Comparison
Deloitte, PwC, EY, and KPMG each offer lease accounting solutions — typically as managed services wrapped around proprietary or partnered technology. They bring deep technical accounting expertise and large teams. Ledger Layer takes a fundamentally different approach: self-service accounting infrastructure that puts your team in control — AI-native, MCP-connected, self-hostable — with no dependency on external service delivery.
Big 4 managed services run $50K–$200K/year. Ledger Layer Professional is $499/month. Same audit-grade output. Your team runs the close.
This is not a critique of the Big 4. Their teams are excellent. The question is whether you want a managed service where the firm runs your close, or accounting infrastructure where your team runs the close — with the same audit-grade output, AI agent access, and full audit trail built in.
Managed service with proprietary tooling. Often bundled with audit or advisory engagements. Strong in complex, multi-jurisdictional portfolios for audit clients.
Technology-assisted managed service. PwC provides the platform and the people. Typically positioned alongside assurance services for existing PwC audit clients.
Managed service and technology offering. EY has invested in proprietary lease accounting technology, often deployed as part of broader finance transformation engagements.
Advisory-led implementation with technology partners. KPMG often partners with third-party lease platforms and wraps consulting services around them.
| Capability | Ledger Layer | Big 4 Managed Services |
|---|---|---|
Architectural model | ✓ Self-service infrastructure — your team runs the close, AI agents connect via MCP | ~ Managed service — the firm runs your close, no agent interface, proprietary data model |
AI agent interface (MCP) | ✓ 75+ schema-validated tools for Claude, GPT, n8n | ✕ No MCP. No structured AI interface. Proprietary access only. |
Self-service infrastructure | ✓ Your team runs the close via a deterministic engine. No managed-service dependency. | ~ Managed service model. Your close depends on the firm's team. |
Self-hosted deployment | ✓ Docker / on-prem. Data stays on your infrastructure. | ✕ Typically hosted by the firm. Data leaves your network. |
Vendor lock-in | ✓ Open API. Export everything. Leave any time. | ✕ Proprietary tooling. Switching cost is high by design. |
Transparent pricing | ✓ Entity-based. From $49/mo. Published on website. | ✕ Opaque. Bundled with advisory/audit. Annual commitment. |
Time to first output | ✓ Upload Excel → output in minutes. No implementation project. | ~ Implementation project: 3–12 months typical. |
Revenue recognition (IFRS 15 / ASC 606) | ✓ Live today — same engine as your lease accounting | ~ Some firms offer revenue solutions. Separate engagement. |
AI-powered extraction | ✓ Upload Excel/PDF/CSV — AI extracts lease terms | ~ Manual data entry or firm-assisted migration. |
Independence and objectivity | ✓ Ledger Layer is a technology vendor. No advisory conflicts. | ~ If the same firm audits and prepares, independence rules apply. |
Modification handling | ✓ Discrete events, auto remeasurement, full audit trail | ✓ Handled by the firm's team. Quality depends on engagement. |
Disclosure packs | ✓ Auto-generated, PV-validated to $0.01 | ✓ Prepared by the firm. Quality is high but timeline is longer. |
Multi-standard output | ✓ IFRS 16 + ASC 842 from one lease record, no duplication | ✓ Firms handle both standards. Approach varies by engagement. |
Big 4 managed services solve the competency problem — you don't need an in-house team that deeply understands IFRS 16 or ASC 842. The firm's team does the work. But this creates dependencies that compound over time:
Your monthly close depends on the firm's team delivering on time. If their workload spikes during busy season, your close waits. With Ledger Layer, your team runs the close when they're ready — the engine is available 24/7, not on a consultant's calendar.
When the engagement ends, the institutional knowledge of your lease portfolio walks out the door. With Ledger Layer, the knowledge is in the infrastructure — lease records, modification history, policy elections, and audit trails all persist in your system, accessible to your team.
Proprietary tooling and firm-specific data formats make switching expensive. Each year you stay, the cost to leave increases. Ledger Layer has an open API — export everything, take your data, leave any time. There is no lock-in by design.
If the same firm that audits your financials also prepares your lease accounting, independence rules apply (SOX Section 201, IESBA Code). This isn't a problem with Ledger Layer — we're a technology vendor, not an advisory firm. No conflicts.
Connect Claude, GPT, or n8n to your accounting data via MCP. 75+ tools with role-gated access. No managed service provides this — because their data model isn't designed for agent consumption.
Upload your Excel workbook. Get engine output in minutes. No 3-month implementation project. No data migration engagement. No parallel-run period. The engine runs from day one.
Run Ledger Layer on your own infrastructure. Your lease data, IBR rates, and journal entries never leave your network. For regulated industries, this is non-negotiable — and no managed service offers it.
IFRS 15 and ASC 606 are live today on the same engine as your lease accounting. No second vendor. No second implementation. The Big 4 typically treat revenue recognition as a separate engagement with separate billing.
$49/mo per entity. Published pricing. Annual or monthly billing. No surprise invoices for "additional scope." No rate cards for senior manager hours. Infrastructure costs what it costs.
When your team runs the infrastructure, they build the capability internally. When the engagement ends, the knowledge stays. This is the difference between renting competency and building it.
Ledger Layer gives your team the same audit-grade output the Big 4 produce — without the managed-service dependency, the opaque pricing, or the 6-month implementation. Upload your Excel and run your first close today.