What’s Happening with QuickBooks Desktop? Intuit will stop selling new licenses and subscriptions for QuickBooks Desktop products to streamline its services and enhance security. If you have an active subscription, you can continue to renew it until Intuit decides to phase out those subscriptions. There’s no timeline, but don’t be surprised when they start sunsetting older desktop products.
What Options do we have? Organizations with 20-30 users can move to the still-supported QuickBooks Enterprise desktop subscriptions, but for small businesses, that is an expensive upgrade.
The rest of us are being channeled to their QuickBooks Online offerings that currently range in price from $ 30 (1 user and few features) to $200 (25 users and many features) per month. For Slingshot, we would spend $60 monthly for three online users. That will be less expensive than the $100 monthly we currently pay for two licenses for QuickBooks Desktop Premier. It's clear that Intuit wants everyone to use their online version, so expect to see drastic increases in the cost of desktop subscriptions.
Is Desktop QuickBooks better? For one big reason, it is better. Because we’ve used QuickBooks Desktop since the 90s, we are familiar with how it works, how we make our entries, generate reports, manage inventory, customers, and invoicing, and synchronize it with our PSA.
What are folks saying? Clients who have switched report that the online version is very different and doesn’t look or work the same way. They say it takes a while to figure out where stuff is located in the online version. They are frustrated with the transition and the awkwardness of learning a new application. Eventually, the new online routines take hold, and they adjust and accept it. Change is difficult, but we don’t have much of a choice.
In a nutshell, be prepared for QuickBooks Desktop sunsetting. If you have an active subscription, you can continue renewing it until Intuit changes its policy or crushes you with exorbitant annual subscription increases. Alternatively, you can dive in and convert to QuickBooks Online.
If you have an ancient version of QB's Desktop that was a one-time purchase (not subscription-based) and want to stick with the desktop a while longer, you need to move fast and purchase licenses to the current QuickBooks Desktop products. After July 2024, QuickBooks Desktop will not be available for new licensees.
After July 31, 2024, Intuit will no longer sell new subscriptions to the following Desktop products in the US
QuickBooks Desktop Pro Plus
QuickBooks Desktop Premier Plus
QuickBooks Desktop Mac Plus
QuickBooks Desktop Enhanced Payroll
Existing customers of Desktop Pro Plus, Premier Plus, Mac Plus, and Enhanced Payroll subscribers can continue to renew their subscriptions after July 31, 2024. Intuit will continue to provide security updates, product updates, and support for existing subscribers as per the subscription terms.
All QuickBooks Desktop Enterprise subscriptions (Silver, Gold, Platinum, and Diamond) will remain available for new subscribers after July 31, 2024. Enterprise Gold, Platinum, and Diamond include integrated payroll. These subscriptions run from about $ 2,000 to $ 5,000 annually.
Need Guidance with QuickBooks? Slingshot is ready to assist. Reach out to schedule a free review and consultation today.