QuickBooks Online is an innovative web-based accounting solution created by Intuit and launched in 2004. The software gained popularity among users for helping them organize their finances and monitor accounting data using this intelligible platform. There are different QuickBooks Online plans you can choose from – Self-Employed, Simple Start, Essentials, Plus, and Advanced.
You can use QBO to complete different accounting tasks such as tracking sales, creating and sending invoices, and analyzing your cash flow in real-time. If you have any questions related to the program, pricing plans, or features, you can get your queries answered by speaking to someone from the QuickBooks Online Customer Help Desk.
QuickBooks Online Support: A Brief Overview
QuickBooks Online is Intuit’s accounting solution that enables users to handle their business accounting remotely by logging into the QuickBooks Online Support account. It gives you the flexibility to handle your accounting tasks even on the go. You can do your record keeping in the cloud without needing to open your Desktop every time. Also, you can access the program on your preferred device, and to do this, you merely need a stable Internet connection.
Furthermore, small businesses utilize the program to handle their various accounting tasks, such as income, expense, invoice, payroll, and others. An intuitive dashboard of the accounting software gives you a bird’s-eye view of all your financial data in one place and also provides insights into the financial performance of your business. Intuit QuickBooks Online is also a great choice when it comes to data security and backups.
Comparison Of QuickBooks Online Plans & Pricing – Comparison
QuickBooks Online has different pricing plans so that businesses with different requirements can choose a suitable one for themselves. You can pick a pricing plan based on the features required to run your business accounting. From Self-Employed to the Advanced version, the range of the product selection is excellent.
1: Self-Employed Plan ($15/Month – Single User)
Self-Employed is the most basic QuickBooks Online pricing plan, designed for self-employed freelancers, sole proprietors, and contractors. It helps them to manage quarterly tax estimates and track business miles. Additionally, it has tools and utilities that can help you separate your personal and business expenses. If you want to include tax management services in this plan, you can upgrade to any of the following:
- Self-Employed Tax Bundle ($30/Month)
Self Employed Tax Bundle adds access to the tax features with the self-employed features. It provides users with the ability to pay their quality estimated taxes online from within the program. Also, you can transfer your tax information to TurboTax as well.
- Self-Employed Live Tax Bundle ($40/Month)
The Self-Employed Live Tax Bundle is a more advanced plan that provides access to a live accountant to provide assistance with your financial data and tax management.
2: Simple Start ($30/Month – 1 Billable User + 1 Accountant User)
QuickBooks Simple Start comes after the Self-Employed, and the additional features come with the increase in the plan pricing. This pricing plan is suitable for small businesses and offers features such as income & expenses, invoices and payments, tax deductions, and various others. This basic accounting solution offers a single-user license. An expense tracking feature is available with this plan, but you won’t be able to make payments.
3: Essentials ($60/Month – 3 Billable Users + 1 Accountant User)
QuickBooks Online Essentials is slightly better and more advanced as compared to Simple Start. It can help businesses automate their recurring invoices, give comprehensive reports on profit-loss and sales, and make bookkeeping easier with the synced account. Furthermore, you can make payments from within the application, which is missing in Simple Start.
The number of users increases up to three when choosing this superior plan. Managing unpaid bills and allocating billable time and expenses are two of the most significant QuickBooks Online features, which are made accessible through this plan.
4: Plus ($90/Month – 5 Billable Users + 2 Accountant Users)
QuickBooks Online Plus is suitable for small businesses that need five users. It is the second most advanced QuickBooks Online pricing plan that helps businesses manage their projects, invoices, and contractors with the utmost ease. Also, it gives refined reports by class and allows users to create budgets, run reports, and track their inventory. Project and inventory tracking are vital additions to this plan.
5: Advanced ($200/Month – 25 Billable Users + 3 Accountant Users)
As the name suggests, the advanced pricing plan is the most superior plan suitable for growing businesses. It offers many advanced tools and insights into the business that can accelerate the pace of business growth. It can help you track your business performance and drive growth based on well-informed decision-making. Besides this, you can get most of the tasks done with less effort. Furthermore, it offers high data security to keep your financial data from multi-pronged threats.
This comprehensive QuickBooks Online plans and pricing comparison can help you understand where your business lies and which plan will suit your accounting processes the best.
QuickBooks Online Free Trial Period
QB Online offers a free trial of 30 days to the users so that they can test the software by practically working on it. The trial version of the product works the same as a subscribed one, and you can get help from the QuickBooks live support team as well when required. If you feel that QuickBooks Online is not the product you are looking for, you can cancel the trial period at the very same moment. There is no restriction to continue using the product after the completion of the trial period.
Important: You need to keep in mind that using the free trial version of QuickBooks Online, you won’t be able to get a 50% of discount on the product.
How To Get QuickBooks Online Cheaper? Discounted Price
You can get a 50% discount on different QuickBooks Online pricing plans by purchasing a three-month subscription at once. It means you can access QuickBooks Online plans at half of the subscription price for the first three months.
However, you need to avoid using a free trial version of the QuickBooks Online application to get this discount on the product. After applying the discount, your new QuickBooks Online pricing will be:
- Self-Employed Plan – $10/month for the first three months.
- Simple Start Plan – $15/month for the first three months.
- Essentials Plan – $30/month for the first three months.
- Plus Plan – $45/month for the first three months.
- Advanced Plan – $100/month for the first three months.
QuickBooks Online 2023-24 Features
The features in the QuickBooks Online 2023-24 application cover all the core accounting tasks of a small to medium-sized business. You can track and manage the money coming in and going out from your business. Besides, it is a handy tool for tax preparation and filing as well. If you need to get into the insights of your business, you can rely upon its detailed reporting feature. Besides this, the tool is also suitable for managing your day-to-day processes. Some of the most distinguished features of QuickBooks Online 2024 are:
1: Check If Your Projects Are Profitable Or Not.
The project profitability tracking feature allows you to determine if the projects are profitable or not. The intuitive dashboard gives detailed reports that are easy to comprehend and analyze.
2: Keep An Eye On Product Levels (Inventory)
Always be in the know about in-hand inventory items and the cost of goods, and get notified when the product levels are low so you never run out of stock.
3: Get Useful Insights Into Your Business
The basic reporting functionality in QuickBooks Online lets you learn about the important aspects of your business. Additionally, you can run specific budgeting, inventory, and class reports as well.
4: Snap Receipts and Get It Matched With An Expense
Click a picture of your receipt and upload it into QuickBooks Online, and it will categorize and match it to a suitable expense category. No need to do it manually.
5: Get Bills and Payments Streamlined
In addition to tracking bill status and making payments, you can create recurring payments and pay multiple vendors at once to make your processes fast and efficient.
6: Manage and Track Employee’s Time
You can enter employee’s work hours yourself or enable access for your employees so that they can enter their own time. Integration with QuickBooks Time makes time tracking easier.
7: Keep More Of What You Earn (Maximized Tax Deductions)
QuickBooks Online makes it easier for business owners to sort their business expenses into the right categories for maximum tax deductions, thereby ensuring maximum profits.
8: Send Professional Invoices and Get Paid
Don’t chase after the payments, as QuickBooks Online lets you create and send professional invoices and receive payments via credit card and bank transfers right in the invoice.
9: Manage Your Cash Flow (Income & Expenses)
QuickBooks Online makes it easier to track income and expenses from the connected accounts. Moreover, you can put them into the right tax categories for simplified management.
10: Send Estimates To Gain Confidence
If you want to send a custom-tailored and professional estimate to your customer, QuickBooks Online lets you get it done so that you can build trust among clients.
QuickBooks Online 2024 – Pros and Cons
QuickBooks Online is certainly one of the best accounting applications. It helps you store, manage, and analyze the financial information of your business and guides you to new growth opportunities. However, some users may not favor this application because it does not meet their needs.
Benefits of QuickBooks Online Support
Some of the most applauded benefits of the QuickBooks Online application are:
- A comprehensive record-keeping and accounting solution suitable for entry-level to mid-sized business owners.
- User-friendly QuickBooks Online interface makes navigation and utilization of the program features easy.
- Seamless QuickBooks Online integrations with powerful applications (more than 750 apps) in addition to the built-in bookkeeping and payroll solutions.
- Greater flexibility to those who want to manage their business accounting remotely while collaborating with the team.
- Easy access to the most up-to-date accounting data, and there is no scope for ambiguity.
- Robust inventory management so that you never fall short of the product order delivery.
- Insightful reports to gain crucial insights that let you understand how to make your business more profitable.
- QuickBooks Online customer support is available for help via chat chat and call. You can also send an email to QuickBooks Online customer service describing your issues to get help.
Limitations Of QuickBooks Online Help
Despite having many advantages, QuickBooks Online limitations can make you look for possible QuickBooks Online alternatives. Some of these limitations are:
- There are cheaper alternatives to the QuickBooks Online application available in the market.
- The number of users is limited in each tier, and a maximum of 25 users can be employed in the top-tier pricing plan.
- Before getting started with the program, you will have to go through a learning curve.
- You will have to pay extra to access the automated time-tracking feature.
- QuickBooks Online phone support accessibility is limited due to the higher volume of support requests.
Best QuickBooks Online Alternatives
While navigating through the list of the best small business accounting software, you will definitely see QuickBooks Online in it. However, there are several factors that users consider while choosing an accounting solution for their business, such as cost, features, support options, and several others. There are various alternatives for QuickBooks Online in the market, and some of the most preferred solutions among them are:
Xero ($15/Month)
Xero is one of the most preferred accounting applications as a QuickBooks Online alternative, which has a price range from $15/month to $78/month. There are three different subscription plans, and a free 30-day trial period is also available for the product. The number of users is not limited (unlimited number of users) in the product. It is an affordable and easy-to-use accounting solution.
Sage 50 Accounting ($59/Month)
Sage 50 Accounting pricing ranges from $59 to $160 per month and offers competitive features to the users. It is suitable for businesses with up to 50 employees. This cloud-based application enables remote accessibility and working capabilities, thereby enabling flexibility in the day-to-day processes. It can simplify the complex accounting task for small businesses.
FreshBooks ($19/Month)
FreshBooks is another powerful QuickBooks Online alternative that can cost you from $19/month to $60/month as per the changing tiers. Besides, a 30-day trial period is also available for it. FreshBooks has freelance-friendly features, and small businesses can also deploy this program. Freelancers and sole proprietors stay organized and track their expenses and payments from within this tool.
Zoho Books ($0)
Zoho Books is absolutely free for businesses with turnover below $50K per annum. However, businesses with more turnover need to pay a price range of $20 to $275/month as going up in the pricing tiers. A 14-day free trial on the premium plans is also available so that you can test the product before getting started. Moreover, a paid add-on for payroll service is also available.
Wave Accounting ($0)
Wave Accounting is also free for small-sized businesses and makes money through its paid money management products. Self-employed entrepreneurs and micro businesses can enjoy this free application to manage their essential tasks. You can create unlimited invoices using the customized templates. Moreover, you can employ unlimited users with different user permissions.
Quicken ($3.99/Month)
Quicken is yet another less costly accounting application that you can access for $3.99 to $10.99 per month. It can be used for managing business, rental, and personal finances; however, payroll and time-tracking features are missing in the program. The tool can also be utilized for effective tax management. In contrast to QuickBooks Online, it is more focused on streamlining personal finances.
NetSuite (Quote Based)
NetSuite’s pricing is tailored to the size and needs of the business. However, you can also choose from the available pricing packages if it meets your specific business accounting requirements. Payroll and time tracking are the paid app integrations. A free trial for the product is not available, and also there is a learning curve for using the application.
QuickBooks Online Vs Desktop – Which One Is Better?
Speaking of the QuickBooks Online alternatives, the desktop version of the software is also a popular choice. QuickBooks Desktop 2024 is known to offer the most powerful features. However, you need to install the desktop version on your local computer. Thus, you need to be physically present at a specific location to access the program. Businesses that need flexibility in their operations go with QuickBooks Online.
As we can see, both versions have a few advantages over one another; you can choose one that aligns perfectly with your needs. You can also book a consultation with the QuickBooks experts, and they will make a thorough assessment of your business needs to recommend the right QuickBooks solution.
Issues Related To QuickBooks Online
QuickBooks Online is an efficient accounting solution; however, there are various instances when a user gets stuck in an erroneous situation. In such a case, you can contact QuickBooks Online technical support and get one-on-one assistance with the error resolution. Some of the main erroneous situations related to QuickBooks Online are stated below:
Outdated Data File in QBO
Updating QuickBooks on a regular basis is an inevitable task. However, after updating the program, you may find that the data from the previous version is unreadable. In order to access the same file in the new version, you will need to update the QuickBooks company file as well.
Inability To Access The Data File
When creating a backup of your data file to a new location, such as a hard drive or external drive, you may get this error in QuickBooks Online. It can be your QuickBooks Server Manager or Directory Manager locking the data file, thereby promoting the error. You may not be able to run your routine business accounting without accessing your data file.
Connectivity Issues in QuickBooks Online
A slow or unstable Internet connection can also prevent the access of data files, thereby disrupting the system. Besides, it also prevents users from running the multi-user mode. There are various potential reasons behind the connectivity issues in QuickBooks. In the first place, you need to check if the hardware is working fine or not. Alternatively, you can contact QuickBooks Online Support to get instant help.
QuickBooks Online Banking Issues
QuickBooks Online can save you time and effort in checking your transactions manually by syncing the business account. However, there are various possible factors that can prevent you from downloading your transactions. In such a situation, you will have to download them manually, which can kill a lot of your time. Alternatively, you can contact your reliable experts and get help with the persisting problem.
Can’t log in to QuickBooks Online Account
Sometimes, users get locked out of their accounts due to a lost or forgotten account password. In such a case, you need to retrieve your forgotten password. Utilizing third-party applications is not safe, as it can put your data security at risk. Using procedures recommended by QuickBooks can be a suitable option. If you are having trouble with password recovery, get instant assistance by contacting our QuickBooks Online customer service.
Can’t Reconcile With Bank Account
QuickBooks reconciliation allows you to match your bank transactions in QuickBooks to the ones in your bank statement. If the difference between the ending balance in QuickBooks and the bank is zero, it means that the reconciliation is fine. However, if the ending balance does not match, it means that there is some kind of discrepancy in the transactions that you need to fix.
Accidental Deletion of the Transactions
The transactions in QuickBooks are linked together, so changing one transaction can lead to the deletion of the other transaction. The deleted transactions in QuickBooks can cause issues with your QuickBooks accounting processes, and therefore, you need to make sure that this does not happen in your QuickBooks Online.
QuickBooks Online Customer Service
The quality of customer service is the most crucial factor that defines the user experience. Technical issues are common in every software program. Having a customer service professional easily accessible can make product utilization easy and hurdle-free. QuickBooks Online also offers different support channels to contact the customer support team. Some of the popular options are:
- Contact support via call and speak to a live person.
- Contact support via chat and initiate a conversion over it.
- Send an email explaining your issues in detail to get a response.
- Get a callback by dialing the helpline number.
- Go to the QuickBooks community forum and get answers from experts and other users.
- Access help articles related to your product or the problem you are facing.
- Fill out the form describing your issue and submit it to get a response.