Compare QuickBooks Online vs QuickBooks Desktop

Terms and conditions, features, support, pricing, and service options are subject to change without notice. QuickBooks Online is the cloud-based, online version of accounting software provided through a monthly subscription pricing plan. The QuickBooks Online Self-Employed plan is offered to freelancers. QuickBooks Online offers upgrade options and integrates with many add-on third-party apps to increase functionality. Terms and conditions, features, support, pricing, and service options subject to change without notice. QuickBooks Desktop is on-premises accounting software with optional remote access through an internet connection.

1. There’s also a feature that facilitates inviting your accountant to the platform, so they can have direct access to your data.
2. QuickBooks Desktop also offers different versions of its software for certain types of businesses (construction, nonprofits, manufacturing, etc.).
3. Both QuickBooks Online and QuickBooks Desktop users can apply for optional QuickBooks Payments processing by Intuit Merchant Services.

Customer Service

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. One of the biggest differences here is that QuickBooks Online now offers a bookkeeping service called QuickBooks Live Bookkeeping, where you can pay for professional support from certified QBO accountants and CPAs. For small business owners new to the accounting scene, this service may bring much-needed peace of mind when managing your books and filing small business taxes. QuickBooks Desktop is also not a great choice for accounting newbies, as the UI is quite unintuitive and has a steep learning curve. And while Desktop has a respectable number of integrations death spiral accounting when compared to other accounting software, it falls far short of what QBO offers its users. Not only is QuickBooks Online easier to use, but it offers additional support — for a fee.

QuickBooks Online vs. Desktop: Pricing

Recommended ReadingT-Account: Definition, Example, Recording, and Benefits

Reporting options are good in both applications, though only one of the zoho books review applications offers industry-specific reporting options. QuickBooks Online is highly user friendly with a low learning curve. The dashboard is super intuitive with large, easy-to-understand 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. The downside to locally stored data, though, is that you can only access it from where it’s stored. You can pay extra (or upgrade to a pricier plan) to get data hosting through QuickBooks, which will let you access some financial information—though not all of it—on a different device.

While both software types have plenty of perks, QuickBooks Online is a more flexible, affordable, and scalable option for most small-business owners. 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 Desktop Pricing

Recommended ReadingAn Explanation of P-Values and Statistical Significance

Just remember, you will need to make a decision quickly if you want QuickBooks Desktop Pro or Premier, as sales of these products will be discontinued this year. With QuickBooks Online, users receive many of the same great features while gaining the mobility of cloud-based software. QuickBooks Online is easier to use and has more automations, more integrations, and better invoicing.

QuickBooks Online and QuickBooks Desktop are both excellent small business accounting software applications, both offering complete double-entry accounting as well as automatic processing of closing entries. Speaking of extra fees, QuickBooks Desktop also charges for e-commerce app integration, invoice-based payment acceptance, and online data hosting. If you choose QuickBooks Desktop Pro Plus, you’ll also need to pay extra if you want to access customer service via live chat.

Which Is Best For My Business?

For both QuickBooks products, Intuit QuickBooks mobile apps are offered for Apple iOS and Google Android devices. While there are significant differences between QuickBooks Desktop and QuickBooks Online, both applications offer solid accounting capability for small businesses. And while QuickBooks Desktop comes out on top in this comparison, only you can decide which one is best for your business. If neither application catches your use of bom eye, why not take a look at some QuickBooks alternatives or check out The Ascent’s accounting software reviews.

Recommended ReadingExample Closing Process Explanation

For many small-business owners, most of the time, QuickBooks Online works better than QuickBooks Desktop. It’s more affordable, easier to share with your accountant or other financial stakeholders, and offers better invoicing than its locally installed counterpart. The company has updated its help centers to be more user-friendly, but there’s still no email support. Both options, however, are working to reduce long hold times on the phone by now offering a callback feature. In the battle between QuickBooks Online and Desktop, it’s best to focus on the differences between the two accounting software options since they are so similar. I find myself leaning toward the futuristic solution, which makes QuickBooks Online my preferred choice of accounting software (my Ralph Macchio).