Fiskl: Your Stable Alternative to Bench Accounting post Shutdown

If you’re a startup founder, e-commerce business owner, or digital entrepreneur affected by Bench‘s sudden closure on December 27th, you’re likely scrambling to find a solution. With tax season approaching and only until March 7th to retrieve your data, the timing couldn’t be worse. The frustration is real—you trusted Bench with your daily bookkeeping, only to have your financial platform vanish overnight, leaving you with limited access to your financial history and uncertain about how to move forward.

Understanding Your Business Needs

As a digital business, you can’t afford gaps in your financial management. Whether you’re running a Shopify store, managing a SaaS platform, or providing digital services, you need immediate access to your financial data and a reliable system to track expenses, revenue, and prepare for tax season. We’ve seen the discussions on Reddit—delayed books, frequent account manager changes, unreliable bank connections, and now, limited access to historical data. For businesses operating in the fast-paced digital space, these disruptions aren’t just inconvenient—they can seriously impact your ability to make informed decisions and maintain healthy cash flow.

The challenges faced by Bench users in recent months hint at deeper problems that many businesses experienced even before the shutdown. Monthly books falling behind schedule, difficulties with international transactions, and limited mobile access all pointed to a platform struggling to keep pace with modern business needs. You need more than just another bookkeeping platform; you need a stable, automated solution built for modern digital business.

A Platform Built for Modern Business Success

Fiskl isn’t just another accounting solution—we’re specifically designed for businesses like yours. Recognized by Fast Company’s “Next Big Things in Tech 2023” and selected among Europe’s Top 100 Tech Companies 2024, we understand the unique challenges of running a digital business. Our platform combines AI-powered automation with real-time financial management to give you what Bench users always wanted: true financial visibility and control.

For digital businesses, this means having a financial platform that moves at your speed. When a customer makes a purchase, you see it instantly. When a subscription payment processes, it’s categorized automatically. When international transactions occur, currency conversions happen in real-time. This immediate visibility and automation is essential for businesses operating in the digital space, where quick decisions often mean the difference between growth and stagnation.

Real-Time Financial Management When You Need It

No more waiting weeks for your books to be updated. Fiskl connects directly with over 21,000 banks worldwide, ensuring your transactions appear instantly in your dashboard. This extensive banking network means seamless integration with major North American institutions and international banks alike, giving you real-time visibility into your global operations. Whether you’re managing multiple payment processors, marketplace payouts, or traditional bank transfers, everything syncs automatically to provide a complete picture of your financial status.

The system automatically categorizes transactions using advanced AI, while maintaining the accuracy businesses need for financial reporting and tax compliance. For digital businesses managing multiple payment streams, this automation eliminates hours of manual reconciliation work. Our intelligent processing handles various transaction types, from subscription payments to marketplace fees, ensuring your books stay current without constant manual intervention.

Built for E-commerce Success

For e-commerce businesses, our advanced payment processor integrations eliminate the reconciliation headaches that plagued many Bench users. Starting with our comprehensive Stripe integration, the system automatically processes payouts, handling multi-currency transactions, refunds, and disputes with precision.

When a sale occurs, the system automatically:

• Records the transaction in real-time
• Handles currency conversions if needed
• Calculates and categorizes processing fees
• Matches payouts to bank deposits
• Updates inventory values when applicable
• Maintains accurate sales tax records

This automation extends across your e-commerce ecosystem, ensuring your financial data stays accurate and up-to-date regardless of where sales occur.

Digital-First, Mobile-Ready

Modern business happens everywhere, and your financial platform should keep pace. Fiskl’s mobile-first approach means complete access to your financial ecosystem from any device. This isn’t just about checking balances—it’s full financial management capability in your pocket.

Our mobile platform provides:

Real-Time Financial Monitoring

Access your complete financial dashboard, including real-time cash flow updates, expense tracking, and revenue monitoring. Generate instant reports or check key metrics between meetings.

Transaction Management

Capture receipts with AI-powered categorization, send professional invoices, and approve expenses on the go. The system automatically syncs across all devices, ensuring your records stay current.

Financial Intelligence

Access Fi’s insights anywhere, allowing you to make informed decisions whether you’re at a coffee shop meeting or traveling internationally. Ask questions, analyze trends, and monitor performance from your phone.

Cross-Border Business Made Simple

Digital businesses often operate globally, yet Bench struggled with international transactions. Fiskl handles operations in 170 currencies, providing real-time conversion rates and automatic reconciliation. Whether you’re paying international contractors, receiving payments from global customers, or managing multiple currency accounts, everything stays organized and compliant.

For businesses with international operations, our platform provides:

Automated Currency Management

Real-time currency conversions using current market rates, with the ability to maintain books in multiple currencies while consolidating reports in your preferred currency.

Global Payment Processing

Seamless handling of international payments, whether through traditional banking channels or modern payment processors. The system automatically manages currency conversions and fee calculations.

International Tax Compliance

Built-in support for various tax structures, ensuring accurate reporting and compliance across different jurisdictions.

Smooth Transition from Bench

We understand you need to move quickly. Our platform provides a straightforward bank sync, with AI-assisted transaction processing to maintain continuity in your financial records. The process includes:

Bank Connection Setup

Quick establishment of secure connections with your financial institutions, ensuring continuous data flow from day one.

AI-Powered Processing

Our system learns from your data to establish automation rules, making your transition as smooth as possible.

Flexible Partnerships with Reputable Accounting Firms

A major selling point of Bench was its bundled bookkeeping service. Yet, many users felt restricted by the quality or style of support they received. Fiskl believes in providing a modern, automated platform without locking you into a single in-house service. Instead, we’ve partnered with reputable accounting firms around the globe, giving you the freedom to choose an advisory relationship that truly suits your business. This level of flexibility ensures that your accounting support can scale and adapt, so you’re never stuck waiting on one provider if you need urgent help or a specialized service.

Special Offer for Bench Customers

We understand this transition is unexpected and potentially costly. That’s why we’re offering former Bench customers 50% off their first year with Fiskl. No hidden fees or complex contracts—just a straightforward discount to help you get back on track quickly.

Moving Forward with Confidence

The Bench Accounting shutdown served as a stark reminder that not all bookkeeping services are built for the long haul. Businesses need a platform that’s stable, innovative, and truly has their back in challenging times. Fiskl’s AI-driven accounting approach, mobile-first design, global capabilities, and partnerships with trusted firms make it an ideal alternative for Bench users reeling from the sudden closure. We’re committed to being a solution you can rely on—not just today, but for years to come.

The digital business landscape moves fast, and you need a financial platform that can keep up. Fiskl combines AI-powered automation with digital-first design to deliver what modern businesses need. Visit fiskl.com today to claim your 50% discount and discover how we can help you recover from the Bench shutdown stronger than ever. We’re ready to meet you where you are—stressed, short on time, but ready to upgrade to a more capable financial platform.

*Limited time offer. Terms and conditions apply.