QuickBooks Online

Pros

I love the convenience. I can work from anywhere in the world.

Cons

The system is a little expense and glitchy a times.

Alternatives Considered

Reasons for Switching to QuickBooks Online

Pros

Ease of Accessibility. Work from anywhere.

Cons

QBO app needs some help. Needs to more closely match the website. If you depend on the app on an iPad, use the website the reports and location of menus is better on the web instead.

Alternatives Considered

Reasons for Choosing QuickBooks Online

Switched From

Reasons for Switching to QuickBooks Online

Pros

easy for everyone to log in remotely. It is cheaper (for now)

Cons

does not have the same functionality as Desktop. No Loan Manager (which has been deleted from the latest updates of QB Desktop anyhow). Not easy to create adhoc reports or search for things.

Pros

The thing I like most about Quickbooks Online is the ease in navigating the tools I need. It is very intuitive and I can figure out what I need to do with very little help, which makes getting my actual work done faster. Another favorite feature is being able to export my lists and searches to other programs such as Excel. And the transaction search is a life-saver.

Cons

The thing I like least about Quickbooks Online is a necessary evil, unfortunately...the updates. I get in my routine and rhythm when entering information in the system, but I find that a lot of the updates, which I know are necessary for an ever changing technology, tend to add steps to my process and can slow me down and take time to get used to. Many of the updates, in my opinion, are fairly useless and seems like they are updating things just to say they updated it at a designated time.

Pros

First of all QuickBooks online is a gem. Run your business on your way with QuickBooks online. Track your invoices to see who has paid and understand all your transactions instantly. No more struggle, run reports in seconds.

Cons

I am quite impressed with how it works. No cons.

Pros

The ability to log in from anywhere on any device has been great for remote employees and our traveling staff.

Cons

The functionality of the software in terms of reporting and templates is a step down if you are used to QuickBooks Desktop.

Pros

QuickBooks Online is great for the average business owner, because it is user-friendly. As an accountant/bookkeeper, I like that I can access it wherever I am working...I just need wifi.

Cons

The bank feeds are not reliable and I don't have time to get authorization codes from each of my clients when the feeds stop working. I won't give my clients access to the QBO files because I don't want QB poaching my clients with all of the live bookkeeper ads. There also needs to be a better way to enter bank transactions manually like desktop. Bank feeds are too glitchy to rely on.

Pros

the interface and ease of use. Easy to see in a snapshot where my business is. Shame quickbooks causes that picture to be bad since clients can't get invoices to pay me and I can't get new business because they don't get quotes either. Just discovered that these were no longer going through.

Cons

absolutely everything else, especially the support desk who are completely useless. How is it ever OK to be in a conversation with helpdesk for an hour and them still not get to the issue to solve and every time they try to clarify, they get it wrong? This isn't an hour waiting. This is an hour in conversation - granted slowed down because, as they admitted, they were serving multiple people at once. The fact that the software doesn't work and their engineers can't solve issues is a major red flag.

Pros

Its was easy to use and integrates with a lot of programs.

Cons

It frequently duplicates import data and you can not back it off. It requires journal entries. The new AI interface and passkey are a failure. Contatntly locking up and taking hours out of the users day to get resolved. No support after hours costing clients more money. The higjer the price has gone the less reliable the platform has become . Very diappointing.

Alternatives Considered

Reasons for Choosing QuickBooks Online

Switched From

Reasons for Switching to QuickBooks Online

Pros

It integrates well into other platforms and offers some unique benefits that remove my need to use additional software for travel and tax filing.

Cons

A bit clunky. Feels a little outdated. Almost like operating on a windows 7 style application. Doesn’t have that modern “flow” that some other platforms have.

Pros

Cloud based that I could access from anywhere

Cons

Just about everything else. It's menus are poorly designed, and even accounting professionals have difficulty figuring out how to enter various transactions. Something as simple as "Make deposit" or "Enter credit card transaction" requires digging. The reports are terrible. The initial Chart of Accounts that new clients are set up with is horrendous. Most small businesses don't need half the accounts they start you out with, and there is no way to Delete after they are set up. When you click on the dropdown menu to find the right account when entering a transaction, there is no rhyme nor reason to the order they show up in, unlike Desktop where the Assets were on top, then Liabilities, Equity, Income & Expense all sorted alphabetically. The column widths are not set correctly by default - some are way wider than they need to be, others like the Memo column are chopped off so you can't see half of what was entered there. You can then mess around with it to try and resize everything, but when you print it doesn't looks like the screen and is still not legible. Most CPA"s I know have just given up and instead export the report to Excel and them modify it there (big time waster). In addition, Intuit has ads embedded everywhere in their software to try and promote all their other products and services. They also try to lure clients over from Desktop with cheap initial pricing. We've all seen what they did with the Desktop pricing, which has gone up over 800% in 4 years. Never have I seen a company that had accumulated 25+ years of Goodwill with happy customers destroy their relationship with them in such a short period of time.

Alternatives Considered

Reasons for Choosing QuickBooks Online

Switched From

Reasons for Switching to QuickBooks Online

Pros

Intuitive interface: The software is designed to be user-friendly, even for those without extensive accounting knowledge. Quick setup: It's relatively easy to set up and start using, saving time and effort.

Cons

Unable to sync with my bank and shopify account unsync every few month and I have to resync it again

Pros

I am using QuickBooks Online in all my three current organizations. It enables me to save time by automating over 87% of manual tasks.

Cons

Never have I experienced any flaw ever since 2022 when I implemented QBO.

Pros

Invoicing is very easy and it’s great to be able to import account transactions into QuickBooks online.

Cons

Complicated and convoluted steps to get from point A to point B. Horrible customer service. No follow up on customer service calls.

Alternatives Considered

Reasons for Switching to QuickBooks Online

Pros

There are so many amazing and useful features of Quickbooks. Personally the ease of making company reports, keeping track of all expenses in the business.

Cons

I dislike the changes, sometimes they are for the better but you become accustomed to a certain way of doing things and then it is altered. However overall it is a great product.

Alternatives Considered

Reasons for Switching to QuickBooks Online

Pros

I have been using QB online since I first started our business in 2018 as a complete beginner. QB online has quite an intuitive interface and an excellent customer support service as needed. The online forums are also well answered so you can look things up as you need.

Cons

The mobile app does not allow you to access any payroll features. Also, there are times when the automatic banking download feed does not work correctly and you need manually enter any missed transactions. Lastly, they recently changed to being charged per employee at each payroll run, so if you have staff which are away, or part time workers, you have to manually change their status each payroll run so as to not get charged - this is a new change and a nuisance.

Alternatives Considered

Reasons for Switching to QuickBooks Online

Pros

Easy to access my books any where. If I am traveling, I can pull up information on my phone or my laptop. No need to have that .QBO file. I just need internet.

Cons

Although I love the flexibility I have with QBO. I did not like that I really had no other option. I could not update my desktop version without paying for Enterprise(which I do not need). The only thing I could do was move to the cloud. I would have liked to choose for myself.

Alternatives Considered

Reasons for Choosing QuickBooks Online

Switched From

Reasons for Switching to QuickBooks Online

Pros

Love the easy to use interface and integrations with all of the financial institutions I use. Also makes payroll and paying business taxes a breeze by not just tracking these amount but also paying directly from QBO.

Cons

Cash flow projects are terrible. A key feature that is missing, that would be great to have, would be to track upcoming monthly bills and expenses to see the impact future bills will have on cash position. I currently have to track this separately outside of QBO.

Pros

Nothing at the moment, considering I have been booted from my account. If I could give 0 stars, I would.

Cons

Had a credit card cancelled and tried updating QB to our new card, it would not accept a new card in their system, they promised it was on their end and they were working on it, nothing happened and they suspended my account and I no longer have access to it.

Pros

With QBO you have the ability to have all of our data saved without the worry of losing everything from a crashed computer. Also, it's so much easier to log in and get all your Realtime reporting. Features are easier than the desktop version.

Cons

Right now, I don't feel there is anything that needs improvement - possibly the ability for more different types of reports but even then, it could be there and I just have not found it yet.

Pros

QuickBooks Online notably provides key accessibility benefits. The platform itself is easy to navigate around, and often quick at responding. QB seems to be continuing creating updates + new features.

Cons

QuickBooks Online has become increasingly difficult to use. Their ongoing development + updates is a good thing, however, oftentimes it creates a very buggy user experience. For example, some features will work one day, not work the next, then return a week later.

Really dislike that we no longer can open invoices by clicking on the line item, but have to navigate over to the View/Edit button over to the right.

Always hoping for the release of granular permissions / access controls, but not sure it is coming.

Pros

Wonderful product with easy way to record data, syncing with other software and extract financials

Cons

We cannot customize interface of product.

Pros

QuickBooks Online makes accounting much easy by automating repetitive tasks such as accounts payable, receivable, general ledger and payment matching.

Cons

QuickBooks Online is cloud based and lack capabilities for global enterprises until it is integrated with external applications.

Pros

Quickbooks has sufficed as a basic, constantly changing, discombobulated bookkeeper/invoicing platform.

Cons

Nobody that can be gotten a hold of to resolve issues know what is going on with the company they work for or have the knowledge or power to do anything about it.

Pros

Quickbooks is the standard bearer for accounting software. The online version that we recently transitioned to provides all the functionality and support that we had become accustomed to, with the added bonus of being able to be deployed across multiple platforms, applications, devices, and locations.

Cons

The pricing model for QuickBooks Online seems to be more expensive than our previous versions, but the added functionality more than makes up for the cost difference.

Pros

Quickbooks makes payroll for my small business EXTREMELY simple. They handle many things that I would be so lost trying to do myself. For the price, it's so worth it.

Cons

What I like least might be the "look" of the software. It may not be aesthetically pleasing to the eye, and sometimes I can get confused where to find things. This is not an issue at all though, just a preference.

Pros

QuickBooks Online's main strength is ease of use. It's built around the checkbook and it is designed to automate tasks like payroll, bill paying, and even invoicing. It is a browser based cloud software so you do not need to download software and that means it can be used anywhere in the world. Your accountant can work with you in real time without sending a copy of your information via email so it's more efficient when collaborating because it can even be opened on your mobile device.

Cons

The cost of QBO is not competitive and the product is vastly inferior to their desktop products. If you want automated payroll it better fit neatly into their one size fits all packages. Want quarterly payroll? Not an option unless you want to handle it manually each quarter - and you better do it by the last day because there is no such thing as after the fact with automated payroll. I would estimate desktop users who switch will pay 100% more (at least) for an inferior cloud based product that is much less dynamic than desktop. Support folks are not accountants and most clearly do not use the software but rather work off a script to get you off the phone so if you need help, google is a better option that Intuit support.

Pros

As for my personal experience with quickbooks online, I have rated this software highly. As there are several diverse atributes to my liking, one that stands out the most for me is the integration feature. As a business owner this feature has been optimal for my use in the office and for my personal financing. I have integrated my CRM software with my quickbooks online account, which eliviates so much time and grants the ease of knowing record is being kept of my customer relations as needed. I have integrated that of each of my banking accounts, both business and personal, and have not a single complaint thus far. This is of years worth of continued use with the software. I am a paid subscriber with quickbooks online. I am billed monthly for the subscription. Ive used quickbooks online for approximately 4 years, and will continue on as a very pleased customer.

Cons

As for what i care for the least about quickbooks online is something very managable, for it came with feasible solution. When i first began with the software it did take some getting used to. I am technologically advanced in both system softwares and application softwares. So, in knowing that, and going in equipt with the basic foundation or fundamentals in operation i feel the software might could use a bit more user friendly features or functions that target the ones going into a software that doesnt have these to their advantage, for say.

Pros

Once you get the hang of it, it's an acceptable solution.

Cons

The link between my bank and my QBO instance breaks every single day. Why I'm forced to click an 'Update' button instead of it automatically updating something like once an hour is crazy, too.

Not intuitive. If you think you're going to be able to manage your books using QBO without any finance or business background, think again. If you are starting off with relatively little experience, expect to watch hours upon hours of tutorial videos and essentially train yourself to do the job of a finance manager, bookkeeper, or accountant.

Customer service/support is beyond horrible. I scheduled to have someone call me several weeks ago. At the time that I was expecting a call, I received an email indicating that my appointment had been changed to a week later. I emailed the representative, but received no reply. At the time of that appointment, no one called me. This is after numerous emails and texts to remind me of the appointment. So, I called the main number myself and was passed around from one person to another, often ending up with the "Payments Team" who after some discussion said, "I don't know why they would've transferred you to me." I asked to speak to manager/supervisor. I was informed that I'd be on hold for a while. I asked if they could just call me at a later time and was told, "that's not how the process works."

I plan to close my QuickBooks accounts and will be sure not to use any of Intuit's services moving forward.

Alternatives Considered

Reasons for Switching to QuickBooks Online

Pros

I love the mobile app which makes it super easy to review expenses and income live time and make sure things are categorized correctly. It is very intuitive to use, and saves me so much time. And provides peace of mind of knowing my financials for my business are right at my fingertips on my phone or computer.

Cons

I had a glitch in bank accounts re-synching after an upgrade in software the other year. Which caused myself and my bookkeeper some extra work at the end of the year to reconcile, but the updates were worth it.

Alternatives Considered

Reasons for Switching to QuickBooks Online

Pros

Online access available where ever you are. The basic functions are similar to the desktop version.

Cons

Switched due to no more support for desktop version. Online has come a long way however it is still lacking compared to Desktop. It is not subcontractor friendly, it has limited reporting for projects and reps. The app is very slow and laggy. Reports are not as customizable as desktop, they are also difficult to create, and have been over complicated for users. They have forced a modern view for reports that is HORRIBLE.

Pros

Having different type of statements and reports, especially the customized one, that can be created via QB.

Cons

The process of inactivation after 15-30 minutes without activity.

Pros

I love being able to see where my companies are at a glance! I can see what we are doing right and what we are doing wrong in seconds!

Cons

For some reason, the link between Paypal and Quickbooks keeps glitching out thus making a mess of transactions going through Paypal.

Pros

QuickBooks Online saves time by automating over 87% of manual accounting tasks such as AP, AR and GL.

Cons

I have never experienced even a slight drawback when using QBO.

Pros

Batch processing features
Accountant tools

Cons

It still needs to improve to the Desktop level
Does not have a back up feature for all versions

Alternatives Considered

Reasons for Switching to QuickBooks Online

Pros

I liked that it integrates with Clio as well as the other intuit product line; the interface is fairly navigable, but i am unsure the pros outweigh certain drawbacks

Cons

QB was fine, a bit hard to understand for a non-accountant; but I guess that could be because i never made use of their expert help and insisted on onboarding myself totally manually as a new businessperson

Alternatives Considered

Reasons for Switching to QuickBooks Online

Pros

As a Bookkeeper and Administrative Assistant, what I liked most about QuickBooks Online was its user-friendly interface and cloud accessibility. It allowed me to manage financial data in real-time from anywhere, which was especially helpful when coordinating with clients remotely. QuickBooks Online also made reconciling accounts and generating reports straightforward and efficient, which streamlined the bookkeeping process and improved accuracy.

Cons

What I liked least about QuickBooks Online was its occasional lag, especially during peak usage times. This could slow down workflows, particularly when working on larger files or when multiple users were accessing the account simultaneously. Additionally, some advanced features are limited or only available in higher-tier plans, which sometimes meant workarounds were necessary for more complex accounting tasks.

Pros

QuickBooks Online has numerous positive features and ton of automation. My HOA used QuickBooks Online for ten years.

Cons

QuickBooks Technical Department was not able to maintain their Online Cloud Database. After seeing numerous errors in the way QuickBooks Online was performing accounting, I contacted QuickBooks Online Technical Support. They informed me their was over 10,000 errors in the database they were tasked with maintaining. Then they insisted I pay between $850 to $1,350 to fix the database they were suppose to maintain on an ongoing basis. I informed them I needed to be with a more reliable & responsible company, so I cancelled after 10 years of use and moved to another online accounting product.

Pros

I like that in theory, it's set up for relatively easy access as a small business with an affordable price for the basic package, I like the interface, but it is quite a bit more complex than I'd first thought.

Cons

Quickbooks has so many things built-in that aren't clear how to use for a small business owner without lots of experience with the platform or accounting. There are features that are excluded in the basic package which seem like unreasonable limitations. Making revisions within Quickbooks to invoices/payments in the past without having it impact your account reconciliation is not clear and can be quite frustrating. The fact that Quickbooks charges for assistance for things like that is silly - the product isn't intuitive or clear enough to not provide free customer support. The reality is that it's not user friendly enough to stumble through without help, so I've had to work with my CPA/business consultant to solve certain issues which is equally frustrating.

Pros

Quickbooks is the most used small business accounting software. There are a lot of tips online.

Cons

It is not Quickbooks Desktop. Moving from desktop to online was like moving to a new company. As a bookkeeper, I have less access to manipulate the data.

Alternatives Considered

Reasons for Choosing QuickBooks Online

Switched From

Reasons for Switching to QuickBooks Online

Pros

I love how it has all accounting and bookkeeping along with checking account and invoicing and point of sale options all in one program.

Cons

I don’t like that it’s quick to freeze your account and take so dang long to unfreeze on a whim over legitimate transactions.

Pros

It is very user friendly. Understandable for even the non accountant.

Cons

sales tax is not accurate but they said they are working on it. Price is a little high for small businesses.

Pros

Quickbooks has great automation features and the ability to connect a wide range of accounts for your business.

Cons

As a newer customer not as familiar with QuickBooks, I found that navigating at times was sometimes difficult until you learn the buttons or locations.

Alternatives Considered

Reasons for Switching to QuickBooks Online

Pros

The ease of access, desktop to mobile. The loan options they have were pretty cool, and were better deals than other banks.

Cons

Where do I start? Everything is extremely limiting and cookie cutter. It’s very expensive for not having any sort of customization of invoices or estimates. The fact you can hardly get ahold of a live person that isn’t just a call center tech is aggravating. QuickBooks needs to understand that a business presentation to a client can make or break jobs, yet it gives very limiting options to how you can present.

Pros

QBO is pretty simple for the most part. There are advanced features available in the advanced version, but the simplicity remains true with a double-entry accounting system. Bank Feeds are absolutely great if used correctly. App Integration is plentiful.

Cons

We could not make QBO fit our construction workflows in the way we used them in Enterprise Desktop. Jobs and Items do not behave the same way. In addition, the costs feel expensive on a per-entity basis. Very expensive. Right now it makes more sense to pay a one-time fee for QuickBooks Desktop and have as many companies as you want.

Alternatives Considered

Reasons for Choosing QuickBooks Online

Switched From

Reasons for Switching to QuickBooks Online

Pros

1.Easy invoicing and expense tracking
2.Cloud-based access for remote work
3.Integration with popular platforms like PayPal
4.Responsive customer support

Cons

1.Steeper learning curve for advanced features
2.Can become pricey with add-ons

Pros

The automation is a lifesaver. It pulls in bank transactions automatically, which means no more manual data entry. The ability to attach receipts directly to expenses is a huge bonus too, especially when it’s time for taxes. Everything’s in one place, and the reports are quick to run, giving a clear snapshot of your business whenever you need it.

Cons

The learning curve can be a bit steep at first, especially if you’re moving from Excel or another system. Some clients have felt a little overwhelmed getting everything set up, but once you’re past that, it’s really smooth. Also, the pricing can feel high for small businesses just starting out, especially if you add on extra features like payroll.

Alternatives Considered

Reasons for Switching to QuickBooks Online

Pros

It was easy to setup. We transferred data from an old accounting system easily.

Cons

At times QuickBooks will change the look of the reports, invoice templates, and bill templates.

Alternatives Considered

Reasons for Choosing QuickBooks Online

Switched From

Reasons for Switching to QuickBooks Online

Pros

I love how everything updates automatically for the client when entering as the accountant. Bank reconciliations are an absolute breeze as well when you link bank accounts.

Cons

I miss being able to use the standard shortcuts that are available with the desktop version making things easier to keep your hands on the keyboard for faster entry. I am learning a few alternatives though as I go.

Alternatives Considered

Reasons for Choosing QuickBooks Online

Switched From

Reasons for Switching to QuickBooks Online

Pros

QuickBooks Online is extremely user-friendly and intuitive, making it easy to manage our finances. The cloud-based access is convenient, and it integrates well with other software, streamlining our accounting processes. It’s great for invoicing, tracking expenses, and generating financial reports quickly.

Cons

Some advanced features are only available in the accounting view, which can be limiting for users who may also have accounting responsibilities but don’t have access to this view. Additionally, as your business grows in size or complexity, especially with multiple subsidiaries, QuickBooks Online may not be robust enough to handle more intricate financial requirements.