December 15, 2020

How to Choose the Best Edition of QuickBooks for Your Small Business

Written By

Rachel Barnett

How to Choose the Best Edition of QuickBooks for Your Small Business

Intuit QuickBooks is one of the world’s most popular accounting softwares. It’s sold in a variety of flavors — versions and editions tailored to both the size of your business and the industry you’re in. Though so many available options means you’ll certainly find one to meet your needs. How do you choose which QuickBooks product is best for you?

First, begin by comparing QuickBooks Desktop vs. QuickBooks Online. QuickBooks Desktop (QBDT) is Intuit’s desktop offering and requires you to install it on your local machine. As you would your web browser. QuickBooks Online (QBO) is a cloud-based app and accessible from anywhere in the world where an internet connection is available.

Before deciding on QBDT or QBO, consider how you want to pay for the software. QBDT is available as both a one-time purchase — that includes some restrictions on functionality — and a subscription-based model, called QuickBooks Desktop Plus (the Enterprise edition of QBDT is always a subscription). In contrast, QBO is only available on a subscription basis.

QBDT and QBO are further broken up into different editions depending on your needs and preferences. Each edition offers additional features and functionality the higher a tier you choose, though at an increased cost.

QuickBooks Desktop is sold as QBDT Pro and Premier for the software-only versions, or QBDT Pro Plus and Premier Plus for the subscription-based installations. QBDT Enterprise is also available, though only on a subscription basis.

QuickBooks Online is available in a wider variety of editions, including QBO Simple Start, Essentials, Plus, and Advanced. There is another edition of QBO available, as well, though it’s not often worth considering.

Of course, choosing the version and edition of QuickBooks that’s right for you is only half the battle. In order to keep and maintain your books, you’ve got to have some basic understanding and confidence in using the software or app.

Fortunately, I have a Getting Started With QuickBooks Online course. Designed to quickly and easily get you up to speed with using QuickBooks Online in a way that supports your business and saves you time and money, especially if you’re a DIYer. I hope you’ll join me so you can take the reins of your books and spend less time fretting over bookkeeping, and more time doing what you do best!

Need some one-on-one QuickBooks assistance?

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