Softwr

Accounting · head to head

QuickBooks vs YNAB

QuickBooks logo

QuickBooks

Accounting

Smart, simple online accounting software for small business

From
$30/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
YNAB logo

YNAB

Personal Finance

You Need A Budget

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only YNAB 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; YNAB subscription priced exclusively in US dollars; international customers face unfavourable exchange rates
  • They diverge on capability: QuickBooks covers Income & expense tracking, YNAB covers Zero-based budgeting.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which QuickBooks and YNAB actually diverge.

Attributes where QuickBooks and YNAB differ
AttributeQuickBooksYNAB
Starting price$30/monthFree
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, Ios, Android, ApiWeb, iOS, Android
CategoryAccountingPersonal Finance
Founded19832004

Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), 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 QuickBooks

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

Only in YNAB

  • Zero-based budgeting
  • Bank sync
  • Goal tracking
  • Reports
  • Multi-device sync
  • Bank connections
  • Plaid
  • Read-only access

Both cover

  • Bank-level encryption

What people use each for

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

QuickBooks

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

YNAB

  • Personal and household budget trackingnot QuickBooks
  • Debt management and repayment planningnot QuickBooks
  • Family financial planning with multiple usersnot 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

YNAB

  • Subscription priced exclusively in US dollars; international customers face unfavourable exchange rates
  • Multi-currency support restricted to one currency per spending plan
  • Bank import limited to select institutions in US, Canada, UK, and EU only
  • Household plan can only be shared with up to 6 people; additional members cannot access shared plan

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

YNAB

Free
  • Annual Subscription$109/year
    • 34-day free trial with no credit card required
    • No credit card required to start
    • Share access with up to 6 people at no additional cost
  • Monthly Subscription$14.99/month
    • Share access with up to 6 people at no additional cost
    • Real-time account syncing
    • Bank connection and transaction tracking

Which should you pick?

Choose QuickBooks if

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

Choose YNAB if

  • You need zero-based budgeting.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want bank sync.
YNAB review

Questions people ask

Is QuickBooks or YNAB better?
Neither clearly leads. QuickBooks starts at $30/month and YNAB at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, QuickBooks or YNAB?
YNAB has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $30/month for QuickBooks and Free for YNAB.
Does QuickBooks or YNAB run on more platforms?
QuickBooks runs on Web, Ios, Android, Api. YNAB runs on Web, iOS, Android.
Can I use YNAB for free?
Yes. YNAB 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 YNAB is typically brought in for.
What can QuickBooks do that YNAB cannot?
QuickBooks covers Income & expense tracking, Invoicing, Payment processing, Financial reporting. YNAB covers Zero-based budgeting, Bank sync, Goal tracking, Reports. Both handle Bank-level encryption.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

YNAB: How much does YNAB cost per month?

YNAB costs $14.99 USD per month on a month-to-month basis, or $9.08 per month when paid annually as a $109 per year subscription. Both plans come with a 34-day free trial and no credit card required to start. Source: https://www.ynab.com/pricing

Source
YNAB: Can I share YNAB access with my family?

Yes, both annual and monthly YNAB plans include the ability to share access with up to 6 people at no additional cost, making it suitable for family budget management. Source: https://www.ynab.com/pricing

Source
YNAB: Does YNAB offer a free trial?

Yes, YNAB provides a 34-day free trial with no credit card required to sign up. This trial gives full access to all budgeting features including account syncing, transaction tracking, goal-setting, and debt management tools. Source: https://www.ynab.com/pricing

Source
YNAB: Do students get a discount on YNAB?

Yes, verified college students receive a full year of YNAB access for free through YNAB's College Program. This allows eligible students to use all features at no cost for 12 months. Source: https://www.ynab.com/pricing

Source
Share

Related pages

More on QuickBooks

More on YNAB

Keep looking

Other head to heads