# QuickBooks Online — Intuit's cloud ledger, now with Intuit Intelligence agents that categorize, reconcile and flag errors.

> Source: Tick Mark Books — https://tickmarkbooks.com/quickbooks-online (structured, researched, re-verified)

QuickBooks Online is Intuit's cloud accounting ledger for small businesses, sold in five tiers from a free plan to Advanced. Intuit Intelligence agents sit inside it, categorizing transactions, reconciling accounts and drafting invoices for approval.

**Best for:** Small businesses that want one ledger plus payroll, payments and an accountant login

| Fact | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Website | https://quickbooks.intuit.com/online/ |
| Category | Accounting software, Cheapest accounting software, Free accounting software, Small businesses |
| Open source | No |
| Price | Free |
| Price checked | 28 October 2026 |

**What we checked**

- Pages last read: 28 October 2026
- Price on its site: Free plan (From its pricing page)

## QuickBooks Online in our research

**Also named in**

- [Freelancer accounting software with bank feeds](https://tickmarkbooks.com/collections/freelancer-accounting-software-with-bank-feeds) · Collection

## What it costs

A month of books at 100 transactions: $38 a month at 100 transactions, on Simple Start

## QuickBooks Online price and plans

Prices excluding tax, as QuickBooks Online publishes them.

| Plan | Price | What's included |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Free | Free | Keeps no full set of books; Flat fee |
| Simple Start | $38 a month | Flat fee |
| Essentials | $85 a month | Flat fee; adds Quarterly tax estimates; adds Billable time |
| Plus | $140 a month | Flat fee; adds Reconciles your accounts; adds Inventory; adds Profit by project or job |
| Advanced | $340 a month | Flat fee |

Read on https://quickbooks.intuit.com/pricing/, 28 October 2026.

## What QuickBooks Online costs at your volume

| Transactions | Cost | Plan |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 100 | $38 a month | Simple Start |
| 500 | $38 a month | Simple Start |

## What we checked on QuickBooks Online

### What it costs to keep your books

**Cost at 100 transactions a month** · Yes — $38 a month on Simple Start for 100 transactions. Simple Start is 50% off for 3 months for new customers ($19 a month). The figure is the regular $38, paid after it.

> Simple Start See profit & loss in real time $38
> — https://quickbooks.intuit.com/pricing/ · Simple Start plan card, price cell, checked 28 October 2026

**Cost at 500 transactions a month** · Yes — $38 a month on Simple Start for 500 transactions. Simple Start is 50% off for 3 months for new customers ($19 a month). The figure is the regular $38, paid after it.

> Simple Start See profit & loss in real time $38
> — https://quickbooks.intuit.com/pricing/ · Simple Start plan card, price cell, checked 28 October 2026

**Cost for a solo freelancer** · Yes — A solo operator needing bank feeds plus receipt capture starts at Simple Start, $38 a month regular price, because the $0 Free plan connects only one bank and has no mobile app for receipts.

> Mobile app access and third-party integrations not currently available with QuickBooks Free.
> — https://quickbooks.intuit.com/pricing/ · Paid plans include section, note under Mobile app / QuickBooks support / App integrations tiles, checked 28 October 2026

**Promotion and regular price** · Yes — promotion: every paid plan card shows a half-price figure for three months beside the struck-through regular price, so Simple Start is $19 then $38, Plus $70 then $140.

> 50% off for 3 months*
> — https://quickbooks.intuit.com/pricing/ · Plan cards, promotional line under each price, checked 28 October 2026

**Ledger included** · Yes — This is the accounting ledger itself, not an add-on to someone else's books, so no separate QuickBooks or Xero subscription sits underneath the price.

> Run and grow your business, unlock deeper insights, and work like you have a larger team behind you with the #1 accounting software for small business.
> — https://quickbooks.intuit.com/accounting/ · Hero section, Seamless accounting software, checked 28 October 2026

**What the price is based on** · Yes — Pricing is a flat monthly fee per company file, chosen by feature tier rather than by transaction count, spending or revenue; only payroll adds a per-employee charge.

> $38
> — https://quickbooks.intuit.com/pricing/ · Plan comparison, Simple Start price cell, checked 28 October 2026

**Users included** · Yes — Seats are bundled by tier rather than sold singly: Free and Simple Start one user, Essentials three, Plus five, Advanced twenty-five, with accountant logins on top.

> 25 users
> — https://quickbooks.intuit.com/pricing/ · Advanced plan card, seat line under the price, checked 28 October 2026

**Past your plan’s limits** · Partly — The only published ceilings sit on the Free plan, one connected bank and two invoices a month, and the pages read never say what happens when you reach them beyond upgrading.

> Connect 1 bank account directly to QuickBooks to automatically sync transactions for accurate, real-time data.
> — https://quickbooks.intuit.com/pricing/ · Free plan card, Connect 1 bank feature, checked 28 October 2026

**Catching up past months** · Partly — Cleanup of past months exists only as a separately bought Intuit Expert service, not as part of any QuickBooks Online plan, and its price is not published.

> Intuit Expert Cleanup helps you find every deduction, stay compliant, and save days of internal tax prep.
> — https://quickbooks.intuit.com/experts/ · Just need a one-time books cleanup? section, checked 28 October 2026

**Notice before a price rise** · No — Intuit's own footnote reserves the right to change pricing without notice, so the terms promise no notice period before a renewal price rises.

> Terms, conditions, pricing, special features, and service and support options subject to change without notice.
> — https://quickbooks.intuit.com/accountants/ · Important pricing details and product information footnotes, checked 28 October 2026

### What the AI does with your books

**What the AI does** · Yes — Intuit Intelligence runs inside the ledger, learning categorization patterns and performing bookkeeping tasks, with the deeper agents reserved for the Plus and Advanced tiers.

> Intuit Intelligence learns your categorization patterns and handles the heavy lifting automatically, with accuracy checks running quietly behind the scenes.
> — https://quickbooks.intuit.com/pricing/ · New innovation carousel, Stay tax-ready without the busywork, checked 28 October 2026

**What the AI costs** · Yes — included: the AI features are listed inside each plan card rather than sold as credits or an add-on, with more agents unlocked as the tier rises.

> Everything in Free, and:
> — https://quickbooks.intuit.com/pricing/ · Simple Start card, Intuit Intelligence feature block heading, checked 28 October 2026

**Categorizes transactions** · Yes — It categorizes bank and card transactions automatically and learns from how you have categorized before, then matches and records later transactions itself.

> QuickBooks learns how you categorize income and expenses and then automatically matches and records transactions from then on.
> — https://quickbooks.intuit.com/pricing/ · Simple Start card, Automated bookkeeping feature, checked 28 October 2026

**Reconciles your accounts** · Partly — Automated reconciliation is a Plus-tier and above feature on the plan cards; the Simple Start and Essentials cards do not list it, so cheaper tiers leave the matching to you.

> Reconciles your books
> — https://quickbooks.intuit.com/pricing/ · Plus card, Intuit Intelligence feature list, checked 28 October 2026

**Reads receipts and bills** · Yes — Photograph a receipt in the mobile app and it is stored and matched to the transaction automatically; the Free plan has no mobile app, so this needs a paid tier.

> Take photos of receipts—each receipt is stored and automatically matched to transactions for you.
> — https://quickbooks.intuit.com/accounting/mobile/ · Do more with the QuickBooks mobile app, Receipts in a snap, checked 28 October 2026

**Pays your bills** · Yes — Bills can be tracked and paid from Simple Start upward, with five standard ACH payments a month included and fifty cents each beyond the allotment; approval workflows are an Advanced feature.

> $0.50/standard ACH transaction over monthly allotments. Allotments may vary.**
> — https://quickbooks.intuit.com/pricing/ · Simple Start card, Automate bill pay with free ACH feature, checked 28 October 2026

**Sends invoices** · Yes — Invoices are sent from the ledger and customer card or bank payments are accepted and tracked inside the invoice through QuickBooks Payments, with reminders and status updates.

> Accept credit cards and bank transfers in the invoice with QuickBooks Payments, get status updates and reminders.
> — https://quickbooks.intuit.com/pricing/ · Simple Start card, Invoice and get paid feature, checked 28 October 2026

**Accrual books and reports** · Yes — Profit and loss and balance sheet reports are produced on every tier including Free; the pages read do not state whether the books are kept on an accrual basis or name a cash flow statement.

> Access the top 3 reports for your business: profit and loss, balance sheet, and account quick report.
> — https://quickbooks.intuit.com/pricing/ · Free plan card, Run profit & loss report feature, checked 28 October 2026

### Who checks the AI’s work

**People check the books** · Partly — No bookkeeper checks the AI's work on a plain subscription; human review arrives only when you buy an Intuit Expert service on top, and even then the expert cannot file taxes.

> As part of ongoing bookkeeping, your dedicated bookkeeper categorizes your transactions and reconciles your accounts each month.
> — https://quickbooks.intuit.com/experts/ · FAQ, What's included in Expert Full Service Bookkeeping?, checked 28 October 2026

**Your own bookkeeper** · Partly — A named bookkeeper comes only with the separately purchased Expert Full Service Bookkeeping tier; the cheaper Expert Assisted tier gives coaching but will not work in your books.

> A dedicated QuickBooks-certified bookkeeper manages your books, sends reports, and shares insights to help you make smarter financial decisions.
> — https://quickbooks.intuit.com/experts/ · Choose how you want to work with our experts, Expert Full Service Bookkeeping card, checked 28 October 2026

**Your accountant can sign in** · Yes — Accountant logins are free and sit outside the user count, two on Simple Start through Plus and three on Advanced; the Free plan is the exception with none.

> Yes, you can invite an accountant to collaborate with you for free with QuickBooks Online.
> — https://quickbooks.intuit.com/pricing/ · Frequently asked questions, Can I add my accountant, bookkeeper, or tax pro?, checked 28 October 2026

**Accuracy the vendor claims** · Yes — Intuit claims accuracy for the Accounting AI and guaranteed accuracy for its expert service, but the pages read publish no error rate, sample or measurement method behind either claim.

> Your Accounting AI automates workflows to keep your books clean and up-to-date, so you can spend more time growing your business.
> — https://quickbooks.intuit.com/accounting/ · ACCOUNTING AI block, Accuracy you can count on, checked 28 October 2026

### Where your books live and what it connects to

**Bank and card feeds** · Yes — Connected bank and credit card accounts sync transactions into the ledger automatically, and the Free tier is limited to a single connected bank account.

> All of your bank and credit card transactions automatically sync to QuickBooks to help you seamlessly track income and expenses.
> — https://quickbooks.intuit.com/accounting/ · A complete view of your business, Know where your money is going, checked 28 October 2026

**Stripe** · Partly — Third-party app integrations are offered with paid plans and an app marketplace, but they are explicitly unavailable on the Free plan, and the pages read name no individual app such as Stripe or Shopify.

> Mobile app access and third-party integrations not currently available with QuickBooks Free.
> — https://quickbooks.intuit.com/pricing/ · Paid plans include section, App integrations note, checked 28 October 2026

**Shopify** · Partly — Third-party app integrations are offered with paid plans and an app marketplace, but they are explicitly unavailable on the Free plan, and the pages read name no individual app such as Stripe or Shopify.

> Mobile app access and third-party integrations not currently available with QuickBooks Free.
> — https://quickbooks.intuit.com/pricing/ · Paid plans include section, App integrations note, checked 28 October 2026

**Payroll** · Partly — add-on: payroll is bought as a bundle alongside the ledger, quoted at $88 plus $6.50 per employee when paired with Simple Start, not included in any accounting plan price.

> $88 + $6.50/employee
> — https://quickbooks.intuit.com/payroll/pricing/ · Workforce Payroll + Simple Start plan card, price cell, checked 28 October 2026

**Moves you off QuickBooks Desktop** · Yes — Intuit offers help switching from QuickBooks Desktop to QuickBooks Online, though the pages read state neither how many years of history move across nor any fee for the move.

> We’ll help you make the switch to QuickBooks Online.
> — https://quickbooks.intuit.com/online/essentials/ · Using QuickBooks Desktop? closing section, checked 28 October 2026

**Platforms** · Yes — web, ios, android: it runs in any browser on a connected device, with a free companion app on the App Store and Google Play; some features are browser-only.

> There is no need to download QuickBooks Online because it is connected to the cloud, which means you can access online accounting from any device with an internet connection.
> — https://quickbooks.intuit.com/pricing/ · Frequently asked questions, Is this online, or do I download software?, checked 28 October 2026

**Getting your books out** · Partly — Reports including profit and loss, expenses and balance sheets can be exported and books shared with an accountant, but the pages read do not promise a full general ledger or trial balance export.

> Run and export reports including profit & loss, expenses, and balance sheets.*
> — https://quickbooks.intuit.com/payroll/pricing/ · Take care of your books feature list, Run general reports, checked 28 October 2026

### Taxes

**Files your tax return** · Partly — Income tax preparation is not in any QuickBooks Online plan; it is a separate TurboTax-powered purchase that itself requires an active subscription, and bookkeepers may not file for you.

> Tax preparation or filing services are not included in either Expert Assisted or Expert Full Service Bookkeeping, but are available to be purchased separately via Intuit Expert Assisted Business Tax, powered by TurboTax.**
> — https://quickbooks.intuit.com/experts/ · FAQ, What is the difference between Expert Assisted and Expert Full Service Bookkeeping?, checked 28 October 2026

**Files 1099s** · Yes — Contractor payments can be assigned to 1099 categories and the forms prepared and filed from inside QuickBooks; Advanced adds free 1099 e-filing through Bill Pay Elite.

> Stay compliant on all your 1099s, and at tax time, prepare and file 1099s right from QuickBooks.**
> — https://quickbooks.intuit.com/online/essentials/ · Get all the tools you need to manage your business, Manage 1099 contractors, checked 28 October 2026

**Quarterly tax estimates** · Partly — Quarterly payment estimates come from Business Tax AI, which the plan cards list from the Essentials tier upward rather than on the cheapest paid plan.

> Estimates quarterly payments
> — https://quickbooks.intuit.com/pricing/ · Essentials card, Intuit Intelligence feature list, checked 28 October 2026

**Calculates sales tax** · Yes — Sales tax on invoices is calculated automatically from date, location, product category and customer, and a liability report tracks what is owed to each tax agency.

> We calculate the sales tax rate based on date, location, type of product or service, and customer you indicate.
> — https://quickbooks.intuit.com/accounting/sales-tax/ · Automatic sales tax calculation section, checked 28 October 2026

### What it keeps track of

**Inventory** · Partly — Stock tracking is a Plus and Advanced feature on the plan cards, so the two cheaper paid tiers, Simple Start and Essentials, do not track inventory.

> Track and manage inventory
> — https://quickbooks.intuit.com/pricing/ · Plus card, Top features list, checked 28 October 2026

**Mileage** · Yes — Business miles are tracked by the phone's GPS inside the QuickBooks mobile app and swiped into business or personal categories, with deduction reports built in.

> Just drive, and we’ll use your phone’s location to detect when you’re driving. Or, add a trip manually.
> — https://quickbooks.intuit.com/accounting/mileage/ · Automatic GPS tracking section, checked 28 October 2026

**Billable time** · Partly — Employee hours can be entered and added to invoices from the Essentials tier upward; Simple Start's card does not carry the feature, and deeper tracking means QuickBooks Time.

> Add employee time to invoices
> — https://quickbooks.intuit.com/pricing/ · Essentials card, Top features list, checked 28 October 2026

**Profit by project or job** · Partly — Project profitability plus forty classes and locations start at Plus; Advanced lifts the class and location limit and adds AI that creates projects and allocates costs.

> Track all your projects in one place, track labor costs, payroll and expenses.
> — https://quickbooks.intuit.com/accounting/mileage/ · Plus plan card, Automatically track project profitability feature, checked 28 October 2026

### Who it is built for

**For accounting firms** · Yes — Intuit Accountant Suite is the firm-facing platform, free on its Core plan and $149 a month for Accelerate after January 2027, with a ProPartner partner program replacing ProAdvisor.

> The Core plan is free. The Accelerate plan is also free through January 2027, then moves to $149/month.
> — https://quickbooks.intuit.com/accountants/ · Frequently asked questions, How much does Intuit Accountant Suite cost?, checked 28 October 2026

**Several businesses** · Partly — Intuit routes businesses with several entities to its separate Intuit Enterprise Suite rather than QuickBooks Online, so multiple entities mean a different, more expensive product.

> Intuit Enterprise Suite (IES) is an AI-native ERP solution built for multi-entity organizations needing heavy project costing for construction or service industries.
> — https://quickbooks.intuit.com/pricing/ · FAQ, What's the difference between QuickBooks Online Advanced, Intuit Enterprise Suite, and QuickBooks Desktop Enterprise?, checked 28 October 2026

**Canada** · Yes — Intuit runs separate country sites for Canada, the United Kingdom and Australia from the same footer.

> Yes! QuickBooks is tax deductible according to IRS publication 946
> — https://quickbooks.intuit.com/pricing/ · FAQ, Is the cost of QuickBooks tax deductible?, checked 28 October 2026

**United Kingdom** · Yes — Intuit runs separate country sites for Canada, the United Kingdom and Australia from the same footer.

> Yes! QuickBooks is tax deductible according to IRS publication 946
> — https://quickbooks.intuit.com/pricing/ · FAQ, Is the cost of QuickBooks tax deductible?, checked 28 October 2026

**Australia** · Yes — Intuit runs separate country sites for Canada, the United Kingdom and Australia from the same footer.

> Yes! QuickBooks is tax deductible according to IRS publication 946
> — https://quickbooks.intuit.com/pricing/ · FAQ, Is the cost of QuickBooks tax deductible?, checked 28 October 2026

### Trying it, starting and getting help

**Free trial or free plan** · Yes — There are two free routes: a standing $0 plan needing no card, and a thirty-day free trial of the paid tiers; you cannot take the discount and the trial together.

> $0/mo No credit card required
> — https://quickbooks.intuit.com/pricing/ · Free plan card, price cell, checked 28 October 2026

**Sign up without a sales call** · Yes — Plans are chosen, optionally bundled with payroll, and bought through a three-step online checkout; a sales line exists but no call is required to subscribe.

> 1 Select plan 2 Add payroll(optional) 3 Checkout
> — https://quickbooks.intuit.com/pricing/ · Cleaner books from day one, checkout stepper above the plan cards, checked 28 October 2026

**Contract and cancelling** · Yes — Billing is month to month with no annual contract, and the FAQ confirms plans can be switched or canceled at any time without talking to anyone.

> Yes, you're free to switch QuickBooks Online plans or cancel at any time.
> — https://quickbooks.intuit.com/pricing/ · FAQ, Can I switch plans or cancel at any time?, checked 28 October 2026

**Support** · Yes — Chat support reaches the Free plan; phone support is included from Simple Start upward, and Advanced adds Priority Circle. Sales runs Monday to Friday, 5 AM to 6 PM PT.

> For Simple Start plans and above, phone support is free during the 30-day trial and included with your paid subscription to QuickBooks Online.
> — https://quickbooks.intuit.com/pricing/ · FAQ, Is phone support included?, checked 28 October 2026

## QuickBooks Online alternatives

- [Zoho Books](https://tickmarkbooks.com/zoho-books) · Free plan, then $20 a month: Cloud accounting ledger with Zia AI, bank feeds, sales tax and 1099 e-filing, from $20 a month.
- [FreeAgent](https://tickmarkbooks.com/freeagent) · From £10 a month (about $13): UK cloud accounting with HMRC filing, bank feeds and AI receipt capture, priced per business type.
- [Puzzle](https://tickmarkbooks.com/puzzle) · No list price: AI-native accounting software with optional bookkeeper services for startups and small businesses.
- [Pilot](https://tickmarkbooks.com/pilot) · No list price: A bookkeeping and tax service for startups that pairs software-driven dashboards with human financial advisors.
- [Booke AI](https://tickmarkbooks.com/booke-ai) · No list price: An AI bookkeeper that works inside QuickBooks Online and Xero to categorize transactions and match documents.
- [SimpleAI](https://tickmarkbooks.com/simpleai) · From $79 a month: AI agents that extract, classify and reconcile accounting documents, then publish them into Xero or QuickBooks.
- [FreshBooks](https://tickmarkbooks.com/freshbooks) · From $23 a month: Double-entry small-business ledger built around invoicing, with a read-only Claude connector for questions.
- [Xero](https://tickmarkbooks.com/xero) · From $27 a month: Small-business ledger with a JAX assistant that answers questions in plain language; unlimited users on every plan.
- [QuickBooks Solopreneur](https://tickmarkbooks.com/quickbooks-solopreneur) · Free plan, then $20 a month: Intuit's one-person-business ledger: bank feeds, receipts, mileage and Schedule C tax readiness.

6 of the 9 publish a price.

[All 9 alternatives](https://tickmarkbooks.com/quickbooks-online/alternatives/)

## Sources and changes

Last changed 28 October 2026

**Sources on quickbooks.intuit.com** (9)

- https://quickbooks.intuit.com/pricing/, read 28 October 2026
- https://quickbooks.intuit.com/experts/, read 28 October 2026
- https://quickbooks.intuit.com/accounting/, read 28 October 2026
- https://quickbooks.intuit.com/accountants/, read 28 October 2026
- https://quickbooks.intuit.com/accounting/mileage/, read 28 October 2026
- https://quickbooks.intuit.com/online/essentials/, read 28 October 2026
- https://quickbooks.intuit.com/payroll/pricing/, read 28 October 2026
- https://quickbooks.intuit.com/accounting/mobile/, read 28 October 2026
- https://quickbooks.intuit.com/accounting/sales-tax/, read 28 October 2026

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Claim QuickBooks Online: https://tickmarkbooks.com/claim/quickbooks-online

Report an error if a fact is wrong: hello@tickmarkbooks.com, subject "Report an error: QuickBooks Online (quickbooks-online)".
