Looking to move from QuickBooks Desktop to QuickBooks Online? Great!
QuickBooks Online is an all-in-one accounting software that allows you to automate your bookkeeping, track your sales tax and payroll tax and save around 8 hours a month managing your accounts. To help you determine which QuickBooks Online product is best for your business, here's a product comparison of all the features available.
Features that have been discontinued/removed
| Desktop Pro | Desktop Premier | Desktop Accountant Edition | QuickBooks Online Simple Start | QuickBooks Online Essentials | QuickBooks Online Plus | |
| Create sales orders and track back orders | X | ✔ | ✔ | – | – | – |
| Units of measure (buy/ sell stock in different units) | X | ✔ | ✔ | – | – | – |
| Google Desktop search | X | X | X | – | – | – |
| Adjusts VAT for early payment discounts | X | X | X | – | – | – |
| Switch between different editions of QuickBooks | X | X | ✔ | – | – | – |
| Open two different company files simultaneously on same machine | X | X | ✔ | – | – | – |
New features added from 2014 onwards
| Desktop Pro | Desktop Premier | Desktop Accountant Edition | QuickBooks Online Simple Start | QuickBooks Online Essentials | QuickBooks Online Plus | |
| Attach a document to a record | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Income tracker simplifies working with unbilled, unpaid and paid sales | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | – | – | – |
| Flat Rate VAT | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| New insights dashboard on the home page | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | – | – | – |
| Convert to QuickBooks Online | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | – | – | – |
| Batch delete/void transactions utility | X | ✔ | ✔ | – | – | – |
| Remove send forms allows you to bulk delete transactions | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | – | – | – |
| Bill tracker allows you to see unpaid transactions status | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | – | – | – |
| Data protection verify/rebuild feature | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | – | – | – |
| Pin notes for a customer or supplier | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | – | – | – |
| Close estimates automatically once you invoice them | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Take a snapshot and add comments or notes on reports | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | – | – | – |
| Send multiple reports | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | – | – | – |
Features to help you organise and complete everyday tasks
| Desktop Pro | Desktop Premier | Desktop Accountant Edition | QuickBooks Online Simple Start | QuickBooks Online Essentials | QuickBooks Online Plus | |
| Lead manager/centre | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | – | – | – |
| Locate an account, report or invoice using QuickBooks search | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Stay on top of your receivables with the collection centre | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | – | – | – |
| Complete transactions with access to customer/supplier balance and transaction history | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | – | – | – |
| Add or edit multiple entries in QuickBooks list from one spreadsheet view | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | – | – | – |
| Send forms with webmail (Hotmail, Gmail, Yahoo and others) | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | – | – | – |
| Track your balance sheet by class | X | ✔ | ✔ | – | – | ✔ |
| See key customer info at a glance with the customer snapshot feature | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | – | – | – |
| Add Excel customers, suppliers and products data into QuickBooks | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Customise your company snapshot | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | – | – | – |
| Use payment snapshot to view your payment flows in one place | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | – | – | – |
| Create an invoice for multiple customers in single window with batch invoicing | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | – | – | – |
| See almost due and overdue indicators | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Manage reports in the report centre | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | – | – | – |
| Run reports and back up data while others work in the same company file | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | – | – | – |
| Create and email estimates, invoices and reports | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Allow multiple users to work in QuickBooks at the same time | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | – | ✔ | ✔ |
| Create professional-looking forms with customisation tools | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Email forms as PDFs | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | – | – | – |
| Accept credit card payments in QuickBooks | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Faster reporting | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | – | – | – |
| Sort by data type on bank reconciliation window | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | – | – | – |
| Duplicate sales, purchase transactions and list items | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | – | – | – |
| Delete transactions with right-mouse menu options | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | – | – | – |
| Print receive payments | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Export invoices to Word | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | – | – | – |
| Track bills and set due date reminders | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | – | – | – |
| View contacts and transactions history for customers and suppliers | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | – | – | – |
| Online Banking setup and centre | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Progress invoicing and automatic recharge of expenses | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | – | – | ✔ |
Features to manage stock effieciently
| Desktop Pro | Desktop Premier | Desktop Accountant Edition | QuickBooks Online Simple Start | QuickBooks Online Essentials | QuickBooks Online Plus | |
| Track stock, set reorder points and create purchase orders | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | – | – | ✔ |
| Customise columns for lists | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | – | – | – |
| Create delivery notes and shipping labels | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Add multiple delivery addresses | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | – | – | – |
| Generate sales orders from estimates | X | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Generate purchase orders from estimates | X | ✔ | ✔ | – | – | – |
| Generate purchase orders from sales orders | X | ✔ | ✔ | – | – | – |
| Set prices and determine discounts by customer or job | X | ✔ | ✔ | – | – | – |
| Build and track stock bundles to finished goods | X | ✔ | ✔ | – | – | ✔ |
| Store manufacturer's part number on items | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | – | – | – |
| Track bank and credit card accounts | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Share data with other business applications | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | – | – | – |
| Customise reports and graphs | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | – | – | – |
| Reports centre | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Email reports and export to Excel | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Import/export to and from Word, Excel files and import Outlook contacts | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Track loans, fixed assets and vehicle mileage | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | – | – | – |
| Show short-term cash flow projections | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Create a budget | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | – | – | ✔ |
| Allow your accountant to make changes while you work | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Send files to your accountant | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | – | – | – |
| Review business performance with company snapshot | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Set billing rates by employee, customer, client, position or service | X | ✔ | ✔ | – | – | – |
Features for trading in multiple currencies
| Desktop Pro | Desktop Premier | Desktop Accountant Edition | QuickBooks Online Simple Start | QuickBooks Online Essentials | QuickBooks Online Plus | |
| Download currency exchange rates | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | – | ✔ | ✔ |
| Support for over 140 currencies | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | – | ✔ | ✔ |
| View exchange rate history calendar | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | – | – | – |
| Create summary reports in home and foreign currencies | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | – | – | – |
| Set multiple foreign sales prices for items | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | – | – | – |
| Credit note exchange rates automatically change to match invoice exchange rates | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | – | – | – |
| Show home and foreign currency totals on invoice templates | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Revalue foreign currency holdings, assets and liabilities using the wizard | X | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
Features for VAT management
| Desktop Pro | Desktop Premier | Desktop Accountant Edition | QuickBooks Online Simple Start | QuickBooks Online Essentials | QuickBooks Online Plus | |
| Automatically save VAT reports as PDFs during filing for easy audit protection | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | – | – | – |
| See daily sales book report (net, VAT and gross totals) | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | – | – | – |
| E-file VAT 100 return directly to HMRC | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Report VAT liability on a cash (payment) basis | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Report VAT liability on an accrual (invoice) basis | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | – | ✔ | ✔ |
| Access to common VAT tasks via the VAT centre | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Add/change new VAT rates using setup wizard | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | – | – | – |
| Track and report EC VAT (includes EC sales list report) | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | – | – | – |
| Default codes used to ensure correct VAT calculations | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
Features and tools for accountants
| Desktop Pro | Desktop Premier | Desktop Accountant Edition | QuickBooks Online Simple Start | QuickBooks Online Essentials | QuickBooks Online Plus | |
| Create customisable file templates for clients | X | X | ✔ | – | – | – |
| Manage files easily | X | X | ✔ | – | – | – |
| Accountant centre | X | X | ✔ | – | – | – |
| Send journal entires in batches | X | X | ✔ | – | – | – |
| Copy and paste transactions from Excel in batches | X | X | ✔ | – | – | – |
| Password-protected closing date | X | X | ✔ | – | – | – |
| Reverse journal entries | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| View journal history | X | ✔ | ✔ | – | – | – |
| Adjust trial balance and journal entry reports | X | ✔ | ✔ | – | – | – |
| Post journal entries directly to retained earnings | X | ✔ | ✔ | – | – | – |
| Financial statement designer | X | ✔ | ✔ | – | – | – |
| Share report templates | X | ✔ | ✔ | – | – | – |
| Retained earnings QuickZoom | X | ✔ | ✔ | – | – | – |
| Find and fix errors wizard | X | ✔ | ✔ | – | – | – |
Features for multiple users and locations
| Desktop Pro | Desktop Premier | Desktop Accountant Edition | QuickBooks Online Simple Start | QuickBooks Online Essentials | QuickBooks Online Plus | |
| Track your balance sheet by class | X | ✔ | ✔ | – | – | |
| Set permissions levels to control user access | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Allow multiple user access (with purchase of additional copies) | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | – | – | – |
| Multiuser tools (backup and file locking) | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | – | – | – |
| QuickBooks Instant Messenger | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | – | – | – |