QuickBooks Online Review
QuickBooks Online is cloud-based accounting software that has the complex accounting capabilities small business owners need.
QuickBooks Online
Total Rating | 4.5 |
---|---|
Pricing | Fair |
Features | Excellent |
Customer Service | Fair |
Integrations | Excellent |
Reviews | Good |
Accounting Method
Accrual & Cash BasisPricing
$30 - $200/monthBusiness Size
Small to medium businesses with up to 25 usersQuickBooks Online At A Glance
- Cloud-based accounting software that supports up to 25 users
- Offers a wide range of accounting features suited for small- to medium-sized businesses
- Has 650+ integrations to connect with other business apps and software
Pros
- Numerous features
- Advanced invoicing features
- Easy to use
- 650+ integrations
- Good mobile apps
Cons
- Occasionally unintuitive
- Expensive
- Fair customer support
Table of Contents
- What Is QuickBooks Online?
- QuickBooks Online Review Video
- QuickBooks Online Pricing
- Is QuickBooks Online Easy To Use?
- QuickBooks Online Features
- QuickBooks Online Customer Service
- QuickBooks Online Integrations
- QuickBooks Online Reviews
- Is QuickBooks Online Secure?
- How Does QuickBooks Online Compare To Other Accounting Software?
- Final Verdict: Is QuickBooks Online Worth It?
- QuickBooks Online FAQs
What Is QuickBooks Online?
QuickBooks Online is cloud-based accounting software that boasts strong reporting, customizable invoices, inventory management, multiple currencies, and over 650 integrations. Additionally, QuickBooks Online offers several features that you can’t get with the more traditional QuickBooks Desktop (such as automatic sales receipts, split transactions, scheduled invoices, and location and class categories). Add in mobility, an easy-to-use UI, and extras, such as QuickBooks Capital lending and the QuickBooks Live Bookkeeping add-on, and it’s easy to see why this software is a top choice among small business owners.
While the software is easier to use than its locally-installed counterparts, there is a semi-steep learning curve, and you may face occasional navigational difficulties. If you need help, lengthy support wait times can be frustrating. Pricing increases throughout the years also make QuickBooks Online an expensive choice for some businesses. However, QuickBooks Online may be the ideal solution for businesses that want lots of features in easy-to-use, cloud-based software.
QuickBooks Online Review Video
Don’t have time to read our whole QuickBooks Online review? Watch this quick video to see why we recommend QuickBooks Online.
QuickBooks Online Pricing
QuickBooks Online Plans | Price | When To Use |
---|---|---|
QuickBooks Online Simple Start | $30/month | If you need basic accounting and have just 1 user |
QuickBooks Online Essentials | $60/month | If you need time tracking and have up to 3 users |
QuickBooks Online Plus | $90/month | If you need project management and inventory and have up to 5 users |
QuickBooks Online Advanced | $200/month | If you need more advanced features and reporting and have up to 25 users |
QuickBooks Online has four pricing tiers. The more expensive plans include additional users, in-depth reporting, and advanced features. QuickBooks Online offers a 30-day free trial of three of its plans, a test drive account of QuickBooks Plus, and a demo of its Advanced plan. No credit card information or contracts are required, and you can cancel the service at any time.
If you’re looking to save money, you’re in luck. Intuit is constantly offering discounts for QuickBooks Online, so be sure to check for any current promotions.
Note: Discounts are invalid if a customer uses the free 30-day trial before purchasing.
QuickBooks Online Simple Start Plan
QuickBooks Online’s Simple Start plan costs $30 per month and includes:
- Unlimited invoices
- Unlimited estimates
- Expense tracking
- Live bank feeds
- Reports
- Mileage tracking
- Integrations with 650+ apps
- 1099 tax support
- One user
QuickBooks Online Essentials Plan
QuickBooks Online’s Essentials plan costs $60 per month and includes everything in the Simple Start plan, plus:
- Accounts payable
- Time tracking
- Three users
QuickBooks Online Plus Plan
QuickBooks Online’s Plus plan costs $90 per month and includes everything in the Essentials plan, plus:
- Inventory
- Project management
- Class tracking
- Five users
QuickBooks Online Advanced Plan
QuickBooks Online’s Advanced plan costs $200 per month and includes everything in the Plus plan, plus:
- A Fathom subscription for advanced reporting and analytics
- Custom user permissions
- Automated workflows
- A dedicated customer success manager
- Priority Care
- On-demand online QuickBooks training
- Exclusive premium apps
- 25 users
Extra QuickBooks Online Costs & Fees
QuickBooks Online Extra Costs | Price |
---|---|
QuickBooks Online Payroll | $45+/month plus $6+/month per employee |
QuickBooks Payments | 2.4%+ plus $0.25 per transaction |
Custom Invoice Template | $4.99 |
Tax Filing | $14.99+ |
QuickBooks Live Bookkeeping | $200+/month |
Contractor Payments | $15/month |
*Note that QuickBooks Online Payroll has three pricing tiers. The pricing listed in the table above is for the Core plan, which is the cheapest option. The pricing goes up with the Premium and Elite plans.
While your QuickBooks Online plan includes most of the features you’d expect from accounting software, there are a few additional add-ons available. QuickBooks Payroll is one of the most popular, with prices ranging from $45-$125/month + $6-$10/month per employee. You can also purchase a custom invoice template for $4.99 or pay for e-filing services, which start at $14.99. QuickBooks Contractor Payments is a new add-on that’s ideal for businesses that pay 1099 contractors. This service starts at $15/month for up to 20 contractors.
If you want to outsource your bookkeeping tasks, such as categorizing transactions, reconciling accounts, reviewing your financials, and closing the books, you can pay for QuickBooks Live Bookkeeping. This service matches you with a personal Certified QuickBooks Advisor and accounting expert, and you can schedule a video chat from within QBO. Prices range from $200 to $600 per month and are based on the dollar amount of your monthly expenses.
Is QuickBooks Online Easy To Use?
For the most part, QuickBooks Online is intuitive and easy to use. The UI has a beautiful design, though the organization could still be improved. Some features are hidden in settings and are frustratingly difficult to find, but the built-in help button can make it easier to discover what you’re looking for.
QuickBooks Online Features
QuickBooks Online Features | Availability |
---|---|
Budgeting | Plus plan and up |
Tax Support | |
Invoicing | |
Estimates | |
Client Portal | |
Contact Management | |
Expense Tracking | |
Bank Reconciliation | |
Chart Of Accounts | |
Accounts Payable | Essentials plan and up |
Inventory | Plus plan and up |
Time Tracking | Essentials plan and up |
Project Management | Plus plan and up |
Number Of Reports | 80+ |
QBO has everything you’d expect from accounting or bookkeeping software, including expense tracking, bank reconciliation, journal entries, class tracking, and more. You can create invoices, estimates, purchase orders, and sales receipts. Additionally, there are numerous time-saving automations, such as recurring invoices and auto-scheduling. QuickBooks users can also easily apply for funding through the built-in lending platform QuickBooks Capital.
While all plans include basic accounting features, you can upgrade your plan for more advanced features. These include time tracking, project management, inventory management, budgeting, and more. QuickBooks also has 80+ reports and tax support, including e-filing for an additional fee. Let’s take a closer look at the features that QBO offers.
QuickBooks Online Customer Service
QuickBooks Online Support | Availability |
---|---|
Phone Support | |
Email Support | |
Support Tickets | |
Live Chat | |
Dedicated Support Representative | Advanced plan only |
Knowledge Base or Help Center | |
Videos & Tutorials | |
Company Blog | |
Social Media |
One major drawback of QuickBooks Online is that there is no email support. However, QuickBooks Online offers phone support from 6 AM to 6 PM PST, Monday through Friday; Saturday hours are 6 AM to 3 PM PST.
As far as the quality of customer support, QuickBooks Online users are split. Some users state that they received the help they needed quickly and without any issues. Many users, however, have voiced complaints of not receiving the answers they were seeking or getting cut off during phone calls or live chats.
QuickBooks Online Integrations
QuickBooks Online has over 650 integrations, including 25 different payment processing options (such as QuickBooks Payments). The QuickBooks Online Advanced plan also comes with a built-in Fathom integration at no extra cost. Additionally, QuickBooks Online Advanced subscribers now have access to premium apps. API is also available for developers.
QuickBooks Online Reviews
QuickBooks Online has many positive reviews from its users. Intuit is not accredited by the BBB but has an A- rating. QuickBooks Online, specifically, receives 4.3/5 stars on GetApp and 4/5 stars on G2 Crowd. The mobile apps rank highly with Android users (4/5 stars) and iOS users (4.7/5 stars).
Although many customers like QuickBooks Online, there are a few significant shortcomings to the software. Frequent complaints about the software running slow have been addressed, but other problems have risen to replace this issue, like poor customer support and bugs on the mobile app.
Negative QuickBooks Online Reviews & Complaints
- Poor customer support and long wait times
- Bugs and crashes, especially on the mobile apps
- Expensive monthly cost
- Not as many features as QuickBooks Desktop
Positive QuickBooks Online Reviews
- Increased mobility with cloud-based software and mobile apps
- Numerous features and good accounting
- Easier to use than QuickBooks Desktop
- Multiple automations help save time
- Over 650 integrations to connect other business apps and software
Is QuickBooks Online Secure?
QuickBooks Online has a number of measures in place to keep your data secure, including:
- 128-bit SSL encryption
- Multifactor authentication
- Physical safeguards at the Tier 4 data center
- Routine testing
How Does QuickBooks Online Compare To Other Accounting Software?
QuickBooks Online | Xero | FreshBooks | |
---|---|---|---|
Price | $30-$200/month | $12-$65/month | $15-$55/month |
Business Size | Small To Medium | Medium To Large | Small To Medium |
Number Of Users | 1 to 25 | Unlimited | 1 |
Accounting Method | Accrual & Cash-Basis | Accrual & Cash-Basis | Accrual |
Quality Of Features | Excellent | Excellent | Fair |
Quality Of Support | Fair | Fair | Excellent |
When comparing QuickBooks Online with two of its top competitors, Xero and FreshBooks, there are some areas where QBO comes out on top. In terms of features, integrations, reporting, and ease of use, QuickBooks holds its own. On the other hand, if you want better customer support or potentially lower pricing, Xero or FreshBooks may be a better fit. Take a look at our comparisons to see how each program stacks up against the others.
QuickBooks Online VS Xero
When it comes to features and integrations, QuickBooks Online and Xero are pretty evenly matched. However, Xero has a few advantages because it supports unlimited users at no additional cost, making it a solid choice for larger businesses. On the other hand, QuickBooks is easier to learn, has strong mobile apps, and has tax support.
QuickBooks Online VS FreshBooks
One thing that FreshBooks has that QBO lacks is excellent customer support. It may also be a more affordable option provided you don’t have many users, as FreshBooks charges an additional fee per user. QuickBooks Online outperforms FreshBooks in many other areas, including advanced features and reporting.
Final Verdict: Is QuickBooks Online Worth It?
QuickBooks Online Review Summary | |
---|---|
Accounting Method | Accrual & Cash Basis |
Pricing | $30 - $200/month |
Pricing | $30 - $200/month |
Choose If You Need |
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QuickBooks Online comes with a wide breadth of features and has the complex accounting capabilities that small business owners need. The software offers an impressive number of integrations. QuickBooks Online also has a few unique features you won’t find elsewhere, such as QuickBooks Live Bookkeeping service and QuickBooks Capital built-in lending.
One of the biggest issues you’ll find with QuickBooks is poor customer support. There are also a few kinks in how the software is organized, and the software can be a little expensive, especially if you upgrade to the Advanced plan for more features and users. However, the sheer number of features and strong accounting still make QuickBooks Online a good option for small businesses.
Overall, QuickBooks Online has a lot to offer in terms of features, accounting, and usability. Take the software for a spin to see if QuickBooks Online is right for your small business.
QuickBooks Online FAQs
The Merchant Maverick Seal of Approval 🏆
QuickBooks Online |
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After hours of in-depth research and evaluation, we can confidently recommend this brand to our readers. Get started today and see QuickBooks Online for yourself.
The Merchant Maverick Seal of Approval 🏆
QuickBooks Online |
---|
After hours of in-depth research and evaluation, we can confidently recommend this brand to our readers. Get started today and see QuickBooks Online for yourself.