The program is only accessible over the Internet, so if a company loses its Internet connection, they will not be able to access their financial data. Instead, users subscribe to use the service on a monthly basis. QuickBooks Online is not a one-time purchase. Many people who purchased QuickBooks Online thought it was the same program as their desktop version, but alas, they are different programs built in different databases albeit with similar user interfaces. While QuickBooks Online is made by the same parent company as QuickBooks Pro, they are not the same program.

While both applications are accessible via the cloud, there are advantages and disadvantages to each QuickBooks version. Users have the option of using QuickBooks® Online or a hosted QuickBooks solution. However, there is a significant amount of confusion around the different types of cloud-based QuickBooks. Traditionally with a desktop application, users can now take advantage of cloud computing and access QuickBooks via a web application. Since its release in 2000, QuickBooks has quickly become one of the industry’s leading bookkeeping solution for both the small business owner with limited bookkeeping experience and the expert enterprise C-level executive user. A large percentage of small and medium sized businesses use QuickBooks® as their bookkeeping and business financial management solution.

Quickbooks 2018 desktop vs online