Its prominence also stems from its inclusion of tools its competitors lack, such as integrated advanced time tracking. Businesses that have purchased one-time licenses of the locally-installed QuickBooks Desktop versions that have been sunset can still use the software’s accounting features. However, these versions 8 surefire ways to run a successful fundraising campaign don’t receive security updates, live support, or access to cloud-based services such as live bank feeds, QuickBooks Desktop Payments, or QuickBooks Desktop Payroll. Since QuickBooks Online is priced as a monthly subscription, it doesn’t require a contract and you can cancel your account at any time.
- It’s more affordable, easier to share with your accountant or other financial stakeholders, and offers better invoicing than its locally installed counterpart.
- If you’re a QuickBooks Online user who wants these Desktop features, many third-party apps offer them for an extra charge.
- In addition, the Premier and Enterprise plans offer more than 150 reports, with industry-specific reporting options available.
- There are two versions of QuickBooks Desktop (Premier Plus and Enterprise) and four versions of QuickBooks Online (Simple Start, Essentials, Plus and Advanced).
- When we talk about the security factor, Intuit takes care of the cloud-based QuickBooks online.
- For example, Xero ranges from $13 to $70 per month and includes unlimited users and basic inventory management in all plans.
During the setup process, you can choose the features and functions that you will likely be using in QuickBooks Online. No need to worry if you skip one; you can always go back and add it at a later date. Yes, you can, but the process is a bit tedious, as you need to manually export your files from QuickBooks Online to Desktop.
Easy Process
QuickBooks Online is better for business owners who want easy-to-use cloud-based accounting that includes anywhere online access, mobile apps, and tons of integrations with other business apps. QuickBooks Online and QuickBooks Desktop are two solid accounting products from Intuit. While both software types have plenty of perks, QuickBooks Online is a more flexible, affordable, and scalable option for most small-business owners. QuickBooks Desktop Premier Plus and Enterprise plans have industry-specific reports for manufacturing and wholesale, retail, nonprofit, general contractor and professional service businesses, too. For example, nonprofits can use the desktop products to run donor contribution summary reports while manufacturing, wholesale and retail businesses have the ability to forecast product sales.
One of the key differences is that QuickBooks Online now provides a bookkeeping service named QuickBooks live bookkeeping; permits you professional support payments from certified CPAs and QuickBooks Online accountants. When it comes to small business owners QuickBooks Online helps in achieving a much-needed peaceful environment for accounts management and filing their taxes. QuickBooks desktop version provides extensive options and accounting tools including job costing, expense tracking, job costing, positive customer reviews, and more than 200 integrations. So if you are a Mac user then you require searching for QuickBooks for Mac for an option labeled locally-installed Mac-based QuickBooks. Webgility’s QuickBooks integration provides everything you need for cloud-based ecommerce automation. It syncs QuickBooks Online with sales channels and marketplaces to simplify bookkeeping.
- QuickBooks is encouraging all existing Desktop clients to migrate to QuickBooks Online as soon as possible.
- QuickBooks Desktop users get many developed accounting tools across the market.
- It is a 3-step process by just selecting the data source, providing valid credentials, and choosing the destination.
- The registration information submitted by you on this website will be shared with one or more participating partners.
With the help of this software, you can import, export, as well as erase lists and transactions from the Company files. Also, you can simplify and automate the process using Dancing Numbers which will help in saving time and increasing efficiency and productivity. Just fill in the data in the relevant fields and apply the appropriate features and it’s done. There are several core differences between QuickBooks Desktop and QuickBooks Online.
Integrates with more than 750 apps and offers live, in-house bookkeeping. Includes audit trails and easy accountant access; has millions of users so your accountant will likely be familiar with it. Offers four plans to accommodate a range of businesses with different needs; each plan limits the number of users, though. Only Desktop version users who don’t use any add-on apps will be unaffected. There are two main versions of QuickBooks — QuickBooks Desktop and QuickBooks Online — and there are many differences between them.
Only QuickBooks Online Offers…
If you choose QuickBooks Desktop Pro Plus, you’ll also need to pay extra if you want to access customer service via live chat. Notably, only QuickBooks Desktop Enterprise includes 24/7 customer service. Pro Plus and Premier Plus limit customer service hours to just 12 hours a day, weekdays only. Meanwhile, QuickBooks Desktop gets more praise for strong functionality, such as inventory accounting and the ability to generate advanced reports. One user is happy that they can set up different reports so that they can see what and who needs to be paid easily.
What are the pros and cons of QuickBooks Online vs desktop?
Contractors and professional service businesses can use the software to compare revenue by city, customer and job type. QuickBooks Online offers a large selection of reports, but they aren’t industry-specific. With four plans, robust features and a user-friendly interface, QuickBooks Online is the ideal choice for most small businesses. QuickBooks Desktop, on the other hand, is a good option for businesses that prefer desktop software, need its advanced inventory tracking and reporting tools, or are looking for an industry-specific solution. Its highest-tiered plan is the Advanced option, which costs $100 per month for the first three months, then $200 per month after that. Introduced in 2004, QuickBooks Online is a cloud-based accounting software utilized by more than two million users.
How the Software Stacks Up
If you require more, your needs have likely grown beyond what QuickBooks Online will offer you long-term, and it may be time to consider upgrading to QuickBooks Enterprise or a QuickBooks replacement. Many versions of QuickBooks Online will include a 50% discount off the first 3 months if you buy now. A free 30-day trial is available otherwise, but you will give up any discounted pricing for starting with a trial.
QuickBooks Online vs. Desktop comparison
QuickBooks Desktop Premier permits five users & QB enterprise users to allow 40 users. One of the essential differences is QuickBooks Desktop is a license-based pricing structure whereas QuickBooks online has a monthly SaaS. You can purchase a QuickBooks desktop license for three years or do annual payments for the updates instead of monthly payments.
The Accountant’s version provides bookkeeping services that can import accountant copy files from clients, batch enter transactions, and run a working trial balance report. QuickBooks Online has a less expensive monthly cost and is economical for massive employees using the program. QuickBooks Desktop Pro is low-priced if you do not require additional users. In case if you plan for using the program up to three years before upgrades. The monthly subscriptions for the QuickBooks online may be simpler for some small businesses suitable to a financial situation. QuickBooks Pro and QuickBooks Online have different pricing structures.
We also don’t recommend QuickBooks Desktop to Mac users, since there’s just one desktop-based plan for Mac users. This plan, QuickBooks Desktop for Mac, has the same features as QuickBooks Desktop Pro Plus, the most basic desktop-based plan. In other words, Mac users can’t scale up their software from one plan to the next as they add software users.