It doesn't even seem to be possible to buy a "permanent" desktop version not.  But I've been a user since about 1995, and a beta tester for many of those years.  Latest version I bought or was "awarded" for hundreds of hours of testing was Pro 2018.  But Intuit unilaterally decided to deactivate it so I can't retain the original functionality I paid for, starting this spring.

Having had an incredibly poor business year last year (seriously - $1,000 revenue against thousands in overhead, let alone no way to pay myself) I didn't have the cash to even take advantage of the upgrade price till now.  But that offer is gone and I get to pay 200 per year just like anyone.

I struggled with an incredible slow chat agent who wanted to know everything about me and after 45 minutes recommended some brain-damaged online version for "only $25 PER MONTH.

Thanks, Intuit, for rewarding decades of loyalty with a kick in the teeth.

Not impressive at all.  And there doesn't seem to be a credible competitor.

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@kvacek wrote:

I get to pay 200 per year just like anyone.

@kvacek 

You can still purchase QBD 2021 Pro/Premier with a one time license at marketplaces (e.g Amazon). If you are not located in the US or prefer to pay it by other methods than credit card, you can purchase the license thru your local partner/reseller. You can also consider to purchase QBD 2020 with a lower fee. Contact us in private if you need help.

I have been using QB since the 90s. Today when I tried to sign it I was told I needed a subscription in order to access my quickbooks. Then I learned that subscription was for $548. I don't use payroll or any of the added features. I use the basics. Am I really expected to pay what I consider a ransom to sign into a product I have been purchasing for all these years and thought I owned outright..with a license. Why did I pay for a license if it's worthless?
Yes, I'm angry. 

@vcsinc 

Login to your CAMPS and check you license status. If you were purchasing QBD Pro Plus/Premier Plus last year, you have to renew it annually. You can still purchase a one time license of QBD 2021 and cancel your old Plus license. 

How do I switch versions from the CAMP screen? I'm afraid if I press download I will receive the pro version which I don't want. Quickbooks has done a real disservice to it's long term customers, IMO.

@vcsinc 

You need to purchase a one time license of QBD 2021 Pro and register it to your existing CAMPS later. Make sure to cancel your QBD 2021 Pro Plus prior to renewal date. Contact us in private if you need help to provide the license of QBD 2021.

I am confused about my subscription renewal.  I have a company that will be closing at the end of the year and I have QuickBooks Plus 2021.  I may not need QuickBooks after this year.  I will need access to my files to close my year end.   Will I have to pay for to renew to get access to my file?  I paid for a full year I should be able to use my file to complete my year end.  It sounds like you will be locking me out of my files if I don't pay.

@Ham1741 

Login to your CAMPS. When is your renewal due date?

Accessing your QuickBooks account is our top priority, Ham1741.

Normally, you can still access the file even if you'll not renew your subscription. However, you'll unable to continue receiving the security updates and online services. Here are as follows:

• QuickBooks Desktop Payroll Services
• Live Support
• Online Backup
• Online Banking

You'll want to create a backup company file so you can restore it whenever you need to access to your data. Then, use the trial version. 

Read this article for more information: QuickBooks Desktop Service Discontinuation Policy And Upgrade Information.

Additionally, I've added this article for more details about cancelation policies: QuickBooks Desktop Cancelation Policies.

Please touch base with us if you have any questions about your subscription. We'll be here to help you. 

Today we were billed $344.64 for QuickBooks Plus Annual Subscription.  This is the first time I remember being charged for this.  What exactly is this fee and why must I pay it?  (We do use QuickBooks to do payroll and to transmit payroll taxes to the IRS, etc.)

WHAT is a CAMP account?

WHAT is this QuickBooks PLUS Annual Subscription and why am I being charged for it?

IF you don't want the PLUS subscription, will you still be able to do payroll through QuickBooks.

This is VERY, VERY frustrating!  

WHEN and WHERE did this get explained to us BEFORE being charged for it????

This isn't the expression we want you to have, ofcmgr2. I'll explain about this.

You may manage your accounts, products, contacts, billing, and user ID access through the Customer Account Management Portal (CAMPs). It also lets you download your products, look up your license number, and cancel your subscription.

You can access CAMPs using the email address used to register your product. This may differ from the login you use to access your company's files.

Here's how to sign in:

1. Go to camps.intuit.com
2. Sign in with your Intuit Account info.
3. If you see multiple products to choose from, select QuickBooks Desktop to go to CAMPs.

If you're unable to log in, you can select the I forgot my user ID or password at the bottom of the CAMPs sign-in page or choose Claim account.

On the other hand, QuickBooks Desktop can be purchased through a one-time license (validity for 3 years) or an annual subscription (QuickBooks PLUS). With QuickBooks Plus's annual subscription you get easy access to the latest version, features, patches, automated backup and recovery, and unlimited customer support.

You may have previously purchased QuickBooks Plus with payroll, that's why you're being charged for renewal. If you cancel your Plus subscription, you can still access your company file. However, you'll no longer get security updates and online services, such as the QuickBooks Desktop Payroll services.

I've also added the following articles about handling subscriptions, business information, and other related matters:

• Change, manage or update your Intuit account with CAMPs
• Manage your QuickBooks Desktop subscriptions and services

You can count on me if you have more questions about managing your QuickBooks subscription. Take care and have a good one.

I don’t know what your 344 is for. I do know they are charging a subscription rate instead of outright buying the license that is good for a few years. I have Pro Desktop 2020. I just  renewed payroll for the year for 494.00. Next year my total will start being 850 a year when the subscription service kicks in. The customer service agent said he is getting many calls of complaints and he passes it on to management. I don’t think it will help. They are making a fortune off of us.  

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@ofcmgr2 wrote:

IF you don't want the PLUS subscription, will you still be able to do payroll through QuickBooks.

 

@ofcmgr2 

If you haven't upgraded to QBD 2022 yet, you can still purchase QBD 2021 with the one time license and cancel your Plus subscription. They don't offer the one time license for QBD 2022 any longer, except for QBD 2022 Accountant edition.

Im right there with you, i been all over the internet trying to find another program! i too have 2019, i have to do payroll, certified payroll also for our GC's...i was irate when i received bill in Jan for $495 to renew intuit, then to find out i can no longer use my qb standalone desktop version!! we are contractors so I have always used the Premier Contractor Version...along with Enhanced Payroll, now what, im so confused! i definately dont want to pay more than i have to, we are a small business of 3/4 employees!  we just got out of the red this past year!  I have been trying to find a way to just use my desktop & find a payroll service to go with it that wont expire, i dont mind paying the increase of 1 but then to double & then have to pay for my desktop over every yr now without even owning it!!! makes no sense!  Im looking into an entire new bookeeping program

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@Cmerchant wrote:

i dont mind paying the increase of 1 but then to double & then have to pay for my desktop over every yr now without even owning it!!! makes no sense! 

 

@Cmerchant 

Actually according to the EULA, we borrowed the program from them. It is why they can decline to generate an activation for older versions. You can still purchase QB Desktop 2021 Premier edition with the one time license to upgrade your version and have QB Payroll or 3rd party payroll app to integrate with it. If your budget is very limited, time to consider switching to a free cloud based accounting app. You only need to pay their add-on payroll app. 

It seems I will be upgrading from Pro 2019 to 2022 Pro+ (by force).  So what is the deal about subscriptions on the QB Desktop Pro plus 22? Is this in addition to the payroll update? And what kind of $ are we talking?  I agree that I don't need the Plus.  It seems a bit overkill for small businesses.  I already pay nearly $800/year for updates for the standard payroll.  Will I be paying an additional subscription for Pro +?  And why does it not explain more about the subscription on the intuit page?

@DebSW  I've done experiments with the Pro Plus subscription and it seems after 6 months or so after expiration you cannot open files anymore. So you don't pay, you don't use.

Once you "upgrade" to 2022 it will be nearly impossible to go back to your lifelong purchased Pro 2019 unless you start a new company file or pay a 3rd party to downgrade your database file. You will be forever attached to Intuit paying them every year, or else you can't open your QB file. So think hard if you want a lifelong relationship with Intuit's yearly pricing.

And yes, the subscription to use the software for a year is in addition to using payroll for a year. Unless you buy the "QuickBooks Desktop Pro Plus with Enhanced Payroll 2022" for $600 (for 1 year) normally $850 usually at the start of tax season. I paid $385 for that last year. For me they just wanted 349.99+tx for a renewal of 2021 Pro Plus. Then they wanted $474.00+tx for the annual payroll subscription. Plus I also paid $24/yr for an extra employee, so I have 2 total in the payroll, 1 is included.

I think I'm going to stick with Pro 2021 and just use Gusto for payroll, then I won't have to purchase QB every year, like Office 365.

Now I pay $51/mo ($612/yr) for two employees and Gusto takes care of all my payroll taxes and forms, and end of the year forms. All I do is log into OnTheClock (it's free for 1-2 people) and transfer a timecard into Gusto. Log into Gusto and click Run Payroll. In addition to paying Intuit over $850/yr I also had to pay an accountant to remote in and do my biweekly payroll and fill out the forms and pay taxes. Around $500/yr for that, so I was paying over $1,300/yr just for 2 employee direct deposit payrolls.

I could assure you Intuit's prices will increase most likely every year. They've been in a flux these past couple years and have been raising prices and subscription structures to greatly increase their profit without fixing their buggy software. Gone are the days of paying $200+/- for software and owning it for life on offline computers.

Hello, Deb.

In addition to MrTom4's pointers, I'd like to add some details that'll shed some light about the QuickBooks 2022 version lineup subscription. 

There are new and exclusive features in the 2022 version lineup such as the Desktop mobile app feature. If you haven't already done it yet, I would recommend checking the comparison pages to know which features that might help you manage your data:

• https://quickbooks.intuit.com/desktop/pro-compare/
• https://quickbooks.intuit.com/oa/pla/buy-quickbooks-pro-plus/ (check the Frequently asked questions section for more details)

MrTom4 is correct about the payroll as an add-on service. So if you want to continue using payroll with QuickBooks, you'll want to purchase it as you upgrade your Desktop program.

Though, a bundle (QuickBooks 2022 with payroll subscription) is also offered by retailers and other resellers. 

If QuickBooks Desktop 2022 doesn't quite fit for you, consider upgrading to QuickBooks 2021 with the payroll bundle. 

There are retailers that still offer the 2021 version as a one-time license purchase. You may also consider the pointers given by MrTom4 about using QuickBooks 2021 and a third-party app for the payroll side. 

If you need help with your financial data after considering the pointers above, you can check this article to help you run a specific report in QuickBooks: Understand reports.

Do you have any other questions about the features and offers in QuickBooks 2022? Or would you like some assistance in recording your transactions in your current version? Let me know and I'll help you out. 

Do you know if payroll reports can be run from Gusto? I have to provide certified payroll reports (weekly) to my contractors for the government 

@CmerchantI know you can export payroll reports out of Gusto. Specifically you can export it to an .IIF file, then import that .IIF into Quickbooks.

Process; You'll need to export your chart of accounts in QB to an .IIF file, then import that into Gusto, them map the Gusto accounts to your QB accounts (like wage expenses and taxes) so Gusto knows where to put the information. Then you'll be able to export out of Gusto to an .IIF file that imports into QB then all the payroll and taxes will be in QB DT.

If you're using QB Online then the integration is even easier. I believe they have a trial to see if it's for you.

And if I go to the 2021 version, how long until you say upgrade or you get closed down?  And why is my payroll standard update more than everyone else's enhanced payroll update?

@DebSW  I know, huh? QB and Payroll renewal is more expensive than buying it bundled. But I believe it also depends on when you buy it. When the tax year version starts, around November, it'll be at it's peak pricing to gouge as many people as possible. Then it seems the price can be lowered the nearer you get to the end of tax season.

If you do go to the 2021 version, you will still need to upgrade anyway after 3 years, because Intuit Payroll does not function on QB versions older than 3 years. I used to upgrade every 3rd year myself, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, then jumped to 2021 subscription, but then realized I'll be forced to upgrade EVERY year, so I'll be sticking with Desktop Pro 2021 non-sub and using payroll elsewhere. Now I'm not FORCED into buying software EVERY year.

Hello, Cmerchant.

Welcome to the Community. Allow me to step in and share some information about running the payroll report from Gusto.

Gusto is a third-party application used for payroll and can be integrated into QuickBooks Desktop (QBDT)  it works with QuickBooks by exporting .iif files and ensuring that the option is on. 

Here's how you can export  .iif files:
 

1. Sign in to your company file as an admin. 
   Note: If you’re in Multi-user mode, go to the File menu, then click Switch to Single-user Mode.
2. Go to the File menu, then choose Utilities.
3. Tap Export, then click Lists to IIF Files.
4. Hit the lists you want to export, then select OK.
5. In the Save in dropdown, pick a location to save your IIF file into.
6. Enter a file name, then tick Save.

You can check this article for more details on exporting files in QuickBooks Desktop: Export, import, and edit IIF files

 That being said, I recommend contacting Gusto's support so they can check and assist you with the integration process. 

For more tips and other resources, you may visit our page in managing your business in  QuickBooks: QuickBooks Desktop Self-help articles.

Fill me in if you have questions about your payroll reports. The Community is always here to address your concerns.