QuickBooks is a complete accounting suite of products, providing different tiered pricing for independent contractors, small businesses, and even businesses that need more advanced features.
You will need an internet connection as Quickbooks is cloud-based, but you can trial the product before purchasing to ensure it meets all of your needs.
| Product | Monthly Price |
| QuickBooks Self-Employed | $7.50 |
| QuickBooks EasyStart | $12.50 |
| QuickBooks Essentials | $20.00 |
| QuickBooks Plus | $30.00 |
Is There a Free Version of QuickBooks?
QuickBooks offers a 30 day trial of all of the different tiers of products they offer. There are no limitations on how you can use the product in those 30 days; however, if you don’t purchase, it will stop working, and you can’t extend the time.
You must have an internet connection to access the system, and there is potential for downtime of the service whether you’re using the free or paid option.
How to Download Free QuickBooks
QuickBooks is a cloud-based service that requires an internet connection and web browser to use. You can download the products for use on your Windows system, but you’ll still need an internet connection to ensure updates are made.
Simply go to https://downloads.quickbooks.com/app/qbdt/products and provide details on your location and which product you want to download.
None of these are specific free versions, and you still need to sign up and request trial access which will allow you to connect and use the downloaded product.
What Can Free Version of QuickBooks Do?
QuickBooks offers a 30 day free trial of all of their products which have no limitations on how you can use them or which features are available. You must pick the product you want to use, which will be the only feature limitation.
You do not need a credit card to start your trial, but you will need one to turn your trial into a full subscription after the 30-day trial is over.
Difference Between Free and Paid QuickBooks
The trial version is best for anybody that just wants to test out the product before making a monthly purchase or who only needs access to QuickBooks features for less than a month.
In most cases, it would be advised to keep things simple and pay after your trial is up, the prices are reasonably minimal, and you can download/upgrade as you see fit. Your only limitation is that QuickBooks Self-Employed can not be upgraded to the higher tiers.
| QuickBooks Self-Employed | QuickBooks Simple Start | QuickBooks Essentials | QuickBooks Plus | QuickBooks Advanced | |
| Monthly Price | $7.50 | $12.50 | $25 | $40 | $90 |
| Free Option | 30-Days Trial | 30-Days Trial | 30-Days Trial | 30-Days Trial | 30-Days Trial |
| Track Income/Expenses | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Track Sales / Tax | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Track Mileage | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Reporting | Basic | General | Enhanced | Comprehensive | Unlimited |
| Invoice / Accept Payment | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Maximize Tax Deductions | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Send Estimates | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Multiple Users | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ||
| Manage Paying Bills | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ||
| Multicurrency Support | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ||
| Track Time | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ||
| Track Project Profits | ✓ | ✓ | |||
| Track Inventory | ✓ | ✓ | |||
| Batch Invoices & Expenses | ✓ | ||||
| Employee Expenses | ✓ |
Can Free Version of QuickBooks Be Used on All Devices?
QuickBooks is a web-based service available on all devices that make a JavaScript-enabled web browser and internet connection.
Windows users can download an offline version of the product, though this version still needs internet connectivity to ensure updates are made back and forth. All information is still stored in the QuickBooks cloud.
Is QuickBooks Still Free in 2024?
QuickBooks offers a trial of their product, giving you 30 days to ensure that they provide what you need. However, because the prices are so low monthly, it doesn’t really make sense to offer a permanently free option when there are so many features in the product.
The QuickBooks trial would only be beneficial to people that want to test out the features or, for some reason, only need QuickBooks for less than 30-days.
For anybody who needs a complete accounting package based in the cloud with constant updates being provided, then QuickBooks is an excellent option.
Click here to start your trial of QuickBooks.
If you find that there are many features that you simply don’t need, then looking for free or alternative accounting software would be the best option for you.
