QuickBooks Online vs. QuickBooks Desktop: The Main Differences

QuickBooks by Intuit is one of the most popular accounting software currently available. The popularity of QuickBooks arises from its various functionalities. The software is suitable for managing all accounting tasks, including payroll processing, invoicing, and bank account reconciliations. But what is the difference between QuickBooks Online and desktop? How is knowledge about QuickBooks Online vs. desktop important for helping you choose the right software version for your business? This article contains an in-depth analysis of the differences between these two versions of QuickBooks accounting software. We also explain how Qbox, from CoralTree, can help you optimize the QuickBooks accounting software version you use in your business. 

QuickBooks Desktop vs. QuickBooks Online: an Overview 

QuickBooks desktop is the conventional version of the software. QuickBooks Online is a cloud-based version of the software that prioritizes real-time collaboration including the sharing of files. But what are the most important QuickBooks Online vs. desktop pros and cons? How different is QuickBooks Online from desktop? Is QuickBooks desktop better than online? These are some of the most important questions to consider when considering QuickBooks Online vs. desktop. 

The QuickBooks desktop version is ideal for businesses that need only robust accounting software for their daily processes. You can download the version compatible with Windows 11 and install it on their computers for the software to function. 

The QuickBooks Online version is perfect for businesses that need real-time collaboration and sharing of files. Both versions have specific payment plans, integrations, and additional capabilities. Therefore, you must understand the difference between QuickBooks Online and desktop to make the right decision.

Differences between QuickBooks Online and QuickBooks Desktop 

Here are details of QuickBooks Online vs. desktop. This is a head-to-head comparison of these two QuickBooks versions. The comparison is based on the following criteria: pricing, functionalities, integrations, access, mobile apps, and others. You can use the information to answer this question: which is better, QuickBooks Online or desktop? 

Pricing 

Pricing is an important factor to consider when evaluating QB online vs. desktop. The pricing plans of the two versions of the software vary considerably. This variation is to address the needs of different businesses. Some companies that opt for the online version can pay more as they scale. 

QuickBooks desktop has a starting price of $549.99. This is the amount your business pays to get a license to use the software on-site for one year. The package comes with all the functionalities of the software. 

QuickBooks Online costs $30 per month for a specific number of users. Additional users attract a fixed amount of money per person per month. You need to pay per month when signing up for the software for the first time. However, you can adjust to the annual payment plan.

Mobile App Access 

Mobile app access is another important factor to consider before deciding on QuickBooks Online vs. desktop. When you purchase the QuickBooks desktop version, you install the software on your computers and start using it. Access to the desktop version of the software via mobile devices is limited. You can also use a remote access tool like Qbox to access your QuickBooks desktop offsite for convenience.

QuickBooks Online is better than the QuickBooks desktop version because of its features that support mobile access. You can use a mobile app to access all the features of QuickBooks Online. This mobile app access feature makes QuickBooks Online convenient for companies that need their clients to respond to issues instantly. Anyone can access the software using a mobile device and do simple tasks like creating and sending invoices. 

Integrations 

QuickBooks Online and QuickBooks desktop support integrations with third-party applications. Integrating with third parties enables you to do more with the software. For example, you can integrate it with CRM software to optimize how you run basic financial accounting processes in your firm. 

However, there are fundamental differences in the level of support for integrations between the desktop and online versions. QuickBooks desktop supports more than 100 integrations. However, QuickBooks Online supports more than 500 types of integrations. 

You can connect the app with many other applications in various categories including project management, marketing automation, and business intelligence. This broad range of automation makes QuickBooks software more versatile than QuickBooks desktop. 

Invoicing and Payment Processing

QuickBooks Online and QuickBooks desktop have invoicing and payment processing capabilities. Furthermore, you can carry out inventory and time tracking when using both versions. However, the specific capabilities for inventory and time tracking vary between the two versions of the software. 

The inventory tracking feature is available in certain plans of the desktop version. Furthermore, you need an internet connection to access the invoicing and time tracking functionalities when using the diamond or platinum plans of the QuickBooks desktop version. 

All the payment plans of the QuickBooks Online version have the inventory tracking feature. The time tracking feature is available in the QuickBooks Online Plus and QuickBooks Online advanced payment plans. The time tracking feature is available in all the payment plans of QuickBooks desktop. 

Syncing 

QuickBooks Online comparison to desktop is incomplete without considering syncing capabilities. A good accounting software with syncing features allows automatic reconciliation of bank accounts. Bank details are matched to transaction information to ensure easy reconciliation of the bank account. 

QuickBooks desktop has a bank account reconciliation feature. However, you may be charged for accessing and downloading the bank account transaction details. QuickBooks Online has advanced syncing capabilities. 

The application automatically reconciles all the balances in the relevant bank accounts. This capacity makes it easy to prepare financial statements. Therefore, it is more convenient to use QuickBooks Online than QuickBooks desktop because of this capability. 

Job Costing 

Job costing is a critical capability required for accounting software. The best accounting software has an inbuilt capacity to be used to evaluate and cost job processes. Job costing helps accounting and finance teams to evaluate project outcomes. 

QuickBooks desktop has job costing capability. You can use the app to calculate all the costs associated with jobs. The software also rebills jobs automatically. 

The job costing capability of QuickBooks desktop is less versatile than that of QuickBooks Online. The QuickBooks Online job costing feature is more advanced and versatile than the one in QuickBooks desktop. However, this job costing capacity in QuickBooks Online is available only for the online plus and advanced plans. 

How CoralTree Can Help 

When considering QuickBooks Online vs. desktop, look at the following capabilities: time tracking, job costing, cloud access, mobile apps, and others. QuickBooks Online is more convenient for enhanced collaboration, third-party app integration, and control over pricing. 

Here at CoralTree Inc., we provide collaboration solutions with a diverse portfolio of products tailored for businesses operating in specific industries. Qbox is the ultimate collaboration tool you need for your QuickBooks desktop version. The tools allow multiple team members to collaborate and share documents remotely in a highly secure and synchronized environment. 

You can also use Qbox to organize clients’ files based on different frequencies for ease of collaboration. Sign up for Qbox today and enjoy the first 30 days free. Experience how the tool helps you streamline payroll, job costing, invoicing, and reconciliation processes.