Tool page
QuickBooks Online
The default US ledger. Workforce payroll is a separate subscription. Do not conflate them.
By Gregory GreensteinUpdated September 20, 2026Affiliate disclosure
Best for: Freelancers and LLCs whose CPA already speaks QuickBooks.
Skip if: You only need invoices, or your accountant is a Xero shop.
Public pricing: Simple Start $38/mo; Essentials $85; Plus $140; Advanced $340. Workforce Payroll $50 + $7/employee on the entry plan. Intros often 50% off the base fee for three months.
quickbooks.intuit.com/pricing/ and quickbooks.intuit.com/products/, reviewed September 20, 2026.
What it is
QuickBooks Online is Intuit’s company file in the browser: bank feeds, invoices, bills, sales tax, and reports a US CPA will open. Self-Employed is a different product. Desktop is a different product. Workforce is payroll on top.
2026 prices moved
Intuit published a 2026 increase for Essentials, Plus, and Advanced renewals on or after August 1, 2026. Simple Start was described as unchanged in that note. If a comparison table still shows $75 / $115 / $275, it is stale.