QuickBooks Pricing Explained
Every plan, what's actually included, what's missing, and the gotchas Intuit doesn't put in the marketing copy.
Simple Start
$28/mo billed annually — 1 user
Includes
- ✓Income & expense tracking
- ✓Invoicing & estimates
- ✓Connect 1 bank account
- ✓Basic financial reports
- ✓Mobile receipt capture (add-on $5/mo)
- ✓Tax preparation
Not Included
- ✗Bill management
- ✗Multiple users
- ✗Inventory tracking
- ✗Time tracking
- ✗Project profitability
- ✗Budgeting
Essentials
$52/mo billed annually — 3 users
Includes
- ✓Everything in Simple Start
- ✓Bill management & payments
- ✓Up to 3 users
- ✓Time tracking
- ✓Multi-currency
- ✓Contractor payments (1099)
Not Included
- ✗Inventory tracking
- ✗Project profitability
- ✗Budgeting tools
- ✗Class & location tracking
Plus
$79/mo billed annually — 5 users
Includes
- ✓Everything in Essentials
- ✓Inventory tracking
- ✓Project profitability
- ✓Budgeting
- ✓Up to 5 users
- ✓Class & location tracking
Not Included
- ✗Custom user permissions
- ✗Dedicated account manager
- ✗On-demand training
- ✗Revenue recognition
- ✗Advanced analytics
Advanced
$188/mo billed annually — 25 users
Includes
- ✓Everything in Plus
- ✓Up to 25 users
- ✓Custom user permissions
- ✓Dedicated account manager
- ✓On-demand training (QuickBooks Priority Circle)
- ✓Revenue recognition
- ✓Advanced analytics with Excel sync
- ✓Automated workflows
Not Included
- ✗True enterprise ERP features
- ✗Manufacturing / complex inventory
- ✗Multi-entity consolidation
Price History — Intuit Raises Prices Every Year
QuickBooks Online prices have increased 40–57% since 2020 across most plans. Existing subscribers typically get 60-day notice.
| Year | Simple Start | Essentials | Plus | Advanced |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | $25/mo | $40/mo | $70/mo | $150/mo |
| 2021 | $25/mo | $45/mo | $70/mo | $150/mo |
| 2022 | $30/mo | $55/mo | $85/mo | $200/mo |
| 2023 | $30/mo | $60/mo | $90/mo | $200/mo |
| 2024 | $35/mo | $65/mo | $99/mo | $235/mo |
| 2025 | $35/mo | $65/mo | $99/mo | $235/mo |
| Total increase | +40% | +63% | +41% | +57% |
What's NOT in the Advertised Price
Payroll
$50–$130+/mo
Core: $50 + $6/emp. Premium: $80 + $8/emp. Elite: $130 + $11/emp.
Payment Processing
2.9% + $0.25/txn
Every card payment you accept adds up fast. 100 invoices at $500 avg = $1,475/mo.
Receipt Capture
$5/mo
The SmartScan feature. Not included in base plans.
Extra Users
$10/user/mo
Beyond the plan limit. Advanced plan caps at 25.
Accountant Access
Usually free
Free accountant access included, but they count toward user limit on some plans.
Annual Price Increases
+5–15%/year
Lock in annual billing to delay increases, but they still come.