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Our Verdict
Our Verdict
QuickBooks for Mac is the popular QuickBooks accounting software that is designed to work on a Mac. Users can choose from the online version or the desktop version that resides on your Mac. For QuickBooks users, converting to the Mac operating platform should be easy, especially if they are familiar with how Macs work. Read our comprehensive QuickBooks for Mac review to decide if this popular accounting and invoicing software is the right choice for your needs and budget.
Pros
- Accepted by most bookkeepers and accountants
- Easy to implement
- Large user base
Cons
- Limited support
- Advertisem*nts on dashboard
- Problems with duplicate entries
On QuickBook's Website
4.3
Our ratings take into account a product's cost, features, ease of use, customer service and other category-specific attributes. All ratings are determined solely by our editorial team.
Starting price
$15.50 per month
Invoicing
Yes
Receipt capture
Yes
Table of Contents
- QuickBooks for Mac Basics: At a Glance
- Other Benefits
- Fine Print
- How QuickBooks for Mac Stacks Up
- Is QuickBooks for Mac Right for You or Your Business?
- Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Show more
QuickBooks for Mac Basics: At a Glance
There are two ways that you can purchase QuickBooks for Mac. You can purchase a desktop version with an annual licensing fee of $349.99 per year or get the online cloud version for $15 per month for the first three months, then $30 per month afterward.
With the desktop version, you’ll need to access the latest version with new features and security patches via downloaded updates, making this a less secure version than the QuickBooks Online version. Customize invoices, sales receipts, estimates and statements. Organize your expenses so that you are ready for tax season with everything categorized properly for your accountant. For an added fee, you can add payroll to the online subscription plan.
The online version gives you the option to use the mobile app to help save time and keep things up-to-date more frequently. Information is backed up into the cloud automatically, so you don’t need to think about what data recovery will look like if your system gets hacked or has a problem. QuickBooks for Mac Online also syncs bank transactions automatically, categorizing them so that you don’t have to spend extra time doing it.
Featured Partners
Advertisem*nt
1
Xero
Starting price
Reg. Price: $15 per month; Special Offer: 75% off all plans for 3 months until February 13
Unlimited Users On All Plans
Yes
Free Trial
30 days
2
QuickBooks
Starting price
$15 per month (for the first 3-months, then $30 per month)
Free Trial
30 days
Key Features
Expert help, Invoicing, maximize tax deductions, track mileage
3
Sage
Cloud Financial Management
Yes
Multi-entity financial visibility
Yes
CRM, Payroll, POS Integrations
Yes
Other Benefits
Those who have the desktop version may decide to switch to the online version because of the added updates and security features it offers. When you do, QuickBooks for Mac offers a discount. You’ll need to call the customer service line at (800) 601-3751 to take advantage of this offer and get converted to the online program.
QuickBooks Desktop offers a 60-day money-back guarantee for anyone unsatisfied with the product. This is a good incentive to dig into the program and organize your books once you have the program and not wait.
Fine Print
When buying the online version, it’s important to note that the $15 is higher than most competitors and is still just an introductory rate. Expect to pay $30 per month after the first three months are completed.
One thing that customers have complained about is the use of QuickBooks ads on the dashboard. The ads promote other QuickBooks products and tend to get repetitive and potentially annoying when you work on the platform often. The desktop version does not have this problem, although it is hard to stay up-to-date with updates and new security patches with the desktop version.
How QuickBooks for Mac Stacks Up
| QuickBooks for Mac | FreshBooks | Xero | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | $15 per month, then $30 per month after intro period ends | $2.50 per month, then $5 per month after intro period ends | $12 per month |
| Free Trial | 30 days | 30 days | 30 days |
| Available on Mac | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Accounting | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Invoicing | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Automatic Payment Reminders | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Mileage Tracking | ✓ | Available with an app | ✓ |
| Payroll | ✓ | Available with an app | ✓ - For an additional $39 per month via Gusto |
| Customer Support | Available for higher-tiered plans Monday through Friday 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Pacific time; Saturdays 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. PT | Phone 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Eastern time | 24/7 online support |
| Learn More | On QuickBook's Website | -- | On Xero's Website |
| Read Reviews | Read QuickBooks for Mac Review | Read FreshBooks Review | Read Xero Review |
We compared QuickBooks to two other accounting software programs: FreshBooks and Xero. FreshBooks came in as the clear winner for a cost-effective solution. It only costs $2.50 per month for the first four months, the $5 per month to get started with FreshBooks. Xero is still less than QuickBooks for Mac, costing $12 per month. In the long run, this will be far less than the $30 per month you’ll pay for QuickBooks for Mac once the introductory period is over.
Xero has the most available customer support, with hours being around the clock every day of the week. The problem is that this is only online support. For someone who prefers to speak with a real person, QuickBooks has weekday and weekend hours for customers.
All three programs have a 30-day free trial to test the product and see if you like it. The QuickBooks for Mac desktop version has a 60-day money-back guarantee.
Featured Partners
Advertisem*nt
1
Xero
Starting price
Reg. Price: $15 per month; Special Offer: 75% off all plans for 3 months until February 13
Unlimited Users On All Plans
Yes
Free Trial
30 days
2
QuickBooks
Starting price
$15 per month (for the first 3-months, then $30 per month)
Free Trial
30 days
Key Features
Expert help, Invoicing, maximize tax deductions, track mileage
3
Sage
Cloud Financial Management
Yes
Multi-entity financial visibility
Yes
CRM, Payroll, POS Integrations
Yes
Is QuickBooks for Mac Right for You or Your Business?
For anyone familiar with the QuickBooks platform, using the QuickBooks for Mac is a seamless transition worth the money. The platform does everything you want, and the online version is updated constantly to upgrade the experience, add new features and insert more security patches. Users will enjoy all the features and benefits of QuickBooks online on their Mac or MacBook, making it an ideal accounting platform for Mac users.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Can you transfer data from QuickBooks for Mac to QuickBooks?
Windows and Mac software versions can convert from one file to the other. However, some data, such as categories, may not transfer.
Is QuickBooks Desktop being phased out?
Access to QuickBooks Desktop Payroll, live support and online backup, along with other QuickBooks services, was discontinued on May 31, 2022. However, the website still has the desktop version for sale. This may mean there is limited support for the product.
What are the disadvantages of QuickBooks Online?
Users don’t like that the monthly fee increases after the introductory period. This can make the software that much more expensive to use and difficult to switch because you will use it for 12 months before the price goes up.
How many different versions of QuickBooks are there?
Currently, there are six different versions of Intuit’s QuickBooks :
- QuickBooks Online: Best for small to medium-sized businesses (SMBs) with up to 25 users; a cloud-based version of QuickBooks; provides more than 650 integrations with other software
- QuickBooks Self-Employed: Best for freelancers and solopreneurs
- QuickBooks Pro: Good for SMBs; ideal for up to three users; offers more advanced features than QuickBooks Online as well as additional software integrations
- QuickBooks Premier: Ideal for medium-sized businesses with up to five users; best for industry-specific companies; also offers advanced features
- QuickBooks Enterprise: Best for large companies with up to 40 users; even more advanced features than QuickBooks Online, QuickBooks Pro and QuickBooks Enterprise
- QuickBooks for Mac Plus: Best for SMBs for up to three users; similar to QuickBooks Pro
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