QuickBooks

What it is

QuickBooks is a complete small business accounting platform: invoicing, bank reconciliation, VAT, payroll, reporting and inventory, with the widest accountant support of any option.

That support matters more than any feature comparison. If your accountant works in QuickBooks, using it saves both of you time and reduces the chance of expensive misunderstandings.

It is more capable and less pleasant than FreshBooks, which is the usual trade in accounting software.

What it does

Full double-entry accounting with bank feeds, reconciliation and a proper chart of accounts, which is what your accountant needs at year end.

VAT handling including Making Tax Digital submission in the UK, which is a statutory requirement handled properly rather than bolted on.

Payroll available as an add-on, integrated with the accounts rather than requiring a separate system.

Invoicing, expense capture, receipt scanning and reporting cover day-to-day bookkeeping competently.

Who it's for

Features

Pros and cons

Pricing

Introductory discounts are steep and the renewal price is not. Check the full price and factor in payroll if you need it.

Alternatives

My verdict

QuickBooks is a competent, complete accounting platform, and the reason to choose it is almost never the features. It is that your accountant works in it, and that alignment saves real money at year end.

Ask them before deciding. Accountants have strong preferences between QuickBooks and Xero, and the one they know will produce fewer queries, faster accounts and lower fees.

Watch the pricing. The introductory discount is large and the renewal is not, so budget for the full rate from the start.

Who should use it

Who should avoid it

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