QuickBooks Review

Our Verdict

QuickBooks is the gold standard for small business accounting in the US.

GetASearch Score: 8.2/10

Rating: 4.4/5 (2876 reviews)

Score Breakdown

What is QuickBooks?

QuickBooks is the dominant small business accounting software in the United States, serving over 7 million businesses globally. Developed by Intuit, QuickBooks has evolved from a simple bookkeeping tool into a comprehensive financial management ecosystem that handles invoicing, expense tracking, payroll, inventory, tax preparation, and cash flow forecasting. QuickBooks Online (QBO) is the cloud-based flagship product, available in four tiers: Simple Start for solopreneurs, Essentials for growing businesses needing bill management and multi-user access, Plus for product-based businesses requiring inventory and project tracking, and Advanced for mid-market companies needing custom roles, dedicated support, and advanced reporting. The platform automates core accounting workflows. Bank feeds import and categorize transactions from 14,000+ financial institutions. Invoice templates are customizable with your branding, and you can set up recurring invoices, automatic payment reminders, and online payment acceptance via credit card, ACH, or Apple Pay. Bill management tracks what you owe vendors and schedules payments to optimize cash flow. QuickBooks Payroll (available as an add-on) handles full-service payroll including automatic tax calculations, filings, and payments for federal and state taxes. Employees get self-service access to pay stubs and W-2s, and next-day direct deposit is available on premium plans. Contractor payments with automatic 1099 generation simplify freelancer management. Reporting is comprehensive: profit and loss, balance sheet, cash flow statements, accounts receivable aging, and sales reports are available out of the box. Advanced plan users get custom report builder, business analytics dashboards, and the ability to consolidate multiple companies. Tax time is simplified with category mapping that exports directly to TurboTax or your accountant. The QuickBooks ecosystem includes 750+ app integrations, a robust API for custom development, and a marketplace of ProAdvisors (certified accountants and bookkeepers) who can provide professional assistance. The mobile app allows invoicing, expense capture, mileage tracking, and receipt scanning from anywhere.

Integrations: Stripe, PayPal, Shopify, Square, Gusto

How We Tested QuickBooks

We used QuickBooks Online Plus for 8 weeks managing a real small business with 50+ monthly transactions. We tested bank feed accuracy, invoice creation and payment processing, expense categorization, payroll runs, inventory tracking, and report generation. We compared output against Xero and FreshBooks using identical transaction data. We also evaluated accountant collaboration features and customer support responsiveness.

What Is QuickBooks?

QuickBooks Online (QBO) is the dominant small business accounting software in the United States, developed by Intuit. With approximately 62% US market share and over 7 million business subscribers, QuickBooks has been the default choice for small business accounting since its desktop launch in 1992. The cloud-based version offers double-entry bookkeeping, invoicing, expense tracking, bank reconciliation, payroll integration, inventory management, and tax preparation tools. QuickBooks serves businesses ranging from solo freelancers to companies with up to 25 employees.

Key Features and Capabilities

**Automated Bank Feeds:** Connect 14,000+ financial institutions for automatic transaction import and categorization. QuickBooks uses machine learning to improve categorization accuracy over time. **Invoicing:** Professional, customizable invoices with online payment acceptance (credit card, ACH, PayPal). Automatic payment reminders reduce accounts receivable aging. **Expense Tracking:** Receipt capture via mobile camera with OCR extraction. Mileage tracking with GPS. Rules-based categorization for recurring expenses. **Financial Reports:** Profit & Loss, Balance Sheet, Cash Flow Statement, A/R and A/P aging, and 65+ other reports. Custom report builder available on Plus and Advanced plans. **Payroll (Add-On):** Full-service payroll with automatic tax calculations, W-2/1099 filing, and direct deposit. Starts at $22.50/month + $6/employee. **Inventory Management (Plus+):** Track inventory quantities, cost of goods sold, and reorder points. Supports FIFO costing. **Third-Party Integrations:** 750+ app integrations including Shopify, Square, Stripe, PayPal, HubSpot, and TurboTax. **QuickBooks Live Bookkeeping:** On-demand access to certified bookkeepers who review your books and provide monthly financial reports.

Pricing Analysis

QuickBooks Online pricing (as of 2026, subject to frequent changes): - **Simple Start ($30/month):** 1 user. Basic invoicing, expense tracking, bank connections, basic reports. Best for solo freelancers. - **Essentials ($60/month):** 3 users. Bill management, time tracking, multi-currency. - **Plus ($90/month):** 5 users. Inventory tracking, project profitability, budgets, class tracking. - **Advanced ($200/month):** 25 users. Custom roles, batch invoicing, workflow automation, dedicated account manager. **Important:** Intuit frequently offers 50-70% discounts for the first 3-6 months, then reverts to full price. Factor the full price into your decision. Compared to Xero ($15-$78/month with unlimited users) and FreshBooks ($19-$60/month), QuickBooks is the most expensive option. However, its US market dominance means your accountant almost certainly knows QuickBooks, which reduces friction and potential errors during tax season.

Ease of Use and Learning Curve

QuickBooks has invested heavily in simplifying its interface: - **Dashboard:** Clean overview showing income, expenses, profit/loss, and bank balances at a glance. - **Navigation:** Left-side menu with clear categories (Banking, Sales, Expenses, Reports, Payroll). - **Setup Wizard:** Guided onboarding that connects your bank, sets up your chart of accounts, and imports existing data. - **Mobile App:** Full-featured iOS and Android app for invoicing, expense capture, and mileage tracking on the go. The learning curve is moderate. Basic invoicing and expense tracking are intuitive, but features like class tracking, journal entries, and inventory management require accounting knowledge. QuickBooks offers extensive tutorials, webinars, and a certification program. **Pain Points:** The interface can feel cluttered for users who only need basic features. Settings are scattered across multiple menus. Some reports require several clicks to customize.

Integrations and Ecosystem

QuickBooks' integration ecosystem is its strongest competitive advantage: - **750+ Third-Party Apps** via the QuickBooks App Store - **E-commerce:** Shopify, WooCommerce, Amazon, BigCommerce - **Payments:** Stripe, Square, PayPal, Authorize.net - **CRM:** HubSpot, Salesforce, Zoho CRM - **Time Tracking:** TSheets (built-in), Harvest, Toggl - **Payroll:** QuickBooks Payroll, Gusto, ADP - **Tax:** TurboTax (seamless Intuit integration) - **Banking:** 14,000+ financial institutions for automatic feeds The Intuit ecosystem advantage is significant: QuickBooks + TurboTax + QuickBooks Payroll creates a unified financial management stack that no competitor can match.

Who QuickBooks Is Best For

**Ideal Users:** - US-based small businesses that want their accountant to have easy access - Businesses needing inventory management (Plus plan) - Companies that want integrated payroll and tax filing through the Intuit ecosystem - Freelancers and contractors who invoice clients regularly - Businesses using Shopify, Square, or other e-commerce platforms **Not Ideal For:** - Budget-conscious businesses (Xero and Wave are significantly cheaper) - International businesses needing multi-currency as a core feature (Xero is stronger) - Businesses with more than 25 users (consider NetSuite or Sage) - Users who resent Intuit's frequent price increases and promotional bait-and-switch pricing

Final Verdict

QuickBooks Online is the most capable and widely supported small business accounting software in the US. Its integration ecosystem, accountant familiarity, and feature depth justify the premium pricing for businesses that need robust bookkeeping, invoicing, and payroll. However, the frequent price increases and aggressive promotional pricing (50% off that expires) are frustrating. If you are a US-based small business with 1-25 employees, QuickBooks is the safe, proven choice. If budget is your primary concern, Xero or Wave offer 80% of the functionality at 40-60% of the cost.

QuickBooks Features

Key Specifications

QuickBooks Pricing

• Simple Start: $30/mo
• Essentials: $60/mo
• Plus: $90/mo
• Advanced: $200/mo

Best For

• US small businesses needing full accounting
• Freelancers tracking income

Not Ideal For

• Very large enterprises
• Non-US businesses

Final Verdict

QuickBooks is the gold standard for small business accounting in the US.

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