Which version of Quickbooks should we go for?

Hello everyone,

I am pretty new to Quickbooks so thank you in advance for your patience.

We run a small business, and we would like to start doing our bookkeeping ourselves.

Our IT dept has 1 Windows server 2019 running as Domain Controller and 2 work stations (Windows 10) which joined the domain

I plan to install a version of Desktop Quickbooks e.g. either Pro or Premier that we are considering. However, we would like to install just the database on the Windows server 2019, then install the Quickbooks program on each of the work station so that we can run the program from each work station and sharing the same Quickbooks database from the server.

We also need Payroll as well

I check and see the following 2 options on the market:

1/ Quickbooks Desktop Pro + Payroll 2021 has 1-user licence

2/ The Quickbooks Premier + Payroll 2021 has 2-user licence 

I have also learnt that you don't need the licence if you just install the database on the Server so the Premier + Payroll seems to fit my requirement. I will install the database on the server (no licence needed), then install the main program on 2 workstation using the 2-user licence.

But, even the software billed as "Desktop" version on Bestbuy or Staples (either pro or premier) it seems to me that we still have to pay for a monthly subscription via the Quickbooks website, and we will not be using the online version of Quickbooks so why we have to pay for monthly subscription? I thought for over $1,200 for Desktop Premier + Payroll, I should be able to use the program perpectually and just pay for the annual payroll subscription?

Any helps/instruction/advice are highly appreciated. The Sales rep from quickbooks is as almost useless as they are always trying to get us to use the Online Subcription!

Kind regards

James