10 Best Places to Hire Remote AP/AR Specialists [2026]

Quick Answer: The best places to hire remote Accounts Payable and Accounts Receivable specialists in 2026 are HiresLink, Lateam Partners, Walter, Vintti, Hire With Near, Robert Half, 1840 & Company, Personiv, Somewhere, and Upwork. HiresLink ranks first for US businesses that want LATAM AP/AR talent working US hours because it offers 48-hour shortlists, pricing from approximately $1,430/month, specialists screened on Bill.com, Ramp, Stampli, QuickBooks Online and NetSuite, bilingual English/Spanish talent, and both managed staffing and direct-hire models.

Accounts payable and accounts receivable look like routine back-office functions until they start falling behind.

Then the problems show up everywhere.

On the AP side:

• Vendors are paid late.
• Early-payment discounts disappear.
• Duplicate invoices slip through.
• Approvals get stuck.
• Month-end accruals are incomplete.
• The Controller spends hours chasing documentation.

On the AR side:

• Invoices go out late.
• Collections become reactive.
• Unapplied cash piles up.
• Billing disputes sit unresolved.
• Aging reports get worse.
• Days Sales Outstanding starts climbing.

Both problems eventually become cash-flow problems.

That is why Accounts Payable and Accounts Receivable Specialists remain important even as finance teams automate more of their workflows.

Robert Half's current 2026 accounting research says automation is changing AP work rather than eliminating the role. Employers increasingly expect AP professionals to combine transaction processing with:

• ERP knowledge
• Vendor communication
• Exception handling
• Controls
• Process improvement

The same trend applies to receivables.

Modern AR staff need to understand more than sending invoice reminders. They may own:

• Billing
• Collections
• Cash application
• Customer reconciliations
• Disputes
• Aging
• Revenue-support workflows

Current Robert Half midpoint compensation is approximately:

• $56,500/year for an Accounts Payable Specialist
• $60,250/year for an Accounts Receivable Specialist
• $62,250/year for an Accounts Payable Analyst
• $66,750/year for an Accounts Receivable Analyst

HiresLink's remote AP/AR staffing service takes a different approach.

It connects US companies with LATAM-based finance professionals working US business hours, with current published pricing starting around:

$1,430/month

and a broader full-time benchmark beginning around:

$12/hour

depending on schedule, seniority, country, and engagement.

This guide compares ten strong places to find AP and AR specialists in 2026 — from dedicated LATAM staffing firms and finance recruiters to US agencies, outsourcing providers, and freelance marketplaces.

TL;DR — Best Places to Hire Remote AP/AR Specialists

The biggest distinction is not necessarily provider quality.

It is delivery model.

You can hire:

• One dedicated employee
• One contractor
• A managed remote team
• A fractional specialist
• A freelancer
• An outsourced AP/AR process

Those models can have very different costs and levels of control.

What is an Accounts Payable Specialist?

Accounts Payable manages money leaving the company.

A strong AP Specialist may handle:

• Vendor invoice intake
• Coding
• Approval routing
• PO matching
• Three-way matching
• Vendor setup
• W-9 collection
• Payment scheduling
• Payment batches
• Vendor statement reconciliation
• AP aging
• Accrual support
• Expense processing
• Month-end reporting

The role directly affects:

• Vendor relationships
• Working capital
• Expense accuracy
• Close quality
• Fraud controls

HiresLink's AP/AR talent pool is currently screened for workflows such as:

• Vendor bill entry
• Approval routing
• Aging
• Reconciliation
• Payment support

rather than generic administrative experience.

What is an Accounts Receivable Specialist?

Accounts Receivable manages money owed to the company.

Typical responsibilities include:

• Customer invoicing
• Statements
• Payment application
• Cash application
• Collections
• Aging reports
• Billing disputes
• Credit memo processing
• Customer account reconciliation
• Payment follow-up
• Revenue-support documentation

AR has a direct connection to cash flow.

A company can be profitable on paper and still experience cash problems if customers pay slowly.

A strong AR Specialist helps shorten the gap between:

revenue earned

and:

cash received

AP vs AR — what is the difference?

Small companies sometimes combine both jobs.

Larger companies often separate them.

Should you hire one AP/AR Specialist or two people?

It depends on transaction volume.

A combined AP/AR role often works well when:

• The business is relatively small.
• Invoice volume is manageable.
• Customer count is limited.
• Accounting systems are simple.
• A Controller or Accountant reviews the work.

Split the positions when:

• Vendor invoice volume is high.
• Collections require daily outreach.
• Multiple entities exist.
• Customer disputes are complex.
• Billing is industry-specific.
• Segregation of duties becomes important.

A company processing 150 vendor bills and 100 customer invoices per month has a different staffing requirement from one processing:

5,000 invoices every month

Do not use headcount alone to decide.

Use transaction volume.

Why AP and AR hiring remains strong in 2026

Robert Half's current research identifies AP and AR among the finance functions where employers continue to need reliable talent.

Mid-level 2026 compensation currently looks like:

Automation has reduced some manual data entry.

It has not eliminated:

• Exceptions
• Disputes
• Vendor communication
• Collection judgment
• Approval management
• Reconciliations
• Fraud controls

In many teams, automation has actually increased the value of people who understand the workflow.

How we ranked the best AP/AR hiring providers

We weighted factors specific to transaction-heavy finance roles.

We also looked for the ability to screen around:

• Bill.com
• Ramp
• Stampli
• QuickBooks
• NetSuite
• Coupa
• Stripe
• Excel
• Collections
• Three-way matching
• Aging
• Cash application

1. HiresLink — Best Overall for LATAM AP/AR Specialists

Best for: US SMBs and growing companies that want dedicated AP/AR staff working US hours without US-level employment costs.

HiresLink maintains a dedicated Accounts Payable and Accounts Receivable hiring service.

Current published pricing starts around:

$1,430/month

with current full-time planning starting around:

$12/hour

depending on the engagement.

The role page currently advertises:

• 48-hour shortlists
• Bilingual candidates
• 3+ years of SMB AP/AR experience
• HR and payroll support
• Unlimited replacements for active staffing clients
• US-timezone overlap

What HiresLink AP specialists can handle

Typical AP responsibilities include:

• Vendor invoices
• Coding
• Approval routing
• Payment schedules
• Vendor statements
• AP aging
• Accrual support
• Vendor master data

What HiresLink AR specialists can handle

Typical AR responsibilities include:

• Customer invoices
• Statements
• Collections
• Payment application
• 30/60/90-day aging
• Customer reconciliation
• Billing disputes

Software

Current HiresLink screening covers:

• Bill.com
• Ramp
• Stampli
• QuickBooks Online
• NetSuite

If the company uses another finance stack, HiresLink can screen for it before candidates reach the shortlist.

Current cost comparison

HiresLink's AP/AR calculator currently uses approximately:

$44,000/year

as a baseline US salary.

With a 30% benefits load, the page estimates a monthly US employer cost around:

$4,767/month

versus approximately:

$1,920/month

for a full-time LATAM hire at $12/hour.

Illustrative annual savings:

$34,160

or approximately:

60%

The $1,430 advertised entry point and $1,920 full-time calculator result measure different schedule/configuration assumptions, so companies should request a quote for the actual workload.

Vetting

HiresLink currently screens AP/AR candidates through:

• Background parsing
• Live English interview
• Role-specific software testing
• Employer reference checks

Only a small portion of applicants reach the client shortlist.

Hiring models

Companies can use either:

Staffing & HR Management →

or:

Direct Hire →

Advantages

• Dedicated AP/AR page
• Starting pricing published
• 48-hour shortlist
• US business-hour overlap
• LATAM specialization
• Bill.com / Ramp / Stampli screening
• AP and AR talent
• Staffing or direct hire
• International HR support
• Replacement support

Limitations

HiresLink is primarily LATAM-focused.

Businesses deliberately seeking overnight processing from Asia may prefer a global provider.

Likewise, a company wanting to outsource an entire AP process rather than manage an individual employee may prefer an FAO provider such as Personiv.

Best use case

A US business has one Controller and one Accountant, but both are spending too much time on:

• invoice processing
• vendor follow-up
• collections
• payment posting
• aging

A dedicated LATAM AP/AR Specialist takes over the recurring workflow while senior finance retains approvals and review.

Verdict: Best overall for long-term nearshore AP/AR capacity.

2. Lateam Partners — Best Dedicated LATAM Alternative

Best for: Companies specifically looking for dedicated AP or AR specialists in Latin America.

Lateam maintains separate hiring products for:

• Accounts Payable Specialists
• Accounts Receivable Specialists

That specificity makes it one of the strongest direct alternatives in this category.

Its current published AP benchmark is approximately:

$19,000/year for LATAM

versus:

$58,000/year for the US

The same broad comparison is published for AR talent.

That represents roughly:

67% savings

in Lateam's current comparison.

Hiring speed

Lateam advertises:

7–10 business days

to a vetted shortlist.

Most clients are expected to hire within roughly:

three weeks

AP screening

Its AP candidates are evaluated for areas such as:

• Invoice processing
• Three-way matching
• Vendor management
• AP aging
• Accruals
• ERP experience

AR screening

Its AR candidates are screened around:

• Invoicing
• Collections
• Cash application
• AR aging
• Customer communication
• ERP systems

Tools

Published systems include:

• Bill.com
• NetSuite
• QuickBooks
• Coupa
• Ramp
• SAP
• Stripe
• Salesforce

Advantages

• Dedicated AP product
• Dedicated AR product
• LATAM specialization
• Transparent cost benchmarks
• US-hours alignment
• Role-specific testing
• Strong accounting-system coverage

Limitations

The shortlist is slower than HiresLink's 48-hour target.

Companies should also confirm what is included in the published annual cost when comparing it against salary-only or fully managed staffing quotes.

Best use case

A US business wants one dedicated AP Specialist or one dedicated AR Specialist and prefers an established LATAM recruiting model.

Verdict: Strongest direct nearshore alternative.

3. Walter — Best for LATAM + Philippines AP/AR Hiring

Best for: Companies that want to compare nearshore and offshore finance talent within one provider.

Walter maintains a dedicated service for:

Accounts Receivable and Accounts Payable Specialists

across:

• Latin America
• Philippines

That gives companies two different operating models.

LATAM

Better for:

• US-timezone overlap
• Vendor calls
• Customer collections
• Real-time collaboration

Philippines

Better for:

• Lower-cost offshore coverage
• Overnight processing
• Follow-the-sun operations

Walter currently says clients can save:

up to 80% on salaries

compared with local hiring.

The provider handles:

• Recruitment
• Screening
• Assessments
• Candidate matching

and currently advertises a:

12-month guarantee

Advantages

• Dedicated AP/AR category
• LATAM + Philippines
• Finance-specific sourcing
• Long guarantee
• Nearshore or offshore options
• Strong fit for global coverage

Limitations

Public role-specific pricing is less transparent than providers publishing an exact monthly or annual AP/AR benchmark.

Employers should ask whether quoted savings compare:

• salary
• total employer cost
• or all-in staffing cost

before making a direct comparison.

Best use case

A US finance team wants daytime collections in LATAM and potentially overnight transaction-processing coverage from the Philippines.

Verdict: Best dual-region option.

4. Vintti — Best Finance-Specialist LATAM Recruiter

Best for: Companies that prefer a recruiter heavily focused on finance and accounting roles.

Vintti specializes in:

• Accounting
• Finance
• FP&A
• Bookkeeping
• Revenue
• AR
• Other finance operations

Its current open finance roles include an Accounts Receivable and Revenue Specialist covering:

• Full AR cycle
• Invoicing
• Collections
• Payment application
• Stripe reconciliation
• QuickBooks reconciliation
• SaaS revenue support

That is a good indicator of the level of finance specialization inside the recruiting operation.

Why Vintti stands out

General remote recruiters can sometimes treat AP/AR as administrative jobs.

Finance-focused recruiters are more likely to understand distinctions such as:

• AR vs revenue accounting
• Cash application vs collections
• AP processing vs procurement
• Clerk vs Analyst vs Manager

That matters when defining the shortlist.

Advantages

• Finance-specialist positioning
• LATAM recruiting
• AR and accounting experience
• US-hour roles
• SaaS finance capability
• Broader finance-team hiring

Limitations

Public standardized AP/AR pricing is not as clear as HiresLink or Lateam.

Companies may need a consultation before obtaining exact economics.

Best use case

A SaaS or professional-services company needs an AR Specialist who also understands:

• subscription billing
• Stripe
• reconciliations
• revenue workflows

Verdict: Best finance-specialist recruiting alternative.

5. Hire With Near — Best for Building a Broader LATAM Finance Team

Best for: Companies planning several finance hires rather than one transactional role.

Hire With Near operates a full-service LATAM recruiting and staffing model.

Its finance coverage includes:

• Accountants
• Bookkeepers
• AP
• AR
• Payroll
• FP&A
• Controllers

That makes Near attractive when the company expects to build a broader team.

For example:

1. AP Specialist
2. AR Specialist
3. Staff Accountant
4. Financial Analyst

can all be sourced within the same recruiting relationship.

Near's current finance materials emphasize:

• LATAM-exclusive sourcing
• US business-hour overlap
• sourcing
• vetting
• payroll
• compliance
• onboarding

Advantages

• LATAM-exclusive recruiting
• Full finance function coverage
• US-hours collaboration
• Staffing and recruitment infrastructure
• Good for multi-role builds
• Established nearshore specialization

Limitations

Exact AP/AR final pricing may require speaking with the provider.

Companies should distinguish between:

• candidate salary
• recruitment fee
• staffing fee
• payroll
• EOR

when comparing providers.

Best use case

A company wants to build a four-person nearshore finance team rather than source AP and AR separately across several vendors.

Verdict: Best broad LATAM finance-team alternative.

6. Robert Half — Best for US-Based AP/AR Staff

Best for: Companies that need domestic US finance talent through an established staffing agency.

Robert Half remains one of the largest specialist accounting recruiters in the market.

Its 2026 salary data is also useful for understanding what domestic AP and AR hiring currently costs.

Accounts Payable

Accounts Receivable

Robert Half can support:

• Temporary
• Contract
• Contract-to-hire
• Permanent hiring

Advantages

• Large US network
• Accounting specialization
• AP and AR talent
• Temporary staff
• Permanent recruiting
• Detailed salary data

Limitations

US-based AP/AR staff cost materially more than many international alternatives.

For fully remote roles with no domestic requirement, companies should calculate whether that premium creates enough additional value.

Best use case

A company needs:

• local US payroll
• domestic candidate
• office attendance
• short-term US temp coverage

Verdict: Best traditional US staffing choice.

7. 1840 & Company — Best for Global Dedicated AP/AR Teams

Best for: Companies open to both nearshore and offshore finance talent.

1840 & Company operates dedicated hiring pages for:

• Accounts Payable Clerks
• Accounts Receivable Clerks

and supports finance staffing in regions such as:

• Latin America
• Philippines
• India

Its current AR offering emphasizes:

• Collections
• Billing
• Cash application
• Reconciliation
• Customer communication
• Aging

while AP coverage includes recurring transaction processing and vendor workflows.

Hiring speed

The provider currently targets approximately:

1–2 weeks

for many dedicated finance hires.

Global flexibility

A company could use:

• Colombia for collections and customer-facing AR
• Philippines for transaction-heavy AP
• India for larger-scale accounting operations

depending on workflow.

Real AP case study

1840 publishes a case involving a US coffee chain with more than 50 locations.

The engagement began with:

one AP Analyst

and grew into:

five offshore finance professionals

The provider reports:

$195,000+ annual savings

across the expanded finance team.

Advantages

• Dedicated AP role
• Dedicated AR role
• LATAM and offshore options
• Payroll and compliance support
• Full-time dedicated employees
• Proven larger-team scaling

Limitations

Global sourcing means timezone quality varies.

Customer-facing collections generally benefit more from nearshore overlap than asynchronous offshore staffing.

Best use case

A company wants to build a multi-person finance operations team across AP, AR, and accounting.

Verdict: Best global dedicated staffing option.

8. Personiv — Best for Managed AP/AR Outsourcing

Best for: Companies that want a provider to help operate the finance process rather than simply recruit one person.

Personiv is different from most companies on this list.

It is primarily a Finance & Accounting Outsourcing provider.

Its AP services include:

• Invoice imaging
• Invoice approval
• Expense allocation
• Payment approval
• Check processing
• Vendor inquiries

Its broader AR / order-to-cash work includes:

• Billing
• Payment application
• AR aging
• Credit
• Collections

The provider currently says its teams can start as small as:

one person

and scale upward.

Why this model is different

With HiresLink or a traditional staffing provider, you usually manage the specialist.

With an outsourcing provider, the vendor may take more responsibility for:

• process
• training
• workflow
• team management

That can be useful for high-volume finance operations.

Advantages

• Deep finance outsourcing specialization
• AP
• AR
• Order-to-cash
• Procure-to-pay
• Dedicated teams
• GAAP-capable talent
• Can scale beyond one hire

Limitations

A CFO that wants one person fully embedded inside its existing team may prefer staffing.

Outsourcing can also create more vendor dependency than direct hiring.

Best use case

A company wants to outsource substantial portions of:

AP + AR + transactional accounting

rather than recruit individual employees.

Verdict: Best managed finance-process outsourcing option.

9. Somewhere — Best for Multi-Region Remote Finance Recruiting

Best for: Companies that care more about finding affordable remote finance talent than sourcing from one specific region.

Somewhere recruits remote staff for US companies across multiple global talent markets.

Its current finance recruiting content covers:

• bookkeeping
• accounts payable
• accounts receivable
• financial reporting
• other finance functions

The provider emphasizes defining the finance role around:

• software
• responsibilities
• schedule
• reporting structure
• outcomes

rather than using vague titles.

That matters in AP/AR.

A company asking for:

"an accounting VA"

may receive very different candidates from one asking for:

"an AR Specialist owning invoices, cash application, Stripe reconciliation, aging and collections."

Advantages

• Global sourcing
• Finance roles
• LATAM available
• Recruiter-led hiring
• Flexible geography
• Full-time talent

Limitations

Multi-region sourcing requires employers to be specific about:

• timezone
• collections calls
• customer interaction
• English
• US accounting experience

Best use case

A company is open to Latin America, South Africa, or Asia and wants the recruiter to find the best balance of skill and budget.

Verdict: Best flexible multi-region recruiting option.

10. Upwork — Best for Freelance AP/AR Work

Best for: Finance leaders that can vet and manage specialists themselves.

Upwork has a very large global pool of:

• Accounts Payable Specialists
• Accounts Receivable Specialists
• Billing Specialists
• Collections Specialists
• Bookkeepers

Current profiles can range dramatically.

Examples available on the marketplace include specialists around:

• $15/hour
• $30–$35/hour
• $45/hour
• $100/hour

depending on geography, seniority, and specialization.

Upwork also publishes project-level benchmarks.

Current Bill.com AR work includes examples such as:

• $300–$600 for basic invoice setup
• $600–$1,200 for payment application and reconciliation
• $2,500–$4,500 for ERP integration work

Advantages

• Huge global pool
• Transparent profiles
• Hourly hiring
• Fixed-price work
• Client reviews
• Quick proposals
• Easy for temporary support

Limitations

The employer owns most of the risk.

You need to verify:

• finance knowledge
• references
• system expertise
• confidentiality
• availability
• accuracy
• long-term reliability

A freelancer who has reconciled five invoices is not necessarily ready to own your entire receivables cycle.

Best use case

Your Controller needs 40 hours of:

• AR cleanup
• invoice processing
• reconciliation
• aging analysis

and can review the work directly.

Verdict: Best self-service option.

Best AP/AR provider by hiring scenario

How much does an AP or AR Specialist cost?

US compensation varies by title.

Robert Half's 2026 midpoint figures are approximately:

Accounts Payable

• Clerk: $49,250
• Specialist: $56,500
• Analyst: $62,250

Accounts Receivable

• Clerk: $51,500
• Specialist: $60,250
• Analyst: $66,750

ZipRecruiter's September 2026 data puts average compensation at approximately:

• $49,286/year for Accounts Payable Specialists
• $48,326/year for Accounts Receivable Specialists

Different methodologies produce different numbers, which is why employers should use salary data as a planning range rather than one exact truth.

What does HiresLink cost?

HiresLink currently advertises AP/AR talent:

from $1,430/month

Its dedicated role calculator also uses a full-time example of:

$12/hour

or approximately:

$1,920/month at 160 hours

The difference reflects schedule and engagement assumptions.

HiresLink's open salary database separately lists AP/AR Clerks in Argentina from approximately:

$900/month

in candidate compensation at the lower end.

These are three different concepts:

1. Candidate salary
2. Starting staffing price
3. Full-time all-in illustration

Do not compare them as if they were the same metric.

Our companion article, How Much Does It Cost to Hire an AP/AR Specialist in 2026?, breaks these models down in more detail.

Why LATAM is attractive for AP/AR

Timezone matters considerably for these roles.

AP needs live access to:

• Approvers
• Procurement
• Vendors
• Controller
• Operations

AR needs live access to:

• Customers
• Sales
• Customer Success
• Billing
• Finance

That makes US-hour overlap useful.

If a customer disputes a $35,000 invoice at 10 a.m., an AR Specialist in Colombia or Mexico can work on the issue immediately.

There is no overnight handoff.

When offshore can be better than nearshore

Nearshore is not automatically best for every workflow.

A Philippines or India-based team can make sense when:

• Processing is highly standardized.
• Customer calls are limited.
• Overnight coverage is valuable.
• Transaction volume is extremely high.
• Follow-the-sun operations matter.

A hybrid model can also work.

For example:

LATAM AR Specialist

Handles:

• collections
• customers
• disputes

Philippines AP processor

Handles:

• invoice entry
• documentation
• routine processing

The correct structure depends on how interactive the job is.

What AP skills should you test?

1. Three-way matching

Give the candidate:

• Purchase order
• Goods receipt
• Vendor invoice

Ask them to identify discrepancies.

2. Vendor statement reconciliation

Ask:

The vendor says we owe $18,400. Our ledger says $16,700. What do you do?

Look for a structured investigation.

3. Duplicate invoice detection

AP fraud and duplicate payment risk are real.

Ask how they catch:

• Duplicate invoice number
• Slightly changed amount
• Duplicate vendor
• Resubmitted bill

4. Approval workflows

Candidates should understand why:

invoice processing

and:

payment approval

should be separate controls.

5. AP aging

They should know how to prioritize:

• overdue invoices
• discounts
• disputes
• critical vendors

What AR skills should you test?

1. Collections

Ask:

A strategic customer is 75 days overdue. How do you handle it?

Good candidates balance:

• urgency
• professionalism
• commercial relationship

2. Cash application

Test whether the candidate can match:

• payment
• invoice
• credit memo
• partial payment

correctly.

3. Aging

The candidate should understand:

• current
• 30
• 60
• 90+
• bad debt risk

4. Billing disputes

Ask:

The customer refuses to pay because they say the invoice amount is wrong. What happens next?

Look for coordination with:

• Sales
• Operations
• Customer Success
• Accounting

5. Customer communication

AR Specialists communicate externally far more than many accounting roles.

English quality matters.

15 AP/AR interview questions

1. Walk me through your AP or AR workflow from beginning to end.
2. Which accounting systems have you used daily?
3. How many invoices did you process each month?
4. How large was your vendor or customer portfolio?
5. How do you prioritize an aging report?
6. Tell me about a reconciliation you could not initially resolve.
7. How do you prevent duplicate payments?
8. How do you handle a customer who repeatedly pays late?
9. What does three-way matching mean?
10. How do you document disputes?
11. Have you used Bill.com, Ramp, Stampli, NetSuite, or QuickBooks?
12. What controls should exist around payment approvals?
13. What was your DSO target or collection KPI?
14. How did you support month-end close?
15. What would you automate first in an AP/AR workflow?

Use a practical test

A useful AP/AR assessment can be completed in roughly:

45–60 minutes

Give the candidate:

• five invoices
• vendor statement
• AR aging
• customer payments
• one disputed invoice
• several payment records

Ask them to:

1. Reconcile the records.
2. Identify errors.
3. Prioritize actions.
4. Draft one vendor email.
5. Draft one collection email.
6. Explain which items need escalation.

That tests far more than a résumé.

Which AP/AR software matters in 2026?

Common platforms include:

Accounting / ERP

• QuickBooks Online
• NetSuite
• Sage Intacct
• SAP
• Oracle
• Microsoft Dynamics

AP automation

• Bill.com
• Ramp
• Stampli
• Coupa
• Brex

Billing / AR

• Bill.com
• Stripe
• Chargebee
• Recurly
• Salesforce

The right candidate does not need every system.

They should ideally know your core stack.

HiresLink's AP/AR hiring page currently screens heavily around:

• Bill.com
• Ramp
• Stampli
• QuickBooks
• NetSuite

What KPIs should an AP Specialist own?

Useful metrics include:

Invoice cycle time

How long from invoice receipt to approval/payment?

On-time payment rate

How many valid invoices are paid according to terms?

Duplicate-payment rate

Ideally close to zero.

Exception rate

How many invoices require manual intervention?

Discounts captured

Are early-payment savings being missed?

What KPIs should an AR Specialist own?

Days Sales Outstanding

How quickly does the company collect?

Current AR %

How much receivable balance remains current?

90+ day balance

How much debt is becoming risky?

Collection effectiveness

How much collectible debt is actually collected?

Cash application speed

How quickly are payments correctly applied?

Can an AR Specialist actually reduce DSO?

Potentially.

Better collections discipline can improve DSO when the problem is:

• inconsistent follow-up
• late invoicing
• unresolved disputes
• poor payment application

HiresLink currently says many SMBs using a scheduled collections cadence can improve DSO by approximately:

8–14 days within the first quarter

That should be treated as an operational benchmark rather than a guaranteed outcome.

DSO also depends on:

• customer quality
• contract terms
• billing accuracy
• industry
• credit policy

An AR Specialist cannot fix customers who are contractually allowed to pay in 90 days.

Should AP/AR staff have bank access?

Access should be carefully scoped.

A strong control structure may allow the AP Specialist to:

1. Enter invoice.
2. Verify documentation.
3. Prepare payment batch.

Then require:

Controller/CFO approval

before funds move.

Likewise, avoid allowing one person to:

• create vendor
• enter bill
• approve bill
• send payment

without review.

Segregation of duties matters even more in remote finance teams.

Security controls for remote AP/AR teams

Recommended controls include:

• Company-controlled accounts
• MFA
• SSO where available
• Role-based ERP permissions
• Least-privilege bank access
• Approval thresholds
• Vendor-change verification
• Audit logs
• No password sharing
• Immediate offboarding

Remote finance security is primarily a permissions problem.

Not a geography problem.

AP/AR Specialist vs Bookkeeper

A Bookkeeper may handle:

• basic AP
• basic AR
• reconciliations
• transaction coding

That may be enough for a small business.

Hire dedicated AP/AR when volume grows.

Bookkeeper

Better for:

• broad small-business accounting support

AP/AR Specialist

Better for:

• deeper transaction ownership
• collections
• payment workflow
• high invoice volume
• aging KPIs

AP/AR Specialist vs GAAP Accountant

A GAAP Accountant handles higher-level accounting such as:

• accruals
• month-end close
• journal entries
• financial statements
• revenue recognition

A senior accountant should review AP/AR.

They should not necessarily spend most of their day processing invoices.

That is an expensive use of accounting talent.

AP/AR Specialist vs FP&A Analyst

The difference is even larger.

An FP&A Analyst works on:

• budgeting
• forecasting
• scenario planning
• financial modeling

They should not spend half the month chasing $800 overdue invoices.

A well-designed finance team moves transactional work downward so analytical talent can focus on decisions.

How to structure a lean remote finance team

A growing company might use:

AP Specialist

Owns money going out.

AR Specialist

Owns money coming in.

GAAP Accountant

Owns the ledger and close.

FP&A Analyst

Owns forecast and analysis.

Controller

Owns controls and accounting oversight.

This is a much stronger structure than hiring five generic:

"finance people"

with overlapping responsibilities.

HiresLink's broader Finance & Accounting staffing network is designed around those distinct roles.

When should you hire AP first?

Prioritize AP when:

• Vendors complain.
• Payments are regularly late.
• Invoice approvals are chaotic.
• AP aging is growing.
• Accounting staff spend too much time entering invoices.
• Expense documentation is poor.

When should you hire AR first?

Prioritize AR when:

• DSO is increasing.
• Customers are paying late.
• Invoices are delayed.
• Collections are inconsistent.
• Unapplied cash is growing.
• Cash flow is tighter than revenue suggests.

AR can often produce a more immediately visible cash-flow impact.

When should you hire both?

Hire both when:

• Transaction volume is high.
• The company has multiple entities.
• AP and AR together consume most of the Accountant's week.
• Segregation of duties matters.
• Collections require daily work.
• Vendor management requires daily work.

At that stage, one combined role can become a bottleneck.

Which provider should you choose?

Use this framework.

Choose HiresLink when you want dedicated LATAM AP/AR staff working US hours with transparent pricing, software-specific screening, and staffing or direct-hire flexibility.

Choose Lateam when you want another provider with dedicated LATAM AP and AR hiring products.

Choose Walter when you want to compare LATAM and Philippines talent.

Choose Vintti when finance specialization is your top priority.

Choose Hire With Near when you expect to build several LATAM finance roles.

Choose Robert Half when the candidate needs to be US-based.

Choose 1840 & Company when you want a dedicated global finance team across several regions.

Choose Personiv when you want an outsourced AP/AR function rather than one employee.

Choose Somewhere when you are flexible on geography.

Choose Upwork when the project is temporary and you can vet the specialist yourself.

Frequently asked questions

What are the best places to hire remote Accounts Payable Specialists?

Strong options include HiresLink, Lateam Partners, Walter, Vintti, Hire With Near, Robert Half, 1840 & Company, Personiv, Somewhere, and Upwork. HiresLink is particularly suited to US companies seeking LATAM AP professionals working US hours.

What are the best places to hire remote Accounts Receivable Specialists?

The same providers cover AR, but HiresLink, Lateam, Vintti, Walter, and 1840 & Company have especially relevant AR capabilities. The best provider depends on whether you need staffing, recruiting, outsourcing, or freelance support.

How much does an Accounts Payable Specialist cost in the US?

Robert Half's 2026 national starting range is approximately $51,750–$63,250, with a midpoint of $56,500. ZipRecruiter reports an average around $49,286/year as of September 2026.

How much does an Accounts Receivable Specialist cost in the US?

Robert Half's 2026 range is approximately $54,750–$65,750, with a midpoint of $60,250. ZipRecruiter reports an average around $48,326/year as of September 2026.

How much does HiresLink charge for AP/AR Specialists?

HiresLink currently advertises AP/AR staffing from approximately $1,430/month. Its full-time calculator uses approximately $12/hour, or $1,920/month at 160 hours. Final pricing depends on hours, seniority, country and engagement structure.

What software should an AP Specialist know?

Common tools include Bill.com, Ramp, Stampli, NetSuite, QuickBooks, Coupa, SAP and Excel.

What software should an AR Specialist know?

Common systems include QuickBooks, NetSuite, Bill.com, Stripe, Salesforce, Sage Intacct and Excel.

Is AP the same as bookkeeping?

No. AP is one part of the accounting process focused on vendor bills and outgoing payments. Bookkeeping is broader and can include bank reconciliation, transaction coding, AP, AR and monthly records.

Is AR the same as collections?

Collections is one part of AR. Accounts Receivable also includes invoicing, payment application, reconciliation, aging, disputes and reporting.

Can one person do both AP and AR?

Yes, especially in smaller companies. As volume grows, splitting the roles generally improves focus and internal controls.

Can AP and AR be outsourced?

Yes. Companies can outsource one role, build a dedicated remote team, or transfer broader procure-to-pay and order-to-cash processes to a provider.

Is LATAM good for AP/AR hiring?

Yes. LATAM provides lower compensation than many US markets while maintaining strong overlap with US business hours. That is particularly useful for vendor communication and collections.

Which LATAM countries are good for AP/AR talent?

Argentina, Colombia, Mexico, Brazil, Chile, Uruguay and Peru all have relevant finance talent. Colombia and Mexico offer particularly straightforward US-timezone overlap.

Should an AP Specialist be able to approve payments?

Usually the AP Specialist should prepare and process the payment workflow, while final approval remains with an authorized Controller, CFO or company leader. This maintains segregation of duties.

Can an AR Specialist reduce DSO?

Potentially. Consistent invoicing, follow-up, dispute resolution and cash application can improve collections performance. Results depend on customer terms, industry and the underlying billing process.

How quickly can HiresLink find an AP/AR Specialist?

HiresLink currently targets a 48-hour shortlist after receiving the role brief. Final hiring and onboarding time depends on interviews, candidate availability and company systems access.

Does HiresLink offer direct hire?

Yes. HiresLink's direct-hire model currently charges 20% of first-year compensation, with a $600 kickoff credited against the placement invoice.

Does HiresLink offer managed staffing?

Yes. HiresLink's current managed staffing model uses candidate compensation plus the lower of $800/month or 25% of monthly compensation, with a $500 kickoff credited to the first invoice.

Get the September 2026 LATAM Talent Intelligence Report

Compare compensation, candidate supply, seniority, English proficiency, retention, hiring speed and finance benchmarks across Latin America.

Current finance benchmarks include:

• AP / AR Clerks
• Collections Specialists
• Bookkeepers
• GAAP Accountants
• FP&A Analysts
• Controllers

Explore the LATAM Talent Intelligence Report →

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Need someone keeping vendor payments moving or making sure invoices actually turn into cash?

Hire Remote AP/AR Specialists → · Start Your Search →

You can also explore Finance & Accounting staffing, compare LATAM salary benchmarks, or see the current Operations pricing.

Related articles

• How Much Does It Cost to Hire an AP/AR Specialist in 2026?
• 10 Best Places to Hire Remote GAAP Accountants in 2026
• How Much Does It Cost to Hire a Remote GAAP Accountant in 2026?
• 10 Best Places to Hire Remote FP&A Analysts in 2026
• How Much Does It Cost to Hire an FP&A Analyst in 2026?
• 10 Best Staffing Firms for Hiring Bookkeepers in LATAM (2026)

Sources

HiresLink finance and hiring data

• HiresLink — Hire Remote AP/AR Clerks. Current $1,430/month starting price, $12/hour full-time example, 48-hour shortlists, Bill.com/Ramp/Stampli screening, 30/60/90 collections workflows, staffing structure and direct-hire terms.
• HiresLink — Finance & Accounting Staffing. Current finance role coverage, software stack, hiring model, US-timezone alignment, HR support and transparent finance pricing.
• HiresLink — Operations Pricing. Current published starting rates for AP/AR, GAAP Accountants, Bookkeepers, Payroll Specialists and related finance roles.
• HiresLink — LATAM Salary Data. Current AP/AR candidate-compensation benchmarks and broader LATAM finance salary data.
• HiresLink — LATAM Talent Intelligence Report 2026. Finance hiring benchmarks, geography, English, candidate supply, seniority, hiring speed and broader operations data.
• HiresLink — Staff Augmentation. Current managed staffing structure, management fee, kickoff credit, HR/payroll support and replacement coverage.
• HiresLink — Headhunting Pro. Current direct-hire pricing, shortlist timing and replacement terms.
• HiresLink — Remote GAAP Accountants. Current role scope used for Accountant-versus-AP/AR comparisons.
• HiresLink — Remote Bookkeepers. Current Bookkeeper scope and finance-team role comparison.

US salary and hiring-market sources

• Robert Half — Accounts Payable Salaries in 2026. Current AP and AR salary projections, demand, automation trends and skill requirements.
• Robert Half — Accounts Payable Manager Salary. Current 2026 AP Clerk, AP Specialist, AP Analyst, AP Manager, AR Clerk, AR Specialist, AR Analyst and AR Manager national starting ranges.
• ZipRecruiter — Accounts Payable Specialist Salary. September 2026 AP Specialist average and percentile salary data.
• ZipRecruiter — Accounts Receivable Specialist Salary. September 2026 AR Specialist average, hourly equivalent and percentile salary data.

Provider research

Official AP, AR, finance staffing, recruiting, outsourcing, pricing, vetting and talent pages from the following providers were reviewed in September 2026:

• Lateam Partners
• Walter
• Vintti
• Hire With Near
• Robert Half
• 1840 & Company
• Personiv
• Somewhere
• Upwork

Direct competitor URLs are intentionally not included so this HiresLink comparison does not send prospective hiring clients directly to competing staffing and recruiting services.

Provider pricing, candidate-network claims, guarantees, service structures and hiring timelines may change. HiresLink's $1,430/month figure is a published starting rate and should not be interpreted as the universal cost of every full-time AP/AR hire. The $12/hour calculator represents a separate full-time planning example, while HiresLink's salary database tracks candidate compensation rather than final staffing invoices. Robert Half and ZipRecruiter use different salary methodologies. Employers should compare total employer cost, engagement model, software experience, transaction volume, timezone, language level and internal-control requirements before choosing a provider.