QuickBooks remains the most widely used small business accounting software, but 2026 brought two separate price increases — one in May, another in August — that pushed most plans up meaningfully. If you're comparing against an old price you remember, budget for a higher number than you'd expect.
QuickBooks Online handles invoicing, expense tracking, bank/credit card syncing, and built-in tax preparation tools for small businesses, with an optional payroll add-on for those who need to run employee payroll from the same platform.
Solopreneur: ~$20/month — designed for single-person businesses tracking basic income/expenses without full double-entry bookkeeping.
Simple Start: $35/month (up from $30 as of May 2026) — one user, basic invoicing and reporting.
Essentials: $70-75/month (up from $60, with a second increase in August) — 3 users, bill management, time tracking.
Plus: $110-115/month (up from $90) — 5 users, inventory tracking, project profitability.
Advanced: $250-275/month (up from $200) — 25 users, custom reporting, dedicated account team.
New subscribers typically get a promotional discount (often 50% off) for the first 3 months, which softens the sticker shock initially but reverts to full price afterward — factor the full-price number into your real budget, not the promo rate.
Automatic income and expense tracking synced from connected bank accounts, professional invoicing with online payment collection, built-in tax preparation tools, and an optional payroll add-on that integrates directly with the accounting data.
Pros: Remains the most widely supported accounting software with the largest ecosystem of bookkeepers and accountants familiar with it, automatic bank syncing significantly reduces manual data entry, tax prep integration saves real time at filing season.
Cons: Two price increases within 2026 alone have made it noticeably more expensive than a year ago, promotional pricing masks the real ongoing cost for new subscribers, and the jump from Simple Start to Essentials (needed for multi-user access) is steep.
Small business owners managing bookkeeping and taxes who value working with an accountant or bookkeeper (most of whom already know QuickBooks) get the clearest ongoing value. Solo freelancers with simple needs should specifically evaluate whether Solopreneur or Simple Start covers them before assuming they need Essentials or higher.
FreshBooks targets freelancers and service businesses with simpler pricing and a gentler learning curve, though with less depth for inventory-heavy businesses. Wave offers genuinely free basic accounting and invoicing, a real option for very early-stage businesses not yet ready to pay for QuickBooks' depth.
QuickBooks remains the safe, well-supported choice, but 2026's back-to-back price increases make it worth a genuine price comparison against alternatives before renewing — especially if your accountant doesn't specifically require it.
Solopreneur: ~$20/month — designed for single-person businesses tracking basic income/expenses without full double-entry bookkeeping.
Simple Start: $35/month (up from $30 as of May 2026) — one user, basic invoicing and reporting.
Essentials: $70-75/month (up from $60, with a second increase in August) — 3 users, bill management, time tracking.
Plus: $110-115/month (up from $90) — 5 users, inventory tracking, project profitability.
Advanced: $250-275/month (up from $200) — 25 users, custom reporting, dedicated account team.
Automatic income and expense tracking synced from connected bank accounts, professional invoicing with online payment collection, built-in tax preparation tools, and an optional payroll add-on that integrates directly with the accounting data.
Small business owners managing bookkeeping and taxes who value working with an accountant or bookkeeper (most of whom already know QuickBooks) get the clearest ongoing value. Solo freelancers with simple needs should specifically evaluate whether Solopreneur or Simple Start covers them before assuming they need Essentials or higher.
Pros: Remains the most widely supported accounting software with the largest ecosystem of bookkeepers and accountants familiar with it, automatic bank syncing significantly reduces manual data entry, tax prep integration saves real time at filing season.
Cons: Two price increases within 2026 alone have made it noticeably more expensive than a year ago, promotional pricing masks the real ongoing cost for new subscribers, and the jump from Simple Start to Essentials (needed for multi-user access) is steep.
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