Software · head to head
QuickBooks vs Basecamp
QuickBooks
Software
Smart, simple online accounting software for small business
- From
- $30/month
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Only Basecamp has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
- Each has a real cost: QuickBooks chart of Accounts is capped on every QuickBooks Online tier except Advanced; Simple Start, Essentials and Plus all have a limited entry count; Basecamp the free tier allows one project and 1 GB of storage
- They diverge on capability: QuickBooks covers Income & expense tracking, Basecamp covers Message boards.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which QuickBooks and Basecamp actually diverge.
| Attribute | QuickBooks | Basecamp |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $30/month | Free |
| Pricing model | subscription | freemium |
| Free tier | No | Yes |
| Platforms | Web, Ios, Android, Api | Web |
| Founded | 1983 | 2004 |
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 QuickBooks
- Income & expense tracking
- Invoicing
- Payment processing
- Financial reporting
- Tax preparation
- Bank reconciliation
- Bill management
- Mobile apps
Only in Basecamp
- Message boards
- To-do lists
- Schedules
- Documents & files
- Group chat
- Check-in questions
- Hill Charts
- Email forwards
Both cover
- SOC2
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
QuickBooks
- Bookkeepingnot Basecamp
- Invoicingnot Basecamp
- Expense trackingnot Basecamp
- Financial reportingnot Basecamp
- Tax preparationnot Basecamp
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
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
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
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
Pricing, plan by plan
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
Basecamp
FreeNo published plan breakdown. See the Basecamp review.
Which should you pick?
Choose QuickBooks if
- You need income & expense tracking.
- You work on Web, Ios, Android, Api.
- You also want invoicing.
Choose Basecamp if
- You need message boards.
- You want to start without paying.
- You also want to-do lists.
Questions people ask
- Is QuickBooks or Basecamp better?
- Neither clearly leads. QuickBooks starts at $30/month and Basecamp at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, QuickBooks or Basecamp?
- Basecamp has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $30/month for QuickBooks and Free for Basecamp.
- Does QuickBooks or Basecamp run on more platforms?
- QuickBooks runs on Web, Ios, Android, Api. Basecamp runs on Web.
- 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 QuickBooks best used for?
- QuickBooks is most often used for bookkeeping, invoicing, expense tracking, financial reporting. Of those, bookkeeping and invoicing are not what Basecamp is typically brought in for.
- What can QuickBooks do that Basecamp cannot?
- QuickBooks covers Income & expense tracking, Invoicing, Payment processing, Financial reporting. Basecamp covers Message boards, To-do lists, Schedules, Documents & files. Both handle SOC2.