UPDATE: Intuit listened to customer concerns and now allows comparative reporting in Simple Start, dramatically increasing the functionality of this version of the software. Simple Start is now a recommended version of the software for many of our one-person start-up clients.
Intuit offers multiple levels of QuickBooks Online with the monthly-subscription price varying based on features and access. When you are ready to buy bookkeeping software, you will need to analyze which Quickbooks Online plan is best for you?
1. Solopreneur is the cheapest version of the QuickBooks software. It's intended for one-person sole proprietorships; in particular, those proprietors that pay business and personal expenses from the same bank account. The reporting capabilities of this version are extremely limited. We also always recommend that new start-ups pay business and personal expenses from separate bank accounts. Develop good habits in the beginning! As a result, this version of the software is not recommended to our clients.
2. Simple Start is an entry-level QuickBooks subscription. Eight features are automated bookkeeping, invoice and receive payments, run basic reports, capture receipts, track miles, calculate sales tax, create estimates, and manage bills.
Simple Start costs less than the Essentials, Plus, and Advanced models; however, it is not without limitation. First, one of the major benefits of QuickBooks Online is that your books are stored in the cloud. Therefore, multiple people can access the same set of books at the same time. But, with Simple Start, only one company User is allowed.
The other major limitation with Simple Start is that it does not allow for comparative reporting. Our bookkeeping service incorporates comparative reports in a major way to assess how the business is currently performing in comparison with prior periods. Comparative reports allow us to analyze, for example, the percentage of sales growth or percentage of expense reduction. It's a must and for this reason, we prefer the Essential or Plus models.
3. Most of our clients are in the Essentials or Plus models. With Essentials, you get all features from Simple Start; plus, you are allowed three company Users and enhanced reporting, which includes comparison reports.
QuickBooks Plus goes a step further, allowing five company Users. The Plus or Advanced subscriptions are also required for businesses that track inventory.
4. Advanced is the most comprehensive version of the software. Intuit has been phasing out desktop software, and Advanced is the QuickBooks Online version, which would most likely replace the desktop Enterprise series. It's also the most expensive version (currently, more than double the cost of Plus).
So, where do you go from here? For most of you, Essentials is likely the best place to start. You may be able to use Simple Start for the first year, but by year two, you will want access to the comparative (year-over-year) reports. Many of our clients on the Essentials plan update to the Plus plan for access to more company Users. Advanced is proper for clients that want access to all the features, and where the subscription cost is less of a concern.
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