QuickBooks Online vs Desktop: Which Is Right for Your Business?

It provides features that cater to invoicing, expense tracking, payroll management, and tax preparation. 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. Working from the cloud means you need an internet connection, so a poor signal or an intermittent connection can be an issue. With QuickBooks Desktop, users receive some of the most developed accounting tools on the market. The software offers comprehensive features, unique touches (such as lead management and sales orders), industry-specific versions of the software, and the potential to be more secure.

1. The online version of QuickBooks is much easier to use than the desktop version.
2. Seeing as it’s a program installed on your local system, it relies on the device’s processing power and resources.
3. QuickBooks Pro and Premiere will also discontinue sales to new users on July 31, 2024.
4. QuickBooks Desktop Premier and Quickbooks Desktop Enterprise have even more reports (especially if you opt for the industry-specific versions of these programs).
5. I want to confidently say that the difference in pricing is due to the considerable amount of features that QuickBooks Desktop offers, but I’m unsure if that’s the case.

QuickBooks Online vs. Desktop FAQ

However, the QuickBooks Desktop app is a very pared-down version of the desktop and is poorly rated. If your business needs sales orders, QuickBooks Desktop is your only option. Although Intuit has talked about adding sales orders to QuickBooks Online, this feature is only available with QuickBooks Desktop products at this time. QuickBooks Desktop also has several additional features you won’t find with QBO, including sales orders and lead management. Because it is locally installed software, you also have turntable repair more control over keeping your financial data secure.

What is the Difference between QuickBooks Online and QuickBooks Desktop?

Because QuickBooks Online is cloud-based, it is a great option for those who need QuickBooks access while not in the office. This means that QuickBooks Desktop users are limited to one hosting provider — the computer on which the software accounts payable accounting coach is installed — or a handful of licensed computers. QuickBooks Online can be accessed from any internet-connected device, including a mobile device with the QuickBooks app installed, after you enter a valid username and password.

Accessibility

While the Desktop version has app integrations, it doesn’t have near as many as the Online version. There are over 200 options instead of the 650-plus to its cloud counterpart. 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. For $1,922 per year, get the Enterprise plan with advanced pricing, reporting and inventory.

The online version will soon be the only available version, and it’s used by hundreds of thousands of American businesses. To find out what we thought about it, please check out our review of QuickBooks Online 2024. QuickBooks Desktop offers more than 100 standard reports that can be customized as needed.

Here github are a few pre-made workflows to show you what’s possible, but you can use Zapier to connect QuickBooks to almost any app you use. All you need is your account information, and you can access your QuickBooks details on any device with an internet connection. Small to midsize businesses that want a desktop solution or need advanced inventory and industry-specific features.

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 has been part of the Intuit accounting software family for a few decades now. Since QuickBooks Online is browser-based, not desktop-based, you can log on to your Quickbooks Online account from any web-enabled device with a sturdy internet connection. Both versions offer automatic syncing with your bank so you can categorize transactions. Add payroll to QuickBooks Online starting at $45 per month, or to Desktop starting at $50, plus $2 per employee, per month. When signing up for QuickBooks Online, it only gives options for paying monthly.

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. While both provide easy access to a variety of features and functions, only you can decide which one will work best for you.