They are both QuickBooks, so what’s the difference?
The most obvious difference between QuickBooks Online and QuickBooks Desktop is that QuickBooks Desktop is downloaded and kept on your computer or laptop, whereas QuickBooks Online is a cloud-based program which can be accessed anywhere at any time. When considering which program to choose, consider that how security is handled within the software depends on where your software is located. When you download QuickBooks Desktop to your local computer or laptop, it is your responsibility to ensure that your financial information remains secure; with QuickBooks Online, all security is handled by Intuit.
What about features?
While QuickBooks Online and QuickBooks Desktop have many of the same features, users find that QuickBooks Desktop features are often more developed than those found in QuickBooks Online. QuickBooks Online makes up for this by offering far more automations than QuickBooks Desktop. Automations allow you to save time and streamline your bookkeeping process. In addition to this, all your financial data is synced in real time with QuickBooks Online since it is a cloud-based software which you can connect your bank feeds to.
How do you choose?
If you are still uncertain which version of QuickBooks is right for your business, you may want to consider some of the pricing options. QuickBooks Desktop starts at $37/month and QuickBooks Online starts at $20/month. QuickBooks Online offers more features and users at a cheaper price than QuickBooks Desktop so this may be something to consider if you don’t need any of the specific features that are exclusive to QuickBooks Desktop. Lastly, QuickBooks Online has an easier learning curve than QuickBooks Desktop, which may be more beneficial to busy business owners who would like something more straightforward.
Chief Operations Officer
Ruby Business Solutions
