Business scope is different: accounting firms and tax agencies must have certified public accountants and certified tax agents with professional qualifications. The business structure of service intermediaries mainly engaged in auditing and tax assessment can provide bookkeeping services, and their behaviors must be supervised by trade associations. However, the business scope of the agency bookkeeping company is relatively limited, so it can't buy and engage in audit and tax authentication business, and can't issue relevant authentication reports. Finance companies mainly provide financing business.

Companies are different in nature: accounting firms and tax agents can be limited companies or partnerships. Accounting firms are supervised by China Institute of Certified Public Accountants every year, while accounting agents and financial companies can only be limited liability companies.

The requirements for registered capital are different: as long as the registered capital of accounting firms, tax accounting firms and bookkeeping agencies meets the minimum requirements stipulated by the Company Law and other relevant laws and regulations, there is no special provision. The capital requirements for setting up a financial company are very high.

Financial accounting follows different accounting systems: financial companies implement the financial accounting system, and the other three types of institutions belong to the service industry and implement the enterprise accounting system (standards).