Comparison
ProfitBooks vs QuickBooks Simple Start
QuickBooks Simple Start costs $38 a month ($456 a year). ProfitBooks is $20 a month, plus pay-as-you-go credits, and the AI does the categorizing. Here is an honest comparison.
At a glance
QuickBooks Simple Start in one paragraph
The entry QuickBooks Online tier. One user, no bill tracking, no time tracking.
Best for: A solo owner who already knows QuickBooks and wants an accountant-familiar ledger.
Where QuickBooks Simple Start is better
- Familiar to every accountant
- Bank feed connection
- Invoicing and payments built in
Where ProfitBooks is better
- $20 a month versus $456
- AI categorization instead of manual review of every line
- Bills and receipts included; Simple Start excludes bill tracking
- Unlimited users versus one
- Statements instead of a bank login
Side by side
Feature and price comparison
| ProfitBooks | QuickBooks Simple Start | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $20/mo ($240/yr) Profit, $99/mo ($1,188/yr) Full Books, + credits | $38/mo, $456/yr |
| Users | Unlimited | 1 |
| Bill tracking | ||
| AI categorization | Rule suggestions | |
| Receipt matching | Mobile capture only | |
| Profit and loss | ||
| Balance sheet | Full Books plan, reconciled for you | You reconcile it |
| Invoicing | Upload invoices, matched to deposits | Built-in invoicing |
FAQ
Questions, answered
Is Simple Start enough for a freelancer?
It is the tier most freelancers buy, and the one most of them complain about: one user, no bill tracking, and the categorization is still all on you. ProfitBooks covers the same reports for a fraction of the price and does the categorizing.
Try the $20-a-month alternative to QuickBooks Simple Start.
Create a free account, drop in a bank statement, and watch every transaction get categorized. 100 free credits to start, 10 more every day. No card required.
Takes about 90 seconds. No sales call, no onboarding fee, no contract.