QuickBooks Online

Price: Starts at $38/mo (checked Oct 2026)
Setup: Self-serve
Best size: 1-25 users, depending on the plan
Time saved: Maker hasn't shared this

Who it's for

Small businesses and bookkeepers who sort expenses by hand and want their books to sort themselves.

Good fit if

You spend time sorting bank and card charges by hand.
You send invoices and want customers to pay online.
Your accountant already uses QuickBooks.

Skip it if

More than 25 people need to log in (the top plan, Advanced, covers 25 users).
You need payroll included in the monthly price. Payroll is an add-on.
You send only a couple of invoices a month and track money in a spreadsheet. The Free plan may be enough.

What it does

Learns how you sort income and expenses
Syncs transactions from your connected bank account
Sends invoices to customers

Proof

Maker's claimThe company that makes it says so

The maker says QuickBooks learns how you sort income and expenses, then matches and records transactions.

Intuit QuickBooksDate not shown Read the source

Try it yourself DIY version

Not ready to buy the tool? Paste this into ChatGPT, Claude or Grok. Fill in the [brackets] first.

Copy this prompt

I run a [BUSINESS TYPE]. Here are last month's bank transactions: [PASTE: date, description, amount]. Here are the categories I use: [PASTE CATEGORY LIST, e.g. supplies, fuel, rent]. Please put each transaction in one category and show a table with date, description, amount, and category. Then give totals by category. List any transaction you are not sure about so I can check it. Finally, write me 5 simple rules (like 'anything from [VENDOR] goes in [CATEGORY]') I can use to sort faster next month.

Invoice email to a customer

Hi [Name],

Thanks for your business! Your invoice for [job or product] is attached. You can pay online with the link in this email.

It's due by [date]. Reply here if you have any questions.

Thanks,
[Your name]
[Business name]

Note to your accountant when you invite them

Hi [Accountant name],

I just invited you to our QuickBooks Online account. Our bank and card accounts are linked, and I've checked the sorted transactions through [date].

Could you look over the categories and tell me what to fix before tax time?

Thanks,
[Your name]

How to set it up

Have ready

Your business details (name, address, type of business)
Online logins for your business bank and credit cards
Your customer and product lists, if you have them in a spreadsheet
Your logo for invoices

Pick a plan; the page shows a free plan and paid plans.
Connect your bank account.
Review the auto-sorted transactions and fix any that are wrong.

Steps from the maker

Cost

Starts at $38/mo

Plans: Simple Start $38/mo (1 user), Essentials $85/mo (3 users), Plus $140/mo (5 users), Advanced $340/mo (25 users).
Good to know: Simple Start, 1 user. New customers are often offered 50% off for the first 3 months. There's also a Free plan (2 invoices a month, 1 bank account).
Free trial: 30-day free trial. The pricing page doesn't say which plans it covers.
Extras: Bill pay: $0.50 per standard ACH payment over your monthly allowance. Payroll and QuickBooks Payments are add-ons; the plans page doesn't list their prices.
Contract: No annual contract. Switch plans or cancel anytime.

Checked Oct 2026 on the maker’s site

Works with

Your bank and credit cards
QuickBooks Paymentsextra cost
QuickBooks Payrollextra cost
Bill Payextra cost

Pros

No annual contract. Cancel anytime.
Sorts downloaded bank and card transactions for you to review (Simple Start and up).
30-day free trial, plus a Free plan for the basics.