QuickBooks Online vs QuickBooks Desktop 2023
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. 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.
QuickBooks Online integrates with over 750 third-party apps, and we highlighted the most notable integrations in our guide to the best QuickBooks Online integrations for small businesses. Additionally, all versions of QuickBooks Desktop allow you to set up cost estimates for projects and then compare them to actual expenses. In contrast, you need to upgrade to Advanced to be able to use QuickBooks Online’s budget vs. actual reporting feature. QuickBooks Online wins because it offers more professional-looking and customizable invoices than QuickBooks Desktop.
QuickBooks Desktop plans and pricing
QuickBooks Online is accessible from any device with an internet connection, making it a versatile solution for modern businesses. 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 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. QuickBooks Mac Plus — also known as QuickBooks for Mac — is locally-installed accounting software designed specifically for Mac users. QuickBooks Mac Plus has the usability of QBO matched with the advanced features and accounting of the other QuickBooks Desktop products.
Industry-specific reports
Users in specific industries can access unique features and industry-specific reporting. Additionally, QuickBooks Premier supports up to five users, whereas QuickBooks Pro massachusetts tax rates and rankings massachusetts taxes only supports a maximum of three. Pricing varies based on the number of users and the level of customer support you need, and if you need to add QuickBooks Desktop Payroll.
QuickBooks Solopreneur is more tax software than accounting software, lacking many of the features you’d find with full-fledged cloud-based accounting software like QuickBooks Online. QuickBooks Desktop Enterprise has the same great accounting capabilities as Pro and Premier but allows access for up to 40 users and much more storage space. QuickBooks Enterprise has highly developed features to meet the needs of nearly any large business. QuickBooks Enterprise also offers much better customer support than QuickBooks Pro or QuickBooks Online with its Priority Circle customer support. QuickBooks Enterprise is designed for large businesses or small enterprises and starts at $1,481/year or $142/month. You can add payroll, more users, and cloud hosting for additional fees.
Comparison: QuickBooks Online vs. QuickBooks Desktop
The software supports up to three users, although additional users incur an extra fee. These include the ability to track raw materials and finished products and automate order management, among other functions. It also has barcode scanning capabilities — business owners can download the QuickBooks Desktop mobile app and use their mobile device as a scanner. QuickBooks Desktop doesn’t offer the same multi-user accessibility, but it does have a more comprehensive assortment of features that provide an in-depth view of your accounting operations.
- For instance, if you have five members, you can purchase the Plus plan for only $90 monthly, whereas with Enterprise, you need to pay $427 monthly for five users.
- You can send a copy of your company file to your accountant and import their changes.
- QuickBooks Online supports up to 25 users based on the plan you select.
- The online version of QuickBooks is much easier to use than the desktop version.
This section focuses more on first-time setup and software settings. Even after initial setup, the software must also let users modify information like company name, address, entity type, fiscal year-end, and other company information. 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. On the other hand, QuickBooks Enterprise involves a more complex setup due to its extensive feature set designed for larger businesses.
Since QuickBooks Online offers four cloud-based plans, it easily grows with your business. As you hire more employees or bring on more customers, you can scale up your software to match. And if you manage your business from multiple locations, you’ll want QuickBooks Online over Desktop. Only QuickBooks Online includes free access to a comprehensive version of the QuickBooks mobile accounting app, which is one of the best apps in the accounting sphere.
Comparing QuickBooks features is one of the best ways to decide which version of the software is the best fit for your business. QuickBooks Mac Plus is best for small to medium-sized businesses looking for locally-installed software compatible with Macs. The main downside of QuickBooks Mac Plus is that the software doesn’t have a single integration. Additionally, QuickBooks Mac Plus never seems to get the same amount of attention as other QuickBooks products in terms of new features and updates.