If you plan on doing some accounting while at the beach or in a hotel room, don’t expect to do it efficiently or effectively with the QuickBooks Desktop mobile app. The QuickBooks Online mobile and desktop apps are worlds apart – the Quickbooks Online mobile app is generally seen as being leaps and bounds better than the mobile app for QuickBooks Desktop. The Desktop-specific mobile app has minimal functionality and is mostly used for receipt uploading and other basic tasks.

• In contrast, as your needs evolve, you may upgrade to any of the QuickBooks Desktop editions.
• While both QuickBooks Online and Desktop are supported by a large network of independent ProAdvisors, it’s much easier to share your books with your ProAdvisor using QuickBooks Online.
• Hundreds of thousands of small companies across the world rely on QuickBooks to keep track of their finances.
• However, this may not be the type of audit trail your company desires.

You can use the trial version of QB Desktop to access your historical data for good if needed. Pramod has over 11 years of experience relating to finance and accounts in diversified industries. He is an expert in resource and process optimization resulting in greater operational top 11 small business accounting tips to save you time and money efficiencies. 2) I want to connect the QuickBooks desktop data fetch from DB so for that any API that is provided by you or any other reference kindly connect. Both platforms offer a free 30-day trial that you can use to get familiar with the software before paying.

No-Code Data Pipeline For QuickBooks

Find out more about the best apps to integrate with your client’s QuickBooks Online software. You can use either QuickBooks Online or QuickBooks Desktop, but not both. You can, however, switch your business’s account from QuickBooks Desktop to QuickBooks Online without losing your data. Intuit and QuickBooks Online also offer a mileage and expense tracking app called QuickBooks Self-Employed.

QuickBooks Desktop Premier and Quickbooks Desktop Enterprise have even more reports (especially if you opt for the industry-specific versions of these programs). Four pricing plans for QuickBooks Online are available, ranging from $30 to $200/month (with an additional $45+/month for payroll). The main difference between QuickBooks Online and QuickBooks Desktop is that QuickBooks Online is cloud-based accounting software, and QuickBooks Desktop is locally installed. In the battle between QuickBooks Online versus Desktop, it’s best to focus on the differences between the two accounting software options since they are so similar.

• QuickBooks Desktop is on-premises accounting software with optional remote access through an internet connection.
• QuickBooks Online is a subscription-based software with a monthly fee.
• QuickBooks Online is easier to learn and use on a daily basis with the accessibility of offers across multiple devices and the number of available automations and applications.
• If you need more users than that, you can contact QuickBooks Online’s customer support to see if you can create a custom plan with custom user access.
• There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase, a SQL command or malformed data.

QuickBooks Online and Desktop both offer excellent income and expense tracking and bank reconciliation tools. However, we found notable differences in various features, discussed in the sections below. We believe everyone should be able to make financial decisions with confidence. QuickBooks Desktop wins this, offering more reporting options as well as industry-specific reports and forecasting options not offered in QuickBooks Online. Support options are fairly similar for both QuickBooks Online and QuickBooks Desktop, with the more expensive plans offering better support options. Both offer strong accounting, though QuickBooks Desktop has more features and is more customizable, whereas QuickBooks Online has more automations and is easier to learn and use.

QuickBooks Online vs. QuickBooks Desktop features

However, when it comes to intricate financial management, predefined user roles, and capacity for growth, QuickBooks Enterprise does hold an edge. That said, businesses just starting out or those who prioritize mobility might find QuickBooks Online a better fit. Keep in mind these are for concurrent users, or users that require access at the same time. It is completely possible (and even encouraged) to have users share the same logins in order to save on software expenses.

Windows & Mac support

While not an ERP software in the traditional sense, QuickBooks Enterprise brands itself as an “ERP alternative” and is truly an all-in-one solution for business management. Another significant distinction between QuickBooks Desktop and QuickBooks Online is customer service. You may either pay $299.99 for a yearly customer care package or upgrade to Pro Plus or Premier Plus if you want technical support. In contrast, QuickBooks Online users can contact customer service by phone or online easily.

QuickBooks Online vs Desktop: 9 Critical Differentiators

You can easily connect to any third-party app from within the application, saving you a ton of time in the process. QuickBooks Online offers a variety of pricing plans, which range from $12 to $75 for the first three months. QuickBooks Online and QuickBooks Desktop have very different pricing structures, with QuickBooks Online available by a monthly subscription, while QuickBooks Desktop has an annual cost. QuickBooks Desktop also offers easy integration with QuickBooks Payments so you can accept online payments from customers. During the setup process, you can choose the features and functions that you will likely be using in QuickBooks Online.

QuickBooks Desktop Pro may be cheaper if you do not need additional users or add-ons such as payroll. These versions give business owners more features and reports geared toward their industry. You can learn more in our guide to the industry-specific editions of QuickBooks Enterprise. QuickBooks Online is a subscription-based business model with numerous price tiers that each offer varying levels of capabilities. Some customers prefer the monthly payments because of their flexibility. Because it is a cloud-based service, you may access your data from any location at any time using any internet-connected device.

Assisted Bookkeeping (Winner: QuickBooks Online)

When comparing the platforms, the first thing you notice is the design. QuickBooks Online boasts a user-friendly, intuitive design, while QuickBooks Desktop looks quite antiquated and summons memories from the mid 2000s. Conversely, many classic QuickBooks Desktop tools can’t be found in the online version. Here are some of the key differences between QuickBooks Desktop and QuickBooks Online.

If you are currently using QuickBooks Online and want to switch to an interface similar to QuickBooks Desktop, we recommend using the QuickBooks Online Desktop app. Read our article on what the QuickBooks Online Desktop app is to learn more. With QuickBooks Desktop, you must make an Accountant’s Copy of your data file and send it to your ProAdvisor.

QuickBooks Desktop is preferable for companies that want to manage their books without an internet connection. It’s also a better option for businesses requiring complex inventory accounting features. Meanwhile, QuickBooks Desktop gets more praise for strong functionality, such as inventory accounting and the ability to generate advanced reports. One user is happy that they can set up different reports so that they can see what and who needs to be paid easily. Those who have left negative reviews dislike that it doesn’t offer many third-party integration options.

QuickBooks Services

QuickBooks Desktop is desktop based, meaning you’ll buy a hard copy of QuickBooks’ software, then download that software once onto a single device. The maximum amount of users you can have with a QuickBooks Online subscription is 25 (plus an accountant). If you need more users than that, you can contact QuickBooks Online’s customer support to see if you can create a custom plan with custom user access. Otherwise, you’ll need QuickBooks Desktop Enterprise, which supports up to 40 users. For instance, if you choose the Simple Start plan, you’re the only person who can use the software—apart from your accountant, with whom you can share your business’s account at no additional cost.