Are you finding it hard learning how to use Quickbooks Online? Maybe you find it overcomplicated and difficult to handle because a single mistake in the entry may force you to start all over again.
If you are thinking this way, then we understand what you are going through. While Quickbooks may be the most popular accounting software used by small businesses, there are many other alternatives with better features.
In this article, we are going to show you the best Quickbooks alternatives as well as how to go about Quickbooks Online login. We will guide you on how to handle any issues to do with sign in Quickbooks.
Let’s get started.
What is Quickbooks?
Quickbooks is an accounting software application used by small businesses. It is considered the best online accounting application for small businesses because of its flexibility, depth, and extensibility.
Quickbooks was launched by Intuit in 2002 and was quickly followed by Quickbooks Online two years later. Since its inception, Quickbooks online has had over 4.3 million users and the software has seen many changes to improve its user-interface.
For example, the dashboard and invoice form is more detailed compared to before. Sales tax assignment is more flexible and there are also changes in account reconciliation. You can have your bills and receipts sent to a special email address that you create, then Quickbooks Online transfers the details to forms on the site.
How do I log in to Quickbooks Online?
Logging into Quickbooks Online is simple. Here are the steps you can follow:
1. Visit Quickbooks.com on your browser preferably Google Chrome.
Screenshot showing the home page for Quickbooks Online
2. Click the drop-down arrow next to the sign-in tab to reveal more options.
Screenshot showing the home page for Quickbooks Online
3. Choose the Quickbooks Online option to log into your account.
Screenshot showing the sign-in option for Quickbooks Online
You can sign in with the Gmail account you used to open the Quickbook Online account. I prefer using that option because accessing the account is faster compared to having to write the User ID and password.
4. If you don’t have a Quickbook Online account yet, scroll down the green button asking you to sign in using an email account.
Screenshot showing Quickbooks Online log in page
You will easily see the option to sign up. Click on it.
Screenshot showing the Quickbooks plan for your business
Go ahead and choose the plan that best fits your business. And give the details required to complete the Quickbooks Online Account registration.
What are the best Quickbooks alternatives?
Obviously, you know that Quickbooks is the most popular accounting software application used by small businesses in the US. Some of the reasons why businesses love using Quickbooks is its excellent user interface and navigation, in-depth contract records and transaction forms, and exhaustive training resources to guide anyone on accounting.
However, Quickbooks has some drawbacks that make people look for alternatives. For example, there are limitations for the number of users as well as size and data. It is also a standalone app that lacks integration and automation between other systems.
As you are looking for Quickbooks alternatives, ensure that your data is not “trapped” if you want to move it in the future. As your business grows, you may want to switch to different accounting solutions that meet your needs. So your data should be easy to move from one application to another instead of re-entering the data again manually.
Here are the best Quickbooks alternatives:
1. Xero
Founded in 2006 in New Zealand, Xero has consolidated its reputation as one of the best accounting software for businesses around the world. They claim to help you make your business beautiful by making your accounting sleek and enjoyable.
Xero has a user-friendly interface and is designed to help its customers grow their businesses through effective accounting processes. Apart from its user-friendliness, small business owners love Xero because it avoids accounting jargon. You will not meet debits and credits while using this accounting software. Instead, the language used will help you to understand what to do with your transactions.
Xero also has a reconcile-as-you-go feature which makes the work of small business owners easy. This feature automatically confirms that the figures are correct and in agreement. However, bookkeepers prefer having a separate reconciliation function. Xero has 3 pricing plans. One for small businesses known as the Starter package, another one for mid-sized businesses known as the Standard package. And the final one for enterprises dealing with multiple payrolls and currencies known as the premium package.
Screenshot showing the pricing plans for Xero accounting
2. Sage
Just like Xero, Sage offers a full accounting package. It is built primarily to help small businesses complete their accounting needs. Sage offers two plans: the Sage Business Accounting Start going for $10 and the Sage Business Cloud Accounting going for $25 per month.
Sage is a preferred Quickbooks alternative by many business owners because it produces a balance sheet and allows for bank reconciliations. The Sage Business Cloud Accounting plan has more features than the Accounting Start plan. For example with the Accounting plan, you can unlock unlimited vendor bill tracking, cash flow forecasts as well as quotes and estimates. What’s more, you also have access to HR tools, eCommerce features, POS integrations that make running your business so smooth.
Sage has many options to help your business grow. It has an accountant partner program and many conferences to guide you on the best practices of small business accounting.
Screenshot showing the Sage accounting solutions for small businesses
3. Freshbooks
Freshbooks is preferred by self-employed people because it lets you invoice and collect payments from clients, track your expenses, and collaborate with your subcontractors. Freshbooks started out as an invoicing and time tracking software but evolved into an accounting application for businesses.
You can also integrate Freshbooks with external applications to have a custom-built solution for your business. Unlike many other accounting software, Freshbooks has an excellent customer service department that can help you solve any challenges quickly. Whether you call or text them, they will readily give you the answers you need.
The downside of Freshbooks is that it doesn’t produce a balance sheet. It provides a template you can use to create one. Moreover, Freshbooks recommend that you seek the help of an accountant if you want to create a balance sheet. So if your business needs a balance sheet, Freshbooks may not be the right accounting software for you.
Freshbooks has three pricing plans: Lite, Plus, and Premium. The Lite plan goes for $15 per month but most small businesses prefer using the Plus plan which goes for $25 per month. The Premium option goes for $50 and it is preferred by growing businesses that want to empower their employees.
Screenshot showing Freshbooks homepage
4. YNAB
While YNAB is not actually an accounting software, most small businesses use it for their accounting needs. YNAB has a variety of features that may be useful to a business such as expense tracking, debt management, and goal setting.
Even though YNAB doesn’t have features for handling payroll and invoicing or even producing a balance sheet, it enables bank syncing and efficient reporting that help businesses stick to their goals. At $11.99 dollars per month, YNAB will help you bring clarity to your finances and actively improve your profitability.
Screenshot showing YNAB pricing plans
5. Wave Accounting
Wave Accounting is a completely free accounting software. However, to gain access to all the features, you have to pay extra. It takes a few minutes to set up your Wave account and link it to your business bank account to start utilizing the features offered by the accounting software. Once your bank account is connected, your bookkeeping information will appear automatically on the software.
Some of the tools you can find in Wave Accounting include invoicing, receipt scanning, printing, exportable accounting reports, and the ability to integrate Paypal, Etsy, and Shoeboxed. You can also perform income and expense tracking for free using Wave Accounting software.
If you want to handle complex things such as running payroll as well as sending and receiving money, you have to pay extra. Wave accounting is not good for large teams. We advise you to compare other options if you have a large company.
Screenshot showing Wave Accounting homepage
Quickbooks FAQ session
Why can’t I sign into Quickbooks online?
If you are having trouble signing into Quickbooks online, you are going to learn how to get in. Here are the common issues that may prevent you from logging into your account and how to fix them:
I forgot my user ID
1. Select “Forgot my User ID or Password” within the sign-in page.
2. Enter your phone number or email address and select continue.
Screenshot of Quickbooks online sign-in page
3. Follow the instructions given. For example, if you used an email address to verify the account, you will receive an email with your User ID.
If you don’t receive the email within an hour, check your spam box. If you don’t find it, request the User ID again. You may be wondering, what if you no longer have access to the email address you used to create the account? How would you go about it?
So simple, just request to change it.
I forgot my Quickbooks password
1. On the sign-in page choose the “I forgot User ID or Password” option as we did in the previous issue above.
2. Key in your user ID, phone number, or email address, then click on Continue.
3. Follow all the instructions. You will receive a link to reset your password if you used your email address to verify the account.
Remember, the password link remains active for only 1 day.
Why I’m asked to reset my password every time I sign in Quickbooks
This problem comes most of the time when you haven’t verified your User ID.
Here are the steps to solve it permanently:
1. Select the “I forgot User ID or Password” option on the sign-in page.
2. After following all the instructions and finally resetting your password, get into your Account, and locate the Account Settings.
3. Choose the Profile option and proceed to verify your User ID.
Why do I need a confirmation code in Quickbooks ?
Quickbooks may request you to give a confirmation code immediately after signing into your account.
Here are the steps to getting it:
1. Choose how you would like to receive the confirmation code: phone number or email address.
2. If you cannot access both the email address and your phone number, select another option to receive the confirmation code.
3. Get the confirmation code, key it in, and select “Continue” to gain full access to your Quickbook Online Account.
I don’t have Quickbooks login ?
On the Sign-in page click on the, “I don’t have an Intuit login” link. Go ahead and choose your name from the contact list provided and select Continue.
Key in your email address and phone number. If you find out that your email address has already been used to open a Quickbook online account, you either retrieve the User ID and password or use another email address.
Proceed to enter your account information and choose Continue.
I was invited to Quickbooks but you can’t sign in?
If the invitation came with a user ID, you should use it to sign in. However, if the invitation didn’t have a user ID, you will get a link to create a user ID with the email the invite was sent to. You will be able to sign in once you have the User ID.
How do I activate Quickbooks online?
To reactivate your Quickbooks Online account you have to access your Chart of Accounts. Locate your Accounting menu and choose Chart of Accounts. Select the account you want to reactivate and click on the Make Active link.
Conclusion
Quickbooks Online is accounting software used by companies to scale their businesses. It is regarded as the leading accounting software despite the presence of many other alternatives with better features.
Xero is considered the best Quickbooks alternative because of the simplicity of its user-interface and avoidance of accounting jargon. It also has a reconcile feature that small business owners love.
Sage is another Quickbooks alternative and is perceived as the most versatile. Just like Quickbooks Online, it offers a wide variety of features that make it attractive to small business owners. For example, they have an accountant partner program to guide you on how to scale your business.
Freshbooks are preferred by the self-employed, especially freelancers. However, it cannot produce a balance sheet. You may have to consult an accountant to create a balance sheet when using Freshbooks for your finance solutions.
YNAB is not necessarily an accounting software, however, features such as income and expense tracking, goal setting, and debt management can help you proactively hit profitability goals.
