4 ways to run a back office.Pick the right one for your stage.
An honest comparison of in-house accounting, traditional service firms, DIY software and 3M - including the cases where the right answer isn't us.
At a glance
| In-house accountant | Traditional firm | DIY + software | 3M | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly cost | 12 - 20M₫ (salary + social insurance + tools + management) | 1 - 3M₫ for a basic filing package | 200k - 2M₫ software fees + your own time | From 1.5M₫ - fixed fee by document tier, VAT-invoiced |
| Scope | Accounting - one person, one skill set | Mostly accounting & tax | You do everything yourself | The whole back office: accounting, tax, HR, AI transformation |
| Who signs & is accountable | The business bears it; depends on one person's skill | Signs, but compensation commitments are often vague | You bear everything | A 3M expert signs and is accountable, committed in the contract |
| Visibility & tracking | Ask in person; depends on the individual | A file at month-end, questions by phone | Check the software yourself | Real-time portal: tasks, deadlines, documents, numbers |
| Response time | Within working hours | 1 - 3 business days | - | Same day, on Zalo / WhatsApp |
| When the person leaves | Continuity risk, incomplete handover | New assignee, ramp-up time again | - | System + team - never dependent on one individual |
| Technology | Excel + scattered tools | Traditional accounting software | Whatever you pick and run yourself | Practica AI platform: document OCR, auto-reconciliation, deadline alerts |
| As you grow | Hire more people, more management overhead | Higher package fees, still narrow scope | Eats ever more founder time | Move up a document tier, switch on services as needed - no hiring |
When does each option fit?
Honest answers - 3M isn't always the right choice.
In-house accountant
Right when you have 80 - 100+ employees, industry-specific operations that need someone on site daily, or an existing finance team that just needs another bookkeeper.
Tip: still have a third party review the books periodically.
Traditional firm
Right when all you need is filings submitted on time at the lowest possible cost, transaction volume is low, and you want to meet your bookkeeper in person nearby.
Trade-off: little visibility, hard to track progress, narrow scope.
DIY + software
Right when you're just starting, under ~20 transactions a month, and you have time to learn the rules. Many founders do this for the first 6 - 12 months.
Trade-off: founder time and 2026 compliance risk.
3M
Right when you want the whole back office to run smoothly on a fixed fee, see everything in real time, and have a 3M expert sign and take responsibility - without building a team.
From 1.5M₫/month, committed in the contract.
Common comparison questions
We already have an in-house accountant - can we still use 3M?
Yes - it's a common setup. Your accountant keeps internal operations (payments, inventory, admin) while 3M handles books, tax and social insurance with a 3M expert who signs and is accountable. You cut key-person risk without reorganising.
Is switching from another firm complicated?
No. We take the handover directly with your current provider: books, documents, tax and social-insurance accounts. It typically takes 5 - 7 business days, with a free current-state review before you decide.
Isn't accounting software plus AI enough? Why outsource?
Software records, but it bears no legal responsibility when the tax authority asks questions. From 2026, real-time e-invoicing under Decree 70 and Circular 99 means errors surface almost immediately - that's where a professional signature earns its keep.
Is 3M's fixed fee really fixed?
Yes - the fee is agreed in writing before we start, by document tier. If your volume moves up a tier we notify you one cycle ahead, with no retroactive charges. Every fee is VAT-invoiced.
Not sure which option is right? Let the numbers decide.
Book a free 45-minute review - we assess your current state and tell you straight which option fits, even when it isn't 3M.