QuickBooks Online Vs QuickBooks Desktop: What You Need to Know
QuickBooks Online & QuickBooks Desktop are accounting software options from the company Intuit. Small business owners often wonder which version is most suitable for their business, or if there’s any difference between the two at all. The most significant difference is that QuickBooks online is cloud-based, while you have to install the desktop version on your computer.
Also, QuickBooks Online is accessed via a monthly subscription, with an initial 30-day free trial. The Desktop is obtained after a one-off annual payment. Let’s find out more differences between the two.
Access
Since the desktop version requires installing, you can only access it on-premise, on your computer. QuickBooks Online allows you access from across a range of devices and from any location, offering more flexibility. Updates are real-time, allowing everyone in your team to keep appraised. Because it’s online-based, you also need access to the internet.
Automation
With the desktop version, all transactions (bill payments, sales, invoices, receipts, etc.) have to be manually processed. Online, on the other hand, has inbuilt features that enable automatic entry of transactions.
Customer Support
QuickBooks Online has free customer support that comes with every subscription. It has round the clock phone support, as well as free online weekly training. The desktop version does not possess such a feature.
Number of users
Multiple users can access and use the online version simultaneously. Only one person can use the QuickBooks Desktop at a time. The online version thus offers more flexibility in terms of time, as well as allowing you to get more work done for less time.
So there you go. Which QuickBooks version would work best for your business? Depending on your accounting needs, location set up, and your goals, you can now choose which version would mesh best with your requirements, staff, and location. Contact us today, and we’ll help you figure it out together, as well as go with you the whole mile.
