Chart of Accounts Template for Small Business (3 Variants)

Your chart of accounts is the foundation of your entire bookkeeping system. It determines how every dollar is categorized, reported, and analyzed. Below are three ready-to-use templates — one for service businesses, one for e-commerce, and one for restaurants. Pick the closest match, customize it for your business, and import it into your accounting software. For background on how a chart of accounts works, see our chart of accounts guide.

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Variant 1: Service Business

Best for: consultants, agencies, freelancers, professional services, SaaS companies, and any business that sells time or expertise rather than physical products.

Acct #	Account Name	Type	Description
1000	Business Checking	Asset	Primary operating bank account
1010	Business Savings	Asset	Savings or money market account for reserves
1020	Petty Cash	Asset	Small cash fund for minor purchases
1100	Accounts Receivable	Asset	Money owed to you by clients for invoiced work
1200	Prepaid Expenses	Asset	Insurance, rent, or subscriptions paid in advance
1500	Computer Equipment	Asset	Laptops, monitors, and hardware over $2,500
1510	Office Furniture	Asset	Desks, chairs, and office fixtures
1600	Accumulated Depreciation	Asset (contra)	Total depreciation recorded against fixed assets
2000	Accounts Payable	Liability	Bills you owe to vendors and suppliers
2100	Credit Card Payable	Liability	Outstanding balance on business credit cards
2200	Payroll Liabilities	Liability	Withheld taxes and benefits owed to agencies
2300	Sales Tax Payable	Liability	Collected sales tax not yet remitted to the state
2400	Loan Payable	Liability	Business loans and lines of credit
3000	Owner's Equity / Capital	Equity	Owner's investment in the business
3100	Owner's Draws	Equity	Money withdrawn by the owner for personal use
3200	Retained Earnings	Equity	Accumulated profits from prior years
4000	Service Revenue	Revenue	Income from consulting, freelancing, or client services
4010	Project Revenue	Revenue	Income from project-based or milestone billing
4020	Retainer Revenue	Revenue	Recurring monthly retainer payments from clients
4100	Other Income	Revenue	Interest, affiliate commissions, or miscellaneous income
5000	Advertising & Marketing	Expense	Online ads, SEO, social media, print materials
5010	Bank & Merchant Fees	Expense	Bank charges, Stripe/PayPal fees, wire transfer fees
5020	Contractor / Subcontractor	Expense	Payments to freelancers and 1099 contractors
5030	Insurance	Expense	Business liability, E&O, and professional insurance
5040	Internet & Phone	Expense	Business internet, phone lines, and VoIP services
5050	Office Supplies	Expense	Paper, pens, toner, and small office items
5060	Professional Services	Expense	Accounting, legal, and consulting fees paid to others
5070	Rent / Lease	Expense	Office rent, co-working memberships, equipment leases
5080	Software & Subscriptions	Expense	QuickBooks, Slack, Zoom, CRM, and other SaaS tools
5090	Travel & Meals	Expense	Business travel, lodging, and 50% deductible meals
5100	Wages & Salaries	Expense	Employee compensation including bonuses
5110	Payroll Taxes	Expense	Employer portion of FICA, FUTA, and SUTA
5120	Employee Benefits	Expense	Health insurance, retirement contributions, PTO
5130	Education & Training	Expense	Courses, conferences, certifications, and books
5140	Depreciation Expense	Expense	Monthly depreciation on fixed assets
6000	Interest Expense	Expense	Interest on business loans and credit lines
6010	Taxes & Licenses	Expense	Business licenses, permits, and non-income taxes

Variant 2: E-Commerce Business

Best for: online stores, Amazon sellers, Shopify merchants, dropshippers, and any business that sells physical or digital products online.

Acct #	Account Name	Type	Description
1000	Business Checking	Asset	Primary operating bank account
1010	Business Savings	Asset	Reserve account for taxes and inventory purchases
1020	PayPal / Stripe Balance	Asset	Funds held in payment processor accounts
1100	Accounts Receivable	Asset	Wholesale orders or marketplace payouts pending
1200	Inventory	Asset	Goods held for sale valued at cost
1210	Inventory in Transit	Asset	Purchased inventory not yet received at warehouse
1300	Prepaid Expenses	Asset	Insurance, software, or rent paid in advance
1500	Warehouse Equipment	Asset	Shelving, packing equipment, label printers
1510	Computer Equipment	Asset	Computers and hardware for business operations
1600	Accumulated Depreciation	Asset (contra)	Total depreciation recorded against fixed assets
2000	Accounts Payable	Liability	Supplier invoices and vendor bills owed
2100	Credit Card Payable	Liability	Outstanding business credit card balances
2200	Payroll Liabilities	Liability	Withheld employee taxes and benefits payable
2300	Sales Tax Payable	Liability	Sales tax collected but not yet remitted
2400	Loan Payable	Liability	Business loans, SBA loans, lines of credit
2410	Amazon Lending Payable	Liability	Balance owed on Amazon seller loans
3000	Owner's Equity / Capital	Equity	Owner's investment in the business
3100	Owner's Draws	Equity	Distributions to the owner
3200	Retained Earnings	Equity	Accumulated profits from prior years
4000	Product Sales	Revenue	Revenue from product sales (all channels)
4010	Shipping Income	Revenue	Shipping fees charged to customers
4020	Marketplace Sales (Amazon)	Revenue	Gross sales through Amazon marketplace
4030	Marketplace Sales (Other)	Revenue	Sales through Etsy, eBay, Walmart, etc.
4100	Refunds & Returns	Revenue (contra)	Customer refunds and product returns
4200	Discounts Given	Revenue (contra)	Promotional discounts and coupon codes
5000	Cost of Goods Sold	COGS	Direct cost of products sold (purchase price)
5010	Shipping & Freight (Inbound)	COGS	Cost to ship inventory from suppliers to warehouse
5020	Packaging Materials	COGS	Boxes, mailers, tape, labels, and packing supplies
5030	Amazon FBA Fees	COGS	Fulfillment, storage, and referral fees charged by Amazon
5040	Marketplace Fees (Other)	COGS	Fees from Etsy, eBay, Shopify, and other platforms
5050	Shipping & Freight (Outbound)	COGS	Cost to ship orders to customers (USPS, UPS, FedEx)
5060	Customs & Duties	COGS	Import duties, tariffs, and customs broker fees
5500	Advertising & Marketing	Expense	Amazon PPC, Google Ads, Facebook Ads, influencer fees
5510	Bank & Merchant Fees	Expense	Stripe, PayPal, bank charges, wire fees
5520	Insurance	Expense	Product liability, general liability, cargo insurance
5530	Office Supplies	Expense	General office and administrative supplies
5540	Professional Services	Expense	Accounting, legal, and consulting fees
5550	Rent / Warehouse	Expense	Warehouse rent, storage unit, or office space
5560	Software & Subscriptions	Expense	Shopify, inventory tools, email marketing, analytics
5570	Wages & Salaries	Expense	Employee wages, warehouse staff compensation
5580	Payroll Taxes	Expense	Employer FICA, FUTA, SUTA contributions
5590	Depreciation Expense	Expense	Monthly depreciation on equipment and fixtures
6000	Interest Expense	Expense	Loan and credit card interest payments
6010	Taxes & Licenses	Expense	Business licenses, seller permits, non-income taxes
6020	Product Photography	Expense	Professional product photos and lifestyle images

Variant 3: Restaurant

Best for: restaurants, cafes, food trucks, catering companies, bakeries, and bars. Accounts are structured around food cost tracking, tip management, and restaurant-specific expenses.

Acct #	Account Name	Type	Description
1000	Business Checking	Asset	Primary operating bank account
1010	Business Savings	Asset	Reserve account for taxes and large expenses
1020	Cash on Hand / Register	Asset	Cash in registers and safe at end of day
1100	Accounts Receivable	Asset	Catering invoices and corporate accounts owed
1200	Food Inventory	Asset	Raw food ingredients and supplies on hand
1210	Beverage Inventory	Asset	Alcohol, wine, beer, and non-alcoholic beverages
1220	Supplies Inventory	Asset	Disposables, cleaning supplies, and paper goods
1300	Prepaid Expenses	Asset	Prepaid rent, insurance, or license fees
1500	Kitchen Equipment	Asset	Ovens, refrigerators, dishwashers, grills
1510	Furniture & Fixtures	Asset	Tables, chairs, booths, bar stools, decor
1520	Leasehold Improvements	Asset	Build-out costs, plumbing, electrical, and HVAC upgrades
1530	POS System	Asset	Point-of-sale hardware and terminals
1600	Accumulated Depreciation	Asset (contra)	Total depreciation on all fixed assets
2000	Accounts Payable	Liability	Vendor invoices for food, beverage, and supplies
2100	Credit Card Payable	Liability	Business credit card balances
2200	Payroll Liabilities	Liability	Withheld taxes, benefits, and tip reporting
2300	Sales Tax Payable	Liability	Collected sales tax awaiting remittance
2310	Tips Payable	Liability	Credit card tips owed to employees
2400	Loan Payable	Liability	SBA loans, equipment financing, lines of credit
3000	Owner's Equity / Capital	Equity	Owner's investment in the restaurant
3100	Owner's Draws	Equity	Money withdrawn by the owner
3200	Retained Earnings	Equity	Accumulated profits from prior years
4000	Food Sales	Revenue	Revenue from dine-in, takeout, and delivery food orders
4010	Beverage Sales	Revenue	Revenue from alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks
4020	Catering Revenue	Revenue	Income from catering events and private parties
4030	Gift Card Sales	Revenue	Revenue recognized when gift cards are redeemed
4040	Delivery Platform Revenue	Revenue	Sales through DoorDash, Uber Eats, Grubhub
4100	Discounts & Comps	Revenue (contra)	Manager comps, promotional discounts, and voids
5000	Cost of Goods Sold — Food	COGS	Direct cost of food ingredients used
5010	Cost of Goods Sold — Beverage	COGS	Direct cost of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages
5020	Paper & Disposables	COGS	To-go containers, napkins, utensils, bags
5500	Wages — Kitchen	Expense	Chef, line cook, prep cook, and dishwasher wages
5510	Wages — Front of House	Expense	Server, host, bartender, and busser wages
5520	Wages — Management	Expense	General manager and assistant manager salaries
5530	Payroll Taxes	Expense	Employer FICA, FUTA, SUTA, and workers' comp
5540	Employee Benefits	Expense	Health insurance, meals, and retirement contributions
5550	Rent	Expense	Monthly lease payment for restaurant space
5560	Utilities	Expense	Electric, gas, water, trash, and sewer
5570	Insurance	Expense	General liability, liquor liability, property, workers' comp
5580	Repairs & Maintenance	Expense	Equipment repair, plumbing, HVAC, pest control
5590	Cleaning & Sanitation	Expense	Cleaning supplies, janitorial services, hood cleaning
5600	Marketing & Advertising	Expense	Social media ads, flyers, loyalty programs, promotions
5610	Delivery Platform Fees	Expense	Commission fees from DoorDash, Uber Eats, Grubhub
5620	POS & Technology	Expense	POS software, online ordering, reservation systems
5630	Smallwares & China	Expense	Plates, glasses, silverware, pots, pans, utensils
5640	Linen & Laundry	Expense	Tablecloths, napkins, aprons, towels, laundry service
5650	Professional Services	Expense	Accounting, legal, consulting, and bookkeeping fees
5660	Licenses & Permits	Expense	Liquor license, health permits, food handler certs
5670	Music & Entertainment	Expense	ASCAP/BMI license, live music, DJ fees
5680	Depreciation Expense	Expense	Monthly depreciation on equipment and improvements
6000	Interest Expense	Expense	Loan and credit card interest
6010	Bank & Merchant Fees	Expense	Credit card processing, bank fees, and cash handling

How to Use These Templates

Pick the template closest to your business. Do not worry about a perfect match — you will customize it.
Remove accounts you do not need. A freelancer does not need inventory accounts. A restaurant does not need FBA fees.
Add industry-specific accounts. Think about expense categories unique to your business.
Keep the standard numbering. 1000s = assets, 2000s = liabilities, 3000s = equity, 4000s = revenue, 5000–6000s = expenses.
Import into your accounting software. QuickBooks, Xero, and Wave all support CSV chart of accounts imports.
Start simple, expand later. You can always add accounts. Removing or merging accounts is harder.

Note: These templates are starting points. Customize account names and numbers to match your specific business needs. Consult with your CPA or bookkeeper for industry-specific adjustments. Last updated March 2026.

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