How much is QuickBooks per month?

QuickBooks Online costs: Simple Start $15/month (on promo, then $30), Essentials $30/month ($60 regular), Plus $45/month ($90 regular), and Advanced $100/month ($200 regular). New customers typically get 50% off for 3-6 months.

What's the difference between QuickBooks Online and Desktop?

QuickBooks Online is cloud-based (access anywhere, monthly fee) while Desktop is installed software (one-time purchase or subscription). Online gets automatic updates and is better for collaboration. Desktop offers more features but requires Windows PC.

Which QuickBooks plan do I need?

Simple Start works for solo freelancers. Essentials adds bill pay and multiple users. Plus adds inventory tracking and project profitability. Advanced is for growing businesses needing automation and advanced reporting.

QuickBooks Pricing: Plans, Cost & Which to Choose (2026)

QuickBooks Online Pricing

Current Plans (2026)

Plan	Promo Price	Regular Price	Users
Simple Start	$15/month	$30/month	1 user
Essentials	$30/month	$60/month	3 users
Plus	$45/month	$90/month	5 users
Advanced	$100/month	$200/month	25 users

Promo pricing typically for first 3-6 months for new subscribers.

Annual vs Monthly

Plan	Monthly	Annual (per month)	Annual Savings
Simple Start	$30/month	$27/month	$36/year
Essentials	$60/month	$54/month	$72/year
Plus	$90/month	$81/month	$108/year
Advanced	$200/month	$180/month	$240/year

Plan Features Compared

Core Features

Feature	Simple Start	Essentials	Plus	Advanced
Income & expense tracking	✓	✓	✓	✓
Invoicing & estimates	✓	✓	✓	✓
Tax deductions	✓	✓	✓	✓
Receipt capture	✓	✓	✓	✓
Mileage tracking	✓	✓	✓	✓
Basic reports	✓	✓	✓	✓
Sales tax tracking	✓	✓	✓	✓
Bank connections	✓	✓	✓	✓

Additional Features by Plan

Feature	Simple Start	Essentials	Plus	Advanced
Bill management	✗	✓	✓	✓
Multiple users	1	3	5	25
Time tracking	✗	✓	✓	✓
Inventory tracking	✗	✗	✓	✓
Project profitability	✗	✗	✓	✓
Budgets	✗	✗	✓	✓
Purchase orders	✗	✗	✓	✓
Custom user permissions	✗	✗	✓	✓
Batch invoices	✗	✗	✓	✓
Workflow automation	✗	✗	✗	✓
Custom fields	✗	✗	✗	✓
Priority support	✗	✗	✗	✓

Which Plan Do You Need?

By Business Type

Business Type	Recommended Plan	Why
Freelancer	Simple Start	Basic invoicing, expense tracking
Consultant	Simple Start or Essentials	Add bill pay if needed
Service business	Essentials	Multiple staff, bill management
Retail store	Plus	Inventory tracking
Product-based	Plus	Inventory, purchase orders
Growing business	Advanced	Automation, many users
Multi-location	Advanced	Custom reporting, permissions

By Feature Need

If You Need	Choose
Just invoicing and expenses	Simple Start ($15)
Bill management	Essentials ($30)
Time tracking for billing	Essentials ($30)
Inventory management	Plus ($45)
Project tracking	Plus ($45)
5+ users	Plus ($45) or Advanced
Workflow automation	Advanced ($100)
Training and support	Advanced ($100)

QuickBooks Desktop Pricing

Desktop Options

Version	Price	License Type
Desktop Pro Plus	$549.99/year	Subscription
Desktop Premier Plus	$799.99/year	Subscription
Desktop Enterprise	$1,481/year+	Subscription
Desktop Pro 2024 (one-time)	$549.99	Perpetual

Desktop vs Online

Factor	Desktop	Online
Pricing	One-time or annual	Monthly subscription
Access	Windows PC only	Any device, anywhere
Updates	Manual (or subscription)	Automatic
Data backup	You manage	Cloud automatic
Collaboration	File sharing	Real-time multi-user
Features	More comprehensive	Growing
Industry versions	Yes (Premier, Enterprise)	Limited

When to Choose Desktop

Choose Desktop If	Choose Online If
Prefer one-time purchase	Want cloud access
Need advanced inventory	Need mobile access
Want industry-specific versions	Work with accountant remotely
Handle large data files	Start simple
Already use Desktop	Starting new

Additional Costs

QuickBooks Payroll Add-On

Plan	Monthly Cost	Per Employee
Core	$45/month	+$6/employee
Premium	$80/month	+$8/employee
Elite	$125/month	+$10/employee

Payroll Features

Feature	Core	Premium	Elite
Full-service payroll	✓	✓	✓
Direct deposit	✓	✓	✓
Tax filings	✓	✓	✓
Health benefits	✓	✓	✓
Same-day direct deposit	✗	✓	✓
Time tracking	✗	✓	✓
HR support	✗	✗	✓
Tax penalty protection	✗	✗	✓

QuickBooks Time (TSheets)

Plan	Cost
Time Premium	Included in Essentials+
Time Elite	$10/month + $8/user

QuickBooks Commerce

Plan	Cost	Use
Commerce Starter	$15/month	E-commerce integration
Commerce Essentials	$30/month	Multi-channel

QuickBooks Payments

Transaction Type	Fee
Bank payments (ACH)	1% (max $10)
Swiped cards	2.4% + $0.25
Invoiced cards	2.9% + $0.25
Keyed cards	3.4% + $0.25

QuickBooks Discounts

How to Get Discounts

Discount Type	Amount	How to Get
New customer promo	50% off (3-6 months)	Sign up as new user
Annual commitment	10% off	Pay annually
Bundle with payroll	Varies	Add payroll
Accountant referral	Up to 50% off	Get code from accountant
Seasonal promos	30-70% off	Black Friday, year-end

True First-Year Cost

Plan	Full Price	With 50% Off (6 months)	First Year Total
Simple Start	$360/year	$90 + $180	$270
Essentials	$720/year	$180 + $360	$540
Plus	$1,080/year	$270 + $540	$810
Advanced	$2,400/year	$600 + $1,200	$1,800

QuickBooks Self-Employed

Pricing

Plan	Cost	Best For
Self-Employed	$15/month	Freelancers
Self-Employed Tax Bundle	$25/month	+TurboTax filing

Self-Employed Features

Feature	Included
Income/expense tracking	✓
Mileage tracking	✓
Receipt capture	✓
Quarterly tax estimates	✓
Basic invoicing	✓
Schedule C categories	✓
Tax deduction finder	✓

Self-Employed vs Simple Start

Factor	Self-Employed	Simple Start
Price	$15/month	$15-30/month
Business type	Sole proprietor only	Any business
Invoicing	Basic	Full-featured
Reports	Limited	Comprehensive
Scalability	Cannot upgrade	Upgradeable
Tax focus	Strong (Schedule C)	General

QuickBooks Integrations

Popular Integrations

Category	Apps
Payment processing	PayPal, Square, Stripe
E-commerce	Shopify, WooCommerce, Amazon
CRM	Salesforce, HubSpot
Time tracking	TSheets, Time Tracking
Project management	Asana, Trello
Inventory	SOS Inventory, Fishbowl
Point of sale	Square, Clover
Expense management	Expensify, Receipt Bank

Integration Costs

Integration	What It Costs
Most apps	$0-$50/month
E-commerce connectors	$15-$50/month
Inventory apps	$30-$200/month
CRM integrations	Often free or included

QuickBooks Alternatives

Comparison

Software	Starting Price	Best For
QuickBooks Online	$15/month	Most small businesses
Xero	$15/month	International, multi-currency
FreshBooks	$19/month	Freelancers, invoicing
Wave	Free	Very small businesses
Zoho Books	$15/month	Zoho ecosystem users
Sage	$25/month	Growing businesses

Feature Comparison

Feature	QuickBooks	Xero	FreshBooks	Wave
Invoicing	✓	✓	✓	✓
Expenses	✓	✓	✓	✓
Inventory	Plus+	All plans	✗	✗
Payroll	Add-on	Add-on	Add-on	Add-on
Projects	Plus+	Limited	✓	✗
Multi-currency	All plans	✓	✓	✗
Users	1-25	Unlimited	Limited	Unlimited
Mobile app	✓	✓	✓	✓

When Alternatives Are Better

Situation	Better Choice
Ultra-tight budget	Wave (free)
Heavy invoicing focus	FreshBooks
International business	Xero
Using Zoho products	Zoho Books
Enterprise needs	Sage Intacct

Getting Started

QuickBooks Setup Checklist

Step	Action
1	Choose plan based on features needed
2	Use “Try free” or promo pricing
3	Connect bank accounts
4	Set up chart of accounts
5	Add customers and vendors
6	Customize invoices
7	Set up payment methods
8	Import historical data (optional)
9	Connect to accountant

Learning Resources

Resource	Cost
QuickBooks tutorials	Free
QuickBooks certification	Free
YouTube tutorials	Free
LinkedIn Learning	$30/month
Local classes	Varies

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I switch QuickBooks plans later?

Yes. You can upgrade anytime and changes take effect immediately. Downgrading is also possible, but you’ll lose access to higher-tier features. Data is preserved when switching plans.

Is QuickBooks worth it for a small business?

For most small businesses, yes. The time saved on bookkeeping, tax prep, and invoicing typically outweighs the cost. Free alternatives like Wave work for very basic needs, but QuickBooks offers better features and integrations.

Can my accountant access my QuickBooks?

Yes. You can invite your accountant to access your QuickBooks Online for free (they don’t need their own subscription). They can view reports, make adjustments, and collaborate in real-time.

What happens to my data if I cancel?

You can export your data before canceling. QuickBooks retains data for a period after cancellation, but you should download everything important first. Reactivating within a certain timeframe may restore your data.

Bottom Line

Plan	Best For	True Monthly Cost
Simple Start	Solo freelancers	$15-$30
Essentials	Service businesses	$30-$60
Plus	Product businesses	$45-$90
Advanced	Growing companies	$100-$200
Desktop	One-time purchase fans	$46-$67/month equivalent

Key takeaways:

Start with Simple Start unless you need inventory or multiple users
Always look for promo pricing (50% off is common)
Add payroll if you have employees—it integrates seamlessly
Consider annual billing for 10% savings
QuickBooks Online is better for most; Desktop for advanced inventory or industry-specific features

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