Question

What is the difference between a subscription Quickbooks product and a non-subscription product?

Forum|Forum|4 years ago
April 15, 2022
3 replies
0 views

I called customer service and they either don't know or won't tell. Or else they guy didn't understand me because he did have an accent and I had a hard time understanding him. So I haven't done this community thing before, but I'm hoping you can help me. In the company I used to work with, we always bought a new version of QB every several years and then we had a subscription to payroll. When the version we owned no longer had a payroll subscription available for it, then we'd buy a new one. The company I work with now has an annual QB subscription. But we just outsourced our payroll process, so we no longer need QB payroll. So I think we no longer need an annual subscription. We're really basic - no customer records, no inventory, no class tracking, no job costing or projects. We just pay bills, post deposits and run financial reports. So we don't need any complex upgrades or fancy features. I would like to buy a non-subscription product and just upgrade every few years, whenever what I've got gets non-compatible with Windows or is no longer supported by Intuit. Can anybody tell me if that can still be done?

Alternatively, if I just don't pay this year's subscription payment on what we've got, is that in effect the same thing? Will the product I have continue to function but I just will stop getting upgrades? Or will it cease to function since I have not paid the subscription?

I do not expect to need support, but if something blew up and ceased to function and we needed help recovering the data, would Intuit then refuse to talk to me, or could I then pay to have assistance?

Thanks for anybody who can help me.

QuickBooks Desktop

AlexV

Hi krworley!

Good to see you here and thank you for reaching out to us.

First, you can be certain that our Support Representatives are trained and knowledgeable about QuickBooks. I'm here cause I'd like to explain the difference between the subscription-based QuickBooks Desktop and the one-time license.

Intuit will release a new version of QuickBooks Desktop every year with new updates and features. The one-time license or non-subscription software has a three-year life cycle. For example, if you purchase a one-time license of QuickBooks Desktop 2021, you are advised to upgrade by 2024. If your computer's operating system is still compatible with the old QuickBooks Desktop, you can continue using it.

However, there are features that will be stopped such as payroll and online banking. Also, once you reached the three-year life cycle, there'll be no more system updates or support for any issues you might encounter.

Please check the policy of QuickBooks Desktop by clicking this link to learn more about why there are versions that will be discontinued: QuickBooks Desktop service discontinuation policy.

With regard to the subscription-based QuickBooks Desktop, you'll need to renew your subscription every year. You can also upgrade to a newer version without additional cost.

If you'll not renew the subscription, you won't be able to use the software at all. Your company file will remain on your computer, but you'll need to re-activate the service to open or view the data.

I added some links for tips and other resources and for you to know the system requirements of QuickBooks Desktop:

If you have any particular questions about your QuickBooks Desktop services, let me know the details in your reply. Always here to help.

K

krworleyAuthor

So I got 2 answers and I don't think they are the same. Also I asked the same question on another thread and got the same as this other answer, that Quickbooks no longer has a non-subscription product beginning in 2022. So is that right? That person said I can probably still find a 2021 version of QB at a retailer, but that after one year I'd still have to renew subscription, which completely defeats the purpose.

This is the same problem I had with QB sales and QB customer service. I can't get a consistent answer that sounds like I can be sure of it. If it's correct that the product is now subscription only, then the price has in effect tripled for those of us that just want the basics. Is that right? Thanks very much.

Fiat Lux - ASIA

@krworley

If you are still using QBD 2021, you can still purchase a new one time license for QBD 2021 to replace your existing license. But if you are using QBD 2022, your can only replace it with the one time license for QBD 2022 Accountant edition.

V

Vickki

I do not want to pay for a subscription but if I cancel can I still use my basic quickbooks?

I

IrizA

Let me share some information regarding the cancellation of your subscription, Vickki.

If you want to cancel your subscription to QuickBooks Desktop, using their services will be no longer available. However, you can still access your company data file that's stored within your device. This View-only access remains for 1 year after your subscription ends. Please know that during the View-only access, you won't be able to edit your data since you already cancel your subscription.

You can also learn more about the QuickBooks Desktop cancelation policies to understand the effects of canceling your plans.

In addition, you can also renew your subscription or use view-only mode in QuickBooks Desktop to learn how to access the view-only mode if your subscription expires or if you decide to cancel your plan.

The comment section is always available for any additional information or inquiries while using QuickBooks.

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