An Intuit QuickBooks has been analyzed their online systems to switch from QuickBooks Online to Desktop is not as simple. If, after reading this post, you aren’t convinced that any version of QuickBooks is right for you, or if you just want to consider all of your options, there are other solutions that may be a better fit. If a specific version of QuickBooks stood out to you, we recommend taking the software for a test run to make sure you love using it. If you want a happy medium, QuickBooks Mac Plus might be a good balance since its UI is easier to use without sacrificing advanced and customizable features. Best for freelancers, contractors, and other self-employed individuals in need of basic bookkeeping and tax support. In this section, we’ll overview the six versions of QuickBooks, giving the pros and cons of each.
- It is worth noticing that an accounting firm can add their team members, and this does not impact the user limit because it happens from within the firm’s access.
- In both QuickBooks Online and Desktop, you can assign costs to your inventory items and track the quantities sold to calculate the cost of goods sold (COGS).
- If you run businesses in multiple locations and you want to see which one is most profitable, an upgrade to Plus from Essentials is worth the price.
- The sales receipt can be created from the Home Page or from the Customers menu on the top of the screen.
Because QBDT is a local install on your computer, you can access your file at any time. If the internet goes out, you’re still able to view, edit, and otherwise work on your books. There’s never any requirement that you have internet connectivity after the initial download and install. In addition to your initial QuickBooks Desktop purchase, you can opt to purchase additional add-ons, found at desktop.apps.com.
It’s also a better option for businesses requiring complex inventory accounting features. Meanwhile, QuickBooks Premier has two payroll options with prices that start at $50 per month plus $5 per employee. If you can file taxes confidently on your own, Enhanced Payroll might be suitable.
Is QuickBooks Online better than Desktop?
Because QuickBooks Online is a SaaS product, that means you have access anywhere, any time, including on your phone. You don’t need to install any software, and updates are automatic with no need to download a package. This means you download and install the product and can host it locally on your own servers. Many businesses, particularly those who deal with personally identifiable information (PII) prefer this extra layer of security. If you’re looking for more from your subscription—like productivity on the go, collaboration with your team, and access on multiple devices (PC, Mac, and mobile)—QuickBooks Online may work better for you.
- But for most small-business owners in most industries, QuickBooks Online has better automation, better access, and a better price point.
- You can easily connect to any third-party app from within the application, saving you a ton of time in the process.
- You can purchase a QuickBooks desktop license for three years or do annual payments for the updates instead of monthly payments.
- QuickBooks Enterprise does sync with the cloud, but is accessed from your computer’s desktop and is available offline or behind a firewall.
- The disadvantages are the lack of lead management, sales order, and other complications that loyal Desktop users may lack (including customization built-in calendar, letter templates, and spell checker).
From there, you can add it to the correct transaction (or create a new transaction) and, voila, no more shoebox. Intuit often offers discounts and incentives for purchasing it for set blocks of time, though for the purposes of this article, I’m only covering its full regular price. For the most part, QuickBooks Desktop offers similar features as QuickBooks Online. How features differ between QBDT and QBO tend to be in looks, functionality, and comprehensiveness.
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Most notably, Premier Plus has 150+ customizable reports for nonprofits, general contractors, and retailers. Unlike QuickBooks Online, Desktop Pro includes built-in inventory management. And if data analysis is an important part of growing your business, QuickBooks Desktop is a solid pick. It includes 100+ reports, while QuickBooks Online Simple Start includes around 40. The Desktop Premier edition escalates to 150+ reports, including industry-specific reports for general contractors, manufacturers and wholesalers, nonprofits, and retailers. QuickBooks Online has been part of the Intuit accounting software family for a few decades now.
Is QuickBooks Online better than QuickBooks Desktop?
Best for small businesses looking for easy-to-use, cloud-based accounting software and strong mobile apps. Meanwhile, QuickBooks Desktop is desktop-based—meaning it can only be accessed from the computer where it is installed. It’s great for businesses that appreciate the stability of desktop software and those that require its advanced features, like inventory assembly management and industry-specific features. QuickBooks Desktop still has a place in the accounting software industry. It’s an especially good choice for small-business owners without a consistent internet connection and big businesses with complex, industry-specific financial needs.
Customer Service & Support:
If you need personalized customer support, you can upgrade to QuickBooks Online Advanced or QuickBooks Enterprise. Doing so grants you access to the Priority Circle loyalty program, including a dedicated account team, free on-demand training, and premium care from QuickBooks experts. While both QuickBooks Online and Desktop are supported by a large network of independent ProAdvisors, it’s much easier to share your books with your ProAdvisor using QuickBooks Online. Getting assistance with your Desktop bookkeeping is difficult since you must save an Accountant’s Copy of your company file and send it to your ProAdvisor.
QuickBooks Online: Overall Best For Small Businesses
That’s one example how these powerful apps can save your business time and money.Another useful app is Fathom, which generates dashboards and performance reports for your business. These seamless integrations can be used to create a custom QuickBooks experience to help your business become more efficient and profitable. When it comes to small business owners QuickBooks Online helps in achieving a much-needed peaceful environment for accounts management and filing their taxes. Both QuickBooks Desktop and QuickBooks online provide amazing and strong accounting solutions however you can find key differences when it is compared.
If you are the owner of a small to medium-sized service-based business, or you are just starting out as solopreneur, you should seriously consider QuickBooks Online. The burden of so many features in QuickBooks Desktop will weigh you and your business down, as opposed to the ease-of-use and simplicity that is provided in QuickBooks Online. Businesses will need to upgrade to the higher QuickBooks Online plans to use inventory accounting features, such as the ability to track stock bookkeeping for dummies items and value and automatically update quantities. Simple Start runs basic reports, including cash flow statements, profit and loss (P&L) statements, and balance sheets. Some of the other 20-plus built-in standard reports available include P&L by month and customer, quarterly P&L summaries, and general ledger. Our internal case study compares the four QuickBooks Online versions across major accounting categories and functions to help you decide which one fits your needs.
What is QuickBooks Payments for QuickBooks Online and QuickBooks Desktop?
Both include the basic reports you’d expect to find with accounting software, such as a balance sheet, a Profit & Loss report, a cash flow statement, etc. In the battle between QuickBooks Online versus Desktop, it’s best to focus on the differences between the two accounting software options since they are so similar. If you’re a freelancer, stick with its Self-Employed plan, which is $15 per month 9after the three-month discount at $7.50). Features include mileage tracking, basic reporting, income and expense tracking, capture and organize receipts and estimation of quarterly taxes.