The default accounting software for US small businesses: the most accountants, apps and payroll options, at prices that rose again in 2026 and with users capped per plan.
What it is
QuickBooks Online is Intuit's cloud accounting software: invoicing, bills, bank feeds and reconciliation, reports, sales tax, projects and inventory, with Intuit Intelligence AI features and add-ons for payroll, payments, bill pay and time tracking. US plans: Simple Start $38 a month (1 user), Essentials $85 (3 users), Plus $140 (5 users, projects and inventory) and Advanced $340 (25 users); each includes 2 accountant seats (3 on Advanced). New customers choose 50% off for 3 months or a 30-day free trial. Essentials, Plus and Advanced rose for renewals from August 1, 2026 (from $75, $115 and $275). A Free plan covers 2 invoices a month and 1 bank account. Add-ons include inventory on the lower plans ($40 a month), Bill Pay Elite ($45) and payroll bundles from $88 a month plus $6.50 per employee. US list prices checked November 12, 2026.
Best for
- US small businesses that work with an accountant
- Businesses that want payroll and payments in one place
- Teams that will grow into inventory and project costing
What we like
- Most US accountants and bookkeepers know it
- Largest app ecosystem in small business accounting
- Scales to 25 users with project costing and inventory on Plus and Advanced
What to watch
- Users capped per plan: 1 on Simple Start, 5 on Plus
- Essentials, Plus and Advanced rose 13% to 24% in August 2026
- The 50% discount lasts only 3 months
- Inventory, bill pay and payroll cost extra on lower plans
Where QuickBooks Online ranks
Alternatives and head-to-heads
Best QuickBooks Online alternatives
The best QuickBooks alternative for most small businesses is Xero: full double-entry accounting with unlimited users from $27 a month, where QuickBooks Simple Start is $38 for one user. FreshBooks is best for freelancers and service businesses that mainly invoice clients (from $23 a month for 5 billable clients). Wave is the best free option for a one-person business (unlimited invoices on the free Starter plan, Pro $19 a month), and Zoho Books is best value if you use Zoho apps: free under $50,000 in yearly revenue, paid plans from $15 a month billed yearly.
Xero
FreshBooks
Wave
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