How much does QuickBooks cost?

QuickBooks is one of our top picks for accounting software, and offers various pricing plans. But what are you getting for your money?

Our Research

To recommend the best accounting software, our writers and researchers focused on the factors that matter most to small business owners – ease of use, features, design, scalability, and suitability for the UK taxation system.
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QuickBooks offers five plans to choose from, with their prices ranging from £10 per month to £115 per month, and right now you can get an incredible 90% off for 7 months on any plan for a limited time . But what exactly are you getting for your hard-earned cash? And which is the right one for your business?

April (or accounting season) will be here much quicker than you think, and savvy entrepreneurs will already be looking to get their ducks in a row now. Especially to try and avoid the headaches of transferring and setting up records at that stressful part-way period of the year.

The best time to switch is now, and it’s also the best time to find out about QuickBooks’ pricing, suite of features, and latest offers. Read on to find out everything you need to know about how much QuickBooks will cost you.

4.7 out of 5
  • Bookkeeping
    5
  • Advanced Features
    4.5
  • Financial Reporting
    5
Swipe right to see more
0 out of 0
Plan

Sole Trader

Plan

Simple Start

Plan

Essentials

Plan

Plus

Plan

Advanced

Cost
Cost
Cost
Cost
Cost
Features
  • Prepare self-assessment tax return
  • Get income tax estimates
  • Automatically import bank transactions
Features
  • Prepare and submit VAT returns directly to HMRC
  • Send pay-enabled invoices
  • Create estimates and quotes
Features
  • Manage bills
  • Accept and make payments in over 145 currencies
  • 3 users
Features
  • Manage stock
  • Track employee time
  • 5 users
Features
  • Manage employee expenses
  • Advanced reports
  • Customisable user permissions

How much does QuickBooks cost?

Our expert researchers found that QuickBooks is accounting software tailored for small businesses – as each of their plans comes with useful features and powerful tools that make it easy for SMEs to stay on top of their business finances.

Its pricing is transparent and affordable, unlike some of its competitors. In the current economy, it could be tempting for small business owners to try and rely solely on free accounting software, but you’ll be missing out on the richer, efficiency-boosting features of platforms like QuickBooks, that charge just a small monthly overhead.

Here’s an overview of their five plans and their respective prices:

  • QuickBooks Sole Trader: £10/month
  • QuickBooks Simple Start: £16/month
  • QuickBooks Essentials: £33/month
  • QuickBooks Plus: £47/month
  • QuickBooks Advanced: £115/month

Now, let’s dive into the details of each plan below to help you find the perfect fit.

QuickBooks Sole Trader cost

Plan – QuickBooks Sole Trader

Cost £10 per month excl. VAT (currently £5 per month, for the first six months)

Key feature – Prepare your self-assessment tax return

Best for – Sole traders and single property landlords who are not VAT registered

Users – One billable user

QuickBooks Sole Trader came top in our ranking of the best self-employed accounting software. As well as the ability to prepare your self-assessment tax return, your monthly tenner will bag you the following features:

  • Get income tax estimates
  • Connect to your bank
  • Manage income and expenses
  • Separate personal and business transactions using AI
  • Track mileage travelled on business trips
  • Phone and chat messaging support (phone support is available 8am to 7pm, Monday to Friday and 8am to 6pm on the weekend)

That’s a pretty impressive list for a basic, low-cost plan, but a big drawback is that you don’t get MTD VAT filing.

To access that feature, as well as the ability to track CIS as a subcontractor, you’ll need to upgrade to any of the higher tiers.

QuickBooks Simple Start cost

Plan – QuickBooks Simple Start

Cost £16 per month excl. VAT (currently £8 per month, for the first six months)

Key feature – Prepare and submit your VAT return directly to HMRC

Best for – Small businesses that are VAT registered

Users – One billable user and two accounting firms

QuickBooks Simple Start is a great fit for many small businesses. While you pay a bit more per month than the Sole Trader plan, you get a powerful VAT submission tool (including an error checker) plus the following:

  • Send “pay-enabled” invoices that can be paid with one click
  • VAT deadline reminders
  • Create estimates and quotes that can then be turned into invoices
  • A free onboarding session
  • Calculate and submit Construction Industry Scheme (CIS) returns

It’s a toolkit that should fulfil the needs of a lot of small businesses, and from this tier upwards you also have the option of adding payroll functionality for an extra £2.50 per month. But if you want bill management tools or multi-currency support, then you need to bump up to an Essentials or Plus plan.

QuickBooks Essentials cost

Plan – QuickBooks Essentials

Cost£33 per month excl. VAT (currently £16.50 per month, for the first six months)

Key feature – Bill management

Best for – Businesses that have a lot of outgoings and work with suppliers

Users – Three billable users and two accounting firms

The Essentials plan is ideal for larger small businesses, especially those that have overseas suppliers or clients. One of the most important additions on this tier is bill management – you’ll be able to import bills from suppliers to see when they’re due, pay multiple vendors/invoices at the same time, record payments, and create recurring expenses.

Essentials also includes the following benefits.

  • Do business in over 145 currencies (and invoice easily with automatic exchange rates)
  • Have up to three users

QuickBooks Plus cost

Plan – QuickBooks Plus

Cost£47 per month excl. VAT (currently £23.50 per month, for the first six months)

Key feature – Stock tracking

Best for – Retail businesses who need to manage an inventory

Users – Five billable users and two accounting firms

QuickBooks’ Plus plan has a lot to offer for larger SMEs and retail businesses. The big feature on this tier is inventory management – which lets you quickly and easily track stock levels, see what is (and isn’t) selling well, create purchase orders, manage vendors, and get low stock notifications.

This plan also includes:

  • Track project profitability
  • Budgeting tools that let you track spending against monthly, quarterly, or annual budgets
  • Add up to five users

QuickBooks Advanced cost

Plan – QuickBooks Advanced

Cost£115 per month excl. VAT (currently £57.50 per month, for the first six months)

Key feature – User permissions

Best for – Larger corporate businesses who need custom reporting and insights

Users – 25 billable users plus two accounting firms

QuickBooks’ Advanced plan has a lot to offer if your businesses needs more complex requirements. For example, one of its standout features is the custom user permissions, which allows you to control access to sensitive financial information. This makes sure that only authorised personnel can view or modify sensitive data.

While QuickBooks Advanced is a powerful tool, it may not be the most compelling option for small businesses that are just starting out. However, as your business scales and demands more advanced functionalities, QuickBooks Advanced becomes an option worth considering.

Its advanced features and scalability make it an ideal choice for growing businesses that require a more comprehensive and sophisticated financial management solution.

Some of their advanced functionality includes:

  • Business analytics with Excel
  • Batch invoices
  • Custom user permissions
  • Automated workflows and reminders
  • Manage your employee expenses

Is there a free version of QuickBooks?

There’s no free version of QuickBooks. However, you can get a 30-day free trial to see exactly what QuickBooks has to offer, without a financial commitment.

You can find out more information about QuickBooks’ free trial, and what the best free accounting software is in 2025, in our expert guide.

Can I buy QuickBooks without a subscription?

While QuickBooks is only available with a subscription, there’s no minimum term or contract to sign so you’re free to stop using it whenever you want. Not having to pay a significant amount up front should also help your cash flow, something that’s hugely important for small businesses.

Verdict: Is QuickBooks worth the money?

In short, yes.

Our expert research determined that QuickBooks’ reasonable pricing, extensive track record, and user-friendly interface make it a preferred choice for a broad range of users. While the support options may be somewhat limited, this should not be a significant drawback for most users, given the software’s overall reliability and ease of use.

As we embrace the dawn of a new year, there’s no better time than now to kickstart your financial journey with QuickBooks. January marks the perfect moment for a fresh start, ensuring you can set solid foundations for the year ahead.

Dive into QuickBooks now and you’ll gain a crucial advantage in organising your finances, streamlining your operations, and laying the groundwork for a prosperous year.

For a full breakdown of where QuickBooks truly excels, you can check out our in-depth QuickBooks review.

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Written by:
Alec is Startups’ resident expert on politics and finance. He’s provided live updates on the budget, written guides on investing and property development, and demystified topics like corporation tax, accounting software, and invoice discounting. Before joining, he worked in the media for over a decade, conducting media analysis at Kantar Media and YouGov, and writing a wide variety of freelance pieces.

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