Each staff reviewer at Merchant Maverick is a subject matter expert with experience researching, testing, and evaluating small business software and services. The rating of this company or service is based on the author’s expert opinion and analysis of the product, and assessed net cash flow and seconded by another subject matter expert on staff before publication. Merchant Maverick’s ratings are not influenced by affiliate partnerships. However, most users still view Quickbooks Desktop favorably, and the product receives high marks on most customer review sites.

This is a tie since both QuickBooks Online and QuickBooks Desktop offer users the same support options. Both applications can have long wait times to access telephone support, but you’ll likely get a better response if you purchase QuickBooks Online Advanced or QuickBooks Desktop Enterprise, as both offer 24/7 support. Terms, conditions, pricing, special features, and service and support options subject to change without notice. Speaking of extra fees, QuickBooks Desktop also charges for e-commerce app integration, invoice-based payment acceptance, and online data hosting.

QuickBooks Online and QuickBooks Desktop starting plans and prices

QuickBooks Desktop and QuickBooks Online are separate platforms that do not sync with each other. However, in addition to its mobile app, QuickBooks Online has a desktop app. Any info you enter into the QuickBooks Online desktop app will sync with your cloud-based QuickBooks platform if your computer is connected to the internet. For $27.50 per month for the first three months, then $55 per month after that, get up to three users, manage and pay bills and track time with its Essentials plan, which is its most popular plan. Upgrade to Plus for $42.50 per month for the first three months, then $85 per month afterward, and you will receive access for up to five users, inventory tracking and the ability to track project profitability. QuickBooks Online has a cheaper monthly cost and is more affordable if you have a lot of employees who will be using the software.

Working from the cloud means you need an internet connection, so a poor signal or an intermittent connection can be an issue. While QuickBooks Desktop has been many business’s accounting software of choice dating all the way back to the late 1990s, in the modern era, the online version of the tool can be a far better way to go. For more than two decades, QuickBooks has been the de facto accounting software for small businesses across a vast number of industries. From restaurants to retailers and plumbers to painters, professionals in nearly every line of business have benefited from QuickBooks.

Choosing the Right QuickBooks Version for Your Business: An Overview with Pricing Insights

We believe everyone should be able to make financial decisions with confidence. If you’re looking for more from your subscription—like productivity on the go, collaboration with your team, and access on multiple devices (PC, Mac, and mobile)—QuickBooks Online may work better for you. When you move to QuickBooks Online, you’ll create a new account and login.

• We are driven by the Fit Small Business mission to provide you with the best answers to your small business questions—allowing you to choose the right accounting solution for your needs.
• Every business is unique, and there may be instances where QuickBooks Desktop may be a better fit.
• As a cloud-based solution, it enables you to access your data from anywhere, anytime, and on any device with an internet connection.
• However, most users still view Quickbooks Desktop favorably, and the product receives high marks on most customer review sites.
• In contrast, QuickBooks Desktop tends to have a steeper learning curve, offers fewer integrations, and has had its previous versions discontinued by QuickBooks.

All QuickBooks Enterprise plans are available only via monthly or annual subscriptions, depending on your plan. However, please note that access to add-on services will be discontinued for all QuickBooks Desktop software after May 31, 2023. Before the launch of QuickBooks Desktop 2022, the QuickBook products were available as a one-time purchase. Now, Premier Plus and Enterprise packages are available on a subscription-basis only. If you’re a QuickBooks Online user who wants these Desktop features, many third-party apps offer them for an extra charge.

Enhancing Desktop with Cloud Hosting

QuickBooks Desktop offers the same support options found in QuickBooks Online including video tutorials, on-demand webinars, and various training options. Both applications also include an easy setup process, so you can be up and running in little time. The most notable difference, aside from price, between QuickBooks Online and QuickBooks Desktop is the Online version is cloud-based. The mobile app for Online is robust, and Desktop’s mobile app is so limited, that it essentially functions as a receipt uploader.

• It’s great for businesses that appreciate the stability of desktop software and those that require its advanced features, like inventory assembly management and industry-specific features.
• While people may assume that QuickBooks Online is simply the cloud version of QuickBooks Desktop, in reality, the two products are very different.
• Learn more about the time tracking capabilities in our full review of QuickBooks Time.
• However, if you’re not a Mac user, you can choose from all three QuickBooks Desktop  plans.
• If you’re looking for more from your subscription—like productivity on the go, collaboration with your team, and access on multiple devices (PC, Mac, and mobile)—QuickBooks Online may work better for you.

Julie is a dynamic professional with over 16 years of rich experience as a VDI and Application Hosting expert. On the weekend, you will find her hanging out with her family or surfing around the North Shore of Oahu. Cloud-hosted QuickBooks Desktop offers the best of both worlds, enabling businesses to leverage the full feature set of the Desktop version from anywhere, anytime.

QuickBooks Online vs. Desktop FAQ

QuickBooks Desktop wins this head-to-head competition, with better reporting, industry-specific features, a better price structure, and more comprehensive features. However, if things like integration and cloud access are important to you, QuickBooks Online may be the way to go. Once you decide, if you need some assistance with your QuickBooks Migration, be sure to check out our comprehensive QuickBooks Tutorial. QuickBooks Desktop wins this, offering more reporting options as well as industry-specific reports and forecasting options not offered in QuickBooks Online. Depending on your business, the ability to integrate with other applications may be convenient, while for others, it can be a necessity. QuickBooks Online offers a variety of pricing plans, which range from $12 to $75 for the first three months.