How much does QuickBooks cost?

QuickBooks is one of our top picks for accounting software, and offers various pricing plans. But which one will suit your business, and what are you getting for your money?

Our Research

To recommend the best accounting software, our writers and researchers focused on the factors that matter most to small business owners – ease of use, features, design, scalability, and suitability for the UK taxation system.
Written and reviewed by:

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QuickBooks offers five plans to choose from, with their prices ranging from £10 per month to £90 per month, with incredible discounts for the first six months of any plan you choose. But what exactly are you getting for your hard-earned cash with each of QuickBooks’ plans, and how do you pick the right one for your business?

April (or accounting season) is just around the corner, and savvy entrepreneurs will already be looking to get their ducks in a row now at the start of the new year, to avoid the headaches of transferring and setting up records at that part-way period of the year.

It’s the best time to switch, and the best time to find out about Quickbooks pricing and their latest offers. For example, their current deal will provide you with 90% off for 6 months for a limited time only. Read on to find out more.

4.7 out of 5
  • Bookkeeping
    5
  • Advanced Features
    4.5
  • Financial Reporting
    5
Swipe right to see more
0 out of 0
Plan

Self Employed

Plan

Simple Start

Plan

Essentials

Plan

Plus

Plan

Advanced

Cost
Cost
Cost
Cost
Cost
Features
  • Prepare self-assessment tax return
  • Get income tax estimates
  • Automatically import bank transactions
Features
  • Prepare and submit VAT returns directly to HMRC
  • Send pay-enabled invoices
  • Create estimates and quotes
Features
  • Manage bills
  • Accept and make payments in over 145 currencies
  • 3 users
Features
  • Manage stock
  • Track employee time
  • 5 users
Features
  • Manage stock
  • Track employee time
  • 5 users

How much does Quickbooks cost?

Our expert researchers found that Quickbooks’ is accounting software tailored for small businesses – as each of their plans comes with useful features and powerful tools that make it easy to stay on top of your business finances.

Their pricing is transparent and affordable (unlike some of its competitors), with no usage limits. This is particularly welcome given the temptation for small business owners to rely on free accounting software, which can lead to them missing out on the richer features of platforms like QuickBooks, that charge just a small monthly overhead.

Here’s an overview of their four plans and their respective prices:

  • QuickBooks Self-Employed: £10/month
  • QuickBooks Simple Start: £14/month
  • QuickBooks Essentials: £28/month
  • QuickBooks Plus: £38/month
  • QuickBooks Advanced: £90/month

Now, let’s dive into the details of each plan below to help you find the perfect fit.

QuickBooks Self Employed cost

Plan – QuickBooks Self Employed

Cost £10 per month (excl. VAT)

Key feature – Prepare your self-assessment tax return

Best for – Freelancers and very small businesses

Users – 1 user

QuickBooks Self Employed actually came top in our ranking of the best self-employed accounting software. As well as the ability to prepare your self-assessment tax return, your £10 a month gets you the following features:

  • Get income tax estimates
  • Automatically import bank transactions
  • Manage income and expenses
  • Separate personal and business transactions
  • Track mileage travelled on business trips
  • Chat messaging support

It’s an impressive list for a basic, low-cost plan. There are also no usage limits but two key restrictions are that you don’t get MTD VAT filing or phone support.

For either of those, you’ll need to have a Simple Start, Essentials or Plus plan.

QuickBooks Simple Start cost

Plan – QuickBooks Simple Start

Cost £14 per month (excl. VAT)

Key feature – Prepare and submit your VAT return directly to HMRC

Best for – Small businesses that are VAT registered

Users – 1 user

QuickBooks Simple Start is a great fit for many small businesses. While you pay a bit more per month than the Self Employed plan, you get a powerful VAT submission tool (including an error checker) plus the following:

  • Send “pay-enabled” invoices that can be paid with one click
  • UK phone support (from 8am to 7pm Monday – Friday)
  • Create estimates and quotes that can then be turned into invoices
  • Calculate and submit Construction Industry Scheme (CIS) returns

It’s a list that should fulfil the needs of lots of small businesses, but if you want bill management tools or multi-currency support, then you should choose an Essentials or Plus plan.

QuickBooks Essentials cost

Plan – QuickBooks Essentials

Cost£28 per month (excl. VAT)

Key feature – Bill management

Best for – Businesses that have a lot of outgoings

Users – 3 users

The Essentials plan is ideal for larger small businesses and businesses that do business with overseas suppliers or clients. One of the most important additions on this tier is bill management – you’ll be able to import bills from suppliers to see when they’re due, pay multiple vendors/invoices at the same time, record payments, and create recurring expenses. Essentials also includes the following benefits.

  • Do business in over 145 currencies (and invoice easily with automatic exchange rates)
  • Have up to three users

This is a great plan for larger SMEs that do business overseas as it includes multi-currency support and bill management tools.

QuickBooks Plus cost

Plan – QuickBooks Plus

Cost£38 per month (excl. VAT)

Key feature – Inventory management

Best for – Retail businesses

Users – 5 users

QuickBooks’ Plus plan has a lot to offer for larger SMEs and retail businesses.  The most notable feature on this tier is inventory management – which lets you quickly and easily track stock levels, see what is (and isn’t) selling well, create purchase orders, manage vendors, and get low stock notifications. This plan also includes:

  • Employee time tracking
  • Track project profitability
  • Budgeting tools that let you track spending against monthly, quarterly, or annual budgets
  • Add up to five users

QuickBooks Advanced cost

Plan – QuickBooks Advanced

Cost£90 per month (excl. VAT)

Key feature – User permissions

Best for – Larger corporate businesses

Users – 25 users

QuickBooks’ Advanced plan has a lot to offer for businesses with more complex requirements. One of its standout features is the ability to establish custom user permissions. This allows you to control access to sensitive financial information, ensuring that only authorised personnel can view or modify more sensitive data.

While QuickBooks Advanced is a powerful tool, it may not be the most compelling option for small businesses that are just starting out. However, as your business scales and demands more advanced functionalities, QuickBooks Advanced becomes an option worth considering. Its robust features and scalability make it an ideal choice for growing businesses that require a more comprehensive and sophisticated financial management solution.

Some of their advanced functionality includes:

  • Business analytics with Excel
  • Batch invoices
  • Customise user permissions
  • Automate workflows & reminders
  • Manage employee expenses

Is there a free version of QuickBooks?

No, there’s no free version of QuickBooks. However, you can get a 30-day free trial so you can see exactly what QuickBooks has to offer, and how it can help your business.

You can find out more information about QuickBooks’ free trial features and what the best free accounting software is in 2024 in our expert guide.

Can I buy QuickBooks without a subscription?

While QuickBooks is only available with a subscription, there’s no minimum term or contract to sign so you’re free to stop using it whenever you want. Not having to pay a significant amount up front should also help your cash flow, something that’s hugely important for small businesses.

Verdict: Is QuickBooks worth the money?

In short, yes.

Overall, our expert research determined that QuickBooks’ reasonable pricing, extensive track record, and user-friendly interface make it a preferred choice for many users. While the support options may be somewhat limited, this should not be a significant drawback for most users, given the software’s overall reliability and ease of use.

Pricing is one of the crucial factors we consider when evaluating the quality of a product on the market. When it comes to deducing a score, our expert researchers analyse a product’s features individually against those of the competitors and alternatives in the current market to reach a conclusive number, which you can find below.

As we embrace the dawn of a new year, there’s no better time than now to kickstart your financial journey with QuickBooks. January marks the perfect moment for a fresh start, empowering you to set solid foundations for the year ahead. Diving into QuickBooks now and you’ll gain a crucial advantage in organising your finances, streamlining your operations, and laying the groundwork for a prosperous year. Don’t wait; seize the opportunity this January to empower your business with the tools it needs for a thriving year ahead.

For a full breakdown of where QuickBooks truly excels, you can check out our in-depth QuickBooks review.

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Written by:
Alec is Startups’ resident expert on politics and finance. He’s provided live updates on the budget, written guides on investing and property development, and demystified topics like corporation tax, accounting software, and invoice discounting. Before joining, he worked in the media for over a decade, conducting media analysis at Kantar Media and YouGov, and writing a wide variety of freelance pieces.

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