Before you install another accounting tool, it’s worth comparing Quicken to QuickBooks, especially if you’re planning to scale or hire later.
Many business owners and side hustlers start with Quicken for simplicity, only to hit a wall as things grow. The real question isn’t just which tool is more powerful, but which one fits you better right now and where you’re heading.
In this guide, we’ll break down the real-world differences between Quicken and QuickBooks, show you when to switch, and explain why so many small business owners eventually move to QuickBooks (with help from advisors like us).
What is Quicken and Who Is It For?
Quicken started as a personal finance tool, and that’s still its strength. It’s built for individuals and households who want to budget better, track spending, monitor investments, or manage rental properties on the side.
For example, if you’re keeping tabs on your mortgage, auto loan, and a few recurring utility bills, and maybe tracking income from one or two rentals, Quicken can handle that with ease.
The Quicken Home & Business edition even includes basic tools for creating invoices and categorizing business expenses, which can work for freelancers or hobby businesses.
But if your operation starts to grow, things get tricky. Quicken doesn’t support payroll, inventory, or sales tax. It also lacks proper double-entry accounting and doesn’t integrate with popular tools like Stripe or Shopify. It’s desktop-based and designed to keep things simple, sometimes too simple for business needs.
So while Quicken is a solid option for personal use or very small ventures, it’s not built to support a business with employees, vendors, or more complex financials.
What is QuickBooks and Who Is It For?
QuickBooks, on the other hand, was built from the ground up for businesses, especially small to mid-sized companies that need more than a checkbook register.
It handles invoicing, vendor payments, sales tax tracking, payroll (if you want it), time tracking, and full financial reporting. You can run a professional services firm, a retail shop, or an online store, and QuickBooks will support the workflow with features that match your industry.
For example, if you run a photography business and want to track income by client and project, log mileage, and categorize camera gear as a deductible expense, QuickBooks Solopreneur is a great fit. If you manage an auto repair shop, QuickBooks can help you monitor parts inventory, track employee hours, and generate job-costing reports.
QuickBooks also connects with tools like Shopify, Square, Gusto, and Clio, so it fits right into your existing systems. And because it’s cloud-based (if you’re using QuickBooks Online), your accountant or bookkeeper can log in anytime to keep things clean.
Without a doubt, QuickBooks is the better choice for anyone running a real business. It’s scalable, customizable, and built to keep pace as your operations get more complex.
When to Use Quicken vs. QuickBooks
Choosing between Quicken and QuickBooks really comes down to what you’re managing and how far you plan to take it.
Use Quicken if:
- You’re a sole proprietor or side hustler keeping things simple.
- You want to track household spending alongside a bit of business income.
You manage a few rental properties and don’t need payroll or vendor tracking. - You’re doing all your finances yourself and don’t need collaboration tools.
Quicken is great for keeping things organized on a personal level, but it starts to feel limited when the business side of life takes center stage.
Use QuickBooks if:
- You send client invoices, accept payments, or manage expenses regularly.
- You need to track sales tax, run payroll, or generate profit & loss reports.
- You work with a bookkeeper or accountant who needs access to clean records.
- You’re managing team members, vendors, or multiple revenue streams.
If you’re aiming to build a business, or already have one running, QuickBooks is the tool designed to keep you organized and compliant from the start.
We work with many business owners who started with Quicken and eventually outgrew it. That’s normal. What matters is knowing when it’s time to upgrade, and choosing the right version of QuickBooks to make that transition smooth.
Alternatives and Upgrading from Quicken to QuickBooks
Here are a few great QuickBooks alternatives for Quicken users depending on your needs:
- QuickBooks Solopreneur: Ideal for freelancers, creatives, and independent contractors. Tracks mileage, categorizes expenses, and helps estimate taxes.
- QuickBooks Simple Start: Good for sole proprietors who want to start tracking sales, invoices, and basic reporting with room to grow.
- QuickBooks Online Essentials or Plus: Adds features like time tracking, bill pay, and project profitability, perfect for service-based businesses and teams.
If you’ve been using Quicken to manage rental properties, QuickBooks Online can also be configured to track income and expenses by unit or tenant, with better reporting and scalability.
Why We Usually Recommend Starting with QuickBooks
If there’s one piece of advice we give again and again, it’s this: start with a version of QuickBooks that can grow with you.
Even if your business is small right now, switching accounting platforms later can be a hassle. Rebuilding categories, migrating transactions, and fixing reports takes time, and often costs more in the long run than just starting with the right tool.
That’s why we often recommend beginner-friendly versions like QuickBooks Solopreneur or Simple Start. They’re affordable, easy to use, and have the flexibility to scale with your business. If you expect to hire, invoice more clients, or track your finances seriously in the next 12 months, it’s worth setting up the right foundation now.
And we can help make sure it’s done right from day one.
Related Reading: Which QuickBooks Version Is Right For Me? [2025]
How MISSION Can Help You Choose and Set Up
Making the switch from Quicken, or even starting QuickBooks from scratch, can be overwhelming if you don’t know exactly what you need.
Avoid the Common Pitfalls
We’ve seen it all: overcomplicated setups, duplicate accounts, misclassified income, and QuickBooks files that make reporting nearly impossible. These are the kinds of issues we run into when someone downloads QuickBooks, guesses their way through the chart of accounts, and tries to “figure it out later.”
For example, one client came to us after trying to DIY their QuickBooks setup for six months. Income from product sales, client services, and subcontractors were all lumped into one category, making it impossible to understand which part of the business was actually profitable.
We helped rebuild their chart of accounts, added segment tracking by revenue stream, and within a week, they had clarity that changed how they priced and planned.
Related Reading: How QuickBooks Setup Services Ensures Profitability
Start with the Right Fit
Whether you’re coming from Quicken or starting fresh, we help you:
- Select the best QuickBooks version based on how your business runs
- Set up a clean, custom chart of accounts (not just the default QuickBooks template)
- Map your categories, customers, and vendors properly
- Build out rules, automations, and reporting to save time
- Stay supported with ongoing help, not just a one-time setup
Let’s Make QuickBooks Work for You
You don’t have to waste hours trying to figure it all out or risk making decisions based on messy data. Whether you’re migrating from Quicken or need help launching QuickBooks the right way, MISSION is here to guide you.
Contact us for a free consultation and let’s talk about the best way to get you up and running with confidence. We’ll take a look at your current setup (or goals) and give you a clear path forward, no pressure, just real help!
