QuickBooks Online Pricing 2026: Every Plan Reviewed, Compared & Rated
QuickBooks Online (QBO) pricing in 2026 ranges from $20 to $275 per month depending on the plan you choose. There are five tiers: Solopreneur ($20/mo) for one-person businesses, Simple Start ($38/mo) for solo entrepreneurs, Essentials ($75/mo) for small teams needing bill management, Plus ($115/mo, the most popular plan) for businesses with inventory and project tracking, and Advanced ($275/mo) for larger SMBs with up to 25 users. All plans are month-to-month with no annual lock-in.
New users can choose a 30-day free trial or a 50% discount for the first three months. Payroll, Live Bookkeeping, and QuickBooks Time are not included in base prices and cost extra. QBO prices have increased roughly 12–17% annually since 2023, so budgeting for future rate hikes is advisable.
QBO Pricing 2026: QuickBooks Online Plans, Costs & Hidden Fees Compared
QuickBooks Online is the world’s most widely used small business accounting software — and for good reason. But with five plan tiers, annual price hikes, and a growing list of paid add-ons, figuring out exactly what you will pay (and whether you are paying for more than you need) is harder than it should be.
This guide gives you every QBO price for 2026, honest pros and cons for each plan, the hidden costs Intuit does not put in the headline, a clear “is it worth it” verdict, and the best alternatives if QuickBooks Online turns out to be more software than you need.
What Is QuickBooks Online (QBO)?
QuickBooks Online is Intuit’s cloud-based accounting platform designed for small to mid-sized businesses. Unlike the older QuickBooks Desktop software, QBO runs in any web browser and syncs across devices. It handles invoicing, expense tracking, bank reconciliation, payroll (via add-on), inventory management, financial reporting, and tax preparation — all in one connected system.
As of 2026, QBO serves roughly 7.5 million subscribers in the United States alone. It is the software most US accountants and bookkeepers are trained on, which is a non-trivial advantage when you are hiring professional help. Note: Intuit is phasing out QuickBooks Desktop — Desktop 2023 support ended in May 2026, and Desktop 2024 is the last version ever released. If you are still on Desktop, migration planning is now urgent.
QuickBooks Online Pricing 2026: All 5 Plans at a Glance
All prices below are standard monthly rates as of mid-2026 (USD). No annual contract is required — QBO is month-to-month. New subscriber discounts are available and covered in the Discounts section below.
| Plan | Price/Month | Users | Invoices | Inventory | Key Features |
| Solopreneur | $20/mo | 1 | Unlimited | No | Income/expense tracking, mileage, basic invoicing, Schedule C prep |
| Simple Start | $38/mo | 1 | Unlimited | No | Income & expense tracking, invoicing, receipt capture, cash flow, tax estimates, 20+ reports |
| Essentials | $75/mo | Up to 3 | Unlimited | No | Everything in Simple Start + bill management, time tracking, multi-currency support |
| Plus | $115/mo | Up to 5 | Unlimited | Yes | Everything in Essentials + inventory tracking, project profitability, budgeting, class/location tracking, 65+ reports |
| Advanced | $275/mo | Up to 25 | Unlimited | Yes | Everything in Plus + custom fields, batch invoicing, Fathom analytics ($468 value), fixed assets, 5 QBO training courses ($2,000 value), Priority Circle support, 24/7 support |
Plan-by-Plan Breakdown: Features, Pros & Cons
QuickBooks Solopreneur — $20/month
Solopreneur is a simplified, budget-friendly tier designed specifically for one-person businesses — freelancers, gig workers, and self-employed individuals who need to separate personal and business finances and prepare for Schedule C tax filing. It is not double-entry accounting software, which is an important technical distinction.
Best for: Gig workers, side hustlers, freelancers with simple finances and no employees.
Pros:
- Lowest QBO price point at $20/month
- Automatically classifies income and expenses by category
- Mileage tracking built in
- Useful for Schedule C tax prep
Cons:
- Not true double-entry accounting — no customizable chart of accounts
- No payroll support — must upgrade to Simple Start to add employees
- Limited reporting and no bill management
- Cannot invite an accountant to collaborate
Simple Start — $38/month
Simple Start is the true entry-level QBO plan for small businesses — the lowest tier that includes genuine double-entry bookkeeping. One user only, but it handles invoicing, expense tracking, bank feeds, and over 20 financial reports including profit and loss, balance sheet, and cash flow.
Best for: Solopreneurs and freelancers who want real accounting, not just expense tracking.
Pros:
- Full double-entry accounting — accountant-grade bookkeeping from day one
- Unlimited invoices and expense tracking
- Cash flow forecasting included
- Accountant access — invite your CPA for free
- 30-day free trial available
Cons:
- One user only — no team access
- No bill management or time tracking (require Essentials)
- Inventory tracking not available
- Price has increased 52% since 2020 ($25 to $38)
Essentials — $75/month
Essentials adds three critical features over Simple Start: bill management (accounts payable), time tracking for employees and contractors, and multi-currency support. It allows up to 3 users — enough for a small team where the owner, an admin, and an accountant all need access.
Best for: Service businesses with contractors, multiple users, and vendor bills to manage.
Pros:
- Bill management to track what you owe vendors — critical for cash flow
- Time tracking built in — log billable hours against clients or projects
- Multi-currency for businesses with international clients or suppliers
- Up to 3 users — practical for small teams
Cons:
- No inventory tracking — products businesses must upgrade to Plus
- No project profitability reporting
- Significant price jump from Simple Start ($38 to $75)
Plus — $115/month
Plus is the most popular QBO plan, accounting for an estimated 40% of all QBO subscribers. The key additions over Essentials are inventory tracking, project profitability reporting, and budgeting tools. Class and location tracking allow multi-department or multi-location businesses to separate their financials. Up to 5 users.
Best for: Product-based businesses, contractors with project-level P&L needs, businesses with 2-5 staff who need accounting access.
Pros:
- Inventory tracking with reorder alerts — essential for product sellers
- Project profitability: compare estimated vs. actual costs per job
- Class and location tracking for multi-department or multi-site businesses
- Budgeting and budget vs. actual reporting
- 65+ reports including industry-specific options
Cons:
- Only 5 users — growing teams hit this ceiling quickly
- Jumped from $90 to $115/month in May 2026 — a 28% increase
- Advanced analytics require the next tier up
Advanced — $275/month
Advanced is QBO’s enterprise-adjacent offering, supporting up to 25 users and adding significant automation, analytics, and support features. The bundled Fathom subscription (normally $468/year) for advanced reporting and analytics partially offsets the price premium. Custom fields, batch invoicing, and Priority Circle support round out the tier.
Best for: Established SMBs with larger accounting teams, complex reporting needs, or multiple business entities.
Pros:
- Up to 25 users with granular permission controls
- Fathom subscription included ($468/year value) — advanced dashboards and KPIs
- Five QBO training courses included ($2,000 value)
- Priority Circle support with dedicated resources and 24/7 access
- Custom workflow automation to reduce manual data entry
- Fixed asset management and depreciation tracking
- Multi-entity consolidated reporting
Cons:
- At $275/month ($3,300/year), cost is significant for businesses not using all features
- Payroll and bookkeeping support still require separate add-on fees
- Many Advanced features (like Fathom) are available as standalone tools for less
Hidden Costs & Add-Ons: What QBO Does Not Show on the Pricing Page
The base plan price is rarely what you actually pay. Here is the complete picture of additional costs that catch businesses by surprise:
| Add-On / Fee | Cost | Notes |
| Payroll – Core | $50/mo + $6.50/employee | Automated payroll, tax forms, direct deposit; requires separate subscription |
| Payroll – Premium | $85/mo + $10/employee | Adds same-day direct deposit, HR support, expert review |
| Payroll – Elite | $130/mo + $12/employee | Full-service payroll with tax penalty protection and white-glove setup |
| Live Bookkeeping (Expert Assisted) | From $50/mo | Monthly bookkeeper review and categorization; price scales with expenses |
| QuickBooks Time (Basic) | $20/mo + $8/user | Time tracking and scheduling for teams |
| Additional State Tax Filing | $12/month per state | First state included; each extra state is charged separately |
| Contractor Direct Deposit | $6.50–$12/contractor/mo | Paying 1099 contractors via direct deposit costs per contractor |
| Payment Processing (ACH) | 1% (min $1) | When clients pay invoices via bank transfer; card is 2.99% |
Real-world example: A 5-person business on Plus ($115/month) with Core Payroll ($50 + $6.50 x 5 = $82.50/month) is paying $197.50/month minimum — more than double the advertised base price. Add QuickBooks Time and payment processing fees, and $250–300/month is common.
Free Trial, Discounts & Ways to Pay Less
- 30-Day Free Trial: Available for Simple Start, Essentials, Plus, and Advanced. No credit card required to start. Phone support included during the trial period.
- 50% Off for 3 Months: New subscribers who skip the free trial and choose the “Buy Now” path get 50% off for the first three months. For Plus, that means $57.50/month for 3 months instead of $115.
- Accountant Discount: If your accountant purchases your QBO subscription on your behalf through the QuickBooks ProAdvisor program, you often get a discounted rate — sometimes 30% off ongoing.
- Annual Billing Discount: QuickBooks offers a discount for paying annually upfront in some regions. In the US, monthly-only is the standard, but check your account settings.
- Non-Profit Pricing: Intuit offers discounted rates for eligible 501(c)(3) organizations through TechSoup.
- Promotional Windows: Intuit frequently runs seasonal promotions (Black Friday, New Year) with deeper discounts — up to 70% off for 3 months for new subscribers.
QuickBooks Online Price History: The Trend You Need to Know
QBO prices have increased every year since 2020, with annual hikes accelerating in 2025–2026. Here is the trajectory:
- Simple Start: $25/mo (2020) → $30/mo (2022) → $35/mo (2024) → $38/mo (2026) — up 52% in 6 years
- Plus: $70/mo (2020) → $85/mo (2022) → $99/mo (2024) → $115/mo (2026) — up 64% in 6 years
- Advanced: $150/mo (2020) → $200/mo (2022) → $235/mo (2024) → $275/mo (2026) — up 83% in 6 years
Intuit has attributed increases to AI development (Intuit Assist), automation improvements, and infrastructure investment. Based on historical pace, planning for a further 12–15% increase annually is prudent.
Best Alternatives to QuickBooks Online in 2026
QBO dominates the market, but it is not always the best fit — especially for solopreneurs, service businesses, or cost-sensitive SMBs. Here is how the top competitors compare:
| Software | Starting Price | Best For | Key Difference vs QBO |
| Xero | ~$15/mo (Starter) | Growing teams, international ops | Unlimited users on all plans; cleaner interface; superior multi-currency; fewer US payroll integrations |
| FreshBooks | $19/mo (Lite) | Freelancers, consultants, service biz | Best-in-class invoicing and time tracking; client portal; weaker on inventory and advanced reporting |
| Wave | Free | Solo entrepreneurs, microbusinesses | Genuinely free for accounting and invoicing; limited scalability; pay-per-payroll model instead of monthly |
| Zoho Books | $15/mo | Cost-conscious SMBs | Strong value at lower price; deep Zoho ecosystem integration; steeper learning curve; smaller accountant network in the US |
| Sage Accounting | $10/mo | UK/EU businesses, manufacturing | Strong for compliance and manufacturing; less popular with US accountants; fewer US-focused integrations |
Migration note: Xero, FreshBooks, and Zoho Books all offer QuickBooks import wizards. Most migrations take 2–4 hours for a business with 1–3 years of history. The best time to switch is at the start of a new fiscal quarter.
Is QuickBooks Online Worth It in 2026?
The honest answer: it depends entirely on which plan you need and whether you are paying for the right one.
QBO is worth it when:
- You work with a US-based CPA or bookkeeper — QBO is the industry standard and most accountants work in it daily. Software your accountant cannot access costs you money in inefficiency.
- You run a product-based business — the Plus plan’s inventory tracking, project P&L, and class tracking are genuinely powerful and well-integrated.
- You need payroll in the same ecosystem — Intuit’s payroll integration is seamless in a way that third-party tools are not.
- You are growing toward 5–10 employees — QBO scales more smoothly in this range than most alternatives.
QBO may not be worth it when:
- You are a freelancer or consultant who primarily invoices clients — FreshBooks at $19–38/month does invoicing better and costs less.
- You have under $500K revenue and minimal transactions — Wave’s free tier covers basic bookkeeping at zero cost.
- Your team needs more than 5 users without the Advanced price jump — Xero’s unlimited users at mid-tier pricing is more cost-efficient.
- Budget is a primary concern — Zoho Books at $15/month delivers 80% of QBO’s core features at a fraction of the cost.
The price increases are real and accelerating. If you are on QBO and barely using it, this is a good time to audit your actual usage before your next renewal.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
How much does QuickBooks Online cost per month in 2026?
QBO costs $20/month (Solopreneur), $38/month (Simple Start), $75/month (Essentials), $115/month (Plus), or $275/month (Advanced). These are base prices — payroll, bookkeeping support, and time tracking cost extra.
Is there a free version of QuickBooks Online?
There is no permanently free QBO plan for businesses. However, new subscribers can get a 30-day free trial (no credit card required) or choose 50% off for their first three months. Students and accountants can access QuickBooks Online Accountant for free.
Can I cancel QuickBooks Online at any time?
Yes. There is no long-term contract for standard QBO plans. You can cancel anytime through Account & Settings and your access continues until the end of the billing period. No prorated refunds are issued for mid-month cancellations.
What is the difference between QBO Simple Start and Essentials?
Simple Start supports one user and handles basic accounting — invoicing, expenses, and reporting. Essentials adds three users, bill management (accounts payable), time tracking, and multi-currency support. The price difference is $37/month ($38 vs. $75). If you have vendor bills to pay or billable hours to track, Essentials is necessary.
Does QBO pricing include payroll?
No. Payroll is a separate add-on. QuickBooks Payroll Core starts at $50/month plus $6.50 per employee per month. It must be purchased in addition to your QBO base plan.
How often does QuickBooks Online raise its prices?
Intuit has raised QBO prices roughly once per year since 2020, typically in the summer months. Increases have averaged 12–17% annually across plans, with the trend accelerating in recent years. Budget accordingly.
Which QBO plan is best for a small business with 3 employees?
Most small businesses with employees need at least Essentials ($75/month) for bill management and multi-user access, plus a Payroll add-on. If you sell physical products or need project profitability tracking, move to Plus ($115/month). The right plan depends more on your operational complexity than your headcount.
Is QuickBooks Online better than Xero?
For US-based businesses working with local accountants: QBO wins on accountant compatibility and payroll integration. For teams needing unlimited users, international business, or a cleaner interface: Xero is often the better choice. Both are strong platforms — the right answer depends on your accountant’s preference and your team size.
What happens to my data if I cancel QBO?
After cancellation, you have read-only access to your QBO account for one year, during which you can export reports and data. After that period, Intuit archives your data. Export your full chart of accounts, transaction history, and reports before cancelling if you plan to switch platforms.
