooks Online and Xero to close the books in as little as half the time. Book your demo today.