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Can I Buy QuickBooks Desktop without a Subscription?

Alison Garcia Aug 23, 2021 9:35:55 PM

**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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