Just know that doing so waives your option to get 50% off your QuickBooks Online subscription for your first three months. In the past, customers could choose between annually renewing plans and single-purchase software with a license that stayed valid for three years. If you purchased a Desktop Pro plan in 2021, your software will still work until 2024—but new customers who bought the 2022 software version can only choose annual subscriptions. QuickBooks Online offers more features on the go and is a better overall value than QuickBooks Desktop.

The first — and probably most significant — difference refers to how you comparable store sales actually access QuickBooks. The licensing agreement specifies when and how you are able to use the software, as well as who is allowed access to it. The four remaining editions of QBO include Simple Start, Essentials, Plus, and Advanced.

Best Credit Card Processing Companies In 2024

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. No need to worry if you skip one; you can always go back and add it at a later date.

Reporting in QBDT and QBO

The mobile app for Online is robust, and Desktop’s mobile app is so limited, that it essentially functions as a receipt uploader. Working from the cloud means you need an internet connection, so a poor signal or an intermittent connection can be an issue. Its highest-tiered plan is the Advanced option, which costs $100 per month for the first three months, then $200 per month after that. QuickBooks Online offers many advantages over QuickBooks Desktop, such as cloud accessibility, more convenient file sharing and collaboration, scalable plans with varying features, and a functional mobile app.

Your business is unique, but your routine bookkeeping tasks are going to be similar to many other businesses such as consultants/coaches, dog walkers, and photographers. By using optical character recognition (OCR), details from your receipts are scanned and recorded directly into relevant transactions. QuickBooks Online simplifies both the receipt collection and organization process by allowing you to easily capture and upload a photo or document into your QuickBooks file.

Improve your productivity automatically. Use Zapier to get your apps working together.

Each edition varies in terms of its available features and functionality, with Advanced providing the fullest feature set. Thanks to the cloud, you can also access QBO from the convenience of your smartphone or tablet. This means you can check in and manage your books from anywhere in the world, whether you’re relaxing on a beach in The Bahamas or enjoying a hot chocolate at a ski lodge. If your office computer prepaid rent accounting is a Mac, you can still use QuickBooks Desktop on your Mac. I do this using Parallels, software which allows you to run Windows applications on your Mac.

1. When subscribing to a QuickBooks Online plan, you can elect to purchase add-on services and enhancements to better suit your needs, found at
2. With our online migration tool, you can move all your data or move only what’s key—like balances and specific lists.
3. The “Plus” subscription affords you certain benefits, including 24/7 support, automatic backups of your QuickBooks file, and yearly software upgrades.
4. If you’re a freelancer, stick with its Self-Employed plan, which is $15 per month 9after the three-month discount at $7.50).
5. A/P features include creating vendors and bills, recording purchase orders and converting them to bills, creating service items, and recording full or partial bill payments.

As a result, access to the software and its information is only possible if you’re physically using the computer it was installed on. If you go on vacation or are working from home, you’re not going to be able to access and make changes in your books. Katherine Haan is a small business owner with nearly two decades of experience helping other business owners increase their incomes. To get the best possible experience please use the latest version of Chrome, Firefox, Safari, or Microsoft Edge to view this website. Find help articles, video tutorials, and connect with other businesses in our online community. Keep in mind that if you do decide to have QuickBooks Desktop hosted, there will be an additional fee.

At the time of our the difference between capital expenditures and revenue expenditures last review, pricing started at $349.99/year for a single user. Join the thousands of people like you already growing their businesses and knowledge with our team of experts. We deliver timely updates, interesting insights, and exclusive promos to your inbox.