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QuickBooks Desktop Pro Review
This tried and true accounting software has strong features, advanced accounting, and customizable reports, but its learning curve isn’t for the faint of heart.
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Expert Analyst & Reviewer
UPDATED
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QuickBooks Desktop Pro
| Total Rating | 4.0 |
|---|---|
| Pricing | Fair |
| Features | Excellent |
| Reviews | Good |
| Customer Service | Fair |
| Integrations | Good |
Pros
- Advanced features
- Ample accounting reports
- Excellent tax support
- On-premise
- Numerous integrations
- Double-entry accounting
Cons
- Steep learning curve
- Limited users
- PC-only
QuickBooks Desktop Pro Overview
QuickBooks Desktop Pro is one of the most popular names in accounting — and for good reason. This software offers strong accounting, an incredible number of features, and tons of reports and integrations. QuickBooks Desktop is a robust accounting option for small-to-mid-sized businesses with no more than three users.
While many users praise QuickBooks Pro’s strong feature set, customizability, and traditional accounting, it comes with an incredibly steep learning curve, which may not be suitable for some users who don’t have the experience or time to learn the software well. Users looking for software that’s easier to learn and use may want to bypass QuickBooks Desktop and instead check out an option like cloud-based QuickBooks Online. Poor customer support and limited users may also be downsides for some potential users.
QuickBooks Desktop Pro is ideal for businesses that want strong, traditional accounting, but is it right for your business? Keep reading our complete QuickBooks Pro review for a detailed look at QuickBooks’ pricing, features, user reviews, customer service, and more.
Table of Contents
- QuickBooks Desktop Pro Pricing
- Is QuickBooks Desktop Pro Easy To Use?
- QuickBooks Desktop Pro Features
- QuickBooks Desktop Pro Reviews
- QuickBooks Desktop Pro Customer Service
- QuickBooks Desktop Pro Integrations
- Is QuickBooks Desktop Pro Secure?
- The Final Verdict: Is QuickBooks Pro Worth It?
- QuickBooks Pro FAQs
QuickBooks Desktop Pro Pricing
| Plan | Price | When To Use |
|---|---|---|
| QuickBooks Pro Plus | $349.99/year | If you need robust accounting software for up to 3 users |
| QuickBooks Pro Plus + Payroll | $849.99/year | If you need robust accounting and payroll software |
QuickBooks Desktop Pro is locally-installed software. Beginning in 2021, QuickBooks Desktop Pro is only available as a paid annual subscription. Subscriptions will auto-renew each year, and you have the option to cancel at any time. If you cancel your subscription, you will no longer be able to use QuickBooks; however, you can still access your company data.
If you’re new to QuickBooks, discounts for the first year are always available, so make sure to check out the Intuit website for any current specials.
QuickBooks Desktop has two plans available:
QuickBooks Pro Plus
The QuickBooks Pro Plus plan costs $349.99/year and includes:
- One user
- Income tracking
- Expense tracking
- Contact management
- Invoices
- Estimates
- Accounts payable
- Budgeting
- Inventory management
- 120+ reports
- 200+ integrations
- Sales tax and tax form capabilities
- QuickBooks mobile app
- Unlimited customer support
- Automatic data backups and recovery
- Automatic updates
QuickBooks Pro Plus + Payroll
The QuickBooks Pro Plus + Payroll plan costs $849.99/year and includes everything from the Pro Plus plan, plus:
- QuickBooks Enhanced Payroll
Extra QuickBooks Desktop Pro Costs & Fees
| Extra Costs | Price |
|---|---|
| QuickBooks Payroll Annual Add-On | $500/year + $2/month per employee |
| QuickBooks Payroll Monthly Add-On | $30/month + $2/month per employee |
| Additional Users | $200/month per user |
| Right Networks Hosting | $59.99+/month per user |
While you can sign up for QuickBooks Pro Plus + Payroll, you can also add payroll to your QuickBooks Pro Plus plan. You can sign up for an annual payroll plan that costs $500/year + $2/month per employee. You can also opt for the monthly payroll plan, which costs $30/month + $2/month per employee. Read our post on QuickBooks Desktop Payroll Pricing & Features to learn more.
If you need more than one user, you can add up to three to your QuickBooks Desktop Pro plan. Additional users cost $200/year. For larger businesses, there is also QuickBooks Premier and QuickBooks Enterprise — both locally-installed programs that are incredibly similar to the desktop versions above. The only difference is that these plans support more users and offer industry-specific editions for different business types, such as construction, nonprofit, manufacturing, and more.
For users that want more mobility, QuickBooks partners with Right Networks to provide online servers. Pricing starts at $59.99/month per user.
Is QuickBooks Desktop Pro Easy To Use?
QuickBooks Pro has a notoriously steep learning curve, and it takes much more time to master than many of its cloud-based competitors. The software can be a bit confusing at first, and the setup process is quite involved. Still, once you invest time into it, everything falls into place, and using the software becomes easier and rewarding.
If you get stuck, QuickBooks offers phone support and has a recently redesigned help center with tons of how-to articles. The customer support can be hit or miss, which is why we’ve written our own QuickBooks Pro 101 Series with dozens of articles to help you learn to navigate the software step by step.
QuickBooks Desktop Pro Features
| Features | Availability |
|---|---|
| Invoicing | ✔ |
| Estimates | ✔ |
| Client Portal | ✔ |
| Contact Management | ✔ |
| Expense Tracking | ✔ |
| Bank Reconciliation | ✔ |
| Chart Of Accounts | ✔ |
| Accounts Payable | ✔ |
| Inventory | ✔ |
| Time Tracking | ✔ |
| Project Management | ✔ |
| Reporting | ✔ |
| Budgeting | ✔ |
| Tax Support | ✔ |
QuickBooks Desktop has everything you need to track and manage your finances like a pro. Although the number of features can be overwhelming — particularly if you’re new to accounting — users find that it’s well worth spending the time to learn the software to take advantage of its full functionality.
QuickBooks Desktop Pro is loaded with all of the accounting and bookkeeping features you’d expect and then some. Some of the software’s highlights include invoicing, bank reconciliation, time tracking, inventory management, project management, tax support, and budgeting. QuickBooks Desktop Pro also has over 130 reports, a customizable shortcuts menu for easier navigation, and numerous time-saving automations. Here are a few of the most notable features to expect from this software:
Invoices & Estimates
QuickBooks Desktop Pro has several customization and automation options to make creating and sending invoices and estimates easy. Notable features include:
- Four invoice templates
- Four estimate templates
- Customize font and color theme
- Layout Designer available for advanced customization
- Recurring invoices
- Batch invoices
- Batch estimates
- Invoice status tracking
- Convert estimates to invoices
- Automated payment reminders
- Consolidate multiple invoices in a single email
- Automatically add PO numbers to email subject lines
- Attach discounts, notes, and files
- Create packing slips, sales orders, and sales receipts
Bookkeeping
This double-entry accounting software is loaded with everything you need to balance the books, including:
- Enable live bank feeds, import bank statements, or manually enter transactions
- Bank reconciliation
- Categorize transactions
- Set custom bank rules
- Journal entries
- Customizable chart of accounts
- Pay bills
- Set up recurring bills
- Contact management
- Lead management
- To-do lists for customers and leads
- Check printing
- Letter templates
- Support for 155 currencies
Project Management
QuickBooks Desktop Pro helps you effectively track and manage your projects. Here’s what to expect from this feature:
- Add job types, descriptions, and start/end dates
- Basic job costing
QuickBooks Desktop Pro Reviews
Negative QuickBooks Pro Reviews & Complaints
Most users seem to have positive things to say about QuickBooks Pro overall. Still, even the positive reviews often have one con thrown in. Here are some of the recurring issues users bring up in their QuickBooks Desktop Pro reviews:
- Steep learning curve
- Poor customer service and long wait times
- Expensive pricing, especially when adding additional users or payroll
- Outdated UI
Positive QuickBooks Pro Reviews & Testimonials
Despite the complaints, QuickBooks Pro still supports thousands of satisfied users. Intuit gets an A+ rating on the BBB, while QuickBooks Pro specifically receives 4.3/5 stars on G2 Crowd (based on 1,000+ reviews), 4.3/5 stars on Capterra (based on 1,000+ reviews), and 8.4/10 stars on TrustRadius (based on 700+ reviews). Here are some of the most common praises of QuickBooks Pro:
- Offers numerous features
- Uses true accounting
- Easy to use and teach to others
- Great for keeping finances organized
QuickBooks Desktop Pro Customer Service
| Support Options | Availability |
|---|---|
| Phone Support | ✔ |
| X | |
| Support Tickets | X |
| Live Chat | ✔ |
| Dedicated Support Rep | X |
| Knowledgebase | ✔ |
| Videos & Tutorials | ✔ |
| Company Blog | ✔ |
| Social Media | ✔ |
Customer support is not Intuit’s strong suit. This company is notorious for long phone wait times and a lack of email support. While the company still has a ways to go, it has been working on improving its support options, including adding a call-back option to reduce long wait times. Intuit has also recently redesigned its Support Center and improved the in-software search bar to help you find answers to your questions. Customer support is included in your annual subscription at no additional cost.
When you reach a customer service rep, they are generally kind and helpful, but there can be a varying level of QuickBooks knowledge from person to person, according to user reviews.
QuickBooks Desktop Pro Integrations
QuickBooks Desktop Pro has over 240 integrations available for users; however, there aren’t very many payment processing options. For a larger payment gateway selection, consider checking out QuickBooks Online instead. An API is available for developers.
Is QuickBooks Desktop Pro Secure?
As locally-installed software, data security is primarily up to you (unless you are using QuickBooks Hosting). Read our How To Keep Your Locally-Installed Accounting Software Secure post to learn about protecting your data. QuickBooks also offers wonderful online resources for learning how to protect your computer.
The Final Verdict: Is QuickBooks Pro Worth It?
| QuickBooks Desktop Pro Review | |
|---|---|
| Business Size | Ideal for small to medium businesses with 3 or fewer users |
| Pricing | $349-$849/year |
| Choose If You Need | Strong accounting, advanced reporting, and ample integrations |
There’s a reason QuickBooks is one of the biggest names in the accounting and finance business. Given its incredibly robust and advanced set of features, is it any wonder so many users have been loyal to this product over the years? Strong accounting reports, customizable letter templates, and a large number of integrations are just icing on the cake.
QuickBooks Pro does have a steep learning curve, and the sheer number of features may be overkill for smaller businesses. QuickBooks Pro is not scalable for larger businesses, as it has a limited number of users. For businesses in need of mobility, cloud-based software such as QuickBooks Online vs. QuickBooks Desktop might be a better solution. QuickBooks Pro can also be expensive (especially if you add additional users or payroll), and users have reported instances of poor customer service.
All in all, QuickBooks Pro is a reliable, in-depth accounting tool that is suitable for many small businesses. If you still aren’t convinced that QuickBooks Pro is the right choice for your business, check out The Best Alternatives To QuickBooks Pro for more options or compare all QuickBooks products to determine the best fit.
QuickBooks Pro FAQs
Erica Seppala
Expert Analyst & Reviewer at Merchant Maverick
An expert in accounting, finance, and point of sale, Erica has been researching and writing about all things small-business since 2018. Erica's insights into personal and business finance have been cited in numerous publications, including MSN, Real Simple, and Reader's Digest. She is a graduate of Limestone College.
View Erica Seppala's professional experience on LinkedIn.
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The Merchant Maverick Seal of Approval 🏆
QuickBooks Desktop Pro |
|---|
After hours of in-depth research and evaluation, we can confidently recommend this brand to our readers. Get started today and see QuickBooks Desktop Pro for yourself.
The Merchant Maverick Seal of Approval 🏆
QuickBooks Desktop Pro |
|---|
After hours of in-depth research and evaluation, we can confidently recommend this brand to our readers. Get started today and see QuickBooks Desktop Pro for yourself.
Data for November and December 2021 have disappeared. Just like the “customer support”. Have payroll and disbursements due on Monday and still cannot find out how much income is available. I wish BS&A wasn’t so expensive, but after the last four months since “upgrading” to QB Desktop Pro Plus, it’s looking like a bargain. Some Pro Plus.
Organization Name: Startfoundations Ltd
Used QB Pro for a number of years, sadly QB support is NON Existent, just check their website, NO Online Chat, No Tech Support e-mail or contact No, they rely on a community of unpaid NON QB evangelists.Had a recent error during a VAT submission, now QB has errased ALL the VAT filings, and NO way to recover data, thus, placing company in conflict with HMRC.Found an old email address for customer service, ALL e-mails ignored (Not Bounced) QB is placing company at risk with HMRC, time to find an alternative?Pity.
This comment refers to an earlier version of this review and may be outdated.
Purchased QuickBook Desktop Pro 2019 in December 2018 and have been having issues with it since. I tried to return it today but it was past the 60 days. It does not connect to my software which is compatible and it does not allow me to upload my bank transactions which it is suppose to do. Every time I call for support they refuse to help because they want me to pay more money for support. I would not have purchased the program if I knew I had to pay extra for support. It is a shame that after paying so much for the program they are refusing to offer phone support. It is wasted money because I refuse to continue to use something that gives me a headache every time.
This comment refers to an earlier version of this review and may be outdated.
Organization Name: Metamora Golf & Country Club
Horrible! Have had nothing but issues importing my files into the 2019 quick books. Have spend countless hours with tech support getting no where!!!!!
This comment refers to an earlier version of this review and may be outdated.
Organization Name: Sirius Creative Inc.
I have been looking for an alternative to Quickbooks ever since I started using it, but never was able to find anything. I’ve never appreciated how they “sunset” needed features (like emailing invoices) in order to force you to rebuy their software. Or the way they force you to buy payroll subscriptions just to be able to download the most recent tax codes. They had a stranglehold on the market and bullied me into buying their software and payroll subscriptions year after year, for 20 years. I’ve finally cut the cord. I started using the online accounting software called Wave, and for my small business it’s been perfect! I highly recommend it over Quickbooks Pro. Best of all, I haven’t paid a cent for it. They have upgrade options, which I may use, but I’m doing everything I was doing in Quickbooks now for free. http://www.waveapps.com
This comment refers to an earlier version of this review and may be outdated.
Organization Name: Accounting Specialists
QB 2018 freezes every time I try and reconcile an account. Going back to 2016. Not worth the time!
This comment refers to an earlier version of this review and may be outdated.
Organization Name: Rowland Concrete
Our Accountant insisted we switch to Quick-books and it has been a disaster. We hate it. The nickle and dime you, do not answer questions. We are a construction company and we set up on Desktop Pro and we can not print or get T5018 a necessary government form. We are so disappointed.
This comment refers to an earlier version of this review and may be outdated.
Intuit’s multi-user pricing and policies are shady. Here are few things they say which we’ve determined are not true.- they say you can’t use Pro if you want to have more than 3 simultaneous users- they say you can’t have more that 5 separate users with Premier and that you have to buy EnterpriseHere’s what does appear to be true for a Premier based multi user environment- you can have as many separate users as you want but only 5 can be logged in at the same time- some of the users can be Pro. They don’t all have to be Premier Here’s what they want you to believe- if you want to have 6 separate users you have to buy Enterprise regardless of whether all six are using QB simultaneously. We’ve determined this is not true.Here’s what we have determined.- you can have as many users as you want and run them in a Premier multi-user environment as long as only 5 are using it simultaneously. Not all of those users have to be Premier. Some can be Pro. We currently have 6 Premier users. For the version we used before this we had 3 Premiers and 3 Pros. You can buy a 5 user license for QB Premier for around $1250 street. If you want to add one more user, what Intuit wants you to do is pay another $1200 – $1500 street for that 6th user. You only need to do that if all six users need to be logged in at the same time. But what they will tell you is that you need to purchase the Enterprise 10 user license, and that 6 users are not supported with Premier even if no more than 5 are logged in at any one time. Again we’ve determined that this is not true. I would term that shady business practice at best.
This comment refers to an earlier version of this review and may be outdated.
We upgraded in two different companies to the mandatory QuickBooks Pro 2016. In both case we previously had single user with shared files. When we upgraded we could no longer see it on the 2nd computer. When we called we were first told we needed to pay 69.99 for support. I argued that we should not have to pay support for an upgrade that they should help until it was running correctly. Then I was told that the new QuickBooks did not support sharing of files. I repeatedly asked to speak to a manager. Finally another person was put on the phone. Still not sure if she was a manager. I asked her why we should pay for support to fix the problem if their new version did not support sharing of files. I never really got an answer but did finally get a commitment that if they could not fix it 100% we would not be charged. We are waiting for someone to call us back for them to fix it. I still don’t understand if the program does not support why paying support would fix it. Every time we have had to call QuickBooks support for an issue that is their fault they want to charge. You end up on the phone with them for at least 2 hours.
This comment refers to an earlier version of this review and may be outdated.