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Software · head to head

Basecamp vs QuickBooks

Basecamp logo

Basecamp

Software

Project management & team collaboration software

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
QuickBooks logo

QuickBooks

Software

Smart, simple online accounting software for small business

From
$30/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Basecamp has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Basecamp the free tier allows one project and 1 GB of storage; QuickBooks chart of Accounts is capped on every QuickBooks Online tier except Advanced; Simple Start, Essentials and Plus all have a limited entry count
  • They diverge on capability: Basecamp covers Message boards, QuickBooks covers Income & expense tracking.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Basecamp and QuickBooks actually diverge.

Attributes where Basecamp and QuickBooks differ
AttributeBasecampQuickBooks
Starting priceFree$30/month
Pricing modelfreemiumsubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWebWeb, Ios, Android, Api
Founded20041983

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).

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 Basecamp

  • Message boards
  • To-do lists
  • Schedules
  • Documents & files
  • Group chat
  • Check-in questions
  • Hill Charts
  • Email forwards

Only in QuickBooks

  • Income & expense tracking
  • Invoicing
  • Payment processing
  • Financial reporting
  • Tax preparation
  • Bank reconciliation
  • Bill management
  • Mobile apps

Both cover

  • SOC2

What people use each for

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

Basecamp

  • Project management for a small team in one placenot QuickBooks
  • Message boards and chat alongside to-dosnot QuickBooks
  • Client collaboration, since guests are not chargednot QuickBooks
  • Flat-rate project management for a larger team on Pro Unlimitednot QuickBooks

QuickBooks

  • Bookkeepingnot Basecamp
  • Invoicingnot Basecamp
  • Expense trackingnot Basecamp
  • Financial reportingnot Basecamp
  • Tax preparationnot Basecamp

Where each one falls short

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

Basecamp

  • The free tier allows one project and 1 GB of storage
  • Pro is $15 per user per month, so cost scales with headcount unlike the flat Pro Unlimited at $299 a month billed annually
  • Storage beyond the plan costs $50 a month per additional terabyte
  • Timesheet and the Admin Pro Pack are paid upgrades on Pro and only bundled with Pro Unlimited

QuickBooks

  • Chart of Accounts is capped on every QuickBooks Online tier except Advanced; Simple Start, Essentials and Plus all have a limited entry count
  • Even the top Advanced tier caps bulk invoice uploads at 1,000 transaction lines per batch
  • Payroll is a separate paid add-on billed per employee per month (USD 6 to 10 depending on plan) on top of the base subscription

Pricing, plan by plan

Basecamp

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Basecamp review.

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 Basecamp if

  • You need message boards.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want to-do lists.
Basecamp review

Choose QuickBooks if

  • You need income & expense tracking.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android, Api.
  • You also want invoicing.
QuickBooks review

Questions people ask

Is Basecamp or QuickBooks better?
Neither clearly leads. Basecamp starts at Free and QuickBooks at $30/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Basecamp or QuickBooks?
Basecamp has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Basecamp and $30/month for QuickBooks.
Does Basecamp or QuickBooks run on more platforms?
Basecamp runs on Web. QuickBooks runs on Web, Ios, Android, Api.
Can I use Basecamp for free?
Yes. Basecamp has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. QuickBooks starts at $30/month.
What is Basecamp best used for?
Basecamp is most often used for project management for a small team in one place, message boards and chat alongside to-dos, client collaboration, since guests are not charged, flat-rate project management for a larger team on pro unlimited. Of those, project management for a small team in one place and message boards and chat alongside to-dos are not what QuickBooks is typically brought in for.
What can Basecamp do that QuickBooks cannot?
Basecamp covers Message boards, To-do lists, Schedules, Documents & files. QuickBooks covers Income & expense tracking, Invoicing, Payment processing, Financial reporting. Both handle SOC2.
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