QuickBooks Desktop Premier Plus and Enterprise plans have industry-specific reports for manufacturing and wholesale, retail, nonprofit, general contractor and professional service businesses, too. For example, nonprofits can use the desktop products to run donor contribution summary reports while manufacturing, wholesale and retail businesses have the ability to forecast product sales. Contractors and professional service businesses can use the software to compare revenue by city, customer and job type.
Another key difference is that being a cloud-based software, QuickBooks Online automatically does data encrypted back-ups. The desktop version of the software, however, charges $9.99 a month for this service. Intuit QuickBooks has been pushing its online products, so switching from QuickBooks Online to Desktop isn’t as easy, but it is possible. Go to the Settings gear icon and click “Export Data.” Then, select your reason for leaving.
What QuickBooks Online offers
Both QuickBooks Desktop and QuickBooks Online have the ability to set up bank rules, which are ‘if this, then that’ rules that apply to transactions imported from the bank. The transition from QBO to QBDT is rarely smooth and will very likely take multiple attempts to get the data to load. Once loaded, there is extensive post-migration work that will vary from company to company.
One of the best resources is the QuickBooks Online community, where you can connect with other users to share tips, answer questions, and find answers to problems that may arise. Product support can be accessed directly from within the application, where you can ask a question or connect to support personnel. Whether you’re thinking about converting to QuickBooks Online or switching from QuickBooks Desktop to QuickBooks Online, your first step should be to take a long look at both applications. When you do, you’ll notice the difference immediately as QuickBooks Online offers a streamlined user interface, while QuickBooks Desktop relies on a flow-chart based interface.
- Both QuickBooks Online and Desktop are on our list of the best small business accounting software.
- Like its desktop counterpart, there are multiple editions of QuickBooks Online aimed at serving different purposes.
- This means that from June 1st, 2023, you won’t have access to any add-on services, nor will you receive any updates.
- When comparing the platforms, the first thing you notice is the design.
- Editorial content from The Ascent is separate from The Motley Fool editorial content and is created by a different analyst team.
Neither QuickBooks Online or QuickBooks Desktop are difficult to use, although they offer very different user experiences. Both QuickBooks Online and QuickBooks Desktop applications offer a good selection of features, though QuickBooks Desktop features tend to be more comprehensive. 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. Let us know how well the content on this page solved your problem today.
How the Software Stacks Up
QuickBooks Pro is geared toward small to medium businesses and starts at $41/month for a single user. QuickBooks Pro 2023 must be purchased through a reseller or a phone call with QuickBooks Sales. Once purchased, the licensing of QuickBooks Enterprise is good for 3 years. If you fail to renew your solution each year, you are still welcome to continue using the solution on your desktop, but you will be limited to 1 user license and not have any ongoing support. As of late 2015, QuickBooks Enterprise requires an ongoing subscription to gain access to the software. This is independent of your deployment method (whether running the software on-premise or in the cloud).
Optional QuickBooks Desktop add-ons
Fortunately, you can purchase access to additional license seats, which is a fancy term for additional users. In addition to your initial QuickBooks Desktop purchase, you can opt to purchase additional add-ons, found at desktop.apps.com. Ironic, then, that choosing a QuickBooks product can be difficult, if not downright confusing. With so many options, nailing the proper choice for your needs may appear more challenging than actually using the software. Does any information get backed up to the cloud in the desktop versions, or is it all truly stored on the computer? QuickBooks Online offers integration such as Payments, CRM, Project Management, Payments, Payroll, Invoicing, Inventory, and many more.
It starts at $30 a month and includes basic features only, such as mileage tracking and invoicing. 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. QuickBooks Online can be accessed anywhere you have an internet connection, and because it’s web-based, you can work with your accountant in real time. The QuickBooks mobile app is also available for free and lets you manage your account on the go. QuickBooks Desktop is an annual subscription, starting at $549.99 per year, which may be cost-prohibitive for small businesses or cash-strapped startups. However, once you’ve signed up, navigate to your account settings, and you can switch to annual billing to save 10%.
How Much Does QuickBooks Enterprise Cost?
You can send email invites to your accountant from within the software. Find help articles, video tutorials, and connect with other businesses in our online community. To get the best possible experience please use the latest version of Chrome, Firefox, Safari, or Microsoft Edge to view this website. Keep in mind that if you do decide to have QuickBooks Desktop hosted, there will be an additional fee.
Best Accounting Software for Small Businesses
If you can file taxes confidently on your own, Enhanced Payroll might be suitable. If you want QuickBooks to file your taxes for you, then you must upgrade to QuickBooks Desktop Assisted Payroll for $109 per month plus $2 per employee. Learn how else the two products differ in our QuickBooks Desktop Payroll Enhanced vs Assisted Payroll 6 strategies to make the grant proposal submission process less stressful comparison. While QuickBooks Online offers project management features, it doesn’t have the same level of customization options as QuickBooks Desktop. For instance, QuickBooks Desktop allows you to create customized job costing reports tailored to specialized industries, including manufacturers, contractors, and retailers.
The downsides are the lack of sales orders, lead management, and other complexities that loyal Desktop users may miss (such as customizable letter templates, a built-in calendar, and even spellcheck). QuickBooks Online offers over 80 reports depending on your plan, whereas QuickBooks Desktop Pro has over 130 reports. QuickBooks Desktop Premier and Quickbooks Desktop Enterprise have even more reports (especially if you opt for the industry-specific versions of these programs). QuickBooks Online is easier to learn and use on a daily basis with the accessibility of offers across multiple devices and the number of available automations and applications. However, the program is more “generic” and won’t give you the most industry-specific capabilities. It also lacks the level of customization that some companies may prefer.
No-Code Data Pipeline For QuickBooks
Advanced Inventory is included in the Platinum and Diamond subscriptions only. Advanced Reporting is included in all QuickBooks Desktop Enterprise subscriptions. When you move to QuickBooks Online, you’ll create a new account and login. You can migrate your business and payroll data to QuickBooks Online and keep a copy of the original file for your records.
When working with the Desktop version, it’s downloaded right to your computer. This means the data operates as fast as your computer, all without needing to worry about a connection issue. You must pay an additional fee for every user who wants to access the account simultaneously, whereas Online lets multiple users access the account at the same time.