QuickBooks Solopreneur’s features are designed specifically for freelancers to address needs such as estimating quarterly taxes, filing Schedule Cs, and tracking deductions. You can easily separate personal and business expenses, which is ideal for freelancers who don’t have separate business bank accounts. 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. However, QuickBooks Online is the better choice for most companies, especially those with remote accountants and multiple employees.

Choose the QuickBooks Desktop or Online solution for you

Offers four plans to accommodate a range of businesses with different needs; each plan limits the number of users, though. We believe everyone should be able to make financial decisions with confidence. Advanced Inventory is included in the Platinum and Diamond subscriptions only. Advanced Reporting is included in all QuickBooks Desktop Enterprise subscriptions. Banking services provided by our partner, Green Dot Bank, Member FDIC. This easy-to-use and feature-rich software is ideal if you have no bookkeeping experience and want top-notch customer support.

QuickBooks Online vs. QuickBooks Desktop: Ease of use

Granted, most people agree QuickBooks Online job order costing principles of managerial accounting is the better option, but the old-timer is still somehow in the running. On the other hand, if you’re an accountant or someone with a great deal of accounting experience, you may like QuickBooks desktop options that use traditional accounting practices. Larger businesses will be looking at QuickBooks Premier, QuickBooks Enterprise, or the QuickBooks Online Advanced plan, depending on the number of users they need. The first major deciding factor is whether or not you want cloud-based or locally-installed software.

We developed an internal case study to evaluate the accounting software we review subjectively. Using the data we gathered from this case study, we are able to compare QuickBooks Online and Desktop across several key categories, such as pricing, ease of use, general features, A/P, A/R, and banking. We are driven by the Fit free cash flow fcf formula and calculation Small Business mission to provide you with the best answers to your small business questions—allowing you to choose the right accounting solution for your needs. Our meticulous evaluation process makes us a trustworthy source for accounting software insights. We immerse ourselves in every platform we review by exploring the features down to the finest nuances.

QuickBooks Pro only supports up to three users, and you have to pay per user. QuickBooks Online supports up to 25 users based on the plan you select. Learn more about the differences between QuickBooks Online vs. QuickBooks Pro.

1. The rating of this company or service is based on the author’s expert opinion and analysis of the product, and assessed and seconded by another subject matter expert on staff before publication.
2. You also have the option to import products and services into the application to avoid having to re-enter the data.
3. Four pricing plans for QuickBooks Online are available, ranging from $35 to $235/month (with an additional $50+/month for payroll).
4. Everything from the installation screen to the lagging UI gave me flashbacks to the 1998 dial-up tone on my family’s Pentium III computer.
5. And if you manage your business from multiple locations, you’ll want QuickBooks Online over Desktop.
6. The side menu categorizes features for easy access, for example, aggregating sections for employees, their taxes, and compliance details under the Payroll category.

Although Intuit has talked about adding sales orders to QuickBooks Online, this feature is only available with QuickBooks Desktop products at this time. QuickBooks Online offers over 80 reports depending on your plan, whereas QuickBooks Desktop Pro has over 130 reports. QuickBooks Desktop Premier and Quickbooks Desktop Enterprise have even more reports (especially if you opt for the industry-specific versions of these programs). Four pricing plans for QuickBooks Online are available, ranging from $35 to $235/month (with an additional $50+/month for payroll).

See why more businesses are choosing QuickBooks Online

Each Desktop plan comes with one user; additional licenses cost extra. If you go with QuickBooks Desktop Pro or Premier, a payroll add-on is available for an additional monthly fee. While these products will still be available to existing users, QuickBooks Desktop Payroll for Pro and Premier will no longer be available for new users to purchase starting on September 31, 2024. The dashboard is super intuitive with large, easy-to-understand examples of key journal entries charts, and the mobile app is similarly easy to use. If your home or office has a slow or unpredictable internet connection, QuickBooks Desktop can ensure you can reach most of your data even if the internet goes down overnight.

Choose QuickBooks Desktop If…

You can easily access all QuickBooks Online features from the dashboard, where you’ll find a vertical menu bar to the left of the screen. While the dashboard is a bit cluttered, you can easily customize it to only display the information you wish. Those interested in trying out QuickBooks Online can access a free 30-day demo with sample data that allows you to easily explore system features and functions without spending a lot of time entering data. During the setup process, you can choose the features and functions that you will likely be using in QuickBooks Online.