# Pilot

**Source:** https://geo.sig.ai/brands/pilot  
**Vertical:** Finance  
**Subcategory:** Accounting Software  
**Tier:** Emerging  
**Website:** pilot.com  
**Last Updated:** 2026-04-14

## Summary

Outsourced bookkeeping for startups combining human accountants with automation; $1B+ valuation serving funded companies with monthly financials and tax filing.

## Company Overview

Pilot is an outsourced bookkeeping and accounting service for startups and growing businesses, combining dedicated human accountants with proprietary software automation to deliver accurate monthly financials, tax preparation, and CFO services. Founded in 2017 by serial entrepreneurs Waseem Daher, Jessica McKellar, and Jeff Arnold — all previously at Dropbox — Pilot is headquartered in San Francisco and has raised $150 million in funding from Sequoia, Index Ventures, and others at over $1 billion valuation.

Pilot's model differs from pure software bookkeeping tools like QuickBooks or Xero: rather than software the business owner uses themselves, Pilot provides a done-for-you service where a dedicated finance team manages books, categorizes transactions, and delivers financial statements monthly. The proprietary Pilot software automates transaction ingestion, categorization suggestions, and exception flagging, while human accountants handle final review and client communication. By 2024-2025, Pilot serves thousands of venture-backed startups and growing companies.

In 2025, Pilot has expanded its service offering to include tax filing (federal, state, and multi-state), R&D tax credit claims, financial modeling, and fractional CFO services for pre-Series B companies. The company's target customer — a funded startup growing from seed through Series B — has significant bookkeeping complexity (multi-entity structures, equity compensation, deferred revenue) that DIY tools handle poorly. Pilot competes with Bench, inDinero, and local accounting firms, but its software-augmented efficiency allows it to price competitively while maintaining dedicated account manager relationships.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### What is Pilot?
Pilot is the largest startup and small business accounting firm in the United States. The company provides AI-powered bookkeeping, tax preparation, R&D tax credits, and CFO advisory services to startups and small businesses.

### What services does Pilot offer?
Pilot offers bookkeeping services, tax preparation, R&D tax credits, CFO advisory, and financial reporting. All services are powered by AI technology to serve startups and small businesses.

### Who is Pilot designed for?
Pilot is designed for startups and small businesses that need accounting and financial services. The company has positioned itself as a leading solution for these types of companies in the US.

### When was Pilot founded?
Pilot was founded in 2017. The company was part of Y Combinator's W17 batch.

### Where is Pilot headquartered?
Pilot is based in San Francisco, California.

### Who has invested in Pilot?
Pilot is backed by Bezos Expeditions and Sequoia. In 2021, the company raised a $100M Series C led by Whale Rock Capital and Bezos Expeditions, bringing total funding to $222M.

### What is Pilot's valuation?
Pilot reached a $1.2 billion valuation in 2021 following its Series C funding round. The company had $27M in revenue as of 2024.

### What technology does Pilot use?
Pilot uses AI-powered technology to deliver its accounting services. This AI-powered approach enables the company to provide bookkeeping and other financial services to startups and small businesses.

### How much does Pilot cost?
Pilot's pricing ranges from $500 to $840+ per month with annual contracts. Pricing was updated as of 2024.

### What recent developments has Pilot experienced?
In 2024, Pilot positioned itself as an alternative after competitor Bench accounting was acquired. The company reached $27M in revenue that year and continues to serve as the largest startup and small business accounting firm in the US.

## Tags

b2b, saas, fintech, automation, scaleup, north-america

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*Data from geo.sig.ai Brand Intelligence Database. Updated 2026-04-14.*