Are you an independent individual who wants to keep track of your finances and stay organized? Look no further than QuickBooks! With two renowned choices, QuickBooks Self Employed and QuickBooks Online, it can be tough to figure out which one is apt for you. In this comprehensive QuickBooks Self Employed vs Online comparison article, we will get deep into the advantages and features of each option, as well as offer tips on how to get started with both. Say goodbye to complicated spreadsheets and hello to organized accounting with QuickBooks! QuickBooks Self Employed Vs Online- Which is the best for you?

QuickBooks Self Employed
QuickBooks Self Employed is an amazing choice for contractors, freelancers, and other self-employed individuals who want to trace their income and expenses. With this version of QuickBooks, you can effortlessly distinguish your personal and business finances by linking your bank accounts.
Honeybook Vs QuickBooks As a small business manager, handling finances can be just as intimidating as running the actual operation. Thankfully, we have accounting software that reduces some of the stress.
Features
- One of the major attribute of QuickBooks Self Employed is its capability to automatically classify transactions. This saves you a lot of time from having to manually put every transaction that goes through your account. Instead, QuickBooks will identify the type of expense or income it is and distinguish it respectively.
- Another beneficial attribute provided by QuickBooks Self Employed is the capability to keep a track of mileage for tax reasons. You can simply log trips taken for work-related reasons directly in the app which aid making sure proper deductions on your taxes.
- If you’re a self-employed person seeking for a simple to use accounting software with general bookkeeping attributes like automatic transaction classification and mileage tracking – then look no further than QuickBooks Self Employed.

Pros | Cons |
User Friendly Interface: QuickBooks Self Employed is a great accounting software option for freelancers, small business owners and self-employed individuals. One of the major pros of QuickBooks Self Employed is its user-friendly interface that makes it easy to use even for those without an accounting background. | Limited Functionality: One of the biggest downsides of QuickBooks Self Employed is its limited functionality. It does not offer as many features as QuickBooks Online, which may be a drawback for those with more complex financial needs. For example, it doesn’t support multiple users or allow for customization beyond basic branding. |
Track Expenses: Another advantage of using QuickBooks Self Employed is its ability to track expenses efficiently. With this software, users can easily categorize their expenses and keep track of them in real-time. | Customer Support: Another potential downside of using QuickBooks Self Employed is its customer service. While they do have email and chat support available, they don’t offer phone support like Quickbooks online does. |
Mileage Tracking: QuickBooks Self Employed also offers a mileage tracking feature, which can be very helpful for individuals who need to travel frequently as part of their work. This feature helps users keep track of their mileage automatically and ensures accuracy when calculating deductions. | Expensive: Another disadvantage of using this software is that it can become costly over time due to the need to upgrade once your business grows beyond a certain size. |
Integration: In addition, QuickBooks Self Employed provides seamless integration with popular payment platforms such as PayPal and Square. Users can easily accept payments through these platforms directly on the app or website. | |
Finance Management: Quickbooks Self-Employed’s ease-of-use features combined with expense tracking tools make it a top contender for independent contractors looking for efficient ways to manage their finances. |
Obviously there are advantages and disadvantages when it comes to managing finances as self-employed individuals or small businesses. It’s important to weigh these factors carefully in order to choose the best option for your specific needs and budget.
QuickBooks Online
QuickBooks Online is a cloud-based accounting software created for small and medium-sized organizations. It offers benefits like invoicing, keeping a track of expenses, organizing inventory, creating financial reports, and many more.
Features
- One of the attributes of QuickBooks Online is its approach ability from anywhere with a proper internet connection. This means that business owners can go through their financial data on the go or from numerous devices without having to think about loss of data or security breaches.
- Another benefit of QuickBooks Online is its scalability. As your business increases and expands, you can effortlessly update your subscription plan to accommodate more users or put new attributes as needed.
- QuickBooks Online also provides its linkage with other applications such as PayPal, Shopify, TSheets, and many more. This further make sure seamless data transfer among platforms so that you don’t have to waste time manually entering data.
If you’re seeking for a trustworthy and flexible accounting solution for your business requirements – whether it’s arranging finances on the go or synchronizing with third-party apps – then QuickBooks Online might be worth thinking about.

Pros | Cons |
Remote Work: QuickBooks Online is a cloud-based accounting software that offers several benefits to small businesses. One of its main advantages is accessibility, as you can access your financial data from anywhere with an internet connection. This allows business owners and their accountants to work remotely while still keeping track of important financial information. | Expensive: While QuickBooks Online has many advantages, there are also some potential drawbacks that users should consider. One of the most significant downsides is the cost. Compared to other accounting software options, QuickBooks Online can be quite expensive, especially for small businesses on a budget. |
Automation: Another pro of QuickBooks Online is the ability to automate several processes, such as invoicing and bill payments. This saves time for both business owners and their clients, reducing the risk of human error in manual processes. | Complexity: Another issue with QuickBooks Online is its complexity. The program offers a wide range of features and tools, which can make it difficult for new users to navigate and understand fully. Additionally, because it’s cloud-based and requires an internet connection to use, there may be occasional connectivity issues or slowdowns. |
Expense Tracking: QuickBooks Online also provides real-time tracking of expenses and income, allowing businesses to make informed decisions about budgeting and forecasting. The software offers custom reports that provide insight into different aspects of the business’s finances. | Bugs or Glitches: Some users have also reported experiencing bugs or glitches when using QuickBooks Online. While these issues are generally resolved quickly by Intuit (QuickBook’s parent company), they can still cause frustration and lost time for business owners who rely heavily on the software. |
User Friendly Interface: In addition, QuickBooks Online has a user-friendly interface that makes it easy for non-accountants to navigate through the platform. It also integrates with several third-party applications such as PayPal and Shopify, making it easier for eCommerce businesses who use these platforms regularly. | Limited Functionality: While QuickBooks online does offer a mobile app option, some users have found that it doesn’t always provide the same level of functionality as the desktop version. This could be limiting for those who need to access their financial data on-the-go regularly. |
Streamlined Accounting Process: QuickBooks Online provides convenience, automation features, real-time tracking capabilities and integrations with other platforms – all valuable assets for small businesses looking to streamline their accounting processes. |
While there are certainly benefits to using QuickBooks Online in your business endeavors – such as increased accessibility – it’s important to weigh these against any potential drawbacks carefully before making your decision about whether or not this software is right for you.
Which is better for you: QuickBooks Self Employed Vs Online?
When it comes to opting between QuickBooks Self Employed vs Online, the answer would obviously be based on your certain needs and preferences. Both software provides a variety of features that can aid you manage your finances efficiently as a small business owner or freelancer.
QuickBooks Self Employed is created for freelancers who need general bookkeeping tools to keep a trace of their income, expenses, and taxes. It provides numerous components such as mileage tracking, receipt capture, invoicing, and quarterly tax estimates. This software is a right choice if you’re self-employed with basic accounting requirements.
On the other hand, QuickBooks Online serves more towards small businesses with complicated financial needs. It provides advanced reporting choices along with payroll management capabilities. With QB online you can direct multiple users at single time which makes it perfect for bigger businesses
Ultimately opting between these two depends on what type of work you do as a self-employed individual or small business owner. So before making any choice make sure to calculate your current situation with respect to budget limitations and complexity of use.
How to get started with QuickBooks Online?
Getting started with QuickBooks Online is a very simple procedure that can be done in just a few easy steps. To start with, you’ll be required to sign up for an account on the QuickBooks website and opt for a plan which suits your business requirements best.
After making your account, you’ll be asked to put some general information about your business such as its name, address and type of industry. This will assist in customizing the software to meet the particular requirements of your venture.
Next, link all of your financial accounts, for instance, bank accounts, credit cards or PayPal accounts by synchronizing them directly through QuickBooks Online. This step makes sure that all transactions are automatically synced into the system so there’s no need for manual data entry.
If you’re transferring from another accounting platform or have already existed records saved in Excel or CSV format, it’s possible to import these directly into QuickBooks Online using their effortless importing tool.
Take benefits of QuickBook’s intuitive dashboard and attributes such as managing invoices and expenses more efficiently by personalizing categories according to different projects or clients. By following these simple steps above getting started with Quickbooks online will become seamless!
How to get started with QuickBooks Self Employed?
If you are starting with QuickBooks Self Employed, getting started with it is easy. Simply go through its respective website and create an account. From there, follow the setup prompts to connect your bank accounts and begin categorizing transactions.
By using either QuickBooks Self Employed or QuickBooks Online to organize your finances as a self-employed individual, you can save a lot of time and stay organized while concentrating on growing your business.
Conclusion
After weighing the pros and cons of QuickBooks Self Employed vs Online, it’s clear that both options have their strengths and weaknesses. Ultimately, the decision between the two comes down to personal preferences and business needs.
QuickBooks Self Employed is a great option for freelancers or sole proprietors who need basic accounting features such as expense tracking, invoicing, and tax preparation. It’s user-friendly interface is ideal for those with little experience in bookkeeping or accounting.
On the other hand, QuickBooks Online offers more robust features including inventory management, time tracking, and project management tools. This makes it more suitable for larger businesses with multiple employees.
Despite its many advantages over QuickBooks Self Employed, however, some users may find QuickBooks Online to be overwhelming or overly complicated. Moreover, its pricing model can become prohibitive if your business grows beyond a certain point.
Choosing between QuickBooks Self Employed vs Online, products depends on factors like size of business operations required from an accounting software suite. However before making a choice you should evaluate each product’s features vis-à-vis your unique requirements precisely otherwise you might end up regretting compromising functionality over price sensitivity.