(I may have simply overlooked it, but I could not find a sub forum for QuickBooks Mac. I found many articles when searching, but if there were a dedicated sub forum: 1) current or potential customers could find the information faster, and 2) it would reduced the number of posts about the same topic.)
I have been paying for QuickBooks Mac products since at least 1995 (v. 3). I went through the dark period where QB shutdown (early Mac OS X days, transitioning from Mac "Classic" (Mac OS 9)), and then when it was brought back to life (with an OS X version) that was a miserable product for some time. I run a (very) part time sole proprietorship, no employees (and of course, no payroll), no downloading of bank info, no electronic bill paying, no file sharing with an accountant, and I only run it on one computer. I am running QuickBooks 2016 for Mac. It does everything I need. However if I upgrade to macOS Big Sur, it will not work. (My Mac is Big Sur compatible.)
I have been trying to find useful information about my best option(s) for a new version of QuickBooks. When I went to the QB products section, for Mac, all I see is subscriptions. However when I looked on Amazon, I was instantly able to locate "QuickBooks Desktop for Mac 2021 Accounting Software for Small Business with Shortcut Guide [Mac Disc]". Later, after 30 minutes of searching and then following links on the QB site, I found a page for the same product.
I realize QB wants to get everyone running on subscription service, but I find it very poor practice to make it so difficult to find the Desktop version, and an apparent lack of feature comparisons of Mac Desktop to subscription versions.
I asked a QB chat agent what my best option(s) (based on my needs and preferences) are for a new QB Mac product. I listed the version I am on now, and clearly described the necessary information of how I use QB, and what I'm after in a product. After several minutes of back and forth, I was asked what I was 'after' in the chat. I copied and pasted what I already wrote. The agent asked for my name, etc. I told him I provided all the information he needed, and asked what additional information he needed to answer my question, but he kept wanting to 'pull up' my information, and would not tell me what information he 'needed' in my account that was relevant to my question. We had the same back forth until realized he was not going to even attempt to help me without 'pulling up' my account. That is maddening. What if I was not using QB, but was interested in purchasing a Mac version, and wanted to know all the options? After 20 maddening minutes of wasted time, I stopped using the chat.
It is an extremely poor customer service model. What is QB trying to shake me down for? Marketing data (please, don't make spend valuable time doing your marketing research)? Up-selling me on a version/plan I don't want or need? From memory (years ago, and prior to subscriptions), QB told me there was (no longer?) any upgrade pricing; that they felt there was so much value in the new version(s) that upgrade pricing was not warranted. That's a terrible way to keep customers. Anyway, my point here, is that the agent didn't need to 'pull up' my account for upgrade pricing.
Questions:
1) Is QuickBooks Desktop for Mac 2021 64 or 32 bit? It is not listed on the … / desktop / mac page. If it is 32 bit, why would QB not build a 64 bit version in 2021? Perhaps it did, but a QB page, as I read it, indicates the Desktop / non-subscription version is 32 bit:
"We will offer a limited time exception for the purchase of our Desktop Pro, Premier, and Mac 2021 one-time purchase licenses (supported through May 2024)
This year’s Desktop subscriptions …
Accomplish your accounting tasks up to 38% faster with a quicker, more reliable (64-bit) QuickBooks.6
6 Based on lab testing vs. prior QuickBooks Desktop (32-bit) versions using a 1GB average file size. Average speed improvement was observed when running “Report Profit and Loss Detail Accrual.” An average speed improvement of 31% was observed on a 400MB file when running “Custom Transaction Detail Accrual Report.” Actual results may vary."
2) In what ways is QuickBooks Desktop less reliable than a subscription version?, and why would QB create a current product (2021) that is not reliable?
3) Where can I find a comparison of features, etc., of QB Mac Desktop vs. the subscription plans? (One specific question is what features would I lose from QuickBooks 2016 to the Freelance subscription version?)
4) Do any of the (Mac) subscription versions allow one to store data locally (vs. 'in the cloud')?; if so which?
(I despise the subscription model for software, and want my data stored locally only.)
Thanks in advance.
