QuickBooks Online Pricing & Costs Explained

QuickBooks is a great accounting software option but how much will QuickBooks Online actually cost you?

Erica has been writing about small business finance and technology since 2008. She joined Merchant Maverick in 2018 and specializes in researching and reviewing business software, financial products, and other topics to help small businesses manage and grow their operations. Her expertise has been cited in MSN, Reader's Digest, Vox, U.S. News & World Report, and Real Simple. She is a Certified ProAdvisor for QuickBooks Online and QuickBooks Payroll, a graduate of Limestone University, and currently resides in Greenville, South Carolina.

• WRITTEN & RESEARCHED BY

  Erica Seppala Erica has been writing about small business finance and technology since 2008. She joined Merchant Maverick in 2018 and specializes in researching and reviewing business software, financial products, and other topics to help small businesses manage and grow their operations. Her expertise has been cited in MSN, Reader's Digest, Vox, U.S. News & World Report, and Real Simple. She is a Certified ProAdvisor for QuickBooks Online and QuickBooks Payroll, a graduate of Limestone University, and currently resides in Greenville, South Carolina.

  Editor & Senior Staff Writer

  Last updated onUpdated July 17, 2026



Chelsea Krause is a writer who specializes in accounting, payroll, and small business loans. She has been helping small business owners manage their finances since 2016. She is a QuickBooks Certified User and former eCommerce store owner. Her accounting expertise has been quoted in Forbes and her work appears in Startup Nation, Small Business Bonfire, and Women on Business. Chelsea graduated summa cum laude with a BA in English & Creative Writing from George Fox University and studied abroad at the University of Oxford as well.

REVIEWED BY

Chelsea Krause Chelsea Krause is a writer who specializes in accounting, payroll, and small business loans. She has been helping small business owners manage their finances since 2016. She is a QuickBooks Certified User and former eCommerce store owner. Her accounting expertise has been quoted in Forbes and her work appears in Startup Nation, Small Business Bonfire, and Women on Business. Chelsea graduated summa cum laude with a BA in English & Creative Writing from George Fox University and studied abroad at the University of Oxford as well.

Expert Contributor

If you’re trying to figure out how much QuickBooks Online actually costs, you’re in the right place. QuickBooks has five main plans, each with different features and price points, plus a few add-ons you’ll want to know about before you sign up.

In this guide, we’ll break down what each plan includes, who it’s best for, and what extra costs to expect so you can choose the right version for your business.

Table of Contents

• How Much Is QuickBooks Online?
• QuickBooks Online Fees & Extra Costs
• How To Save On QuickBooks Online Costs
• Which QuickBooks Online Pricing Plan Is Right For Me?
• The Bottom Line On QuickBooks Online Pricing

How Much Is QuickBooks Online?

Plan	Cost
QuickBooks Free	$0/month
QuickBooks Simple Start	$38/month
QuickBooks Essentials	$75/month
QuickBooks Plus	$115/month
QuickBooks Advanced	$275/month

QBO offers five subscription plans: Free, Simple Start, Essentials, Plus, and Advanced. Each tier gives you access to more features and users. Payments are made monthly, and no annual contracts are required.

QuickBooks Online Fees & Extra Costs

Extra QuickBooks Fees	Cost
QuickBooks Workforce	$50/month + $6.50/per person - $203/month + $10/per person
QuickBooks Live Full-Service Bookkeeping	$300+/month
QuickBooks Live Assisted Bookkeeping	$59/month
QuickBooks Capital	Varies
QuickBooks Checking	Starts at $0/month
Tax Filing	$14.99+
Checks	Starts at $46.24 for 50 checks
Integrations	Varies
QuickBooks Payments	2.5%+

QuickBooks Online add-ons can increase your monthly fees. Here’s a breakdown of additional products and services you might want to add to your account:

• QuickBooks Workforce: Full-service payroll and HR tools
• QuickBooks Live Bookkeeping: Assisted and Full-Service bookkeeping
• QuickBooks Capital: Lending service that provides term loans and invoice financing to QBO users
• QuickBooks Checking: Business checking accounts with no monthly fees
• Tax Forms: Order W-2s and 1099-MISCs
• QuickBooks Checks: Order checks, voucher checks, business wallet checks, and more
• Integrations: Third-party add-ons that integrate with QBO
• QuickBooks Payments: Accept online payments from customers

How To Save On QuickBooks Online Costs

Between the QuickBooks Online monthly fee and add-on costs, the monthly pricing of QuickBooks Online can add up quickly. Luckily, there are some ways that you can save. Here are our top tips for how to save money on QuickBooks Online.

Check For QuickBooks Online Sales & Discounts

QuickBooks Online is almost always offering a discount on its website, so be sure to check for any promotions before buying.

Note: Discounts are invalid if a customer uses the free 30-day trial before purchasing (there is a test drive of the software you can use instead of a free trial). 

Make Sure You're Using The Right QuickBooks Plan

Make sure you are on the right QuickBooks plan, so you aren’t paying for features you don’t need. For example, if you bought the QuickBooks Plus plan because you thought you’d be using the Project Management feature and you haven’t used it in over a year, consider downgrading to the Essentials plan.

Consider How Many QuickBooks Users You Need

All plans (except QuickBooks Simple Start) come with an unlimited number of time-tracking-only users. If you have five employees who need to track time and only two who need access to other features in the software, you can still use the Essentials plan without upgrading to the Plus plan.

Ditch The Unused QuickBooks Integrations

When it seems like there is a business software application for everything, it pays to be choosy. If your business was using a project management app (such as Basecamp) before purchasing QuickBooks Online, you might find that QBO’s project management features are enough for your business now so that you don’t have to pay double for something that’s already included with QuickBooks Online.

Check For A QuickBooks Online + Workforce Bundle Discount

Intuit typically offers deals where new users can get a discount on QuickBooks Workforce by bundling it with a QuickBooks Online subscription. Be sure to check for these deals before purchasing.

Which QuickBooks Online Pricing Plan Is Right For Me?

	QuickBooks Free	QuickBooks Simple Start	QuickBooks Essentials	QuickBooks Plus	QuickBooks Advanced
Price	$0/month	$38/month	$75/month	$115/month	$275/month
Number Of Users	1	1	3	5	25
Invoicing	2 per month
Contact Management
Expense Tracking
Tax Support
Time Tracking
Accounts Payable
Project Management
Inventory
Advanced Reporting
Custom User Permissions
Priority Care Support

Here’s a quick breakdown when deciding which plan to choose:

• QuickBooks Free: Best for newer businesses that want to track income and expenses without paying a monthly fee
• QuickBooks Simple Start: Best for newer businesses that need basic accounting for one user and don’t need advanced features
• QuickBooks Essentials: Best for growing businesses that need time tracking and support for up to three users
• QuickBooks Plus: Best for businesses that want key features like inventory, project management, and support for up to five users
• QuickBooks Advanced: Best for larger businesses that need priority customer support, advanced reporting, and support for up to 25 users

QuickBooks Online plans are incredibly scalable, so you can start small and upgrade to a larger plan in the future.

How do you get the best deal on accounting software?

Chelsea Krause is a writer who specializes in accounting, payroll, and small business loans. She has been helping small business owners manage their finances since 2016. She is a QuickBooks Certified User and former eCommerce store owner. Her accounting expertise has been quoted in Forbes and her work appears in Startup Nation, Small Business Bonfire, and Women on Business. Chelsea graduated summa cum laude with a BA in English & Creative Writing from George Fox University and studied abroad at the University of Oxford as well.

Chelsea KrauseLead Staff Writer

To get the best deal on accounting software, start by understanding which features you really need so that you can choose the right plan. You don’t want to overpay for features you won’t use. Check if your accounting software offers a discount for annual payments instead of monthly payments, and don’t forget to write off your accounting subscription on your taxes.

The Bottom Line On QuickBooks Online Pricing

At the end of the day, the cost of QuickBooks Online depends on your business’s needs.

When calculating the cost for QuickBooks Online, remember that the monthly plan is just part of the cost. Payroll can add to your costs, and features like bookkeeping, checks and tax forms, integrations, and payment processing costs can add even more to your final bill.

Get Started With QuickBooks Online

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Erica Seppala

Editor & Senior Staff Writer at Merchant Maverick

Erica has been writing about small business finance and technology since 2008. She joined Merchant Maverick in 2018 and specializes in researching and reviewing business software, financial products, and other topics to help small businesses manage and grow their operations. Her expertise has been cited in MSN, Reader's Digest, Vox, U.S. News & World Report, and Real Simple. She is a Certified ProAdvisor for QuickBooks Online and QuickBooks Payroll, a graduate of Limestone University, and currently resides in Greenville, South Carolina.

View Erica Seppala's professional experience on LinkedIn.

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Need A Simple Accounting Solution?

FreshBooks	Start Trial Read our Review

This easy-to-use and feature-rich software is ideal if you have no bookkeeping experience and want top-notch customer support. Get Started.