With QuickBooks Desktop, users receive some of the most developed accounting tools on the market. The software offers comprehensive features, unique touches (such as lead management and sales orders), industry-specific versions of the software, and the potential to be more secure. This version automatically backs up your data to the cloud, and the service is always updated remotely and automatically whenever changes, patches, or improvements happen. You can access all QuickBooks Online’s features through any computer with an internet connection.

• The dashboard is super intuitive with large, easy-to-understand charts, and the mobile app is similarly easy to use.
• It starts at $30 a month and includes basic features only, such as mileage tracking and invoicing.
• While QuickBooks Online and QuickBooks Desktop offer contact management, only QuickBooks Desktop allows you to manage and track leads as well as contacts.
• It also lacks the level of customization that some companies may prefer.

QuickBooks Online and QuickBooks Desktop are both great accounting software, in that they offer features that can make running your business much smoother. Another key difference is that being a cloud-based software, QuickBooks Online automatically does data encrypted back-ups. The desktop version of the software, however, charges $9.99 a month for this service.

QuickBooks Online vs. Desktop: Pricing

Let’s take a look at how each of these QuickBooks versions has been received by actual users on popular software review websites. One key integration we always recommend for either QuickBooks Online or QuickBooks Desktop work with sox reports is the Workyard app. This industry-leading time-tracking app accurately monitors employee work time for each job and project. Online has fewer features to make adjustments to invoices as the job progresses.

• However, businesses with ever-changing needs may prefer the freedom offered the applications offered within QuickBooks Online.
• But aside from cloud access, there are other differences between the two applications that we’ll talk about next.
• Considering the fact that both the versions are so prominent in the market, it is important for you to understand the difference between them.
• Overall, both of these versions are capable accounting tools for construction companies.

The online version of QuickBooks is much easier to use than the desktop version. Due to automatic data backups, encryption, and frequent security assessments, QuickBooks Online excels in security. On the other hand, QuickBooks Desktop is dependent on users to adopt security measures and regularly backup their data. Thanks to its SaaS format, QuickBooks Online allows seamless connection with a wide range of third-party applications. Integrations are supported by QuickBooks Desktop as well, although setting them up and keeping them up may take more technical know-how.

Is QuickBooks Online cheaper than QuickBooks Desktop?

QBE may lack the mobility of QBO, but it more than makes up for it with the comprehensive feature set it offers within it’s offering. You may or may not be able to find the missing tools within the QuickBooks app store. The closest comparison that can be made would be between QuickBooks Enterprise and QuickBooks Online Advanced. Do QuickBooks Enterprise and QuickBooks Online have the same features?

Only QuickBooks Online Offers…

A free 30-day trial is available otherwise, but you will give up any discounted pricing for starting with a trial. Determining which pricing structure your business can afford is one of the biggest deciding factors a business may use in shopping for software. QuickBooks Enterprise and QuickBooks Online have two very different pricing structures. QuickBooks Enterprise offers both locally installed and cloud-hosted offers, which is in contrast to having to pick one or the other via QuickBooks Online or QuickBooks Pro/Premier. QuickBooks does have a 30-user cap, which for a growing small business may be more than enough.

What are the pros and cons of QuickBooks Online vs desktop?

QuickBooks Online excels with its ease of use, intuitive Project Dashboard, and surprisingly good mobile app. It has some strong features, and out of most cloud-based accounting software apps, it’s the leader in reporting – but it’s still just a step behind QuickBooks Desktop. These drawbacks also mean QuickBooks Online’s reports are not as fully featured as those generated by QuickBooks Desktop. Online still has good reporting features, but its reports are not as useful for construction businesses without the advanced job costing and estimating features found on the desktop version. QuickBooks Enterprise is best used in any small to mid-sized business that requires a large amount of transactional data.

Advanced Reporting is included in all QuickBooks Desktop Enterprise subscriptions. All reports can be exported to Microsoft Excel for customizing, viewing on screen, printing, or emailing directly to recipients. Both QuickBooks Online and QuickBooks Desktop applications offer a good selection of features, though QuickBooks Desktop features tend to be more comprehensive. Katherine Haan, MBA is a former financial advisor-turned-writer and business coach. For over a decade, she’s helped small business owners make money online.

A variety of short video tutorials are available as well as on-demand webinars and training classes. One of the best resources is the QuickBooks Online community, where you can connect with other users to share tips, answer questions, and find answers to problems that may arise. Product support can be accessed directly from within the application, where you can ask a question or connect to support personnel. QuickBooks Desktop is designed for small to mid-size businesses that are looking for the reliability of a desktop software solution. QuickBooks Desktop is also a good fit for niche businesses such as nonprofit organizations, retailers, and general contractors looking for a more industry-specific solution. Both versions offer automatic syncing with your bank so you can categorize transactions.