for 3 months
Small Business Insights: Quarterly survey of small businesses in the US, Canada, the UK, and Australia
Key findings from April 2026
Intuit QuickBooks Small Business Insights is a quarterly survey of approximately 5,000 small to midsize businesses in the US, Canada, the UK, and Australia. The survey covers small business financial health and growth, challenges and opportunities, technology and AI, employment and productivity, cash flow and payments, financing and investment, and more. The latest data is from the April 2026 wave of the survey.
Dive into each topic using the links below.
Section 1: Business health, growth, and challenges
1 in 2 (50%) report business growth
This is 18 points higher than the January 2024 low of 32%.
8 out of 10 (81%) want business growth
With 50% reporting growth but 81% wanting it, this suggests small and midsize businesses need more help to achieve their growth goals.
More than 8 out of 10 (86%) report their business is profitable
The long-term trend indicates a small increase in the number of small and midsize businesses reporting a profit.
Most wished for: a successful marketing or advertising campaign
Respondents say advertising and marketing are where they need the most help over the next three months. Two in five (40%) want to boost productivity.
Greatest challenge: rising costs
Inflation has been the No.1 challenge identified by small and midsize businesses in every wave of the survey since April 2023. The share increased from 47% in January 2026 to 53% in April 2026.
Almost half (49%) say poor financial or resource management is holding them back
Project costing and price estimates emerge as the most common operational challenge: identified by 1 in 5 (21%).
Two-thirds (67%) plan to invest over the next 3 months
Echoing the earlier finding that boosting customer demand is where respondents need most help, the No.1 investment small and midsize businesses plan to make over the next 3 months is into sales and marketing initiatives.
More than 2 in 3 (69%) currently have support from a qualified accountant
This is largely unchanged since July 2024, when approximately two-thirds of US respondents said the same.
Section 2: AI and digital technology
More than 3 out of 4 (78%) now use AI regularly
This is a notable 30-point increase since July 2024, when 48% of US respondents reported regular use of AI. Over the same period, daily use has increased by 25 points, from 15% to 40%. This maintains the trend identified in Intuit's recent AI Impact Report, which uses data from the January 2026 wave of this survey.
Top 3 tasks for AI: marketing, customer service, data processing
More than 2 in 5 (46%) of US respondents using AI report that they use it for marketing. Again, this is consistent with the findings of the recent AI Impact Report, published in May 2026.
Nearly 1 in 5 (19%) businesses using AI say it's core to operations
This has risen steadily since April 2025, when 13% of small and midsize businesses surveyed in the US reported extensive use of AI.
The reported net impact of AI is higher employment, productivity, and revenue
Maintaining the trends reported in Intuit's AI Impact Report, US respondents continue to report that AI is boosting efficiency and growth. Notably, in April 2026, 1 in 5 (20%) said employment has increased due to AI, while 5% said employment has decreased. The majority (68%) said the use of AI had not affected employment.
More than half (53%) of those not using AI are considering adopting it
Among the 17% of small and midsize businesses in the US not using AI when surveyed in April 2026, more than half (53%) said they are considering adopting AI in future. But the majority of these businesses have no specific deadlines.
Concerns about privacy or security have discouraged some from making more use of AI
The most effective ways to encourage more businesses to use AI, according to the survey, would be to resolve concerns about privacy or security and help them understand how AI could help them. Again, this echoes the findings of Intuit's AI Impact Report, which examines who's making the most and least use of AI.
Almost a third (27%) use more than 6 different digital systems for their business
The majority of US respondents (69%) report using 1 to 5 different digital systems or tools to manage business functions. These are broadly defined as "any software, websites, or AI systems that facilitate work, sales, or data storage and analysis."
More than 1 in 2 (53%) use spreadsheets for financial management
While accounting software remains the preferred solution in the US, more than half of respondents still report using manual processes.
Most useful digital tool: accounting software
Across all digital tools, accounting systems are the most useful according to US respondents, followed by their own website, HR/payroll software, payment platforms, and social media.
Top 3 benefits of digital tools: more efficiency, less time, fewer errors
Two-thirds of US respondents (66%) agree that the No.1 benefit of the digital tools and systems they use is greater efficiency.
Top challenge with digital tools: lack of integration between systems
Almost 2 in 5 respondents in the US (39%) report challenges with the lack of integration between the various digital tools and systems they use in their businesses.
Section 3: Productivity and employment
Over 3 in 4 (78%) of those using AI say it’s boosting their productivity
This is unchanged since January 2026, when 78% of US respondents also reported productivity gains (read more about this in Intuit's AI Impact Report). Before answering this question, respondents were given the following definition of productivity: "The amount of goods or services created compared to the resources used."
More than 3 in 5 (62%) say they’re more productive than 3 months ago
Based on the same definition of productivity noted above, the number of US respondents reporting short-term productivity growth increased to a record 62% in April 2026. This is notably higher than in October 2024, when just 48% reported productivity gains.
Over 2 in 5 (47%) plan to expand their workforce over the next 3 months
The number of US respondents predicting more hiring over the next 3 months is approaching the peak of 50% recorded in April 2023. At 47%, the current estimate is notably higher than the low of 31% reported in October 2022, indicating growing confidence.
Nearly half (46%) have contract workers on their team
In April 2026, 1 in 10 respondents in the US (10%) said their entire workforce is made up of contract workers. This is largely unchanged since October 2025.
3 in 5 (62%) say it’s easier to hire skilled workers
Reflecting broader labor market trends, the number of US respondents reporting hiring challenges has been on a downward trend since 2022—but is largely unchanged from January to April 2026.
Healthcare is considered the most effective benefit for employee retention
On average, approximately two-thirds (66%) of US respondents say healthcare benefits are most effective for employee retention. When answering this question, respondents were specifically asked to consider benefits that persuade skilled workers to stay.
Section 4: Operating costs
Nearly 3 in 5 (59%) predict higher operating costs over the next 3 months
This is an 8-point increase among US respondents since January 2026 (51%), and the highest reported since April 2023.
Top 3 causes of rising costs: energy costs, workers’ pay, and domestic supplier costs
In April 2026, energy costs replaced labor costs as the main cause of operating cost increases among US respondents. In previous surveys, pay increases were consistently number one. Domestic supplier costs are the third-largest contributor.
Over 1 in 2 (57%) are concerned about operating costs increasing
This is approaching the peak recorded in April 2025, when 59% of US respondents reported concerns.
Section 5: Cash flow, payments, and invoices
Almost half (46%) request immediate payment of their invoices
Further analysis of the data reveals US businesses that wait longer to get paid are more likely to report cash flow problems, are more reliant on credit cards, find it harder to hire skilled workers, and have lower digital adoption rates.
3 in 5 (60%) report waiting more than 30 days for invoices to be paid
Payment delays can affect cash flow and can even make it harder for some businesses to hire. The good news is that 41% of US respondents report getting paid more quickly.
Over half (58%) report using online payment platforms
Despite the ease of online transcations, cash and checks are still among the most popular payment methods for US respondents.
More than 2 in 5 (45%) report cash flow problems
This has declined since April 2024, when 50% of US respondents reported cash flow problems.
No.1 solution for cash flow problems: credit cards
This reflects broader trends identified in the 2025 Intuit QuickBooks Small Business Index Annual Report, which shows credit cards have become an increasingly important source of financing.
3 in 4 (75%) pay their bills with automated systems
More than 1 in 5 respondents in the US (24%) report using a "fully automated" bill payment system, while 1 in 2 (50%) report that their system is "somewhat automated."
When managing bills, 3 out of 4 (78%) have a process for approvals and audits
Nearly 3 in 5 respondents in the US (59%) report that they have a consistent process for all of the bill payments they make.
Top external causes of delayed payments: economic uncertainty and delayed revenue or sales
According to US respondents, economic uncertainty (21%) and delayed revenue or sales (18%) are the top two challenges to making payments on time, followed by higher costs (16%).
Top internal cause of delayed payments: manual processes
More than 1 in 10 respondents in the US (13%) reported manual processes as the biggest challenge, followed by uncertainty about finances (12%), forgetting to pay (9%), and matching bills to correct expenses or payees (9%).
2 in 5 (40%) say AI would be most helpful with reminders for paying bills
Approximately a third of US respondents said AI would be helpful with data entry (37%) or offering insights into spending patterns (33%).
Section 6: Financing and credit cards
Over three-quarters (77%) report using financing over the past 12 months
In the US, credit cards remain the number-one source of business financing used by the survey respondents. This is unchanged since January 2024.
More than 5 in 5 (61%) put more than 25% of their total monthly expenses on credit cards
The proportion of US respondents charging more than 50% of their expenses to credit cards trended downward from April 2024 to July 2025. But since October 2025, that trend has reversed.
More than 1 in 2 (52%) carry a balance on their credit cards
The number of US businesses reporting that they pay their full credit card balance off every month has increased slightly since January 2026, but remains below the peak of 58% recorded in April 2024.
Almost 1 in 3 (32%) have become more reliant on credit cards over the past 12 months
The number of US businesses reporting greater reliance on credit cards has increased from a low of 25% in July 2024 to approximately a third since April 2025.
More than 1 in 2 (54%) expect to get financing if needed over the next 12 months
This is a 4-point increase from July 2025, when 50% of US respondents were confident in their ability to secure business financing.
Section 7: Demographics & firmographics
Sample and methodology
Intuit QuickBooks Small Business Insights is an international, quarterly survey of small business health, opinions, and priorities commissioned by Intuit QuickBooks every three months since its launch in September 2021. Each wave has been fielded among small businesses in the US, Canada, and the UK. In April 2024, the survey was expanded to include small businesses in Australia. In the US, Canada, and the UK, a small business is defined as having 0-100 employees. In Australia, a small business is defined as having 0-50 employees. Participants are small business owners and decision-makers from two sources (details below), with a total quarterly sample of around 5,000 respondents. All respondents are anonymous. They are also remunerated. See the demographics and firmographics section (above) for more information about composition of the sample and the types of businesses they own or lead.
- Dynata panel: minimum 3,350 survey respondents per wave. Of these, at least 1,500 are from the US, at least 600 are from Canada, at least 750 are from the UK, and at least 500 are from Australia. On average, more than 50% of the respondents are small business owners. The remainder are senior decision-makers within small businesses who have a detailed knowledge of their employer's financial performance, workforce strategy, and business priorities. For each wave of the survey, 50% of the sample are repeat respondents who have previously taken the survey to allow opinions and business health to be tracked more effectively over time. Respondents receive remuneration. All responses are anonymous. In the US, Canada, and the UK, all respondents are from small businesses with 0 to 100 employees. In Australia, all respondents are from small businesses with 0 to 50 employees. Every effort is made to make these samples as representative as possible of small businesses in each country but as with all online surveys, there are limitations. To give the largest possible sample size for each wave of the survey, responses from the Dynata panel are combined with responses from the QuickBooks customer panel, described below, whenever possible.
- Intuit QuickBooks customer panel: The number of survey participants drawn from the Intuit QuickBooks customer base varies over time but the average is 2,000 respondents per wave. In the April 2024 wave, for example, the total number of QuickBooks customer respondents was 2,300; comprising 1,505 in the US, 405 in Canada, and 405 in the UK. Currently, the survey is not fielded among QuickBooks customers in Australia. Respondents are drawn from a pool of QuickBooks Online subscribers in the US, Canada, and the UK who have been active in their accounts in the past 30 days. As with the Dynata audience panel described above, respondents in the US, Canada, and the UK are typically from small businesses with 0 to 100 employees.
For clarity, percentages have been rounded to the nearest whole number so in some of the stacked column charts shown above, survey responses may not add up to 100% but 99% or 101%, for example, instead. Please also note that all responses to multiple choice questions are shown as a percentage of the total number of respondents, not the total number of responses, to better reflect the number of people who chose each answer option. As a result, in the corresponding grouped column charts shown above, the sum of the percentages will always be greater than 100.
Disclaimer
This content, report and materials are for informational purposes only and should not be considered legal, accounting, financial, investment, or tax advice, or a substitute for obtaining such advice specific to your business. Additional information and exceptions may apply. Applicable laws may vary by state or locality. No assurance is given that the information is comprehensive in its coverage or that it is suitable in dealing with a customer’s particular situation. Intuit Inc., or its affiliates do not have any responsibility for updating or revising any information presented herein. Accordingly, the information provided should not be relied upon as a substitute for independent research. Intuit Inc., or its affiliates do not warrant that the material contained herein will continue to be accurate nor that it is completely free of errors when published. Readers should verify statements before relying on them.
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