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Proposals · head to head

17hats vs QuickBooks

17hats logo

17hats

Proposals

Small business client workflow with quotes, contracts, invoices and automated follow up sequences

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
QuickBooks logo

QuickBooks

Accounting

Cloud accounting from Intuit with country specific editions, seat caps by plan and payroll charged separately

From
$30/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: 17hats the interface is visibly older than newer competitors, which matters because the client facing documents are part of how a small business presents itself.; QuickBooks plans cap the number of billed users, so an approver who signs off bills and a manager who only reads reports each consume a seat and can force an upgrade to a higher tier for reasons that have nothing to do with accounting complexity.
  • They diverge on capability: 17hats covers Workflow automation, QuickBooks covers General ledger.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which 17hats and QuickBooks actually diverge.

Attributes where 17hats and QuickBooks differ
Attribute17hatsQuickBooks
Starting priceOn request$30/month
Pricing modelquotesubscription
PlatformsWeb, iOS, AndroidWeb, Ios, Android, Api
CategoryProposalsAccounting
FoundedUnknown1983

Identical on both: free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in 17hats

  • Workflow automation
  • Quotes and contracts
  • Invoicing and payments
  • Lead capture forms
  • Questionnaires
  • Bookkeeping basics
  • Calendar and time tracking

Only in QuickBooks

  • General ledger
  • Bank feeds
  • Reconciliation
  • Sales invoicing
  • Bills and expenses
  • Sales tax and value added tax
  • Multi currency
  • Inventory

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

17hats

  • A photographer or event professional running the same booking sequence dozens of times a yearnot QuickBooks
  • Automating deposit invoices and reminders so that chasing payment stops being a weekly tasknot QuickBooks
  • Capturing enquiries through a public form that starts a quote and contract workflow without manual entrynot QuickBooks
  • A sole trader who wants client records, contracts and basic bookkeeping in one place rather than threenot QuickBooks

QuickBooks

  • A small business whose accountant works in QuickBooks and can take a free access seat rather than being sent exportsnot 17hats
  • An owner who wants to be able to replace their bookkeeper without also replacing the accounting systemnot 17hats
  • A service business needing project level profitability without buying a separate job costing toolnot 17hats
  • A company that wants a large third party app ecosystem to fill gaps rather than a system that must do everything itselfnot 17hats

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

17hats

  • The interface is visibly older than newer competitors, which matters because the client facing documents are part of how a small business presents itself.
  • The workflow builder takes real time to learn and configure, so the automation benefit arrives weeks after purchase rather than on the first day.
  • A consultancy where no two engagements are alike gets little from the workflow engine, which is most of what the price pays for.
  • It is built around a single operator, so a business adding staff or subcontractors runs into structural limits rather than a higher tier.
  • Payments run through third party gateways, so card processing fees apply in addition to the subscription and should be included when comparing cost per booking.

QuickBooks

  • Plans cap the number of billed users, so an approver who signs off bills and a manager who only reads reports each consume a seat and can force an upgrade to a higher tier for reasons that have nothing to do with accounting complexity.
  • Multi currency is confined to the higher tiers and, once enabled, cannot be turned off and the home currency cannot be changed, so a single foreign currency invoice permanently changes the shape of the file and the plan you must remain on.
  • Inventory is average cost only, with no first in first out or standard costing, so a business whose accounts or tax position depend on a different costing method has to track stock outside the ledger and post adjustments.
  • There is no multi entity consolidation, so a group runs a separate subscription and file per company and consolidates in a spreadsheet, and the cost and the manual consolidation both grow with each new entity.
  • The country edition is selected at setup and cannot be changed afterwards, and the editions differ in tax handling and features, so a business that redomiciles or discovers it chose the global edition rather than a localised one starts a new file rather than switching a setting.

Pricing, plan by plan

17hats

On request
  • 17hats$undefined/year
    • Quotes, contracts and electronic signature
    • Invoicing and online payment
    • Workflow automation sequences

QuickBooks

$30/month
  • Simple Start$30/month
    • Income & expense tracking
    • Invoice & payments
    • Tax deductions
  • Essentials$60/month
    • Everything in Simple Start
    • Bill management
    • Time tracking
  • Plus$90/month
    • Everything in Essentials
    • Inventory tracking
    • Project profitability
  • Advanced$200/month
    • Everything in Plus
    • Dedicated account team
    • 25 users

Which should you pick?

Choose 17hats if

  • You need workflow automation.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want quotes and contracts.
17hats review

Choose QuickBooks if

  • You need general ledger.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android, Api.
  • You also want bank feeds.
QuickBooks review

Questions people ask

Is 17hats or QuickBooks better?
Neither clearly leads. 17hats starts at On request and QuickBooks at $30/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, 17hats or QuickBooks?
17hats starts at On request and QuickBooks at $30/month.
Does 17hats or QuickBooks run on more platforms?
17hats runs on Web, iOS, Android. QuickBooks runs on Web, Ios, Android, Api.
What is 17hats best used for?
17hats is most often used for a photographer or event professional running the same booking sequence dozens of times a year, automating deposit invoices and reminders so that chasing payment stops being a weekly task, capturing enquiries through a public form that starts a quote and contract workflow without manual entry, a sole trader who wants client records, contracts and basic bookkeeping in one place rather than three. Of those, a photographer or event professional running the same booking sequence dozens of times a year and automating deposit invoices and reminders so that chasing payment stops being a weekly task are not what QuickBooks is typically brought in for.
What can 17hats do that QuickBooks cannot?
17hats covers Workflow automation, Quotes and contracts, Invoicing and payments, Lead capture forms. QuickBooks covers General ledger, Bank feeds, Reconciliation, Sales invoicing.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

17hats: What is the main reason to choose it?

The workflow engine. If your bookings follow the same sequence every time, that sequence can be automated once and reused.

QuickBooks: Which country editions actually exist?

Intuit sells localised editions principally for the United States, United Kingdom, Canada and Australia, with a global edition for other markets that has lighter tax localisation. Check that your country has a genuine localised edition before assuming filing support, and note the edition cannot be changed after setup.

17hats: Is it worth it for bespoke consulting work?

Rarely. Without repeatable engagements the automation, which is the main value, has nothing to automate.

QuickBooks: Does the subscription include payroll?

No. Payroll is a separate subscription with a per employee charge in every market that offers it. Price it alongside the plan rather than after you have committed.

17hats: Does it handle bookkeeping?

At sole trader level. It is not a replacement for accounting software once complexity grows.

QuickBooks: How many users do I get?

It depends on the tier, and the limits are lower than most buyers expect. Accountant access seats are free and separate, but internal approvers and read only reviewers count against the billed limit, so count everyone who needs to sign in before choosing a plan.

17hats: Can I add team members?

It is designed for a single operator, and multi person use is awkward rather than supported properly.

QuickBooks: Can my accountant work directly in my file?

Yes, that is one of its main advantages. Accountants use a separate practice console and take a free access seat in your company, which is also why so many practices standardise on it.

17hats: How long before it saves time?

Not immediately. Budget for a configuration period before the workflow automation starts paying back.

QuickBooks: Is QuickBooks Desktop still available?

The desktop line persists in the United States for larger installations, but Intuit stopped selling new subscriptions of the smaller desktop products to new customers and the investment is in the online product. Treat desktop as a legacy path rather than a choice for a new business.

QuickBooks: How hard is it to migrate to or from QuickBooks?

Getting in from another system is well trodden and there are tools and specialists for it, though transaction history usually arrives partially rather than completely. Getting out is the harder direction, because your accountant's working knowledge, your app integrations and years of coded history all have to be reproduced. Most businesses move at a year end for that reason.

QuickBooks: Can it consolidate multiple companies?

No. Each legal entity needs its own subscription and file, and the consolidation happens outside the system. Groups with several entities should price that reality in from the start.

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