QuickBooks Online Pricing in 2026: Plans, Hidden Costs & Alternatives
Quick Answer
QuickBooks Online starts at $30/monthly. The 800-pound gorilla of SMB accounting. QuickBooks Online dominates market share for a reason. deep integrations, solid reporting, and an ecosystem of accountants who know it inside out. The prici...
QuickBooks Online Plans & Pricing
- 1 user
- Income & expenses
- Invoicing
- Tax deductions
- Receipt capture
- Mileage tracking
- 3 users
- Bill management
- Multi-currency
- Employee time tracking
- 5 users
- Inventory tracking
- Project profitability
- Budgets
- 25 users
- Custom roles
- Business analytics
- Batch invoicing
- Workflow automation
Full Pricing Breakdown
| Plan | Monthly Price | Annual Price | Billing | Per |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Simple Start | $30 | $18 | monthly | flat |
| Essentials | $60 | $36 | monthly | flat |
| Plus | $90 | $54 | monthly | flat |
| Advanced | $200 | $120 | monthly | flat |
QuickBooks Online Pricing History
QuickBooks Online has changed pricing 12 times in our records.
| Date | Plan | Old Price | New Price | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-01-01 | Simple Start | $25 | $30 | Increase (20%) |
| 2024-01-01 | Essentials | $50 | $60 | Increase (20%) |
| 2024-01-01 | Plus | $80 | $90 | Increase (12%) |
| 2024-01-01 | Advanced | $180 | $200 | Increase (11%) |
| 2024-01-01 | Simple Start | $25 | $30 | Increase (20%) |
| 2024-01-01 | Essentials | $50 | $60 | Increase (20%) |
| 2024-01-01 | Plus | $80 | $90 | Increase (12%) |
| 2024-01-01 | Advanced | $180 | $200 | Increase (11%) |
| 2024-01-01 | Simple Start | $25 | $30 | Increase (20%) |
| 2024-01-01 | Essentials | $50 | $60 | Increase (20%) |
| 2024-01-01 | Plus | $80 | $90 | Increase (12%) |
| 2024-01-01 | Advanced | $180 | $200 | Increase (11%) |
What You Get: QuickBooks Online Features
| Feature | Included | Plan Tier | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Receipt scanning | Yes | All | |
| Audit trail | Yes | All | |
| Tax preparation | Yes | All | |
| Accountant access | Yes | All | |
| Bank reconciliation | Yes | All | |
| Bill pay | Yes | All | |
| Double-entry accounting | Yes | All | |
| Expense tracking | Yes | All | |
| Inventory tracking | Yes | All | |
| Invoicing | Yes | All | |
| Mobile app | Yes | All | |
| Multi-currency | Yes | All | |
| Multi-entity | Yes | All | |
| Role-based permissions | Yes | All | |
| Time tracking | Yes | All | |
| API access | Yes | All | |
| Bank feeds | Yes | All | |
| Payroll integration | Yes | All | |
| Budgeting | Yes | All | |
| Custom reports | Yes | All | |
| Financial reports (P&L, Balance Sheet, Cash Flow) | Yes | All | |
| Project profitability | Yes | All |
What Users Say About QuickBooks Online
| Source | Rating | Reviews | Ease of Use | Support | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CAPTERRA | 4.3/5 | 6500 | 4.1 | 3.7 | 4.0 |
| G2 | 4.0/5 | 3200 | 3.8 | 3.5 | 3.6 |
QuickBooks Online Alternatives
Looking for a QuickBooks Online alternative? Here are the top-rated general accounting tools:
| Tool | Starting Price | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Zoho Books | Custom | 9.3/10 |
| Xero | $15/mo | 8.4/10 |
| Sage Business Cloud | $15/mo | 8.1/10 |
| FreeAgent | $14/mo | 7.7/10 |
| Kashoo | Custom | 7.3/10 |
Is QuickBooks Online Worth It?
The 800-pound gorilla of SMB accounting. QuickBooks Online dominates market share for a reason. deep integrations, solid reporting, and an ecosystem of accountants who know it inside out. The pricing creep over the past few years is real, though. QuickBooks Online offers a free trial so you can test before committing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does QuickBooks Online have hidden fees?
QBO's base pricing is straightforward, but add-ons like payroll ($45-$125/mo), advanced inventory, and premium support cost extra. The 50% introductory discount also expires after 3 months.
Is QuickBooks Online worth the price?
For most US small businesses, yes. The integration ecosystem, accountant support, and feature depth justify the $30-$200/mo price range. If you're a solopreneur with simple books, Wave or Zoho Books may be better value.