Question 1

Is it free to use?

Accepted Answer

Yes, always. Searching, comparing, shortlisting and booking intro calls all cost nothing, and we take no cut of what you go on to spend with a firm.

Question 2

How is this different from Googling "best accountant near me"?

Accepted Answer

Google ranks whoever has the best ads and SEO team. We rank by fit. Every vetted firm was reviewed by our editors before it could appear at the top of anything. The badge is not an endorsement, and it does not replace your own checks on a firm.

Question 3

Do I have to type a question, or can I just browse?

Accepted Answer

Either. Typing a question is faster because we read it and narrow the list for you, but you can browse by industry, state, city or service level and answer the same narrowing questions on the page.

Question 4

Can a firm pay to get the vetted badge?

Accepted Answer

No. Paying starts the vetting process, it never buys the outcome. Not every applicant passes, and the ones who do not are refunded and stay unvetted. Nobody can pay to skip the review.

Question 5

What does vetting actually involve, and what does it not?

Accepted Answer

A review by one of our editors: the firm confirms how it works and who it serves best, and we read what it says about itself against what it publishes and what clients say. An on-camera interview is optional. It is not a license check, a background check or a quality guarantee, and it is not an endorsement. Validating credentials, licensure and suitability is your job before you hire anyone.

Question 6

What do the good, the gray area, and the heads-up mean on a profile?

Accepted Answer

The good is what we found worth recommending. The heads-up is who the firm is not right for, in plain terms. We publish both, because a directory that only prints the good parts is an advert.

Question 7

Why do some firms have a video interview and others not?

Accepted Answer

The on-camera interview is an optional add-on. A firm without a video has been through the same review as one with it.

Question 8

What if the accountant I pick is a bad fit?

Accepted Answer

Come back and tell us. Your shortlist keeps your other candidates a click away, and negative feedback goes into the firm’s profile. We never delete it.

Question 9

Does my accountant need to be local?

Accepted Answer

Usually not. Most of the work happens over email and video, and many firms work with clients anywhere in the country. Local matters if you want to sit across a desk, or if your state has rules your accountant needs to know well.

Question 10

What should I ask on the intro call?

Accepted Answer

Who else like me do you work with, what does this cost, who will I actually be speaking to during the year, and what do you need from me. If the answers are vague on price or on who does the work, keep looking.

Question 11

What does vetting cost, and what do I get?

Accepted Answer

$99 a month, or $999 a year with two months free. That covers the vetting process, and if you pass: the vetted badge, placement in searches that fit you, your full profile with reviews and tiles, and shortlist visibility.

Question 12

Why do I pay before the vetting?

Accepted Answer

Real people run every vetting, and their time is the cost. Payment books that time. If you do not pass you get a full refund, so the only thing you risk is a short conversation.

Question 13

What happens in the optional interview?

Accepted Answer

If you choose it, 15 minutes on camera with our editors: who you serve best, what new clients get wrong, how you handle the hard situations. Unscripted on purpose. It stays private unless you also choose the published spotlight.

Question 14

What makes an application fail?

Accepted Answer

A description of who you serve that your public record does not support, or an unwillingness to say who you are not right for. The last one matters: the heads-up section is the point of the badge.

Question 15

I am a bookkeeper without a license. Can I still get vetted?

Accepted Answer

Yes. The badge is about whether the work matches what you claim, not about holding a CPA. Your profile states exactly what you are licensed to do, so nobody arrives expecting something else.

Question 16

Do I have to publish a video?

Accepted Answer

No. The on-camera spotlight is optional and the badge never depends on it. It gives people a way to meet you before booking, which is why we offer it.

Question 17

What is Accountant of the Month?

Accepted Answer

A rotating feature across the site given to a vetted firm, chosen by our editors. It is not for sale.

Question 18

Can I update my profile, pricing and photos myself?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Anything factual you can change. The editorial sections, the verdict and the heads-up, stay ours, which is what makes them worth reading.

Question 19

Can I remove a bad review?

Accepted Answer

No, and that is why the good ones are worth something. You can respond publicly, and our editors add context in the heads-up section where it is fair to.

Question 20

How does ranking work if not by ad spend?

Accepted Answer

By fit with the question asked. A firm that actually does the industry someone named outranks one that does not, and a vetted firm that does only that work leads. Nobody can buy a position.

Question 21

What happens if my standards slip after I am vetted?

Accepted Answer

The badge gets pulled, and feedback that arrives in between goes on the profile.

Questions, answered.

The basics

The vetted badge

Choosing and booking