QuickBooks

QuickBooks is cloud accounting software for small businesses, made by Intuit. It tracks income and expenses, sends invoices, and runs reports like profit and loss. An AI layer called Intuit Intelligence studies your books and suggests next steps. Plans scale from a free tier to teams of twenty-five, and paid plans include two or three accountant seats. Payroll is an optional add-on, and experts can help with setup and bookkeeping when a business needs a hand. Most work happens in a browser or the mobile app.

Key Features

Income and expense tracking

See money in and money out in one place. Simple Start shows profit and loss in real time, so you know where the business stands.

Invoicing and payments

Send invoices, take payments, and watch your cash flow from the same books. Payments link to invoices, so paid and unpaid work stays clear.

Reports and insights

Run standard reports in a few clicks. Higher plans add custom performance metrics and personal insights, so owners see which parts of the business grow.

Intuit Intelligence

This AI layer mixes your business data with AI and human expertise. It can automate a monthly profit summary and run a business health check.

Bills and inventory

Manage bills and inventory from the same account as your books. Stock, costs, and payments stay in sync instead of living in separate spreadsheets.

Optional payroll

Payroll is an add-on called QuickBooks Workforce. It automates pay runs and payroll taxes for a small team.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is QuickBooks used for?

QuickBooks handles the daily money work of a small business. It tracks income and expenses, sends invoices, manages bills, and creates reports. Owners use it to see profit, cash flow, and taxes without keeping paper books or spreadsheets.

What is Intuit Intelligence?

Intuit Intelligence is the AI layer inside QuickBooks. It combines your business data with AI and human experts to give fast insights and guidance. For example, it can send an automatic monthly profit summary and flag business health checks.

Can my accountant work in QuickBooks too?

Yes, on paid plans. Simple Start, Essentials, and Plus include access for two accountants, and Advanced includes three. The free plan has no accountant access. Your accountant sees the same live books you see, so questions, fixes, and tax work happen on one shared record instead of emailed files.

Is payroll part of the plans?

No. Payroll is an optional add-on you can attach while buying. The add-on automates payroll and payroll taxes for your team. You can also skip it and add it later if the team grows.

Which plan fits a solo business?

Simple Start is built for one user and costs $38 per month at list price. It covers income and expense tracking with real-time profit and loss. Bigger teams move to Essentials, Plus, or Advanced for more users.

Conclusion

QuickBooks fits small businesses that want their books, invoices, and reports in one cloud account. The AI guidance helps owners read their numbers without an accounting degree. A free plan covers one user, and paid plans add users and features, so use the free trial before you commit. Paid plans include access for two or three accountants.