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 the difference between QuickBooks Desktop and QuickBooks Online?
- How much does QuickBooks Online cost?
- What is QuickBooks Online used for?
- What are the advantages of QuickBooks Online?
- Is QuickBooks Online easy to learn?
- Is QuickBooks Online being discontinued?
- How does QuickBooks Online compare to Wave?
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 | $55/month | If you need time tracking and have up to 3 users |
QuickBooks Online Plus | $85/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 $55 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 $85 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 $5+/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 + $5-$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.
Are you interested in accepting online payments from your customers? Read our comprehensive merchant account reviews to learn the pros and cons of popular providers and see which payment processing option is best for your business.
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. Check out our full Xero VS QuickBooks comparison to see which program is the better fit for you.
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. See the detailed breakdown of each software option by checking out our FreshBooks VS QuickBooks comparison.
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.
Organization Name: Fayette st oyster house
The neww Quick books on line is a disaster. I have been using in for over 6 years. The new update is horrible. Looking for a new accounting system now. Don’t buy!
This comment refers to an earlier version of this review and may be outdated.
Organization Name: I have 4 Businesses
Their 4.5 star rating is because they allow NO ONE to enter reviews…..only those THEY choose, or make up. Look on other sites and do your homework! I would recommend DOING A LOT of homework! Pay more, go to a place that isn’t a game!
This comment refers to an earlier version of this review and may be outdated.
Hi Noreen,
Thanks for posting your concerns. The scores we provide are based on our Rating and Scoring System. You are correct that they aren’t an accumulation or average of ratings left in the comments here. We offer the option for users to leave scores based on their own experiences, and to share with other small business owners, but they do not alter the score we have established. Regarding approving comments, we do have to screen comments for authenticity, as we receive an unfortunate number of fake reviews and spam. We’ve also established some basic rules that we ask commenters to follow to keep our blog a safe and helpful place. Here is a link to our comment guidelines, if you’d like more info on the approval process.
This comment refers to an earlier version of this review and may be outdated.
Organization Name: 91-1293225
Last month I got an email telling me I needed to update the software for my credit card reader. I called QB and verified it was legit.When I downloaded the update it hung up and now the card reader doesn’t work at all.I have spent several hours on the phone (4 or 5 different times and people) and emailed.The last response was that it is a known problem that they are working on 24/7. (that has been at least 3 weeks ago.)I asked for credit card fees to be billed at the lower swiped/scanned rate, rather than the keyed in rate. I was told my request would be forwarded to the appropriate department. I have had no replies.In November, there were two $70 charges on my bank statement to Intuit. I called and after several tries was told it was a mistake and would be credited back.No credit yet.I am not happy with Intuit’s customer service.
This comment refers to an earlier version of this review and may be outdated.
Organization Name: Bolton Specialty Coatings,LLC
I absolutely hate quickbooks. If someone told me they worked for anything associated with them, Id punch them in the nose.The price continues to climb, yet it only gets worse. Ive been trying to change my business address since September, no matter what I do it wont save it. I have to manually correct every single invoice. Customer service is non existing. Not a single return call, or response to multiple requests for help. Im thinking they need a few glitter bombs mailed to them.
This comment refers to an earlier version of this review and may be outdated.
Organization Name: NY WHOLESALE INTERCOM GROUP CORP
I am very upset at quickbooks , the help they have are learning as they go . i upgraged to the 2022 because the quickbooks help said in the newer version they might have that feature . The feature i was looking for was when you send your customers a open balance report it doesnt populate the accounting dept who should get the bills . a big mistake to update not only that she started to upgrade my simple but she never did a back up . then in the middle of the back up i asked her if she did a back up and she told me i can do it now . in took two months to correct the program with the bummling idiots .i still have a problem they cannot fix and dont return my calls . when you ship a package ups thru quickbooks you get a error legacy wrapper 32 . the quickbooks should work on a 32 bit and a 64 bit machine , ups says its quickbooks and quickbooks say its ups . i pay 2200 for the program and support for a year . i have been on line and i get no results with their help . i did intitut glance too many times to count .
This comment refers to an earlier version of this review and may be outdated.
Organization Name: Digitized Logos, Inc.
I’ve been using the Quickbooks desktop version for at least 15 years. I recently moved to the Online version. IT IS THE WORST! Their tech support has very little knowledge. I’ve personally spent 15-20 hours with tech support to no avail – many features still do not work. I would not recommend this product to anyone.
This comment refers to an earlier version of this review and may be outdated.
Organization Name: Iyer Law Office, LLC
The real problem is that the invoicing by email is discontinued after 3 year from the original date Next the credit card processing is similarly discontinued after 3 years from the original release date.This is after you have paid for the program and not on a monthly fee or online free basis. They do not make a disclosure of this when they sell the product.Finally, they issue updates every 3 years but the updates have only cosmetic features that have note real value. Then they want you to pay full price for useless features. Seems ike a scam.
This comment refers to an earlier version of this review and may be outdated.
Hi V,
Thank you for coming to our blog to share your experience! It seems that your review is intended for QuickBooks Desktop, as opposed to QuickBooks Online though. I just wanted to clarify that for our readers. Here is a recent release on QuickBooks Desktop if you’d like to re-post your feedback there. And as a side note, I’m so sorry to hear you’ve had such a frustrating experience with them. If you’d like to see how they compare to their competitors, you can check out our comparison chart. You may find a better-suited accounting solution for your business! Best wishes 🙂
This comment refers to an earlier version of this review and may be outdated.
Organization Name: PSC
I just had another bad experience with customer service. I have 2 businesses I use QuickBooks software for. I had issues a few years ago that when I wanted to link my company credit card to my QBO account they say and advertise that they can do that, however they could not link mine and I had to download my statements and pay for software that would convert it so I could import it manually. A cost I should not have had to incur. They said they are working on the issue. Fair enough. Nothings perfect. Today I looked at my other company which I have not been using for a while now and I had no transactions from year 2020. My account is linked properly and gives me no warnings at all when i update. It actually shows the correct balance with my bank account but will not import any transactions from 2020. I called them and the gentleman looked into it and said there were a lot of errors and continued to blame my computer as it was a glitch or power outage. How is that possible when its online based and it syncs to my bank account grabbing the information right when I ask it too. (with the update feature) They are deflecting from the real issue which is software problems. I’ve had a total of 3 rather large issues with QBO this being 2 of them. If my book keeper wasn’t a genius and didn’t know QBO inside and out I would pull off and never go back. The idea of customer service is supposed to be help us figure out the problem and not blindly blame us for the problem. Customer service is horrible and ill never recommend QBO to anyone.
This comment refers to an earlier version of this review and may be outdated.
Organization Name: Michelle Jones Accountant LLC
Do NOT use their premium payroll. It’s expensive and their customer service is horrible. I spent almost 4 hours trying to get an answer to a simple question about a 941 form they filed. They kept transferring me around to various people and every single time they couldn’t find the 941 form I had a question on. I had to do a screenshare to show them where it was! I got disconnected three times and they never called back. They also told me that I would have to talk to the IRS at one point. I refused and told them that they were filing these forms on our behalf, they were doing the calculations so they should be able to answer my questions. I asked several times to talk to a supervisor and they wouldn’t transfer me to one. They just said that they could put in a request for a supervisor to call me back in 24-48 hours! It was just unbelievable how horrible it was.
This comment refers to an earlier version of this review and may be outdated.
Organization Name: Financial Connections
QuickBooks has awful customer service. Every time I have tried to chat with someone, it takes several hours and they do not understand simple questions.
Since just before the beginning of 2021, QuickBooks has been making changes to their system. They are implanting changes before they even understand what is going on. Such as the payroll taxes. They want you to have them pay them, but they do not calculate correctly, so you are always having to go back and make adjustments in QuickBooks and with the State or Federal government.
This comment refers to an earlier version of this review and may be outdated.
Organization Name: LAM Design
This site has no credibility whatsoever. They are clearly paid to say something good about a program that has nothing good to it. The support is abysmal, untrained, unprofessional, unknowledgeable, will waste more hours of your day that you can imagine. It is a travesty of a program for no reason other than QBO decided to pull all trained support in tier levels that real accountants use on the desktop version. It is absolutely not worth buying, please don’t subscribe and waste your money – you will have an ulcer by the time your done. An abacus would be better than using this travesty of a program.
This comment refers to an earlier version of this review and may be outdated.
Hi Karen,
Thank you for sharing your QBO feedback with other small business owners so they can make informed decisions! That is exactly why we open up our blog for reader comments–to allow the business community to share their real-life experiences with the service providers that we review. We definitely agree with you- QBO is NOT for every business (as evidenced by the comments here)! It’s no secret that their customer service has a bad rap and there are certainly no shortage of complaints. We do our best to cover the good, the bad and the ugly!
(As a side note: we are never EVER paid for reviews— we have developed a rating and scoring system that determines the score we give.)
This comment refers to an earlier version of this review and may be outdated.