QuickBooks is an accounting software package developed and marketed by Intuit. Intuit has other products including TurboTax, Mint, Credit Karma, and Mailchimp. Quicken is used for individual financial managementIntuit has been around since 1983. QuickBooks focuses on the small or medium-sized business. It is not for very large businesses. The initial release of QuickBooks was the DOS version that was based on the Quicken codebase.

Intuit is based in California, USA. There are several different versions of QuickBooks, such as the USA, Canadian, British and Australian versions. Be sure to get the version where you live. QuickBooks offers on-premises accounting applications as well as cloud-based versions.

Canadian Essentials Online Version

As an example, let’s look at the Canadian online Essentials version that does not have payroll. Intuit is having a promotion now. For $11 per month for your first 3 months you can get this version. When it comes to features, they offer four levels: EasyStart, Essentials, Plus and Advanced, each priced accordingly. EasyStart probably will not be enough for your business. Since you can upgrade later, it is often recommended to begin with the Essentials version.

Quiz to Decide the Version

On the website there is a quiz that will help you decide the best version for you.

• Do you send estimates to your customers? Yes, Only Invoices, Neither
• Do you pay employees or contract workers? Yes, No, I have another solution
• Is your business a corporation or sole proprietorship? Yes, No, Not Sure
• Do you want to connect QuickBooks to other apps (like PayPal, Shopify or Square)? Yes, No, Not Sure
• How many employees do you need to add to QuickBooks? None, 1-3, 4-5, more than 5
• Do you need to manage recurring bills and invoices? Yes, No
• Does your business have inventory? Yes, No, I have a system already
• What industry are you in? Construction, Retail, Professional Service, Non-profit, Manufacturing, Technology Other