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

qb online vs desktop

Take advantage of the opportunity to optimize your business processes and explore Synder features with a free trial. To gain more insights and tips, book your seat on the informative Weekly Public Demo offered by Synder. While users have control over their data, the risk of data loss due to hardware issues or lack of proper backups may pose a threat.

qb online vs desktop

QuickBooks Online vs Desktop: Key features and similarities

However, please note that access to add-on services will be discontinued for all QuickBooks Desktop software after May 31, 2023. How much you’ll pay for each service depends on the service tier you buy. Both QuickBooks Desktop and QuickBooks Online offer multiple service tiers that cater to different business needs, such as the number of employees who need to access the software. There are two main versions of QuickBooks — QuickBooks Desktop and QuickBooks Online — and there are many differences between them.

When is QuickBooks Desktop better than QuickBooks Online?

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. QuickBooks Online offers a large selection of reports, but they aren’t industry-specific.

QuickBooks Online Reviews

When it comes to customer support, both QuickBooks Online and Desktop offer extensive resources to help you get the most out of the software. QuickBooks Online provides support via phone, chat, and email, as well as a comprehensive knowledge base and community debt to asset ratio: what it is & how to check if yours is good forum. Additionally, depending on your subscription level, you may have access to dedicated account managers and training resources. QuickBooks Desktop caters to businesses involved in intensive inventory management and production processes.

Ease of use includes the layout of the dashboard and whether new transactions can be initiated from the dashboard rather than having to navigate to a particular module. Other factors considered are user reviews specific to ease of use and a subjective evaluation by our experts of both the UI and general ease of use. In addition to third-party integrations, QuickBooks Online integrates with native products, such as QuickBooks Payments, QuickBooks Payroll, and QuickBooks Time (formerly TSheets).

qb online vs desktop

Growth Trajectory of QuickBooks Online Ecosystem

In the accounting business, the choice between QuickBooks Online and Desktop boils down to your business’s unique needs and priorities. Each version has its advantages and drawbacks, and understanding these distinctions is crucial in making an informed decision. For those seeking a visual demonstration of the Synder and QuickBooks Desktop integration in action, a video is available. This resource provides a step-by-step overview of how the integration works, allowing businesses to see the seamless synchronization in practice and understand the value it brings to their financial operations.

It’s also the better option for businesses requiring complex inventory accounting features. This requires the software to allow users transitioning from other bookkeeping software https://www.accountingcoaching.online/ to import their chart of accounts (COA), vendors, customers, service items, and inventory items. Ideally, there will be a wizard to walk the user through the import process.

  1. If you don’t renew your QuickBooks Desktop subscription at the end of the year, then you will no longer be able to access your data on the desktop app.
  2. QuickBooks Self-Employed, or QBSE, is the version of QBO marketed toward freelancers and other self-employed business owners.
  3. Business.com aims to help business owners make informed decisions to support and grow their companies.
  4. By utilizing a simple username and password, you can remotely log in and manage your financial data, replicating the experience of working on a local desktop.

QuickBooks Desktop can be integrated with QuickBooks Desktop Payroll and QuickBooks Time. Additionally, all versions of QuickBooks Desktop allow you to set up cost estimates for projects and then compare them to actual expenses. In contrast, you need to upgrade to Advanced to be able to use QuickBooks Online’s budget vs. actual reporting feature. We have an extensive history of reviewing QuickBooks products, and we stay up-to-date with the latest features and enhancements. Our first-hand experience, guided by our internal case study, helps us understand how the different QuickBooks products compare with each other and how they work in real-world scenarios. In contrast, QuickBooks Desktop offers hardly any payment gateways, making it difficult for the modern merchant to accept online invoice payments easily.

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.

Yes, you can switch to another plan from any version of QuickBooks Online, QuickBooks Payroll, and QuickBooks Time. The key difference between QuickBooks Online and QuickBooks Desktop is how the data is stored and hosted — cloud https://www.accountingcoaching.online/how-is-direct-cost-margin-calculated/ vs. desktop. Meaghan Senn is a writer from North Carolina with experience in B2B, technology and digital marketing topics. Throughout her career, Meaghan has worked with B2B, software and digital marketing businesses.

These versions give business owners more features and reports geared toward their industry. 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).

Some commented that it’s easy to add vendors and customers and share files with their bookkeepers—and we couldn’t agree more. The cloud accessibility plus the user-friendly interface makes QuickBooks Online easier to use than QuickBooks Desktop. QuickBooks Enterprise is designed for large businesses or small enterprises and starts at $1,481/year or $142/month. QuickBooks Online has four plans with a monthly subscription, and the total number of users depends on your plan. The primary difference between the two lies in their accessibility and pricing models. QuickBooks Desktop is a conventional accounting software that requires downloading and installation on your computer and follows an annual license pricing structure.

This provides the highest level of security from hacking and fraud, but it does mean you won’t be sending invoices from your phone or tablet. Optional one-time bookkeeping setup is $50.00.QuickBooks Desktop versions are available through digital download or as products shipped from QuickBooks or other retail merchants. Accountant preferences between QuickBooks Desktop and QuickBooks Online vary based on specific needs. QuickBooks Desktop offers robust features for complex needs and offline work, while QuickBooks Online prioritizes accessibility, real-time collaboration, and automatic updates. The choice depends on factors like business nature and mobility requirements, with some accountants using a combination of both. The subscription-based model may result in cumulative costs over time, potentially exceeding the one-time purchase model of desktop versions.