All reports can be exported to Microsoft Excel for customizing, viewing on screen, printing, or emailing directly to recipients. Users can access features via the vertical menu to the left of the screen or by using the drop-down menu bar at the top, and the My Shortcuts option allows you to add a shortcut to frequently used features. If the default screen is too crowded for your taste, you can hide the vertical menu, only displaying it when you wish. QuickBooks Desktop features are better developed than comparable features found on QuickBooks Online. Though not web-based, QuickBooks Desktop can be hosted online for more convenient access if desired.One of QuickBooks Desktop’s best features is its use of centers, which provide a central point for all activity. QuickBooks Online is user-friendly, but it requires some prior accounting knowledge to get the most out of it.

• QuickBooks Desktop, on the other hand, is available as an annual subscription — with an additional cost per user.
• QuickBooks Desktop’s user interface is very different from QuickBooks Online, offering navigation using a flowchart style menu.
• QBD has evolved substantially over time and now includes solutions for specific types of businesses.
• Both versions have mobile apps, but the app for the Desktop version primarily functions as a way to upload receipts, and the Online mobile app is robust in comparison.
• But top-tier plans – targeted at enterprise businesses – are within the same ballpark.

And let’s not forget offline accessibility for the times your ISP decides to ruin your Monday. Both platforms offer a free 30-day trial that you can use to get familiar with the software before paying. Now that we’ve gone over the main differences in features, let’s see the cost of QuickBooks Online vs. Desktop. QuickBooks Online will send invoices according to whichever payment schedule works for you and your clients.

QuickBooks Online VS Desktop Comparison

QuickBooks Online is optimized to be as user-friendly as possible and very easy to navigate. The side menu categorizes features for easy access, for example, aggregating sections for employees, their taxes, and compliance details under the Payroll category. It takes a bit of time to click around and understand where everything is, but a quick run-through is more than enough to familiarize yourself with what QuickBooks Online can do. The two iterations of QuickBooks’ accounting software shine in different areas. Whereas one is completely online and cloud-based, the other operates locally on your computer.

• QuickBooks Online boasts a user-friendly, intuitive interface, making it easy even for accounting novices to navigate.
• However, QuickBooks Desktop offers better reporting and supports more complex accounting.
• All Online plans include receipt capture, QuickBooks support and more than 650 app integrations with apps such as PayPal, Square and Shopify.
• Due to the flexibility these apps provide, QuickBooks Online can be as simple or as advanced of a program you want it to be.
• The editorial content on this page is not provided by any of the companies mentioned and has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.
• Only QuickBooks Online includes free access to a comprehensive version of the QuickBooks mobile accounting app, which is one of the best apps in the accounting sphere.

Cloud software allows you to automatically send invoices directly to customers so your clients can get paid faster. QuickBooks Online also allows you to include a pay now button right in the invoice. Aside from the 30-day free trial, QuickBooks currently offers 50% off for three months on all QuickBooks Online plans.

Why QuickBooks Online is a better choice

While the features are similar, QuickBooks Desktop offers more functionality, such as the ability to run checks to pay bills and more in-depth customer and vendor management capability. QuickBooks Desktop also offers easy integration with QuickBooks Payments so you can accept online payments from customers. This may influence which products we review and write about (and where those products appear on the site), but it in no way affects our recommendations or advice, which are grounded in thousands of hours of research. Our partners cannot pay us to guarantee favorable reviews of their products or services.

Let your favourite apps fill any gaps in your client’s workflow with the QuickBooks Online app integration. Eliminate data entry and save time by connecting third-party apps understanding drivers and services you already use. Get things done efficiently with third-party apps that specialize in specific tasks like expense tracking, inventory management, and more.

QuickBooks Enterprise Overview

When you think of the most popular online accounting software, QuickBooks Online will always be in the conversation. Their easy-to-use web-based platform means you can access it from anywhere at any time. It also is routinely one of the least expensive solutions for a business looking for simple bookkeeping or accounting for their entire organization. QuickBooks was developed by Intuit in 1998 as a double-entry accounting program meant to be used by small businesses. This was a follow-up to the success of Quicken, which was more of a personal finance and home-office accounting solution.

What’s the difference between the QuickBooks Online and QuickBooks Desktop integration?

With that being the case, an accounting solution designed for the end user is better so that you can get the most out of your accounting. Let’s now take a look at QuickBooks online in 2021, a program for years looked at as being incomplete and not being fully functional is growing by the month with new features. QBO was primarily frowned upon for not offering as much customization, being able to automatically send invoices, have job costing abilities, or provide the same security as Desktop. All of which has changed over the past few months to provide more functionality and make the system better and easier to use. QBD includes an assortment of inventory management tools whereas QuickBooks Online only supports one method.

QuickBooks Desktop and QuickBooks Online are separate platforms that do not sync with each other. However, in addition to its mobile app, QuickBooks Online has a desktop app. Any info you enter into the QuickBooks Online desktop app will sync with your cloud-based QuickBooks platform if your computer is connected to the internet. Meanwhile, QuickBooks Premier has two payroll options with prices that start at $50 per month plus $5 per employee. If you can file taxes confidently on your own, Enhanced Payroll might be suitable.

If you have a number of users, or are a quickly growing company, you will be promoted to the Priority Circle which gives an even better level of support. For the U.S.-based reps they do have, they are often newer employees and rookies. QuickBooks also tries to promote a DIY attitude and will typically push you towards their knowledge base before connecting you with a live human, this can be frustrating when your product is not working correctly. While QuickBooks Desktop is more expensive, you’re still paying nearly $2,000 a year for QuickBooks Online, hardly the affordable product it is marketed to be! For the purposes of this graph, we’re comparing a 5-user instance of QuickBooks Online Plus 1-5 Users + Payroll, vs. a 5-user instance of QuickBooks Enterprise Gold (which includes payroll) over a 4-year period. We’ve included the current best available promotional price to illustrate how prices will change year-over-year.

Whether you’re thinking about converting to QuickBooks Online or switching from QuickBooks Desktop to QuickBooks Online, your first step should be to take a long look at both applications. When you do, you’ll notice the difference immediately as QuickBooks Online offers a streamlined user interface, while QuickBooks Desktop relies on a flow-chart based interface. While both provide easy access to a variety of features and functions, only you can decide which one will work best for you.