CSI Accounting & Payroll
CSI Accounting & Payroll is a privately held firm providing bundled monthly accounting, payroll, and tax services to small and medium-sized U.S. businesses. Founded in the 1960s and headquartered in Minneapolis with a Maryland office, it serves thousands of SMB clients across multiple industry verticals.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1960
- HeadquartersMinneapolis, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What CSI Accounting & Payroll does
CSI Accounting & Payroll is a privately held financial services firm that delivers bundled monthly accounting, payroll, tax preparation, and advisory services to small and medium-sized businesses across the United States. Founded in the 1960s by Al Clausnitzer and acquired by current owner Brian Paulson in 2002, the company operates from its Minneapolis (St. Louis Park, MN) headquarters and a regional office in Columbia, Maryland, serving "thousands" of clients nationwide. Its target customer is a U.S.-based SMB with roughly $500K-$5M+ in revenue that prefers outsourced financial management, with industry-specific landing pages covering automotive repair (its original specialization), salons and spas, construction, transportation, real estate, legal, marketing/advertising, and cleaning services.
The product stack centers on three core offerings — a Monthly Accounting Service, a Payroll Service, and Tax Services — supplemented by optional add-ons including HR packages, 401(k) administration, timekeeping, workers' compensation management, and Employee Retention Credit services. Accounting work is produced primarily in QuickBooks Online or Xero (Xero being the preferred platform whose subscription CSI covers for clients), while payroll runs on iSolved People Cloud with client access via Qount and Employer On the Go portals. CSI has invested in client-facing self-service tools including an online Pricing Calculator and an Ideal Accounting Solution Quiz, and produces downloadable resources such as the Small Business Accounting Kit, a Profitability Checklist, and Matrix Pricing Templates for auto repair shops. Sales, marketing, and client communication are supported by HubSpot CRM, Lucky Orange, and Google Analytics.
CSI operates on a subscription-based revenue model with monthly fees ranging from $600 to $2,000+ for accounting services (average ~$800/month) and $100-$500+ for payroll (average ~$275/month), with a bundle discount of $105-$120/month when both are purchased together. The firm reports that approximately 95% of its monthly accounting clients also use CSI for personal tax filing, providing meaningful revenue cross-sell. Go-to-market is consultative, combining a free initial consultation with self-service pricing tools, supported by content marketing (an active blog, free downloadable resources, video testimonials), SEO, email nurturing through HubSpot, and reputation management across nearly 400 reviews averaging 4.9 stars. The firm employs 11-50 people and has grown modestly via acquisition, including the 2019 purchase of AccountSource LLC.
CSI Accounting & Payroll firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- CSI Accounting & Payroll
- Legal name
- CSI Accounting & Payroll
- Website
- https://csiaccounting.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1960
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- CSI Accounting & Payroll is a privately held firm providing bundled monthly accounting, payroll, and tax services to small and medium-sized U.S. businesses. Founded in the 1960s and headquartered in Minneapolis with a Maryland office, it serves thousands of SMB clients across multiple industry verticals.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
CSI Accounting & Payroll industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Outsourced Accounting and Payroll Services
- NAICS
- Payroll Services (541214), Accounting, Tax Preparation, Bookkeeping, and Payroll Services (54121), Offices of Certified Public Accountants (541211), Other Accounting Services (541219)
- SIC
- Services-Engineering, Accounting, Research, Management (8700)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Payroll & Employment Tax Services (BPAHABAD)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Full-Service Payroll Processing (BPACAIAA), Payroll Tax Filing, Compliance & Regulatory Reporting (BPAAAHAB), Payroll Audit, Reconciliation & Payroll Controls (BPACAIAJ), Employer Payroll Processing (SMB & Enterprise) (FSAMAKAA)
Keywords
Where CSI Accounting & Payroll is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Minneapolis
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
CSI Accounting & Payroll business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Operations, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Monthly Accounting Services: Recurring monthly fees for comprehensive accounting services including bookkeeping, monthly financial statements, tax planning, and advisory services. Fees range from $600 to $2,000+ per month depending on business complexity and transaction volume.
- Payroll Processing Services: Per-payroll processing fees ranging from under $100 to $500+ per month. Average client pays approximately $275 monthly. Additional fees for add-on services including timekeeping, HR packages, and retirement plan administration.
- Individual Tax Filing: Separate fees for personal tax return preparation for business owner clients, ranging from approximately $750 to over $2,000 per form, charged at tax time.
- Back Work Services: Catch-up bookkeeping and tax filing services for clients with lapsed records, priced based on number of months requiring catch-up work.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Monthly | Small Business Accounting - Basic |
| Subscription | Monthly | Small Business Accounting - Growth |
| Subscription | Monthly | Small Business Accounting - Complex |
| Subscription | Monthly | Multi-Entity Accounting |
| Subscription | Monthly | Payroll Services - Basic |
| Subscription | Monthly | Bundle Discount |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels7 records
CSI Accounting & Payroll product offering
Product offeringCore offering
CSI Accounting & Payroll is a financial services firm that provides outsourced monthly accounting, payroll processing, business tax preparation, and advisory services to small and medium-sized U.S. businesses. Its core offering bundles bookkeeping, monthly financial statements, year-round tax planning and filing, and unlimited accountant access under a recurring monthly fee, with payroll offered as a separate core service powered by iSolved People Cloud.
Product overview
CSI Accounting & Payroll is a small business-focused financial services firm offering a bundled suite of accounting, payroll, and tax services primarily delivered through a unified Monthly Accounting Service that serves as the core product. The core offering combines bookkeeping, monthly financial statements, year-round tax strategy (planning, projections, and filing), and advisory services under one monthly fee. Payroll is offered as a separate core service using iSolved People Cloud, which can be bundled for a discount. Additional optional add-ons include HR services, employee retirement plans (401(k)), timekeeping, and workers' compensation insurance. The company also provides free downloadable tools including a Small Business Accounting Kit, a Profitability Checklist, and Matrix Pricing Templates for auto repair shops. Accounting work is primarily produced in QuickBooks Online or Xero, with Xero being the preferred platform whose subscription fee CSI covers for clients.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Monthly Accounting Service Bundled monthly service including bookkeeping, monthly financial statements (P&L and Balance Sheet), monthly bank reconciliation, business tax strategy, tax planning meetings, tax preparation and filing, sales tax filings, and unlimited accountant access for advice, with annual business taxes included in the monthly fee. Targeted at small and medium-sized U.S. businesses.
- Payroll Service Full-service payroll processing including check processing, direct deposit, electronic payroll tax payments and filings (Federal 941, Federal 940, state withholding/unemployment returns), workers' compensation audit reports, payroll tax audit representation, and employee/employer portal access. Delivered via iSolved People Cloud with a dedicated payroll specialist.
- Tax Services Business tax planning, projections, preparation, and filing services bundled within the monthly accounting fee, plus optional individual tax return preparation for monthly accounting clients billed on a per-form basis.
- Consulting Services Advisory and consulting services for larger projects beyond standard monthly accounting advice, billed separately while unlimited one-off questions are included in the monthly fee.
- HR Services Optional add-on HR packages offered alongside payroll services to help small businesses manage human resources functions.
- Employee Retirement Plan (401(k) for Small Business) Small business retirement plan administration, including 401(k) setup and management, offered as an optional add-on to payroll services.
- Timekeeping Timekeeping solutions offered as an add-on to payroll services, with options including Employee Timekeeping Login and Employer On the Go.
- Workers' Compensation Insurance Workers' compensation insurance management, including audit reports, offered as an add-on alongside payroll services.
- Employee Retention Credit Services Assistance with Employee Retention Credit (ERC) applications and compliance for eligible small businesses.
Quantifiable outcome
- Average monthly accounting fee of $800/month
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use CSI Accounting & Payroll
Customer profileNamed customers10 records
Segments9 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
CSI Accounting & Payroll technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration4 records
Feature3 records
CSI Accounting & Payroll partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Four partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- HubSpotcoreHubSpot CRM is used for contact management, form submissions, and email marketing. HubSpot forms securely store client data with limited authorized access and two-factor authentication protection.
- iSolved People CloudcorePayroll software platform used by CSI to process payroll, manage employee data, and handle payroll tax filings for their clients.
- QuickBooks OnlinecoreAccounting software used for client bookkeeping. CSI can work with clients already using QuickBooks or help them transition to the platform. Client pays subscription fee.
- XerocorePreferred accounting software partner. CSI covers the subscription fee for clients who use Xero, as it is their primary tool for producing client financials. Allows clients to view their own financial information.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights5 records
CSI Accounting & Payroll competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Xendoo: Cloud-based bookkeeping, accounting, and tax service for small businesses, using Xero/QuickBooks with dedicated bookkeepers — overlaps with CSI's Xero-led delivery and SMB focus.
- 1-800Accountant: Virtual accounting firm serving small businesses with bookkeeping, tax preparation, payroll, and advisory — directly comparable to CSI's bundled service offering for U.S. SMBs.
- Gusto: Payroll, HR, and benefits platform purpose-built for U.S. small businesses — competes directly with CSI's payroll services and HR add-ons while increasingly bundling accounting-adjacent features.
- Bookkeeper.com: Online bookkeeping service providing monthly accounting, payroll coordination, and tax preparation for small businesses — comparable to CSI's core bundled service for the same SMB target market.
- Bench Accounting: Tech-enabled bookkeeping and accounting service for U.S. small businesses, offering monthly financials, tax filing, and dedicated bookkeepers — directly competing with CSI's bundled accounting offering at a similar price point.
- Pilot.com: Venture-backed online accounting firm serving SMBs, startups, and self-employed businesses with bookkeeping, tax, and CFO services — competes with CSI for the same small business customer seeking outsourced monthly accounting.
- Botkeeper: AI-assisted bookkeeping service combining automation with human accountants for SMBs — offers the same monthly accounting, reconciliation, and reporting bundle as CSI but with a more software-led delivery model.
Broad incumbents
- Intuit QuickBooks Live: Intuit's bundled bookkeeping service pairing QuickBooks Online with a dedicated human bookkeeper for SMBs — a much larger incumbent offering that competes for the same CSI customer using the same QuickBooks platform.
- ADP (Small Business Services / RUN Powered by ADP): Large-scale payroll, HR, tax, and benefits provider serving U.S. small businesses — overlaps with CSI's payroll service, workers' comp, and HR add-ons, but at greater scale and broader portfolio.
- Paychex: Established payroll, HR, and small-business services provider with national reach — competes with CSI's payroll and HR offerings as an incumbent with broader product breadth and brand recognition.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
CSI Accounting & Payroll financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
CSI Accounting & Payroll leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
CSI Accounting & Payroll subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
CSI Accounting & Payroll funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
CSI Accounting & Payroll M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about CSI Accounting & Payroll
What does CSI Accounting & Payroll do?
CSI Accounting & Payroll is a financial services firm that provides outsourced monthly accounting, payroll processing, business tax preparation, and advisory services to small and medium-sized U.S. businesses. Its core offering bundles bookkeeping, monthly financial statements, year-round tax planning and filing, and unlimited accountant access under a recurring monthly fee, with payroll offered as a separate core service powered by iSolved People Cloud.
Is CSI Accounting & Payroll a public or private company?
CSI Accounting & Payroll is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was CSI Accounting & Payroll founded?
CSI Accounting & Payroll was founded in 1960. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is CSI Accounting & Payroll based?
CSI Accounting & Payroll is headquartered in Minneapolis, United States, in the North America region.
How does CSI Accounting & Payroll make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Monthly Accounting Services are the primary driver. The others are payroll Processing Services, individual Tax Filing and back Work Services.
Who are CSI Accounting & Payroll's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Xendoo, 1-800Accountant, Gusto, Bookkeeper.com, Bench Accounting, Pilot.com and Botkeeper. Broad incumbents are Intuit QuickBooks Live, ADP (Small Business Services / RUN Powered by ADP) and Paychex.
Does CSI Accounting & Payroll have an API?
No public API is recorded for CSI Accounting & Payroll.
What industry is CSI Accounting & Payroll in?
CSI Accounting & Payroll's product category is Outsourced Accounting and Payroll Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAHABAD, Payroll & Employment Tax Services, with a secondary code of BPACAIAA, Full-Service Payroll Processing. Its NAICS code is 541214 and its SIC code is 8700.