Can I Buy QuickBooks Desktop without a Subscription? (2024)

**At the time this blog was posted, you were able to purchase from a standalone program from a QuickBooks Reseller. Intuit has discontinued that option in 2022. Intuit now only sells subscriptions for desktop.**

From software to even coffee, it seems like in today’s world everything is moving towards subscription based billing. If you’re in the market to upgrade your QuickBooks Desktop application or maybe even waiting to purchase QuickBooks 2022, it may seem like you can only purchase a subscription plan.

However, many are unaware that you can purchase QuickBooks Desktop as a standalone application without having to pay a subscription fee. Intuit actually has authorized resellers through their QuickBooks Solution Provider program. A reseller who participates in the QuickBooks Solution Provider program can not only sell Intuit products directly to clients but they are also QuickBooks ecosystem experts. They can provide a complete business solution based on your needs, wants, and organizational goals.

Unlike buying a subscription from Intuit directly, a reseller can sell you the QuickBooks Desktop application as a one-time fee. There will be no additional subscription fees while using the software for your business needs.

If you don’t use any add-on services like payroll or bank feeds, you can usually use your non-subscription QuickBooks version for a few years to maximize your return on investment. However, do keep in mind that Intuit sunsets versions every 3 year as they introduce a new QuickBooks Desktop year. So if you do use payroll or any other service, it will require you to stay up to date. You’ll also want to keep this in mind for support. Intuit will not support a QuickBooks file issue if the version has been sunset.

If you’re on the fence about QuickBooks, let's learn more about the software in this post.

What You Should Know About the QuickBooks Software

QuickBooks is the most extensively used small business accounting software for tracking financial health and managing income and expenses.

QuickBooks includes accounting, inventory, payroll, tax filing, invoicing, bank account tracking and reconciliation, spending management, budgeting, payment processing, and accounts receivable and payable management.

Pros of QuickBooks

  • QuickBooks makes it easier to keep track of or alter inventory on hand.
  • You can also utilize it to make direct payments to your staff.
  • It's simple to compare year to year to identify where we can improve and monitor a business's present financial status.
  • It reduces the cost of getting information on a customer.
  • It's quite easy to use, and you can self-train yourself to set it up in minutes with just a few instructions.
  • A simple and engaging user interface that allows you to rapidly access your financial information.
  • Down cost to keep prices low, and a free trial period to evaluate if it satisfies your company's financial requirements.
  • It integrates nicely with other systems and may be customized to interact with third-party applications.
  • Accounting reports are delivered professionally.
  • It's usable on multi-devices, including phones, tablets, and computers.
  • Errors and blunders are simple to identify and remedy.

Cons of QuickBooks

  • Although the program is simple to install, you will need to devote a significant amount of time to customizing your preferences and learning how to use the many functions to get the most out of them.
  • Errors/mistakes are simple to discover and correct. And this makes it easy for someone to manipulate your books.
  • QuickBooks does not include a section for fixed assets.
  • Several transactions have file-size difficulties or limits.
  • Limitations on the number of people who can utilize the service.
  • You face the risk of losing data on a QuickBooks desktop since data is not constantly backed up.
  • There are no tools available to create invoices.
  • There aren't any industry-specific or business-specific features such as;
    • Lot tracking
    • E-commerce
    • Barcode scanning
  • Unlike more complex alternatives, QuickBooks makes manipulating the data you enter quite simple.
  • In comparison to what you could find in an ERP, the QuickBooks invoicing system has fairly minimal features.
  • There aren't any important reports outside of accounting.

How Does the QuickBooks Desktop Differ From the Online Version

You can use the QuickBooks desktop for a few years without having to update the software. QuickBooks Online is updated regularly, whereas the online version is updated once a year.

QuickBooks Online is a cloud-based software that charges every month, whereas QuickBooks Desktop is a locally installed software that charges on a licensing basis.

QuickBooks Online's security is the responsibility of Intuit because it is cloud-based. However, that does require that you have consistent internet connection. If you install QuickBooks Desktop locally, an additional anti-virus is always recommended whereas internet connection is not needed.

With stronger reporting, industry-specific tools, a better price structure, and more extensive functionality, you can go with QuickBooks Desktop. QuickBooks desktop's home screen features the well-known flowchart style, which depicts how various transactions flow through the accounting system. QuickBooks Online, on the other hand, may be the better option if bank feed integration is vital to you.

Share QuickBooks Desktop Files with Qbox!

QuickBooks is a popular brand of accounting software manufactured by Intuit and sold mostly to small businesses and non-profit organizations. QuickBooks is the appropriate choice if you have a small number of employees but a lot of complex transactions. It even has some advanced accounting tools for medium-to-large organizations. If you decide QuickBooks Desktop is best for your business, you can either purchase a subscription from Intuit or purchase the software directly from a reseller for a one-time fee. Once you have QuickBooks Desktop up and running, consider using Qbox to share your company file with remote users.

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Can I Buy QuickBooks Desktop without a Subscription? (2024)

FAQs

Is there a one-time purchase for QuickBooks Desktop? ›

QuickBooks Desktop is no longer available as a one-time purchase. Below are the updated pricing and version as of February 2023. All Desktop products are sold at full MSRP, and no discounts are allowed. You are no longer able to purchase online, but we can get you an authorized copy from intuit.

Can I still get a desktop version of QuickBooks? ›

Under the "QuickBooks Desktop" section of the US website, there is only QuickBooks Premier Plus 2023 and QuickBooks Enterprise Plus 2023 available for purchase.

Can I still use QuickBooks Desktop after subscription expires? ›

With QuickBooks Desktop 2023 R3 or newer, view-only access remains for 1 year after your subscription ends. In that time, you won't be able to edit your data with your inactive license. But, you can renew your subscription or export your data. To view your data after 1 year, you'll have to renew your subscription.

What is the cheapest way to buy QuickBooks? ›

QuickBooks Online is cheaper and comes with more features than QuickBooks Pro, the desktop version. QuickBooks Online offers several plan options. A version for self-employed individuals is available, called QuickBooks Self-Employed.

Can I buy QuickBooks Desktop 2022 without a subscription? ›

If you're in the market to upgrade your QuickBooks Desktop application or maybe even waiting to purchase QuickBooks 2022, it may seem like you can only purchase a subscription plan. However, many are unaware that you can purchase QuickBooks Desktop as a standalone application without having to pay a subscription fee.

Is QuickBooks Desktop being discontinued in 2023? ›

Your access to QuickBooks Desktop Payroll Services, Live Support, Online Backup, Online Banking, and other services through QuickBooks Desktop 2020 software will be discontinued after May 31, 2023.

Why is QuickBooks Desktop being discontinued? ›

Yes, QuickBooks desktop will be discontinued in 2023. Intuit, the company behind QuickBooks and many other top software packages, has decided to focus on their cloud-based QuickBooks online version. This is common in the software world.

Do you have to pay for QuickBooks Desktop every year? ›

QuickBooks Desktop products are offered on an annual subscription basis. Unlike QuickBooks Online plans, which each come with a set number of users, QuickBooks Desktop plans come with one user license. Business owners must pay extra for each additional license, regardless of plan.

What happens if you don't upgrade QuickBooks Desktop? ›

What Happens if I Don't Upgrade? QuickBooks Desktop customers who own their products outright can continue using their products without issue, as has been the case in years past. However, these customers will likely need to pay for a customer support plan if they want to have access to support resources.

When did QuickBooks go to subscription only? ›

Intuit has announced changes to QuickBooks Desktop for 2022. Most notably, Intuit will now only be selling its Pro, Premier, and Mac products as Pro Plus, Premier Plus and Mac Plus subscriptions.

What happens if you stop paying for QuickBooks? ›

If you cancel your QuickBooks Online subscription, your data will be available in read-only access for 1 year from the date of cancellation. If you cancel QuickBooks Online during the trial period or if your trial expires, your data will be available in read-only access for 1 year from the date of cancellation.

Why is QuickBooks forcing me to update? ›

QuickBooks automatically retrieves the latest program updates as long as QuickBooks is running. Intuit, the developer of QuickBooks, issues these updates to fix bugs or provide performance improvements.

What is the most basic version of QuickBooks? ›

QuickBooks Simple Start is the most basic of all QuickBooks plans, is best suited for startup businesses, gives access to a single user, and meets basic bookkeeping needs. QuickBooks Essentials works best for the businesses that have heavy accounts payable and gives access to three users at the same time.

What is average cost in QuickBooks Desktop? ›

QuickBooks uses the weighted average cost to determine the value of your inventory and the amount debited to COGS when you sell inventory. The average cost is the sum of the cost of all of the items in inventory divided by the number of items.

What is the simplest version of QuickBooks? ›

QuickBooks Simple Start is the easiest and quickest way for single users (freelancers, gig workers, solo entrepreneurs) to manage all of their income and expenses in one simple tool.

Is there a QuickBooks Desktop 2022 version? ›

QuickBooks Desktop 2022 introduces several features to help automate and streamline your daily accounting tasks. Here's what features are included in the QuickBooks Desktop 2022 release and how you can use them to benefit your business.

How much does it cost to upgrade to QuickBooks Desktop 2022? ›

A single license for QuickBooks Desktop Pro Plus starts at $349.99 a year. For 2 users, you will be paying $549.99 for an annual subscription. This already includes automatic upgrade once a new version is released as well as unlimited customer support.

How much is QuickBooks Pro Desktop 2023? ›

The costs for QuickBooks 2023 Desktop are as follows: $549 for QuickBooks Desktop Pro Plus 2023. $549 for QuickBooks 2023 Desktop for Mac. $799 for QuickBooks 2023 Desktop Premier Plus.

Can I use QuickBooks Desktop without Internet? ›

Internet Connection – Because it is cloud-based, an Internet connection is required to use QBO. QuickBooks Desktop can only be accessed from the computer it is installed on regardless of Internet connection. Automation Functions – With Desktop, transactions (invoice, receipt, reports, etc.)

How do I upgrade QuickBooks Desktop 2023? ›

Here's how.
  1. Select Help, and then Upgrade QuickBooks.
  2. Select the version you want to upgrade to, then select Upgrade Now.
  3. You can keep a copy of your current version of QuickBooks. Select Keep old version on my computer, then select Let's go.

How do I install QuickBooks Desktop on a new computer? ›

how to install quick books on a second computer
  1. Download the software to your laptop through this link: Download QuickBooks Desktop.
  2. Complete the download information and click Search.
  3. Click the Download button.
  4. Once the download is complete, the installation will automatically start. ...
  5. Select Yes to All the hit Next.

How many times can I install QuickBooks Desktop? ›

All users must be networked and must each have their own QuickBooks license. The standard QuickBooks Pro license lets you install the product on up to 3 computers.

How do I get a free QuickBooks subscription? ›

Is There a Free Version of QuickBooks? QuickBooks offers a free trial version for the first 30 days in case you are a new user. To sign up for QuickBooks Online free trial, create a QuickBooks account by accessing the QuickBooks website.

How to get QuickBooks for free? ›

Free QuickBooks Online Software for Teachers and Students
  1. Choose the software you want to access under Features & Benefits.
  2. Under Register for free, select either Educators or Students.
  3. Fill in the required information.
  4. Select Verify and Close.
  5. Follow the next on-screen steps/process.

Can I access QuickBooks after cancellation? ›

Data availability and export polices after cancelation

If you cancel during a free trial or if your trial expires, your data is available for 90 days. If your credit card is declined, you have 14 days to update your billing information. During this time you have full access to QuickBooks Online.

Can I use an old version of QuickBooks? ›

A version more than three years old is no longer supported by Intuit. If you have problems with the program, they will be of little to no help. Older versions of QB may not run on Windows 10.

Is it worth it to pay for QuickBooks? ›

QuickBooks Online is a good option for many small businesses that are looking to make invoicing customers easy and integrate invoicing and payments into the general ledger. Small businesses can customize how they use the platform so that they only use the features they need.

Why you shouldn't use QuickBooks? ›

Let's briefly explore the limitations of QuickBooks: Limited reporting and transparency of your business health - lack of custom reports. Double entry and keying errors across systems and departments. Limitations with file size and data, as well as the number of users.

When should you stop using QuickBooks? ›

Here are the top nine telltale signs it's time to take the leap off of QuickBooks.
  1. You have difficulty managing and consolidating data from multiple entities. ...
  2. You need a more well-documented audit trail. ...
  3. You are about to reach the maximum number of users. ...
  4. You do not have a built-in CRM system.
Jul 21, 2020

How do I stop QuickBooks from asking me to update? ›

Here's how:
  1. From the Edit menu, select Preferences.
  2. From the Preferences window, select General on the left column.
  3. Go to the My Preferences tab.
  4. Check the box next to Turn off pop-up messages for products and services.
  5. Click OK.

How much is QuickBooks per year? ›

QuickBooks Desktop Pricing Comparison
Quickbooks OptionsBest ForPrice
QuickBooks ProSmall businesses with 1-3 users$350/year
QuickBooks PremierSmall to medium businesses with 1-5 users$550/year
QuickBooks EnterpriseLarge businesses with 1-40 users$1,340+/year
Jul 29, 2022

Can you buy a permanent QuickBooks license? ›

Yes, you can buy QuickBooks Desktop 2022. However, it is recommended to get the latest version of the accounting software to avoid any issues.

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