TOA Global is the largest offshore accounting provider in the space – over 3,400 team members in the Philippines serving 1,100+ accounting firms worldwide. Here's how we actually compare, without the vendor spin from either side.
TOA is the biggest name in offshore accounting for good reason. Starting in Australia in 2013 and expanding to serve US firms, TOA has built industrial-scale offshore accounting: over 3,400 offshore accountants primarily based in the Philippines (with smaller operations in South Africa and other locations), serving 1,100+ accounting firms. Their strengths include:
Large and PE-backed CPA firms ($50M+ revenue), multi-office firm groups needing 10+ offshore seats, firms specifically wanting Philippines-only staff, and firms that value belonging to a broader community of offshore-using practices. If you're a 500-person regional CPA firm, TOA is probably worth evaluating seriously.
Three substantive differences matter for most mid-size firms and businesses we work with:
TOA's engagement model is primarily dedicated-seat-based with 12-month minimum commitments typical. This works well at scale but can be inflexible for firms that want to start with 1–2 seats and expand based on results. Our engagement model supports dedicated seats (same as TOA), hourly/project engagements (for firms uncertain about volume), and shorter minimums (3–6 months typical). For firms that want to pilot before committing to an annual contract, the flexibility matters.
TOA's team is Philippines-primary. For work that favors the Philippine talent market (client-facing, English-accent-sensitive, bookkeeping), that's fine. For complex technical work – multi-state tax preparation, large-firm audit support, consolidation work – India's talent pool is deeper. We staff across both India and the Philippines and recommend geography based on the specific engagement profile. If you need senior India CA talent for complex audit support, we have it; TOA's primary offering doesn't.
TOA's pricing typically runs $2,500–$4,500 per dedicated seat per month, depending on role seniority and engagement structure. Our pricing is comparable to slightly lower on a per-seat basis, and we publish the pricing structure openly on our pricing page. For most engagements, the effective cost difference is modest; the bigger differences are in the minimum commitment structure and the talent geography choice.
| Factor | TOA Global | OffshoreAccounting.com |
|---|---|---|
| Team size | 3,400+ | Smaller, curated bench |
| Primary geography | Philippines (some South Africa, other) | India + Philippines (engagement-matched) |
| Engagement minimum | Typically 12 months | 3–6 months typical |
| Engagement model | Dedicated seat primary | Dedicated, hourly, project |
| Interview specific assigned staff | Varies by engagement | Yes, default |
| Typical senior price | $2,800–$4,500/mo | $2,400–$4,200/mo |
| ยง7216 compliance template | Yes | Yes, published at template page |
| HIPAA BAA available | Yes for healthcare clients | Yes, see template |
| Training academy | Ab2 Institute (proprietary) | Engagement-specific training |
| CPE / community | Yes, ecosystem | No, we're a staffing provider |
TOA Global is a legitimate, well-run, large-scale offshore accounting provider. For firms that match their model (large, Philippines-preferring, 12-month commitment comfortable), they're a reasonable choice. For firms that want flexibility, India+Philippines optionality, shorter commitments, or interview rights on assigned staff, we're structurally better-fit. Neither of us is universally the right choice; the correct answer depends on your specific engagement profile.
For what we actually offer and the economics, see our CPA firm page, pricing page, and the offshore accounting overview.
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