However, QuickBooks Online is the better choice for most companies, especially those with remote accountants and multiple employees. Meanwhile, QuickBooks Online provides some customization options for businesses, but they’re not as extensive as those in Enterprise. For instance, you can 5 ways to give workers more autonomy set up QuickBooks Online for nonprofits by adjusting the settings, customizing sales forms, and creating a chart of accounts based on Form 990.
- Ease of use gets the highest weight in this case study because we want to give more credit to easy accounting software.
- If you purchased a Desktop Pro plan in 2021, your software will still work until 2024—but new customers who bought the 2022 software version can only choose annual subscriptions.
- QuickBooks Online is cheaper than QuickBooks Desktop if you need multiple users.
- Find help articles, video tutorials, and connect with other businesses in our online community.
- When signing up for QuickBooks Online, it only gives options for paying monthly.
- This may signal future abandonment of its Desktop version as more people move to the cloud.
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The two versions are independent of each other, which means the data you enter on Desktop doesn’t sync to the Online version and vice-versa. Those who want to take their accounting on the go will appreciate the mobile app. It brings most of the features of the online platform, plus it enables mileage tracking and receipt capture for quick and convenient recordkeeping. Terms, conditions, pricing, special features, and service and support options subject to change without notice. Money movement services are provided by Intuit Payments Inc., licensed as a Money Transmitter by the New York State Department of Financial Services.
We have an extensive history of reviewing QuickBooks products, and we how to calculate your business valuation stay up-to-date with the latest features and enhancements. Our first-hand experience, guided by our internal case study, helps us understand how the different QuickBooks products compare with each other and how they work in real-world scenarios. Live Bookkeepers aren’t responsible for errors resulting from incorrect information that you provide, or if you re-open the books by overriding closure after a Live Bookkeeper completes the month-end closure.
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However, if you’re not a Mac user, you can choose from all three QuickBooks Desktop plans. The QuickBooks Desktop Premier Plus plan is particularly useful for business that want industry-specific features. Most notably, Premier Plus has 150+ customizable reports for nonprofits, general contractors, and retailers.
Otherwise, you’ll need QuickBooks Desktop Enterprise, which supports up to 40 users. If you’re searching for accounting software that’s user-friendly, full of smart features, and scales with your business, Quickbooks is a great option. Every business is unique, and there may be instances where QuickBooks Desktop may be a better fit. For example, it may be more suitable for businesses with complex inventory management needs or those wanting offline access to their financial data.
Can I switch from QuickBooks Online to QuickBooks Desktop?
Move from any version of QuickBooks Desktop, and only migrate the data that matters most to you. It’s important to note that FreshBooks is the most competitively priced software solution we found. While QuickBooks Online is only 50 cents more than Xero, note that that is the introductory cost for the first three stock purchase warrant months. QuickBooks Online goes to $30 per month after that and is easily our most expensive option.
QuickBooks Online vs. QuickBooks Desktop 2023
For many small-business owners, most of the time, QuickBooks Online works better than QuickBooks Desktop. It’s more affordable, easier to share with your accountant or other financial stakeholders, and offers better invoicing than its locally installed counterpart. In contrast, QuickBooks Desktop’s interface was built with accountants in mind.
Meanwhile, QuickBooks Desktop allows you to set up classes, but you can’t track your income and expenses by location. For those customers that choose to stay on Desktop Plus subscriptions, we’ll continue to focus on product maintenance and security. Send invoices, run reports, and get mobile alerts for key events—all on your smartphone. Ultimately, your specific business’s size, type, and needs are the real deciding factors in determining which of the QuickBooks versions is best for your business.