

The desktop version of QuickBooks requires you to purchase the software upfront, and there is no free trial period. Learn more about QuickBooks Online products. This product is probably best for businesses that will need employees to have remote access to bookkeeping and will need for multiple employees to be able to access QuickBooks at the same time, and that want to take advantage of automation. Whereas you can track mileage, track inventory, and create industry-specific reports in the desktop version, those functions are limited or nonexistent in the online version. One feature you won’t find in the online version is the ability to customize certain forms. Those features are available with the desktop version, but at an added cost. Other features that come at no extra charge with QuickBooks online are the ability to automatically download your bank transactions, automatic backup, access to the latest feature updates, and access for up to five users. Intuit is also eager to point out the features that you can only find with QuickBooks online: the ability to automatically schedule and send invoices and work from PC, Mac, smartphone, or tablets at any time instant file access for accountants, and connection to more than 300 cloud-based apps. It also has automation features for items like email reports, customer billing, and downloading bank transactions. One of the big differences between the online version of QuickBooks and the desktop version is that QuickBooks online has automatic features - including invoice, receipt, and report transactions - that must be done manually with the desktop version.


QuickBooks online also comes with free support, a free 30-day trial – after which you pay a monthly subscription – and allows for up to 25 simultaneous users. Because it is cloud-based, you can access it from anywhere you have an Internet connection, and from any device. QuickBooks online is cloud-based, which means you must have a reliable Internet connection to make it work.
