QuickBooks Online Pricing: How Much Does QuickBooks Cost in 2025?

QuickBooks Online’s pricing starts at $20 per month for the Solopreneur plan, and goes up to $235 per month for the Advanced plan. If you operate in a specific industry like hospitality, it might be worth exploring the best accounting software for hospitality businesses to find options tailored to your unique needs.

QuickBooks is currently offering 50% off its plans for the first 3 months, after which it will revert to the standard pricing listed above. On top of that, you’ll have to forego the 30-day free trial to get access to these lower prices.

Read on for a breakdown of QuickBooks Online plans and costs, along with guidance on which package is right for your business. From pros and cons to hidden fees and add-ons, we’ll explain everything you need to know about this top-rated accounting software and its pricing.

In this guide:

• QuickBooks Online Pricing Plans
• Who Is QuickBooks Best For?
• QuickBooks Additional Fees
• QuickBooks Online vs QuickBooks Desktop
• Integrations & Payment Gateways
• Which QuickBooks Online Pricing Plan Is Right For Me?
• Our Methodology: How We Evaluated QuickBooks as the Best
• Verdict – Is QuickBooks Online Good Value?

QuickBooks Online Pricing Plans

QuickBooks Online pricing offers five main plans, plus a host of add-ons for an extra monthly charge.

There are no contracts, monthly and annual payments cost the same, and all plans are available through a 30-day free trial, which is useful for letting potential customers try it out first. QuickBooks is also currently running a special deal: opt out of starting with the free trial, and you can get your first three months half price.

Here are the prices and features for each plan.

• Solopreneur Plan (1 user) – $20 per month 
• Simple Start Plan (1 user) – $35 per month 
• Essentials Plan (3 users) – $65 per month
• Plus Plan (5 users) – $99 per month 
• Advanced Plan (25 users) – $235 per month 

QuickBooks Online Solopreneur plan

First, there’s the Solopreneur plan. Formerly the Self-Employed plan, this is available for $20 per month (currently discounted to $10 per month for the first three months) – and supports a single user.

This plan is designed for freelancers who file a Schedule C IRS form to report their income as sole proprietor.

Key features are the ability to track income and expenses, photograph and organize receipts, estimate quarterly taxes, send invoices, accept payments, create basic reports, and track miles on the mobile app. 61% of freelancers today say their biggest problem is landing clients, so streamlining their process can clear room in their schedule to pursue their next gig.

Features that are not included in the self-employed plan, but are available with the Simple Start plan, include sales and sales tax tracking, 1099 contractor management, and the ability to create and send estimates.

See how QuickBooks compares to a key rival in our QuickBooks vs FreshBooks head-to-head guide.

We were able to create in-depth reporting dashboards with QuickBooks, but the learning curve was a bit steep. Source: Tech.co testing

QuickBooks Online Simple Start plan

The QuickBooks Simple Start plan costs $35 per month (currently discounted to $17.50 per month for the first three months) – and also supports one user.

This plan is best for small businesses, whether an LLC run by just one individual or a simple partnership. It’ll help someone keep their accounting data in one place, although it doesn’t offer many bells and whistles that could be useful for a larger operation.

Simple Starts includes all the features from the Self-employed Plan but adds a range of helpful additions covering everything from basic bookkeeping to budgeting. For example, you can start recording fixed assets. You can also create a supplier database and generate purchase orders to help manage your accounts payable.

Similarly, you can create a client database and track overdue client payments to keep on top of who owes you what. Finally, you can start creating budgets and cash flow projections based on your client and supplier information.

You can create an unlimited number of invoices and estimates, track your expenses and manage up to 1,099 contractors. You can bring live bank feeds into your account and access a range of third-party integrations.

Reporting tools are available on the Simple Start plan but they are a bit limited. Vehicle tracking is included, too, should you need to invoice for fuel and driving time for any job.

QuickBooks provides a clear interface for editing an invoice. Source: Tech.co testing

QuickBooks Online Essentials plan

The Essentials plan costs $65 per month (currently discounted to $32.50 per month for the first three months) – supports three users and brings a range of accounts payable functions to small businesses compared to the Simple Start plan.

The Essentials plan is a great fit for growing small businesses that have an increased number of suppliers, employees, and clients. You’ll be able to track bills, set up recurring billing, track expenses, record payments in multiple currencies, and scan bills to keep abreast of all the money your company is owed.

Time tracking is another new feature this plan offers. With it, users can track their billable hours, categorizing them under the correct client and employee, while automatically adding them to invoices. These hours can be added by the manager manually, though the employee in question can also be given permission to add their hours themselves.

QuickBooks made it simple for us to track expenses right in the platform. Source: Tech.co testing

QuickBooks Online Plus plan

The QuickBooks Plus plan costs $99 per month (currently discounted to $49.50 per month for the first three months) – supports five users, and includes several advanced features compared to the Essentials plan.

The Plus plan is best for mid-sized businesses that need to manage the complexities of billable hours across a raft of clients, as well as any businesses with an inventory of products or a growing number of ongoing projects that would be tough to manage otherwise.

The ability to track project profitability is another big benefit to this plan: A project management feature gives users a single location to view all projects, letting them see any given project’s labor costs, payroll, and expenses, in order to efficiently track project profitability and generate reports.

Under the Plus plan, products and the cost of goods can also be managed, with automatic notifications signaling when certain inventory is low and needs to be reordered. Product data can be imported from Excel or synced with Amazon, Shopify, Etsy, and other platforms.

QuickBooks Online Advanced plan

The QuickBooks Advanced plan offers the most features for the highest cost: It’s $235 per month (currently discounted to $117.50 per month for the first three months) – supporting 25 users.

QuickBooks Advanced is best for enterprise businesses with support for extra users and new features which help businesses operate more efficiently at scale. For example, it brings a dedicated account manager, priority customer support, customer user permissions, and online training courses.

It also supports batch importing, to help a single user create, edit, and send multiple invoices, checks, expenses, or bills. You can also automate key accounting tasks such as setting reminders for invoices, payments, or deposits. You can automatically notify customers when their payments have been received and you can route invoices through pre-set approval flows.

You can track KPIs with in-depth analysis tools, consolidate data from multiple companies into singular reports, and compare different companies, clients, or franchises. You also get access to exclusive premium apps such as LeanLaw, HubSpot, DocuSign, Bill.com, Salesforce, and more.

We were able to check sales invoices and get a clear look at our financial situation with QuickBooks. Source: Tech.co testing

Who Is QuickBooks Best For?

In our research, we found that QuickBooks Online was one of the top accounting platforms for businesses of all sizes. It offers solid core accounting and operational efficiency features at a moderately competitive price, particularly with the 50% off deal for the first three months. On top of that, it provides the best help and support options in our research, with 24/7 chatbot assistance and regularly available human representatives, even on the weekend.

More specifically, QuickBooks is best for businesses that require advanced financial insights, thanks to its thoroughly customizable analytics tools, like cash flow projections. The platform also allows you to create reporting templates from scratch, so you can create in-depth dashboards that track all the information and data you actually need.

We also found QuickBooks to be a robust tool when it comes to automation. By using features like email previews and pre-populated fields, the platform substantially reduced the manual effort it usually takes to make an accounting software worth it. This makes QuickBooks an excellent option for businesses that need to save a bit of time.

However, all these workflows can be a bit difficult to set up, which means that businesses that are new to accounting software — or don’t have time to dedicate to learning it — might have a bit of trouble.

QuickBooks Online Additional Fees and Features

That’s not all, folks: QuickBooks offers a host of useful add-ons for an extra monthly charge. First, there’s payroll processing, a function that’s hugely useful for a business with more than a few employees, but one that’s rarely included in an accounting software service’s main offering. Here, you’ll find a rundown of some of the most noteworthy additional fees and features.

QuickBooks Payroll

QuickBooks Payroll pricing comes in three plans – Core, Premium, and Elite – with each offering more features than the previous one. Here are their features and prices:

• Core – $50 per user, plus $6 per employee, per month. This plan does the basics: It automatically runs payroll, files payroll taxes, and offers employee services like health benefits and workers’ comp.
• Premium – $85 per month, plus $9 per employee, per month. This plan adds role-based access, same-day direct deposit, and automatic time tracking for more granular, yet still automated control over paychecks.
• Elite – $130 per month, plus $11 per employee, per month. This plan includes tax penalty protection and a professional to offer hands-on help with setting up and troubleshooting.

The plans can be upgraded at any time, so if you’re in doubt, start with Core and see if it works for your payroll needs.

The Core plan can also be packaged with either the Simple Start accounting plan for $85 per month, plus $6 per employee, or the Essentials plan for $115 per month, plus $6 per employee.

Additionally, the Premium plan can be paired with the Plus plan for $184 per month, plus $9 per employee.

QuickBooks also offers payroll functionality, but it will cost you a bit extra. Source: QuickBooks

QuickBooks Live Bookkeeping

Paying for software doesn’t fully keep your accounting on track: You’ll still need to know how to use QuickBooks properly in order to get the most out of it. The QuickBooks Live Bookkeeping service solves this issue by connecting businesses with a live, certified expert to keep their books in order. The expert will categorize transactions, reconcile accounts, create reports including an income statement and balance sheet, and close the books every month.

The custom price varies depending on the size of your business but starts at $300 per month.

QuickBooks setup fee

Worried about setting up your QuickBooks account? For a one-time fee (which is no longer publicly listed online, as of January 2025, but used to cost $50), QuickBooks Live Bookkeeping will set you up with an expert for one session.

Setting up the software involves plenty of one-time tasks that you’ll want to get right the first time, like connecting your bank account and setting up a series of automated processes and templates. Through Live Bookkeeping, you’ll get a single one-on-one session that can clear up any questions and start your accounting software subscription off on the right foot.

QuickBooks Capital

Also available from the service is a lending program called QuickBooks Capital. Those with QuickBooks Online accounts are potentially eligible, though they’ll still need to qualify on the strength of their accounting history.

Tax forms and support

QuickBooks sells tax forms directly to its users for an extra cost that will vary depending on which state your business is located within. They also sell some as kits, which come with the correct envelopes too. Here’s which forms you’ll likely need:

• W-2 kits
• 1099 kits
• W-3
• 1096

QuickBooks has also stopped allowing users to file their sales taxes online through the service. You’ll need to file business taxes manually and update your QuickBooks account with the information afterward.

Some Payroll plans include printed forms at no additional cost. The Premium and Elite plans also support automatic filings for state new hire paperwork.

Checks

QuickBooks also sells physical checks. You can buy:

• Standard checks – starting at $60.98 for 50
• Wallet checks – starting at $47.07 for 50
• Manual checks – starting at $70.79 for 300
• Secure Plus voucher checks – starting at $71.68 for 50
• Basic voucher checks – starting at $46.24 for 50
• Office and away checks – Starting at $113.74 for 250

Are they worth getting? Well, they’re far pricier than many other vendors selling similar checks, so likely not.

However, the “Secure” brand of checks offer in-depth fraud protection measures that may justify the price, provided you anticipate security risks at your business.

You can buy branded checks directly from QuickBooks. Source: QuickBooks

QuickBooks Online Pricing vs. Competitor Pricing

QuickBooks Online isn’t perfect for every business, but how does its pricing compare to the costs charged by its competitors? In this section, we’ll take a look at some of its rivals and how they compare on price.

FreshBooks’ pricing starts at $19 per month, so it costs a little less than QuickBooks’ $20-per-month plan. Currently, it’s running a promotional offer, so prospective users can get 60% off for 6 months (meaning that it’ll cost $7.60 per month). FreshBooks stands out for a great set of features, but it does not offer the payroll processing or advanced tools that QuickBooks has.

Zoho Books is a top choice for small and growing businesses. Zoho Books has a free plan, while QuickBooks does not, and both Zoho Books and QuickBooks offer a large range of features on their higher-priced plans. Zoho Books is also significantly cheaper than QuickBooks. Its Standard, Professional, and Premium plans cost $20, $50, and $70 per month, respectively, compared with QuickBook’s $35, $65, and $99 per month costs.

Another option is Xero. Xero and QuickBooks are neck-and-neck when it comes to basic functionality like bookkeeping, account receivable, and reporting tools, with Xero just edging it as an all-rounder. Xero, however, is more affordable. Plans cost $20, $47, and $80 per month, compared to the QuickBooks $35, $65, and $99 per month plans. Xero is also currently running a promotional offer, so you can get its plans for $1 per month, $2.35 per month, and $4 per month, respectively.

Before we dive into the details of each QuickBooks plan and its value, here’s a look at the latest accounting software deals and discounts from the biggest and best QuickBooks alternatives on the market.

QuickBooks Online vs QuickBooks Desktop

At the most basic level, QuickBooks Online is the cloud-based version of QuickBooks. All your data is stored in QuickBooks’ cloud and you’ll be able to access it anywhere on any device. QuickBooks Desktop, on the other hand, is locally installed with a license pricing model.

However, there are a series of other changes which are worth considering. For instance, with QuickBooks Online, your security is handled by QuickBooks. However, as QuickBooks Desktop is locally installed, you’ll be responsible for your own data security.

QuickBooks Online has a monthly pricing structure – you pick the right plan and then pay every month for the service. QuickBooks Desktop, however, has a three-year license, or you can pay for yearly updates. Notably, as of January 2025, there is only one QuickBooks Desktop plan – Desktop Enterprise, which features built-in accounting and payroll and allows for up to 40 users.

QuickBooks Online has more automation features, which might be a better fit for small businesses – the more tasks you can delegate to the software, the more efficient your business will be. QuickBooks Desktop also has a more dated and harder-to-navigate UI than QuickBooks Online.

QuickBooks Online Integrations & Payment Gateways

Any sized business has paperwork, even just a single freelancer. But with the right accounting or invoicing software for small businesses, filing tax information can be a simple and streamlined process. QuickBooks makes this process even easier thanks to a huge range of integrations and plug-ins you can use, with familiar names such as PayPal, Shopify, and MailChimp all present and accounted for.

QuickBooks online integrations

QuickBooks’ range of over 750 integrations will help you connect your account to useful third-party apps and services. Perhaps you’ve already used some, like Google’s G Suite or Microsoft’s 365, or perhaps you just need to be able to accomplish something that QuickBooks doesn’t support. Whatever the case, the right integration will make your business operations even more streamlined.

Here’s a quick, non-exhaustive list of the most popular QuickBooks Online integrations, how they work, and how much they cost:

• PayPal (free) — import PayPal sales, fees, taxes, tips, and discounts into QuickBooks as well as generate sales receipts.
• Square (free) — import transactions into QuickBooks, review transactions and support multiple locations.
• Shopify (free) — automatically brings your sales data into QuickBooks.
• QuickBooks Time ($8 per user per month plus $20 per month base fee) — access accurate employee time tracking for easy payroll.
• Fathom — starting at $50 per month — adds extra analysis tools and metrics to see how your business is performing.
• Gusto (starting at $39 per month plus $6 per month, per employee) — payroll automation tool with automatic federal, state, and local tax filings.
• MailChimp (free) — automatically updates new and changed customer records from your QuickBooks records.
• Housecall Pro (starting at $49 per month) — allows you to easily keep track of jobs and customers with scheduling, dispatch, CRM, and automatic estimates and invoices.

Check out our guide to the best CRM for QuickBooks integration to learn more

The QuickBooks app library provide us with access to more than 750 third-party integrations. Source: Tech.co testing

QuickBooks Online payment gateways

QuickBooks also offers connections to a variety of online payment processing services. PayPal and Square are included, as our integrations section above touches on, while Stripe and Authorize.Net are two more potential payment services.

In total, QuickBooks Online supports around 25 payment processors. If you’d prefer to keep it in-house, there’s QuickBooks Payments, which supports a variety of payment mediums, each with a different transaction fee:

• 1% charge for ACH transfers, up to a maximum of $10
• 2.99% for cards and digital wallets
• 2.5% for card reader
• 3.5% for keyed-in cards

Supported credit cards include Mastercard, Visa, American Express, Discover, and Apple Pay.

Which QuickBooks Online Pricing Plan Is Right For Me?

Your business size and structure will determine which QuickBooks Online plan is best. If you’re a single freelancer, you won’t need to manage any other employees, and you won’t need to track many sales (if any) – so the Self-Employed Plan is best for you. We’ve ranked the best self-employed accounting software, and QuickBooks is at the top.

If you’re a small business looking for accounting software, you might want the Simple Start Plan, which allows you to create and manage invoices, estimates, bills, and sales taxes. This plan also gives you access to Intuit Assist, the AI-powered automations that can save your team time on tedious tasks and personalize customer experiences for your business.

Once your business is large enough to require more automation and more employees, the Plus Plan likely makes sense, as it allows for recurring payments in addition to time tracking. It also includes inventory tracking, making it a must for an operation that sells more than a few products. Due in part to these reasons, QuickBooks is our pick for the best hospitality accounting software.

Finally, there’s the QuickBooks Advanced plan. This option is best for large businesses that could benefit from the extra support features, like a dedicated manager or virtual training classes. It also increases your user allotment to as many as 25 users, so larger teams with more accountants will require this plan.

Our Methodology: How We Evaluated QuickBooks Online Pricing

QuickBooks Online Pricing FAQs