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Our unbiased reviews and content are supported in part by affiliate partnerships, and we adhere to strict guidelines to preserve editorial integrity. The editorial content on this page is not provided by any of the companies mentioned and has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities. The vendors that appear on this list were chosen by subject matter experts on the basis of product quality, wide usage and availability, and positive reputation. By providing feedback on how we can improve, you can earn gift cards and get early access to new features. The answers to these questions should help you determine which plan is best for your business. Learn more about the details of each additional QuickBooks fee below.

Tax Forms & Support

1. Business banking, estimates and invoicing, payment processing, cash flow tracking, basic reporting, mileage tracking and basic income and expense tracking.
2. You can automatically notify customers when their payments have been received and you can route invoices through pre-set approval flows.
3. To use many features of QuickBooks Online on your mobile device, sign in from your web browser and download the QuickBooks app.
4. As far as the quality of customer support, QuickBooks Online users are split.

While the software is easier to use than its locally-installed counterparts, you may face occasional navigational difficulties. Pricing increases throughout the years also make QuickBooks Online an expensive choice for some businesses. However, QuickBooks Online may be the ideal solution for businesses that want lots of features in easy-to-use, cloud-based software.

QuickBooks Online VS FreshBooks

Your business size and structure will determine which QuickBooks Online plan is best. If you’re a single freelancer, you won’t need to manage any other employees, and you won’t need to track many sales (if any) – so the Self-Employed Plan is best for you. We’ve ranked the best self-employed accounting software, and QuickBooks is at the top. Setting up the software involves plenty of one-time tasks that you’ll want to get right the first time, like the structure of the saxophone connecting your bank account and setting up a series of automated processes and templates.

Simple Start

QuickBooks pricing varies quite a bit depending on which product you choose and how many users you need. User permissions can be narrowed for the 25 users to better delegate work and restrict visibility. You can also invite time-tracking and reports-only users, which do not count toward the 25-user limit. When it comes to features and integrations, QuickBooks Online and Xero are pretty evenly matched.

There’s nothing to install, no servers or data files to maintain, and no backups needed. QuickBooks Online Essentials has all of the features included in Simple Start, corporate title with extra functionality for businesses with more needs. Whether you are a business owner starting a brand new small business or moving your existing books online, we have several QuickBooks Online subscription options to fit your needs as your business grows. We spend hours researching and evaluating each accounting software system we review at Merchant Maverick, placing special emphasis on key characteristics to generate our ratings. If you want better customer support or potentially lower pricing, Xero or FreshBooks may be a better fit. Take a look at our comparisons to see how each program stacks up against the others.

QuickBooks Online is one of the company’s most popular accounting software choices for small-business owners. QuickBooks Online pricing is based on a monthly subscription model, and each plan includes a specific number of users. First-time QuickBooks Online users can typically receive a free 30-day trial or a discount for the first few months of service. Users can switch plans or cancel without having to pay termination fees.

Businesses with simple accounting needs and a smaller budget for software. All Gold features, plus advanced inventory, advanced pricing rules and workflow approvals. All Plus features, plus a dedicated account team, employee expense management, batch invoicing, workflow automation and more. All Essentials features, plus project tracking and inventory tracking. Many, or all, of the products featured on this page are from our advertising partners who compensate us when you take certain actions on our website or click to take an action on their website. Users must apply for both QuickBooks Payments and QuickBooks Checking accounts when bundled.

Common payment processing options include PayPal, Stripe, Square, and Authorize.Net. QuickBooks Online offers around 25 payment processors, or you can use QuickBooks Payments. QuickBooks Online payroll costs between $50-$130/month plus $6-$11/month per employee. If your small business needs a payroll solution, be sure to add this cost liability financial accounting to the regular QuickBooks Online monthly fee. Read our complete QuickBooks Online Payroll review for the details, and be sure to visit the QBO website to see if Intuit is running a QuickBooks payroll discount before buying.