BooksBat vs QuickBooks Online
QuickBooks Online is the best known small business accounting product, with live bank feeds, full payroll in some regions, a huge app ecosystem and a large network of accountants. BooksBat covers the same core accounting for far less: a real free plan, Pro at $4 a month and Business at $12. Here is how they compare.
Updated by the BooksBat team
The short answer
Choose QuickBooks Online if you need live bank feeds, payroll that calculates and files taxes for you where Intuit offers it, a large marketplace of connected apps, or an accountant who works only in QuickBooks. It is a deep, mature product, and many bookkeepers know it inside out. That depth comes at a price: check the QuickBooks pricing page for current plans, and note that payroll and payments are usually extra.
Choose BooksBat if you want the core of small business accounting, invoicing, expenses and bills, double entry bookkeeping, bank reconciliation, sales tax tracking, inventory, projects and the standard reports, without a large monthly bill. The free plan is enough to run a very small business, Pro is $4 a month and Business is $12 a month for up to 25 users. Instead of live bank feeds you import bank statements, and payroll is a lighter record keeping version.
In short: QuickBooks Online does more, especially around banks, payroll and integrations. BooksBat does the everyday accounting most small businesses need, in a simpler app, for a fraction of the cost.
BooksBat vs QuickBooks Online: side by side
| Feature | BooksBat | QuickBooks Online |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free plan, Pro $4 a month, Business $12 a month | Several paid tiers, check their pricing page |
| Free plan | Yes, with bookkeeping, invoices, expenses and core reports | Check their site for current offers |
| Double entry bookkeeping | Chart of accounts, journal entries, closing date with password | Yes |
| Invoices, quotes, sales receipts and credit memos | Yes | Yes |
| Expenses, bills, purchase orders and vendor credits | Expenses and bills on every plan, purchase orders on Pro | Yes |
| Live bank feeds | No | Yes |
| Bank statement import, rules and reconciliation | Import and reconcile on every plan, rules on Pro (CSV, OFX, QFX, QBO) | Yes |
| Online payments | Your own Stripe, PayPal, Square, Razorpay, Mollie, GoCardless or Lemon Squeezy account | QuickBooks Payments, check their site for fees |
| Extra fee on online payments | None by default, provider fees apply | Per transaction fees, check their site |
| Payroll | Payroll lite on Business: record paychecks and liabilities, 1099 contractors (no tax calculation or filing) | Full payroll with tax filing in some regions, paid add on |
| Sales tax | Rates, agencies, liability report and tax payments on Pro (you file) | Check their site for automation and filing options |
| Inventory | On Business: quantity on hand, cost of goods sold, reorder points, bundles | On higher tiers, check their site |
| Time tracking and projects | On Business | On some tiers or add ons, check their site |
| Classes, locations and budgets | On Business | On higher tiers, check their site |
| Multi currency | On Pro, with realized FX gain or loss | On some tiers, check their site |
| Users | 1 on Free, 3 on Pro, 25 on Business, with an accountant role | Depends on tier, check their site |
| App ecosystem and accountant network | REST API and an MCP server | Large app marketplace and accountant network |
| Mobile | Mobile browser, installs as an app (PWA) | Native iOS and Android apps |
Competitor details are general and change over time, and tiers differ by country. Check the QuickBooks website and pricing page for current plans, add ons and fees.
Choose BooksBat if
- you want real double entry accounting with a free plan, or for $4 or $12 a month.
- your business has a manageable number of bank transactions and importing a statement each week or month is fine.
- you want inventory, projects, time tracking, classes, locations and budgets without moving up to an expensive tier.
- you want to take payments through your own Stripe, PayPal, Square, Mollie, GoCardless or other account, with no extra BooksBat fee by default.
- you prefer a simpler app with fewer screens to learn.
- you want to work with your invoices through a REST API or an MCP server for AI assistants.
Choose QuickBooks if
- you need live bank feeds that bring in transactions from your banks on their own.
- you want payroll that calculates and files payroll taxes for you, where Intuit offers it.
- you depend on apps from its marketplace, such as e commerce, point of sale or industry tools.
- your accountant or bookkeeper works in QuickBooks and wants you there too.
- you need advanced features such as custom workflows, deeper report customization or sales tax filing tools.
The same core accounting
BooksBat was built to cover the everyday accounting a QuickBooks Online user expects. On the sales side: invoices, quotes, sales receipts, credit memos, refunds, recurring invoices, customer statements and automatic reminders. On the spending side: expenses, checks, bills, bill payments, purchase orders, vendor credits, recurring bills and billable expenses. Underneath, a double entry ledger with a chart of accounts, journal entries and a closing date with a password. See bookkeeping and expenses and bills.
Reports cover profit and loss, balance sheet, statement of cash flows, trial balance, general ledger, AR and AP aging, sales by customer and by item, expenses by vendor, sales tax liability, inventory valuation, project profitability, budget versus actuals and a 1099 summary, on a cash or accrual basis, with an audit log. See financial reports.
Where QuickBooks Online is ahead
- Live bank feeds. QuickBooks connects to many banks and pulls in transactions automatically. BooksBat imports bank statements as CSV, OFX, QFX or QBO files, with bank rules, matching and reconciliation. See bank reconciliation.
- Full payroll. QuickBooks Payroll can calculate pay, withhold and file payroll taxes in some regions. BooksBat payroll lite records paychecks and liabilities you enter and tracks 1099 contractors, and you or your accountant file. See payroll and contractors.
- Ecosystem. QuickBooks has a large marketplace of connected apps and a big network of accountants and bookkeepers who know it well.
- Native mobile apps and more advanced options on its top tiers, such as workflow automation and deeper report customization.
Where BooksBat is ahead
- Price. A free plan you can run a small business on, Pro at $4 a month and Business at $12 a month for up to 25 users and 10 companies. Check the QuickBooks pricing page to compare.
- Your choice of payment provider. Connect your own Stripe account on any plan, or PayPal, Square, Razorpay, Mollie, GoCardless or Lemon Squeezy on Pro. BooksBat adds no fee by default, and payments and provider fees post to your books automatically. See online payments.
- Business features at a low tier. Inventory, projects, time tracking, classes, locations and budgets are all on the $12 Business plan.
- Simplicity. Fewer screens, plain language and a layout that works in any phone browser.
- Developer friendly. A REST API with OpenAPI docs and an MCP server so AI assistants can create and send invoices.
Switching from QuickBooks Online
BooksBat has no direct connection to QuickBooks, so moving is file based. Export your customers, vendors, products and services and your chart of accounts from QuickBooks, then bring them in on the BooksBat import page from CSV or Excel files, along with opening balances as of your switch date. Bank statements downloaded in QBO format import directly.
Pick a clean start date such as the first day of a month or quarter, keep your QuickBooks account for your records until your accountant has closed the prior period, and invite your accountant to BooksBat with the accountant role. See team and accountant access.
Frequently asked questions
Is BooksBat a QuickBooks alternative?
For many small businesses, yes. BooksBat covers invoicing, expenses and bills, double entry bookkeeping, bank reconciliation, sales tax tracking, inventory, projects and the standard financial reports. The main gaps are live bank feeds, full payroll with tax filing and the size of the app ecosystem.
Is BooksBat cheaper than QuickBooks Online?
BooksBat is free to start, Pro is $4 a month and Business is $12 a month. QuickBooks Online has several paid tiers, with payroll and payments usually extra. Check their pricing page for current prices.
Does BooksBat have bank feeds like QuickBooks?
No, not today. You import bank statements as CSV, OFX, QFX or QBO files, and bank rules, matching and reconciliation do the rest. If live feeds are essential for you, QuickBooks is the better fit.
Can BooksBat run payroll?
Only payroll lite on Business. You record paychecks and payroll liabilities and track 1099 contractors with a 1099 summary report. BooksBat does not calculate or file payroll taxes.
Can I import my QuickBooks data?
Yes, through files. Export customers, vendors, products and your chart of accounts from QuickBooks and import them as CSV or Excel, then enter opening balances. QBO bank statement files import directly. There is no direct connection between the two products.
Will my accountant be able to work in BooksBat?
Yes. Invite them with the accountant role on Pro or Business. Reports export as CSV, Excel or PDF and can be emailed on a schedule. Some accountants prefer QuickBooks, so ask yours first.
Does BooksBat file my sales tax?
No. BooksBat tracks tax by agency and period, shows the liability report and records your tax payments. You file the return with the agency yourself.
Keep comparing
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The core of small business accounting for a fraction of the price. Free plan with no credit card, Pro for $4 a month and Business for $12 a month.