QO

QuickBooks Online

Cloud accounting software for bookkeeping, invoicing, bills, reporting, cash flow, payments, AI-assisted accounting and connected business workflows.

Accounting SoftwareResearch profile
Research-based score
4.6
Research-based score
Features and capabilities4.9

QuickBooks Online spans bookkeeping, bank feeds, invoicing, bills, payments, reporting, cash-flow tools, inventory/project profitability on higher plans, customizable dashboards, advanced reports and a growing Intuit Intelligence AI layer. The new Free tier expands basic accounting access, while Advanced reaches considerably deeper into automation and management reporting.

Usability and implementation4.2

Capterra currently rates QuickBooks Online 4.3/5 from 8,535 reviews with 4.2 ease of use and 4.0 customer service. G2's exact QuickBooks Online profile remains about 4.0/5 with the current Intuit seller page listing 3,885 reviews. Users praise accessibility, expense categorization, invoicing and reporting, while support, price increases and workflow/UI changes are frequent criticisms.

Pricing and value transparency4.4

QuickBooks now publishes a permanent $0 Free plan plus regular monthly prices of $38 Simple Start, $85 Essentials, $140 Plus and $340 Advanced, alongside a 30-day trial. Transparency is strong, but 2026 price increases and the high cost of upper tiers materially reduce the value score.

Integrations, security and trust4.8

QuickBooks Online officially advertises integration with more than 800 business apps. Intuit provides MFA/two-step verification, bank-grade encryption/security controls, automatic cloud backups and a QuickBooks Online Ecosystem SOC 2 Type II report through its compliance portal.

Scored by Surabhi Singh

Quick facts

Vendor
Intuit Inc.
Pricing model
paid
Plan pricing
$38/mo Vendor source checked; not a hands-on review
Free plan
Yes — check limits
Free trial
Yes — check eligibility
Last verified
Not yet verified

About QuickBooks Online

QuickBooks Online is Intuit's cloud accounting platform for small and growing businesses. It combines bank feeds, bookkeeping, expense categorization, invoicing, bill management, reporting, cash-flow planning, payments, project and inventory functionality on higher plans, and a growing set of Intuit Intelligence AI tools, with more than 800 business-app integrations.

Best for

US small and midsize businesses that want widely supported cloud bookkeeping and accounting with strong invoicing, reporting, payments and integration options.

QuickBooks Online pros and cons

Pros

  • New permanent QuickBooks Free plan costs $0 with no credit card required.
  • Paid plans range from Simple Start through Advanced with clear current list pricing.
  • Over 800 business-app integrations connect ecommerce, payments, inventory, payroll, CRM and other workflows.
  • Very large user-review base provides extensive real-world feedback.
  • Intuit supports MFA, security controls, automated backups and a QuickBooks Online Ecosystem SOC 2 Type II report.

Cons

  • −2026 price increases pushed Essentials, Plus and Advanced materially higher.
  • −Advanced now costs $340/month at regular list price.
  • −G2 satisfaction is lower than Xero despite QuickBooks' broader US market presence.
  • −Customer-service ratings trail ease-of-use scores on Capterra.
  • −Payments, payroll, expert bookkeeping and other services can add significant extra cost.

Features

Invoicing and payments
Free with limits; broader on paid plans · Payment processing fees apply.
Inventory and project profitability
Plus and above · Requires higher plan.
Bookkeeping and bank feeds
Free and paid plans with increasing automation · Free is limited to one bank and lighter accounting workflows.
Advanced reporting and automation
Advanced · Advanced regular list price is $340/month.
Intuit Intelligence
Capabilities vary by plan and beta availability · Some features are beta or capacity-limited.

Platforms

AndroidWebiOS

Integrations

800+ QuickBooks integrations Amazon / PayPal / Square / Etsy connectors QuickBooks App Store

Pricing

Free
Free
USD 0.00/month with annual billing

$0/month with no credit card. One user, no accountant access, one bank connection, basic income/expense tracking, core reports and monthly limits on invoices, estimates and mileage.

Simple Start
USD 38.00/month

$38/month regular list price. Adds fuller bookkeeping, automated categorization, invoicing/payments, bill pay and accounting/AI functionality for one user plus accountant access.

Essentials
USD 85.00/month

$85/month regular list price after the August 2026 pricing change. Supports 3 users plus accountants and adds enhanced reports, bill and time/invoice workflows, KPI/dashboard and additional AI features.

Plus
USD 140.00/month

$140/month regular list price. Supports 5 users and adds inventory, project profitability, budgeting and deeper operational accounting.

Advanced
USD 340.00/month

$340/month regular list price. Adds advanced reports, custom formulas, unlimited KPI tracking, advanced dashboards/app integrations, automation, Excel sync, batch processing and priority support/training.

Official pricing / availability source · Checked 6 October 2026. Confirm current taxes, regional terms and allowances. A listed plan is not necessarily the cheapest option.

Editorial verification: Not yet verified. Check the vendor's site for current pricing.

Alternatives to QuickBooks Online

QuickBooks Online — frequently asked questions

What is QuickBooks Online used for?
QuickBooks Online is used for bookkeeping, bank transaction categorization, invoicing, bills, reporting, cash-flow management, payments and broader small-business accounting.
Does QuickBooks Online have a free plan?
Yes. QuickBooks now offers QuickBooks Free at $0/month with one user, one bank connection, basic accounting and monthly limits on some features.
How much does QuickBooks Online cost?
Current regular US list prices are $38/month for Simple Start, $85 for Essentials, $140 for Plus and $340 for Advanced. Temporary promotional discounts can reduce the first few months.
Does QuickBooks Online offer a free trial?
Yes. New customers can currently choose a 30-day free trial of paid QuickBooks Online plans instead of a promotional discount.
How many integrations does QuickBooks Online support?
QuickBooks currently advertises integrations with more than 800 popular business apps.
Is QuickBooks Online SOC 2 audited?
Intuit provides a QuickBooks Online Ecosystem SOC 2 Type II report through its compliance portal covering QuickBooks Online and related services.
Can I cancel QuickBooks Online anytime?
Standard QuickBooks Online product pages advertise cancel-anytime service with no annual contract, although annual or Advanced arrangements can have additional billing/contract details.
Can I get a QuickBooks Online refund?
Eligible US annual QuickBooks Online subscriptions can qualify for Intuit's 60-day money-back guarantee. Monthly subscriptions and renewals do not receive that same guarantee.

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