QuickBooks review UK

Key facts

*UNVERIFIED: quickbooks.intuit.com timed out during this research session. All prices must be confirmed at quickbooks.intuit.com/uk/pricing before any purchasing decision.

About QuickBooks in the UK

QuickBooks is a cloud accounting platform owned by Intuit Inc., a US-listed company headquartered in Mountain View, California. UK operations are conducted through Intuit Limited, a private limited company registered with Companies House under number 02679414, incorporated on 21 January 1992. The registered office is at 5th Floor Cardinal Place, 80 Victoria Street, London, SW1E 5JL.

QuickBooks Online has been available in the UK market for a number of years and serves a broad range of business types from sole traders to medium-sized enterprises. The platform connects with a wide range of third-party applications and is available through accountant and bookkeeper partners as well as via direct subscription. For context on how QuickBooks pricing compares to Xero and FreeAgent, see the cluster anchor Xero vs QuickBooks UK.

Plan structure

QuickBooks Online UK is structured across five main tiers as of 2026. The Sole Trader Plus plan is designed for self-employed individuals who need basic income and expense tracking, self-assessment tax estimation, and simple MTD-compatible VAT filing. It is more limited in scope than the main QuickBooks Online plans and is intended for sole traders without employees.

The Simple Start plan covers a single-user environment with invoicing, bank feeds, VAT filing, and basic expense tracking. It supports MTD for VAT. The Essentials plan adds bill management and the ability to manage up to three users. The Plus plan adds inventory tracking, project profitability, and up to five users. The Advanced plan targets medium-sized businesses with more complex workflows, custom reporting, advanced user permissions, and dedicated customer support arrangements.

Payroll is not included in any of the standard QuickBooks Online plan prices; payroll is offered as a separate QuickBooks Payroll product with its own pricing. This is an important distinction when comparing total cost of ownership against platforms that bundle at least some payroll within their base plan price.

MTD for VAT is available across Simple Start, Essentials, Plus and Advanced, as stated on the vendor's own Making Tax Digital pages. MTD for VAT on the Sole Trader Plus plan should be confirmed separately with the vendor. For a detailed comparison of QuickBooks plan features against Xero and FreeAgent, see the Xero vs QuickBooks UK anchor page.

Pricing: verified and unverified figures

QuickBooks' UK pricing page at quickbooks.intuit.com/uk/pricing timed out consistently during this research session, preventing direct verification of published GBP prices. All prices in this review are sourced from a secondary source (startups.co.uk, updated March 2026) and are marked UNVERIFIED. Readers must check current prices directly at quickbooks.intuit.com/uk/pricing before making any purchasing decision.

Based on the secondary source, standard monthly prices (excluding VAT) as of March 2026 are reported as: Sole Trader Plus approximately £10/month, Simple Start approximately £16/month, Essentials approximately £38/month, Plus approximately £56/month, and Advanced approximately £123/month. All prices exclude VAT at 20 per cent.

QuickBooks raised UK prices across all plans in January 2026. The Plus plan was reported to have increased from approximately £34/month to approximately £56/month, an increase of around 65 per cent on that tier. Simple Start, Essentials, and Advanced were reported to have increased by approximately 17 per cent. These increases followed earlier price changes in previous years, with some customers reporting cumulative increases of up to 75 per cent over four years. These historical figures are sourced from secondary sources and user reports, not from the vendor's own pricing history page, and should be treated as indicative only.

A promotional discount of 90 per cent off for the first 12 months was reported as available in early 2026 by secondary sources. Promotional terms change frequently; confirm the current offer and standard post-promotional price directly with the vendor before subscribing. Annual billing arrangements, which may reduce the effective monthly cost, should also be confirmed at the vendor's pricing page.

Making Tax Digital: QuickBooks' HMRC status

QuickBooks describes itself as HMRC-recognised MTD software on its own website, with MTD for VAT available to subscribers on Simple Start, Essentials, Plus and Advanced plans. The vendor states that QuickBooks Online comes MTD-compliant and that VAT returns can be submitted directly to HMRC through the platform. MTD for VAT has been mandatory for all VAT-registered businesses in the UK since April 2022.

QuickBooks also states on its website that MTD for Income Tax Self Assessment (MTD for ITSA) support is available for sole traders and landlords ahead of the April 2026 mandate for those with income above £50,000. The thresholds extend to those earning above £30,000 from April 2027 and above £20,000 from April 2028. Buyers should independently verify QuickBooks' current recognition for both MTD for VAT and MTD for ITSA using the HMRC compatible software list at gov.uk. The Sole Trader Plus plan's MTD for ITSA compatibility should be specifically confirmed with the vendor, as MTD for ITSA requirements apply primarily to sole traders and landlords.

Integrations and ecosystem

QuickBooks Online UK integrates with a range of third-party applications including payroll (QuickBooks Payroll, Modulr), expense management, time tracking (QuickBooks Time), e-commerce, and payment processing. The platform also connects with bank feeds from most major UK banks and some challenger banks. Third-party integration costs are not included in QuickBooks subscription pricing and vary by provider.

QuickBooks is available through an accountant and bookkeeper partner channel, with practice-level pricing that differs from the direct retail prices on the public pricing page. Businesses whose bookkeeping is managed by a QuickBooks partner should confirm the subscription terms with their accountant, as the pricing tier and billing arrangement may differ from direct subscriptions. For context on spend management software at different price points, see the Procurify UK review and Klippa UK review.

January 2026 price increases: context

QuickBooks implemented price increases across all UK plans in January 2026. The most significant reported increase was on the Plus plan, which secondary sources report rose from approximately £34/month to approximately £56/month. The Simple Start, Essentials, and Advanced plans were reported to have increased by approximately 17 per cent. These increases are consistent with a broader trend of recurring annual or biannual price adjustments that QuickBooks has applied to its UK subscriber base since at least 2022.

Existing subscribers are typically notified of price changes in advance by email. The January 2026 increases applied to both new and existing subscribers, with no reported legacy or grandfathered pricing. Businesses reviewing their software costs in the context of these increases may wish to compare the all-in cost of Xero or FreeAgent for their specific business type and headcount before renewing. The Xero vs QuickBooks UK page provides a structured comparison framework for this purpose.

Disclaimer: The information on this page is for editorial and informational purposes only. Software pricing, features, and promotional offers change frequently and without notice. Confirm current GBP pricing and MTD/HMRC-recognised status directly with the vendor and via gov.uk before making any subscription or purchasing decision. This page does not constitute financial, legal, or professional advice.

Frequently asked questions

What UK legal entity operates QuickBooks in the UK?

QuickBooks Online is operated in the UK by Intuit Limited, a private limited company registered at Companies House under number 02679414. The registered office is at 5th Floor Cardinal Place, 80 Victoria Street, London, SW1E 5JL. The company was incorporated on 21 January 1992 and is a subsidiary of Intuit Inc., a US-listed corporation.

Is QuickBooks HMRC-recognised for Making Tax Digital?

QuickBooks states on its own website that it is HMRC-recognised for Making Tax Digital for VAT, available from Simple Start upwards. MTD for Income Tax Self Assessment support is also stated as available. Verify current recognition status independently using the HMRC compatible software list at gov.uk.

Does QuickBooks include payroll in its plan prices?

No. Payroll is offered as a separate QuickBooks Payroll product with its own pricing, not included in the headline QuickBooks Online subscription prices. Businesses that need payroll should factor in the additional payroll subscription cost when comparing total monthly expenditure against other platforms.

Did QuickBooks raise its UK prices in 2026?

Yes. Secondary sources report that QuickBooks raised UK prices across all plans in January 2026. The Plus plan reportedly increased from approximately £34/month to approximately £56/month. Simple Start, Essentials, and Advanced reportedly increased by approximately 17 per cent. These figures are UNVERIFIED from the vendor's own site; confirm current prices at quickbooks.intuit.com/uk/pricing.

What is the QuickBooks Sole Trader Plus plan?

The Sole Trader Plus plan is a stripped-down tier designed for self-employed individuals. It covers income and expense tracking, self-assessment tax estimates, and MTD-compatible VAT filing. It is distinct from the main QuickBooks Online plans (Simple Start, Essentials, Plus, Advanced) and is aimed at sole traders without complex accounting needs. The indicative price is approximately £10/month (UNVERIFIED; confirm at the vendor's pricing page).