Price checkMonthly
Solopreneur$20/moSimple Start$38/moEssentials$75/mo
See all 5 plans
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QuickBooks Online costs $20 to $275 per month as of May 2026, with 5 plans available. Plans: Solopreneur at $20/month, Simple Start at $38/month, Essentials at $75/month, Plus at $115/month, and Advanced at $275/month. The median contract is $900/year based on 309 verified purchases.

Use the interactive pricing calculator to estimate your exact cost based on team size and requirements.

  • Free tier: No free tier available

QuickBooks Online offers 5 pricing tiers: Solopreneur, Simple Start, Essentials, Plus, Advanced. Paid plans include Solopreneur at $20/month, Simple Start at $38/month, Essentials at $75/month. The Simple Start plan is solo entrepreneurs and freelancers.

Compared to other accounting software, QuickBooks Online is positioned at the mid-market price point.

  • Median contract: $900/yr from 309 purchases
  • 4 documented hidden costs beyond list price
  • Contracts auto-renew — Cancel anytime; charges for current billing month are non-refundable
Last verified: | Sources: 6 pricing pages and reviews

How much does QuickBooks Online cost?

QuickBooks Online pricing ranges from $20 to $275/month across 5 plans. Plans include Solopreneur at $20/month, Simple Start at $38/month, Essentials at $75/month, Plus at $115/month, Advanced at $275/month.

QuickBooks Online Pricing Overview

QuickBooks Online has 5 pricing plans ranging from $20 to $275/month. The Solopreneur plan costs $20/month, best for one-person businesses and gig workers. The Simple Start plan costs $38/month, best for solo entrepreneurs and freelancers. The Essentials plan costs $75/month, best for growing businesses needing bill management and time tracking. The Plus plan costs $115/month, best for growing businesses with inventory and project tracking needs. The Advanced plan costs $275/month, best for larger smbs with complex workflows.

QuickBooks Online contracts auto-renew, with a Monthly commitment only — no annual option available minimum commitment.

The median QuickBooks Online customer pays $900/year based on 309 verified purchases.

There are at least 4 documented hidden costs beyond QuickBooks Online's list price, including implementation, training, and add-on fees.

This pricing was last verified in April 24, 2026 from 6 independent sources.

See QuickBooks Online Plans

QuickBooks Online is the leading cloud-based accounting software from Intuit, serving millions of small businesses worldwide. It offers comprehensive features for invoicing, expense tracking, financial reporting, and tax preparation across five pricing tiers.

Each tier builds upon the previous, with the main differences being user limits, inventory tracking, project profitability, and automation features. QuickBooks integrates with hundreds of third-party apps and offers add-ons for payroll, payments, and time tracking.

How QuickBooks Online Pricing Compares

Compare QuickBooks Online pricing against top alternatives in Accounting.

FreshBooks $6-$55/month Compare → Xero $25-$90/month Compare → Sage Accounting $10-$62/month Compare →

All QuickBooks Online Plans & Pricing

Plan Monthly Annual Best For
Solopreneur users: 1 $20 /month Custom One-person businesses and gig workers
Simple Start users: 1 $38 /month Custom Solo entrepreneurs and freelancers
Essentials users: 3 $75 /month Custom Growing businesses needing bill management and time tracking
Plus users: 5 $115 /month Custom Growing businesses with inventory and project tracking needs
Advanced users: 25 $275 /month Custom Larger SMBs with complex workflows
View all features by plan

Solopreneur

  • 1 user included
  • Separate business and personal expenses
  • Track mileage
  • Send invoices and estimates
  • Capture receipts
  • Basic reports

Simple Start

  • 1 user included
  • Track income and expenses
  • Send invoices and estimates
  • Accept payments
  • Maximize tax deductions
  • Track sales tax
  • Run basic reports

Essentials

  • Up to 3 users
  • Everything in Simple Start
  • Manage bills
  • Track time
  • Multiple currencies
  • Assign transactions to projects
  • Track billable time

Plus

  • Up to 5 users
  • Everything in Essentials
  • Track inventory
  • Track project profitability
  • Recurring transactions
  • Budgets
  • Purchase orders
  • 1099 contractor management

Advanced

  • Up to 25 users
  • Everything in Plus
  • Custom user permissions
  • Batch transactions
  • Automated workflows
  • Business analytics and insights
  • Dedicated account team
  • Priority support
See QuickBooks Online Plans

Compare QuickBooks Online vs Alternatives

Before committing to QuickBooks Online, compare pricing with these 3 alternatives in the same category.

VSFreshBooks
From $6/month

Freelancers and service businesses prioritizing invoice UX

Full comparison
VSXero
From $25/month

Businesses wanting unlimited users at a fixed plan price

Full comparison
VSSage Accounting
From $10/month

SMBs wanting simpler, lower-cost accounting

Full comparison

All QuickBooks Online alternatives & migration guides

What Companies Actually Pay for QuickBooks Online

The median QuickBooks Online buyer pays $900/year based on 309 verified purchase transactions.

What companies actually pay $900/yr Median across 309 community cost mentions
Review scores
TrustRadius 8.1/10 (2,199)
Top pricing complaints
Interface complexity and frequent changes to layoutAggressive upselling throughout the applicationForced upgrades from legacy plans to more expensive optionsAnnual price increases with no grandfathering
Source: Community cost mentions (Reddit, Hacker News) — aggregated from 309 distinct user reports. Indicative only — not contract-grade data.

QuickBooks Online Year 1 Total Cost by Company Size

Real deployment costs including licenses, implementation, training, and admin — not just the sticker price.

Freelancer / Solo Consultant $38 Year 1 total
$456/year
Total $38

A solo consultant tracking income, expenses, and sending invoices to clients.

Small Service Business with 3 Employees $175 Year 1 total

A 3-person marketing agency needing time tracking, bill management, and basic payroll.

Product Business with Inventory (5 users) $115 Year 1 total
$1,380/year
Total $115

An e-commerce business with 5 team members tracking inventory, projects, and purchase orders.

Growing Company with Complex Needs (15 users) $475 Year 1 total

A 15-person company needing automated workflows, custom permissions, and advanced reporting.

How QuickBooks Online Pricing Compares

Software Starting Price Top Price
QuickBooks Online $20/month $275/month
Dext $17.7/month $25.21/month
FreshBooks $21/month $250/month
Sage Accounting $10/month $62/month
Synder $65/month $275/month
Xero $25/month $90/month

Detailed pricing comparisons:

Browse all Accounting pricing →

4 QuickBooks Online Hidden Costs Beyond the List Price

Beyond the listed price, QuickBooks Online has at least 4 documented hidden costs that can significantly increase total cost of ownership.

Watch for 4 hidden costs
  • Payroll Add-On Costs $50-$130/month base + $6/employee/month
    high 1 source
    Reddit "She said it was something like $400/mo plus $6 per employee or something."
  • Annual Price Increases 11-17% annual increase — Advanced plan rose from $200 to $275 since 2023
    high 1 source
    nerdwallet "QuickBooks Online prices tend to increase once a year, typically in the summer. The Advanced tier has experienced the steepest year-over-year growth."
  • Forced Plan Upgrades and Discontinued Tiers 30-50% of license costs
    medium 1 source
    Reddit "doesn't want to pay QuickBooks for payroll anymore now that they're getting rid of basic payroll forcing her into an expensive plan."
  • Persistent In-App Upsells Non-monetary — UX friction
    low 1 source
    TrustRadius "The upsells have gotten worse over time and are on every screen in the most awkward positions. I don't need a constant reminder to upgrade, especially on a very old account that's paid thousands over the years."
Tip

Ask your QuickBooks Online sales rep about these costs upfront. Getting them in writing before signing can save you from surprise charges later.

Full hidden costs breakdown →

Intelligence sourced from 3 independent sources
Reddit User discussions nerdwallet TrustRadius Enterprise reviews
Key claims include inline source attribution. Data verified against multiple independent sources. 9 source citations total.

QuickBooks Online Contract Terms

QuickBooks Online contracts auto-renew. Changes require Cancel anytime; charges for current billing month are non-refundable. These terms are sourced from verified buyer experiences.

Contract Terms
Auto-Renewal Yes
Cancellation Notice Cancel anytime; charges for current billing month are non-refundable
Minimum Commitment Monthly commitment only — no annual option available
Mid-Term Downgrade Allowed
Payment Terms Monthly billing only — no annual prepay discount option
Price Escalation Annual increases of ~11-17% each summer. No grandfathering — all existing subscriptions move to new pricing.
Note

Downgrading may result in data/feature loss

Based on 1 verified source

How to Negotiate QuickBooks Online Pricing

QuickBooks Online contracts are negotiable. These 3 tactics are sourced from real buyer experiences and procurement specialists.

Negotiation Playbook 3 tactics
Get 30% Off via Accountant/Bookkeeper Partner high success

If your accountant or bookkeeper is a QuickBooks ProAdvisor, they can purchase QBO on your behalf through their partner portal and pass on a 30% discount. This is the most widely documented way to save on QuickBooks.

Reddit user experience — widely reported by accountants and business owners
Take the 50% Off Intro Promotion high success

New QuickBooks Online subscribers regularly see 50% off for the first 3 months. This promotion is often surfaced on landing pages and via referral links. Best strategy: don't start a paid trial — look for an active promo link first.

Standard Intuit promotional practice
Consider the Solopreneur Plan Before Simple Start high success

The $20/month Solopreneur plan is easy to overlook — it's not marketed prominently. If you're a true solo operator without inventory or multi-user needs, it saves $18/month vs Simple Start.

QBO tier comparison
High success Medium Low / difficult

Full negotiation guide →

QuickBooks Online Pricing FAQ

01 How much does QuickBooks Online cost per month?

QuickBooks Online ranges from $20/month for Solopreneur to $275/month for Advanced. Simple Start is $38/month, Essentials is $75/month, and Plus is $115/month.

02 Is there a free version of QuickBooks Online?

QuickBooks Online does not offer a free tier, but new customers can get a 30-day free trial or up to 50% off for the first 3 months.

03 Does QuickBooks charge per user?

QuickBooks does not charge per user within plan limits. Each tier includes a set number of users: Simple Start has 1, Essentials has 3, Plus has 5, and Advanced has 25.

04 What is the difference between QuickBooks Simple Start and Essentials?

Essentials includes everything in Simple Start plus bill management, time tracking, multiple currencies, and supports up to 3 users instead of 1.

05 Is QuickBooks payroll included?

No, payroll is a separate add-on starting at $50/month base plus $6.50 per employee. It is not included in any QuickBooks Online subscription.

06 What are QuickBooks Online pricing tiers?

QuickBooks Online offers five pricing tiers: Solopreneur at $20/month, Simple Start at $38/month, Essentials at $75/month, Plus at $115/month, and Advanced at $275/month. Each tier provides increasing levels of features, automation, and user access.

07 Does QuickBooks Online offer a free plan?

QuickBooks Online does not offer a free plan. The entry-level Solopreneur plan starts at $20/month.

08 Can I get a discount on QuickBooks Online?

Accountants and tax professionals can provide clients with a 30% discount through their QuickBooks partner login. This is one of the primary discount programs available for QuickBooks Online subscriptions.

09 Is QuickBooks Online good for small businesses?

QuickBooks Online works well for small service-based businesses that need invoicing, expense tracking, and basic financial reporting. However, users note it may be expensive and overly complex for very simple accounting needs. Businesses with fewer than 10 employees and straightforward transactions may find the pricing and feature set excessive for their requirements.

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