QuickBooks Online vs Self-Employed: Differences in 2023
This article is part of a larger series on Accounting Software.
QuickBooks Online and QuickBooks Self-Employed are both accounting software solutions offered by Intuit, but they serve different types of users and have different feature sets. While QuickBooks Online is a full-featured double-entry bookkeeping system capable of tracking assets, liabilities, income, and expenses of small and medium businesses, QuickBooks Self Employed is a simple-to-use way for micro businesses with no employees to track income and expenses.
QuickBooks Online vs Self-Employed at a Glance
Best For | Best for small businesses requiring payroll, inventory tracking, job costing, budgeting, or scalability | Freelancers and self-employed individuals seeking basic bookkeeping and federal tax support |
Monthly Pricing Plans | $30 to $200 | $15 to $35 |
Maximum Users | 25 | 1 |
Bank Reconciliation | ✓ | ✕ |
Send Invoices & Track Collections | ✓ | Weak |
Manage Unpaid Bills | ✓ | ✕ |
Track Inventory | ✓ | ✕ |
Capture & Organize Receipts | ✓ | ✓ |
Manage 1099 Contractors | ✓ | ✕ |
Time Tracking | ✓ | ✓ |
Track Income & Expense By Project | ✓ | ✕ |
Track Assets & Liabilities | ✓ | ✕ |
Manage Payroll | Add-on | ✕ |
Are you considering the desktop version of QuickBooks? See our comparison of QuickBooks Online vs Desktop for more information.
When To Use
Can’t decide which accounting solution is best for your business? Check out our guide to the leading small business accounting software for more ideas.
QuickBooks Online vs Self-Employed: Pricing
QuickBooks Online | QuickBooks Self-Employed | |
---|---|---|
Monthly Pricing | $30 to $200 | $15 to $35 |
Number of Users | 1 to 25 | 1 |
Number of Billable Clients | Unlimited | Unlimited |
Free Trial | None | None |
QuickBooks Online Pricing
QuickBooks Online has four pricing plans to choose from, each with its own set of features and allowed users. See below for more information about the features included with each plan.
- Simple Start: $30 per month for one user
- Essentials: $55 per month for up to three users
- Plus: $85 per month for up to five users
- Advanced: $200 per month for up to 25 users
In addition to the allowed users, the QuickBooks Online plans vary in the features that are included. Check out our QuickBooks Online versions comparison to learn about the features of each.
QuickBooks Self-Employed Pricing
- Self-Employed: $15 per month for one user
- Self-Employed Tax Bundle: $25 per month, includes one federal and one state tax return filing through TurboTax plus the ability to pay quarterly estimated taxes online
- Self-Employed Live Tax Bundle: $35 per month, includes everything in Self-Employed Tax Bundle plus access to a certified public accountant (CPA) who will do a final review of your tax return.
QuickBooks Online vs Self-Employed: Features
QuickBooks Online Plus | QuickBooks Self-Employed | |
---|---|---|
Monthly Pricing | $85 | $15 |
Create & Send Invoices | ✓ | ✓ |
Connect Bank Accounts | ✓ | ✓ |
Bank Reconciliation | ✓ | ✕ |
Track Assets & Liabilities | ✓ | ✕ |
Invite Accountant to Access Your Books | ✓ | ✓ |
Add Payroll | ✓ | ✕ |
QuickBooks Live (Add-on) | ✓ | ✕ |
Bank Connections | ✓ | ✓ |
Manage & Track Unpaid Bills | ✓ | ✕ |
Record Multicurrency Transactions | ✓ | ✕ |
Handle Inventory | ✓ | ✕ |
Track Job Profitability | ✓ | ✕ |
Many of the same features can be found in both QuickBooks Online and QuickBooks Self-Employed, but the major difference between Online and Self-Employed is, the latter doesn’t track assets and liabilities, so you can’t reconcile your bank accounts or manage and track unpaid bills.
QuickBooks Online vs Self-Employed: Accounts Payable
QuickBooks Online | QuickBooks Self-Employed | |
---|---|---|
Manage & Track Unpaid Bills | ✓ | ✕ |
Pay Bills Directly From Software | ✓ | ✕ |
Capture Expense Receipts | ✓ | ✕ |
Create Recurring Payments | ✓ | ✕ |
Record Purchase Order (PO) | ✓ | ✕ |
Enter a Vendor Credit | ✓ | ✕ |
Pay an Independent Contractor | ✓ | ✕ |
QuickBooks Self-Employed does not track unpaid bills, usually referred to as Accounts Payable. With QuickBooks Online, you can track bills, manage vendor credits, and set up recurring payments.
QuickBooks Online even lets you pay bills directly from the software using ACH or check, while you can only record payments made outside the software with QuickBooks Self-Employed. You can also track accounts payable aging with QuickBooks Online, so you can see which bills are outstanding and how much you owe each vendor.
QuickBooks Online vs Self-Employed: Accounts Receivable
QuickBooks Online | QuickBooks Self-Employed | |
---|---|---|
Create & Send Invoices | ✓ | ✓ |
Customize Invoices With Logo | ✓ | ✓ |
Email & Print Invoices | ✓ | ✓ |
Choose From Different Invoice Templates | ✓ | ✕ |
Create Recurring Invoices | ✓ | ✕ |
While both allow you to create and send invoices, the invoice customization options are limited with QuickBooks Self-Employed. QuickBooks Online allows you to send invoice reminders and create recurring invoices as well as create estimates and turn them into invoices once they are accepted by the customer—all features that QuickBooks Self-Employed lacks. You can also track accounts receivable aging with QuickBooks Online, which is unavailable with QuickBooks Self-Employed.
There are a couple of major problems with the invoicing features of QuickBooks Self-Employed. First, creating and even receiving payment for an invoice does not record any income in your books. This means that it’s possible to properly record the receipt of an invoice payment, but not record the payment received as income.
The second problem is how the line-item descriptions, called product or service items, are managed. Once created, you can’t edit a product or service item when adding it to another invoice. The practical implication of this is that you’ll end up typing custom descriptions for every invoice you issue.
QuickBooks Online vs Self-Employed: Reporting
QuickBooks Online | QuickBooks Self-Employed | |
---|---|---|
Balance Sheet | ✓ | ✕ |
Profit & Loss (P&L) Statement | ✓ | ✓ |
Statement of Cash Flows | ✓ | ✓ |
Schedule C Worksheet | ✕ | ✓ |
A/R Aging | ✓ | ✕ |
A/P Aging | ✓ | ✕ |
Income/Loss by Month | ✓ | ✕ |
Income/Loss by Customer | ✓ | ✕ |
Income/Loss by Class | ✓ | ✕ |
Income/Loss by Project | ✓ | ✕ |
Mileage Log | ✓ | ✓ |
Receipts | ✕ | ✕ |
Unbilled Charges | ✓ | ✕ |
Unbilled Time | ✓ | ✕ |
Expenses by Vendor | ✓ | ✕ |
General Ledger (CL) | ✓ | ✓ |
Trial Balance | ✓ | ✕ |
QuickBooks Online offers a wide variety of customizable reports, including a Balance Sheet. Since QuickBooks Self-Employed doesn’t track assets and liabilities, it cannot create a complete set of financial statements, which must include a Balance Sheet.
QuickBooks Self-Employed’s available reports are limited to a profit and loss statement, mileage log, receipts, and general ledger. It also offers two reports that are unavailable with QuickBooks Online—a Schedule C worksheet and Quarterly Estimated Taxes.
QuickBooks Online vs Self-Employed: Sales & Income Tax
QuickBooks Online | QuickBooks Self-Employed | |
---|---|---|
Add Sales Tax to Invoices | ✓ | ✓ |
Track Independent Contractors | ✓ | ✓ |
View Sales Tax Liabilities in Detail | ✓ | ✓ |
Pay Sales Tax Liability | ✓ | ✕ |
File Sales Tax Returns | ✓ | ✕ |
Estimate Quarterly Taxes and Make Payments | ✕ | ✓ |
Both allow you to add sales tax to invoices and track independent contractors. But the difference between QuickBooks Online and Self-Employed is that QuickBooks Online offers a robust set of sales and income tax features, including a sales tax center and tax forms that cater to the needs of large businesses. On the other hand, QuickBooks Self-Employed offers an efficient set of features that are focused on helping self-employed individuals manage their sales and income tax operations.
QuickBooks Online vs Self-Employed: Ease of Use
QuickBooks Online | QuickBooks Self-Employed | |
---|---|---|
Accessibility | Cloud | Cloud |
Set Up in a Few Minutes | ✓ | ✓ |
Shortcut Buttons | ✓ | ✓ |
Unlimited Customer Support | ✓ | With purchase of Live Tax Bundle |
QuickBooks Online is more complex than QuickBooks Self-Employed and offers more features, which can make it more difficult to learn and use for some users. However, it provides more flexibility and customization options. QuickBooks Self-Employed is simpler and easier to use, making it a better choice for self-employed individuals and freelancers requiring basic accounting software that can handle their expense tracking, and tax management needs.
QuickBooks Online vs Self-Employed: Assisted Bookkeeping
QuickBooks Online | QuickBooks Self-Employed | |
---|---|---|
Assisted Bookkeeping Service | QuickBooks Live | Independent QuickBooks ProAdvisors |
Monthly Pricing | Starting at $200 | Varies |
Access to Experts | ✓ | ✓ |
Account Reconciliation | ✓ | ✓ |
Bookkeeping Advice | ✓ | ✓ |
User-friendly Dashboard | ✓ | ✕ |
1099 Reporting & Preparation | ✕ | ✕ |
Accounting & Payroll Coaching | ✕ | ✕ |
For QuickBooks Online users, assisted bookkeeping is available in the form of QuickBooks Live. Starting at $200 per month, the service matches you with a certified QuickBooks ProAdvisor, who will help you connect your bank and credit card accounts, categorize your transactions, and reconcile your bank accounts. They are also available for telephone or one-way video calls, to answer questions and troubleshoot any bookkeeping issues.
However, QuickBooks Live bookkeepers cannot assist with 1099 reporting and preparation or payroll. It is unavailable to QuickBooks Self-Employed users—but they do have access to a network of QuickBooks ProAdvisors.
Read our review of QuickBooks Live to learn more about the service.
QuickBooks Online vs Self-Employed: Integrations
QuickBooks Online integrates with a wide range of third-party software, with more than 700 apps across various categories, such as customer relationship management (CRM), ecommerce, time tracking, and project management. Some popular integrations include PayPal, Shopify, TSheets, Salesforce, HubSpot, Square, and Stripe. It also connects with thousands of apps through Zapier. Visit the QuickBooks Integrations page to learn more.
QuickBooks Self-Employed has fewer integrations than QuickBooks Online. However, it still offers a good selection that are relevant to self-employed individuals, such as TurboTax, PayPal, MileIQ, Etsy, and Stripe.
QuickBooks Online vs Self-Employed: Mobile App Functionality
QuickBooks Online | QuickBooks Self-Employed | |
---|---|---|
Issue Invoices | ✓ | ✓ |
Accept Payments | ✓ | ✕ |
Enter Bills | ✓ | ✕ |
Capture Expense Receipts | ✓ | ✓ |
Assign Expenses to Customer or Projects | ✓ | ✕ |
Enter Bill Payments | ✓ | ✕ |
Categorize Expenses From the Bank Feed | ✓ | ✓ |
Record Time Worked | ✓ | ✕ |
Assign Time Worked to a Customer or Project | ✓ | ✕ |
View Reports | ✓ | ✓ |
Track Mileage | ✓ | ✓ |
QuickBooks Online and QuickBooks Self-Employed have separate mobile apps. While the QuickBooks Online mobile app allows you to perform many of the same activities as the web-based version, the QuickBooks Self-Employed mobile app limits you to creating and sending invoices, categorizing expenses from the bank feed, tracking mileage and expense receipts, and viewing reports.
QuickBooks Online vs Self-Employed: Customer Support
QuickBooks Online | QuickBooks Self-Employed | |
---|---|---|
Phone Support (Callback) | Plus & Advanced Only | ✓ |
Phone Support (You Make the Call) | ✕ | ✕ |
Live Chat Support | ✓ | ✓ |
Chatbot | ✓ | ✓ |
Email Support | ✓ | ✓ |
Self-help Resources | ✓ | ✓ |
Both QuickBooks Online and QuickBooks Self-Employed offer phone, chat, and email support options to their users, but QuickBooks Online offers a VIP service called QuickBooks Priority Circle to users with an Advanced plan. This service connects you with a dedicated account team, provides in-depth training, and 24/7 premium technical support.
QuickBooks Self-Employed offers phone support to all subscribers, and if you sign up for the Live Tax Bundle you’ll also receive access to a CPA for assistance with filing your income tax returns. Both platforms also provide online help centers with extensive resources and a community forum where users can connect and share knowledge.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
No, QuickBooks mobile apps are included with the software.
No, QuickBooks Self-Employed doesn’t allow you to manage bill payments. If this is an important feature to you, we suggest checking out QuickBooks Online.
QuickBooks Online ranges in price from $30 to $200 per month, depending on the subscription plan. These plans are priced based on the features included and number of users.
Bottom Line
QuickBooks Online is designed for small to mid-sized businesses and offers a powerful suite of accounting features, including invoicing, bill management, inventory tracking, payroll, and advanced reporting. QuickBooks Self-Employed is designed for micro-businesses that have more basic accounting needs. The best software for you depends on the size of your business and the features you’re seeking.