QuickBooks Online Pricing
- Finance pricing
- $38/mo at the smallest
- Free plan
QuickBooks Online pricing starts at $38 a month, which is $456 over twelve months. There is a free plan, and a trial on the paid tiers: 30 days, or 90% off for 3 months instead of the trial. Every figure below was read from the vendor's pricing page on 19 August 2026, and one charge that the headline price does not include is set out below.
Opens the vendor's own pricing page. Figures here were read from it on 19 August 2026.
QuickBooks Online ranking and coverage
- In Finance
- #5 of 7
- Overall
- #97 of 122 tied
- Terms score
- 4.7 /10
- Referenced here
- 5 pages
Cost position 0 · Portability 5 · Subscription flexibility 9 - Ranked on published terms only: entry price against category peers, portability and subscription flexibility, equally weighted. This is not a quality score.How the rank is calculated.
QuickBooks Online pricing at a glance
| Entry price | Free plan for 1 user and 2 invoices a month; Simple Start from $38/month |
|---|---|
| Smallest invoice | $38 a month, or $456 a year |
| How that is reached | Simple Start at $38 a month |
| Seat minimum | None on the entry plan |
| Free plan | Yes |
| Free trial | 30 days, or 90% off for 3 months instead of the trial |
| How it charges | freemium |
| Priced plans published | 6 rows on the vendor's page |
| Affiliate programme | Affiliate and ProAdvisor programmes advertised; rates vary |
| Prices read from | The vendor's own pricing page |
| Last checked | 19 August 2026 |
Every QuickBooks Online plan and what it costs
Read from the vendor's own pricing page on 19 August 2026. Charged as freemium. Free trial: 30 days, or 90% off for 3 months instead of the trial.
| Plan | Price | Billing | What it is |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | per month | 1 user, no accountant access - Two invoices a month, one connected bank account, income and expense tracking and the top three reports. No credit card required |
| Simple Start | $38 | per month | 1 user plus accountant access - Invoicing, expenses, basic reports and free ACH bill payments |
| Essentials | $75 | per month | 3 users - Bill management and time tracking. Was $85 when we last checked |
| Plus | $115 | per month | 5 users - Inventory and project profitability. Was $140 when we last checked |
| Advanced | $275 | per month | 25 users - Workflow automation and dedicated support. Was $340 when we last checked |
| Workforce Payroll with Simple Start Add-on | $88 | per month | Plus $7 per employee a month. Payroll is sold bundled with accounting, so this replaces the $38 Simple Start subscription rather than adding to it |
What QuickBooks Online costs beyond the advertised price
Each of these is a figure you can check on the vendor's own page. The arithmetic is shown so you can redo it rather than take our word for it.
- Charged on top of a plan$1,056 a year
Workforce Payroll with Simple Start is charged on top of a plan rather than instead of one: $88 a month, which is $1,056 a year on top of whichever tier you hold.
Working$88 a month x 12 = $1,056 a year, added to a tier price rather than replacing it.
Computed from the plan table on QuickBooks Online pricing , read 19 August 2026
What QuickBooks Online actually costs over a year
A monthly price is not the same thing as a monthly contract. These are the plans above resolved both ways, per seat or unit where the plan is charged that way. Where a vendor quotes only a yearly figure it is divided by twelve rather than left out, and the Quoted column says which figure the vendor actually publishes.
| Plan | Quoted | Monthly | Over 12 months |
|---|---|---|---|
| Simple Start1 user plus accountant access | per month | $38 | $456 |
| Essentials3 users | per month | $75 | $900 |
| Plus5 users | per month | $115 | $1,380 |
| Advanced25 users | per month | $275 | $3,300 |
| Workforce Payroll with Simple Start add-on | per month | $88 | $1,056 |
QuickBooks Online pricing over time
Read from 34 archived captures of the vendor's pricing page , spanning September 2014 to September 2026. Every figure below links to the capture it came from, so you can check it against the page as it stood on the day.
- Essentials changed 7 times between 18 September 2014 and 1 September 2026, from $18 to $85, up 372.2% overall.
- Plus changed 7 times between 18 September 2014 and 1 September 2026, from $23 to $140, up 508.7% overall.
- Simple Start changed 6 times between 18 September 2014 and 1 September 2026, from $10 to $38, up 280% overall.
- Advanced changed 3 times between 4 January 2019 and 1 September 2026, from $150 to $340, up 126.7% overall.
Essentials
| Published price | Charged | Seen from | Last seen | Capture |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $18 | Not stated | 18 September 2014 | Single capture | Archive |
| $26 | Not stated | 2 January 2016 | Single capture | Archive |
| $35 | Not stated | 4 January 2019 | Single capture | Archive |
| $40 | Not stated | 1 April 2020 | 3 August 2021 | Archive |
| $55 | Not stated | 1 November 2022 | Single capture | Archive |
| $60 | Not stated | 1 March 2024 | Single capture | Archive |
| $65 | Not stated | 11 June 2025 | Single capture | Archive |
| $85 | Not stated | 1 September 2026 | Single capture | Archive |
- ↑ $18 to $26, between 18 September 2014 and 2 January 2016 (+44.4%). before / after
- ↑ $26 to $35, between 2 January 2016 and 4 January 2019 (+34.6%). before / after
- ↑ $35 to $40, between 4 January 2019 and 1 April 2020 (+14.3%). before / after
- ↑ $40 to $55, between 3 August 2021 and 1 November 2022 (+37.5%). before / after
- ↑ $55 to $60, between 1 November 2022 and 1 March 2024 (+9.1%). before / after
- ↑ $60 to $65, between 1 March 2024 and 11 June 2025 (+8.3%). before / after
- ↑ $65 to $85, between 11 June 2025 and 1 September 2026 (+30.8%). before / after
Plus
| Published price | Charged | Seen from | Last seen | Capture |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $23 | Not stated | 18 September 2014 | Single capture | Archive |
| $39 | Not stated | 2 January 2016 | Single capture | Archive |
| $60 | Not stated | 4 January 2019 | Single capture | Archive |
| $70 | Not stated | 1 April 2020 | 3 August 2021 | Archive |
| $85 | Not stated | 1 November 2022 | Single capture | Archive |
| $90 | Not stated | 1 March 2024 | Single capture | Archive |
| $99 | Not stated | 11 June 2025 | Single capture | Archive |
| $140 | Not stated | 1 September 2026 | Single capture | Archive |
- ↑ $23 to $39, between 18 September 2014 and 2 January 2016 (+69.6%). before / after
- ↑ $39 to $60, between 2 January 2016 and 4 January 2019 (+53.8%). before / after
- ↑ $60 to $70, between 4 January 2019 and 1 April 2020 (+16.7%). before / after
- ↑ $70 to $85, between 3 August 2021 and 1 November 2022 (+21.4%). before / after
- ↑ $85 to $90, between 1 November 2022 and 1 March 2024 (+5.9%). before / after
- ↑ $90 to $99, between 1 March 2024 and 11 June 2025 (+10%). before / after
- ↑ $99 to $140, between 11 June 2025 and 1 September 2026 (+41.4%). before / after
Simple Start
| Published price | Charged | Seen from | Last seen | Capture |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $10 | Not stated | 18 September 2014 | Single capture | Archive |
| $12 | Not stated | 2 January 2016 | Single capture | Archive |
| $20 | Not stated | 4 January 2019 | Single capture | Archive |
| $25 | Not stated | 1 April 2020 | 3 August 2021 | Archive |
| $30 | Not stated | 1 November 2022 | 1 March 2024 | Archive |
| $35 | Not stated | 11 June 2025 | Single capture | Archive |
| $38 | Not stated | 1 September 2026 | Single capture | Archive |
- ↑ $10 to $12, between 18 September 2014 and 2 January 2016 (+20%). before / after
- ↑ $12 to $20, between 2 January 2016 and 4 January 2019 (+66.7%). before / after
- ↑ $20 to $25, between 4 January 2019 and 1 April 2020 (+25%). before / after
- ↑ $25 to $30, between 3 August 2021 and 1 November 2022 (+20%). before / after
- ↑ $30 to $35, between 1 March 2024 and 11 June 2025 (+16.7%). before / after
- ↑ $35 to $38, between 11 June 2025 and 1 September 2026 (+8.6%). before / after
Advanced
| Published price | Charged | Seen from | Last seen | Capture |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $150 | Not stated | 4 January 2019 | 3 August 2021 | Archive |
| $200 | Not stated | 1 November 2022 | 1 March 2024 | Archive |
| $235 | Not stated | 11 June 2025 | Single capture | Archive |
| $340 | Not stated | 1 September 2026 | Single capture | Archive |
Compiled 18 September 2026 from the Internet Archive Wayback Machine. Plan names were matched against the archived page text and the first currency-anchored figure within 160 characters was recorded, rejecting any figure with a competing plan name standing between it and the name it was matched to. The currency and the unit were read from each capture rather than assumed: captures served in a currency other than $, and captures where no plan name sat beside a figure, are listed as unread rather than dropped. Archived pages show the price as served to the archive's crawler, which may differ by region from the price you are shown.
Which QuickBooks Online plan should you buy?
| Your situation | Recommended | Why |
|---|---|---|
| You are a sole trader working with an accountant | Simple Start | $38 a month for one user plus accountant access. The accountant compatibility is the point. |
| You need bill management and three users | Essentials | $85 a month. |
| You hold inventory or track project profitability | Plus | $140 a month with five users. Inventory is usually the deciding feature. |
| You need workflow automation and 25 users | Advanced | $340 a month, and a large step most small businesses never need. |
| You are offered 90% off for three months | Budget the renewal, not the promotion | The discount replaces the trial rather than adding to it, and renewal pricing is steep by comparison. |
| You are outside the United States | Check local alternatives first | Xero and local products often fit non-US tax and payroll better. |
Verdict by who you are
US small business with an external accountantYes
Almost every US accountant works in QuickBooks, and that compatibility saves real money in bookkeeping fees.
Business needing accounting and payroll from one vendorYes
One vendor and one support relationship, which matters more than feature parity for most owners.
Business outside the USCompare first
Capable, but Xero's international coverage and unlimited users often suit better.
Freelancer who only invoicesNo
$38 a month is a lot for invoicing. Wave is free and FreshBooks is nicer at it.
Should you buy QuickBooks Online?
Buy QuickBooks Online if…
- US small businesses working with an external accountant
- Companies needing payroll and accounting from one vendor
- Businesses that want extensive bank feed coverage
Do not buy QuickBooks Online if…
- Businesses outside the US, where local rivals often fit better
- Very small operations that only need invoicing
- Anyone sensitive to steep renewal pricing after promotions
What leaving QuickBooks Online would cost
moderate lock-in
QuickBooks Online scores on public API. Portability 5/10 ; lock-in is the inverse. How this is calculated.
Watch the discount, not the price
At the time we checked, Intuit was advertising 90% off for three months, which puts Simple Start at $3.80 and Advanced at $34. Those are not prices, they are an acquisition offer. Budget the full figures, because month four arrives quickly and the step from $3.80 to $38 feels like a price rise even though nothing changed.
You generally choose between the discount and the 30-day free trial rather than getting both.
User counts are the real tier driver
Simple Start is one user plus your accountant. Essentials is three, Plus is five, Advanced is twenty-five. Businesses routinely upgrade because a second bookkeeper needs access, not because they need inventory or project costing. Count the people who will log in before comparing features.
Where it fits and where it does not
Inside the US, the accountant network effect is decisive: handing over a QuickBooks file is frictionless in a way that no competitor matches. Outside the US, that advantage largely inverts, and Xero, FreeAgent or local incumbents usually handle tax rules and bank feeds better.
Costs that sit outside the subscription
Payroll and merchant payments are separate line items, and both are priced per employee or per transaction. A business using QuickBooks for accounting, payroll and card payments should model all three together, because the accounting subscription is frequently the smallest of them.
QuickBooks Online questions, answered
- Is QuickBooks Online worth it?
- QuickBooks Online wins on ecosystem rather than product.
- How much does QuickBooks Online cost?
- Free plan for 1 user and 2 invoices a month; Simple Start from $38/month. The cheapest paid tier we recorded is Simple Start, published at $38 a month, which works out at $38 a month or $456 over a year. Verified against the vendor's pricing page.
- Does QuickBooks Online have a free plan or free trial?
- QuickBooks Online has a free plan. A free trial is available: 30 days, or 90% off for 3 months instead of the trial.
- What is the best QuickBooks Online alternative?
- It depends on the job. Xero: Stronger outside the US, with unlimited users on every plan. FreshBooks: Simpler and cheaper if invoicing is most of what you need. Wave: Free accounting for very small businesses, with paid payments and payroll.
- Can I self-host QuickBooks Online?
- No. QuickBooks Online is a hosted service only, so your data lives on the vendor's infrastructure.
Opens the vendor's own pricing page. Figures here were read from it on 19 August 2026.
What this profile is based on
Every claim below is about our work, not about QuickBooks Online. A "no" is recorded rather than omitted, because the difference between a tested review and careful desk research is the reader's to weigh. How we research a profile.
-
Prices read from the vendor : yes
Read from QuickBooks Online's own pricing page on 19 August 2026
-
Plans and terms recorded : yes
6 rows, each with its billing period
-
Original screenshots : yes
2 captured by us: pricing page, homepage
-
Sources cited and dated : yes
1 primary source, each with the date it was read
-
Product used first-hand : no
Not tested. This profile is desk research from primary sources
-
Alternatives used first-hand : no
None, so comparisons here rest on published facts rather than use
-
Vendor contacted : no
Not contacted for this profile
Desk research from Intuit's own pricing and payroll pricing pages, read on 19 August 2026 through a United States egress. Nobody here has kept books in QuickBooks. The claim that most US accountants work in it is widely repeated and is not something this site has measured, so it is stated as a reason to ask your own accountant rather than as a figure.
Where QuickBooks Online appears on this site
5 other pages here reference QuickBooks Online. Every one is listed below, so the figure can be checked rather than taken.
- Another profile Akaunting picks it for work in what your us accountant uses
- Another profile FreshBooks names it as a competitor
- Another profile Wave names it as a competitor
- Another profile Xero names it as a competitor
- Another profile Zoho Books names it as a competitor
Counts pages on this site that name the product by choice - price guides, pricing question pages, deal records and other profiles. Category and directory indexes list everything automatically and are not counted.
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Provenance and freshness
When each fact was last checked
- Pricing ·
- Plans ·
- Free trial
- Features
- Platforms
- Integrations
- Affiliate programme
- Company details
Individually sourced claims
-
There is a free plan for one user, two invoices a month and one connected bank account, with no accountant access
QuickBooks Online pricing ↗ · checked
-
Simple Start is $38 a month, Essentials $75, Plus $115 and Advanced $275, covering 1, 3, 5 and 25 users
QuickBooks Online pricing ↗ · checked
-
Payroll is sold bundled with accounting, and the cheapest bundle is Workforce Payroll with Simple Start at $88 a month plus $7 per employee
QuickBooks Payroll pricing ↗ · checked
What has changed
-
August 2026
- Corrected three list prices that had fallen since we recorded them - Essentials $85 to $75, Plus $140 to $115 and Advanced $340 to $275
- Added the free plan, which is new since this profile was written, and switched pricingModel to freemium
- Recorded that payroll is sold only bundled with accounting, from $88 a month plus $7 an employee
- Re-verified the 90%-off-for-three-months promotion, still running with no published end date
-
August 2026
- Re-verified the 90%-off promotion, still running with Simple Start at $38 against $3.80 a month. Intuit publishes no end date on the pricing page or in its structured offers feed, so the re-check date moved to 31 October rather than the claim being given a vendor deadline it does not have.
-
August 2026
- Pricing verified, noting the promotion replaces rather than extends the trial
- Added plan picker and verdicts
Sources & verification
Facts on this page were read from the sources below on the dates shown. Where a vendor does not publish a figure, we record it as not disclosed rather than estimating it.
- QuickBooks Online pricing - checked 19 August 2026
Spotted something out of date? Email [email protected] and we will re-check it. Corrections are logged on the page.
