QuickBooks Desktop is getting more expensive-and it’s not subtle.
In 2025, long-time users of QuickBooks Desktop are feeling the pinch: the company behind QuickBooks has raised subscription costs significantly. (Insightful Accountant)
As of October 1, 2025, for example, QuickBooks Desktop Pro Plus jumped to $1,049 per year plus $310 per user-seat, up from $999 + $200 previously. (Insightful Accountant)
Premier Plus and Mac Plus saw similar hikes. (Insightful Accountant)
Even for small businesses with a single license and no payroll, some reports note a 400% increase over the past few years. (QuickBooks)
At the same time, the company appears to be shifting its focus toward the cloud-based Online version — and many of the new price changes reflect that shift. (Firm of the Future)
For many longtime Desktop users — especially small businesses or freelancers — these price increases are more than just a nuisance. They’re an incentive to reevaluate whether Desktop remains the best choice.
QuickBooks Online vs Desktop — What You Gain (and What You Lose)
With Desktop prices rising, it’s worth comparing what you get with Online vs. Desktop. Depending on your business needs, the trade-offs could push you toward the cloud.
✅ What QuickBooks Online Does Well
Access from anywhere, any device. Online is cloud-based: you and your team (or your accountant) can log in from a laptop, tablet, or phone — without being tied to a specific PC. (QuickBooks)
Automatic updates, backups, and lower IT burden. No need to manually install updates or worry about backing up local files — Online takes care of that. (QuickBooks)
Better collaboration / multi-user access built-in. Real-time collaboration makes it easy for teams, remote workers, or external accountants to work together. (Zapier)
Integration flexibility & modern features. Online supports many third-party integrations (payment processors, eCommerce tools, payroll apps, etc.), and offers convenience features like online payments, automatic bank syncing, invoicing with payment links, etc. (QuickBooks)
Ease of use and lower startup friction. For small or growing businesses without complex inventory or payroll needs, Online can be simpler to set up and maintain. (Katana)
In short: if you value mobility, ease-of-use, collaboration, and lower overhead — QuickBooks Online offers a compelling, modern alternative.
📊 Where Desktop Still Holds an Edge
That said, QuickBooks Desktop continues to offer some strengths — especially for businesses with more complex accounting, inventory, or industry-specific needs:
More robust accounting features, reporting, and customization. Desktop tends to win when it comes to advanced job costing, detailed reporting, and more in-depth accounting tools. (Tipalti)
Better for complex inventory, manufacturing, or industry-specific work. For businesses in manufacturing, wholesale, nonprofit, or other industries needing specialized reports or workflows, Desktop remains a more powerful tool. (Katana)
Data control and offline access. Since everything lives locally (on your computer or server), you aren’t dependent on internet connectivity — and you retain full control over your data and backups. Some businesses prefer this for compliance or security reasons. (Ace Cloud Hosting)
One-time payment model (historically). For some users, owning a license outright (instead of ongoing subscriptions) made sense — though with recent subscription-based desktop pricing, this advantage is eroding. (Ace Cloud Hosting)
What This Means for Small Businesses and Entrepreneurs
Price increases to QuickBooks Desktop — combined with continued investment in and improvements to QuickBooks Online — mean that many small businesses now face a strategic decision. If you:
Use multiple devices or team members need access from different locations,
Don’t need advanced inventory / job costing features,
Prefer lower maintenance or automatic updates, or
Want easier integration with payment and external software —
then QuickBooks Online makes a lot of sense.
On the other hand, if your business involves complex accounting, inventory tracking, specialized reports, or you value offline data control, Desktop may still be worth the cost — but you should carefully weigh the increasing subscription fees against the benefits.
Given how price hikes are accelerating — and given the investment into Online — now is a good time for many businesses to re-evaluate their QuickBooks path.
If you like, I can project the total cost of ownership over the next 5 years for a few sample business types (sole proprietor, small business with 5 users, and small manufacturing firm) under Desktop vs Online.