Is QuickBooks Online being phased out?
Once Intuit Quickbooks is discontinued it will also mean that you will not receive any new, critical security updates. If you are currently using QuickBooks 2020, it is highly recommended to install the latest updates prior to discontinuation on May 31, 2023.
QuickBooks Desktop is a more traditional accounting software that you download and install on your computer, while QuickBooks Online is cloud-based accounting software you access through the internet.
Free trial for 30 days: First thirty (30) days of subscription to the QuickBooks Products, starting from the date of enrollment is free. To continue using the QuickBooks Products after your 30-day trial, you'll be asked to present a valid credit card for authorization.
QuickBooks Online
$30/month. Basic accounting tools on a single-user license. $55/month. All Simple Start features for up to three users, plus bill management and the ability to add employee time to invoices.
Your access to QuickBooks Desktop Payroll Services, Live Support, Online Backup, Online Banking, and other services through QuickBooks Desktop 2020 software will be discontinued after May 31, 2023.
The cheapest QuickBooks Online plan is the Self-employed plan. It's available for just $15 per month. However, it only supports a single user and is designed mainly for freelancers.
As per the reports shared by the Accountancy Age, around 78% of accounts personnel, including small and mid-sized businesses, rely on cloud technology like hosted QuickBooks. More than 1.57million subscribers prefer QuickBooks more than other accounting tools.
They now only sell QuickBooks Pro and Premier products as Pro Plus and Premier Plus subscriptions in place of one-time purchase licenses. QuickBooks Desktop is no longer available as a one-time purchase. Below are the updated pricing and version as of February 2023.
The long answer: Intuit are sunsetting some versions of QuickBooks Desktop (QBD), and it might be possible for some users to keep accessing it —though it is not recommended. From May 31st, 2023, Intuit will stop supporting these QuickBooks Desktop 2020 versions: QuickBooks Desktop Pro 2020.
If you're in the market to upgrade your QuickBooks Desktop application or maybe even waiting to purchase QuickBooks 2022, it may seem like you can only purchase a subscription plan. However, many are unaware that you can purchase QuickBooks Desktop as a standalone application without having to pay a subscription fee.
What are the cons of using QuickBooks?
- Lack of industry and business-specific features (such as lot tracking, eCommerce and barcode scanning)
- Lack of key reports outside of accounting.
- Instability/system crashes.
- Lack of direct professional support.
- File-size issues/limitations on number of transactions.
- Limitations on the number of users.
QuickBooks has better reporting capabilities than Excel, so if you want more insight into your finances, QuickBooks may be able to provide that information for you.

QuickBooks Cost
It costs $30 per month. Users can track income and expenses, capture and organize receipts, maximize tax deductions, track mileage and manage cash flow.
Fee type | QuickBooks Online | QuickBooks Desktop "Pay monthly" Plan |
---|---|---|
Monthly fee | None | $20 |
ACH bank transfer | 1% (Max $10) | $3.00 |
Credit card - swiped | 2.4% + 25 ¢ | 1.6% + 30 ¢ |
Credit card - online invoice | 2.9% + 25 ¢ | 3.3% + 30 ¢ |
Yes, you do need a bookkeeper even if you have Quickbooks. We understand that you're a small business owner, and you want to save money where you can. But relying on software alone may cost you more in the long run. Accountants and bookkeepers can offer so much more than Quickbooks.
A QuickBooks subscription must be renewed each year to maintain access and to get release updates and online services. Renewal will also allow you access to upgrade to the latest version.
You pay the product price one time and you will be able to use it as long as you want. However, QuickBooks will only support a QB Desktop version for 3 years.
With QuickBooks Desktop 2023 R3 or newer, view-only access remains for 1 year after your subscription ends. In that time, you won't be able to edit your data with your inactive license. But, you can renew your subscription or export your data. To view your data after 1 year, you'll have to renew your subscription.
Plus. QuickBooks Plus is the most popular plan for businesses since it includes features such as inventory tracking, project management and tax support.
QuickBooks Online is a good option for many small businesses that are looking to make invoicing customers easy and integrate invoicing and payments into the general ledger. Small businesses can customize how they use the platform so that they only use the features they need.
What is the simplest version of QuickBooks?
QuickBooks Simple Start is the most basic of all QuickBooks plans, is best suited for startup businesses, gives access to a single user, and meets basic bookkeeping needs. QuickBooks Essentials works best for the businesses that have heavy accounts payable and gives access to three users at the same time.
The short answer: no. The long answer: Intuit are sunsetting some versions of QuickBooks Desktop (QBD), and it might be possible for some users to keep accessing it —though it is not recommended. From May 31st, 2023, Intuit will stop supporting these QuickBooks Desktop 2020 versions: QuickBooks Desktop Pro 2020.
The apps will still be available to users as long as their browsers can support them. However, users will no longer be able to download, receive customer support, or software updates to the apps. The company made the decision to discontinue support of these apps because of limited customer use.
Intuit announced on June 9, 2021, that QuickBooks Commerce (formerly TradeGecko) will be retired on June 10, 2022. Customers in the U.S. will be able to switch to the QuickBooks Online accounting product with embedded TradeGecko.
Solution 2: Clear your browser's cache and cookies
Clear your cache and cookies, then sign in to QuickBooks Online. QuickBooks Online uses your browser's cache and cookies to run faster. However, they can block web pages from loading. Clear your cache and cookies, then sign in to QuickBooks Online.