Priority AccountEdge vs. QuickBooks Desktop Pro

Overview
ProductRatingMost Used ByProduct SummaryStarting Price
Priority AccountEdge
Score 6.0 out of 10
Small Businesses (1-50 employees)
AccountEdge is a small business accounting software for Mac and Windows users. AccountEdge allows business owners to organize, process, and report on their financial information. Its features include accounting, integrated payroll, sales and purchases, contact management, inventory, and time billing. It was acquired by Priority Software in January 2018 to expand that company's small business portfolio.N/A
QuickBooks Desktop Pro
Score 8.0 out of 10
N/A
Quickbooks Desktop Pro is accounting software from Intuit, Inc. It includes core accounting features, plus analytics and exportable reports. It is offered in on-premise and SaaS forms.N/A
Pricing
Priority AccountEdgeQuickBooks Desktop Pro
Editions & Modules
No answers on this topic
No answers on this topic
Offerings
Pricing Offerings
Priority AccountEdgeQuickBooks Desktop Pro
Free Trial
YesNo
Free/Freemium Version
NoNo
Premium Consulting/Integration Services
YesNo
Entry-level Setup FeeNo setup feeNo setup fee
Additional DetailsAccountEdge is available to new customers for $399. Optional product upgrades are released every year for $159 single-user upgrade or $249 multi-user upgrade.
More Pricing Information
Community Pulse
Priority AccountEdgeQuickBooks Desktop Pro
Considered Both Products
Priority AccountEdge
Chose Priority AccountEdge
AccountEdge is more adaptable as a large and diverse inventory control system.
QuickBooks Desktop Pro
Chose QuickBooks Desktop Pro
Ultimately, QuickBooks Pro was better suited for how we internally run our operations. AccountEdge Pro seemed to have more bells and whistles we wouldn't need to use.
Top Pros
Top Cons
Features
Priority AccountEdgeQuickBooks Desktop Pro
Payroll Management
Comparison of Payroll Management features of Product A and Product B
Priority AccountEdge
6.6
6 Ratings
12% below category average
QuickBooks Desktop Pro
9.3
65 Ratings
22% above category average
Pay calculation10.06 Ratings9.961 Ratings
Benefit plan administration8.04 Ratings9.835 Ratings
Direct deposit files5.04 Ratings9.853 Ratings
Salary revision and increment management6.05 Ratings9.949 Ratings
Reimbursement management4.03 Ratings7.350 Ratings
Security
Comparison of Security features of Product A and Product B
Priority AccountEdge
9.0
7 Ratings
14% above category average
QuickBooks Desktop Pro
8.5
93 Ratings
8% above category average
Role-based user permissions9.07 Ratings8.188 Ratings
Single sign-on capability00 Ratings8.975 Ratings
Reporting & Analytics
Comparison of Reporting & Analytics features of Product A and Product B
Priority AccountEdge
9.0
7 Ratings
17% above category average
QuickBooks Desktop Pro
8.4
108 Ratings
10% above category average
Dashboards9.04 Ratings9.593 Ratings
Standard reports9.07 Ratings7.6108 Ratings
Custom reports9.06 Ratings8.2106 Ratings
General Ledger and Configurable Accounting
Comparison of General Ledger and Configurable Accounting features of Product A and Product B
Priority AccountEdge
7.2
8 Ratings
3% below category average
QuickBooks Desktop Pro
8.0
112 Ratings
8% above category average
Accounts payable9.08 Ratings9.7107 Ratings
Accounts receivable9.08 Ratings7.6109 Ratings
Cash management8.12 Ratings2.697 Ratings
Bank reconciliation6.08 Ratings9.7108 Ratings
Expense management6.06 Ratings8.899 Ratings
Time tracking6.04 Ratings8.747 Ratings
Multi-currency support9.03 Ratings7.927 Ratings
Multi-division support9.02 Ratings5.752 Ratings
Regulations compliance7.02 Ratings7.239 Ratings
Electronic tax filing7.04 Ratings8.050 Ratings
Self-service portal2.71 Ratings9.738 Ratings
Fixed asset management00 Ratings6.064 Ratings
Global Financial Support00 Ratings7.015 Ratings
Primary and Secondary Ledgers00 Ratings8.837 Ratings
Intercompany Accounting00 Ratings7.438 Ratings
Localizations00 Ratings8.517 Ratings
Journals and Reconciliations00 Ratings9.665 Ratings
Enterprise Accounting00 Ratings9.733 Ratings
Configurable Accounting00 Ratings8.141 Ratings
Centralized Rules Framework00 Ratings7.824 Ratings
Standardized Processes00 Ratings9.748 Ratings
Inventory Management
Comparison of Inventory Management features of Product A and Product B
Priority AccountEdge
8.0
6 Ratings
13% above category average
QuickBooks Desktop Pro
6.7
56 Ratings
5% below category average
Inventory tracking8.06 Ratings6.553 Ratings
Automatic reordering8.01 Ratings6.132 Ratings
Location management8.03 Ratings6.229 Ratings
Manufacturing module8.02 Ratings8.216 Ratings
Order Management
Comparison of Order Management features of Product A and Product B
Priority AccountEdge
8.0
7 Ratings
8% above category average
QuickBooks Desktop Pro
7.4
70 Ratings
0% below category average
Pricing8.05 Ratings6.750 Ratings
Order entry9.05 Ratings7.549 Ratings
Credit card processing6.05 Ratings7.148 Ratings
Cost of goods sold9.06 Ratings9.058 Ratings
Order Orchestration00 Ratings9.018 Ratings
End-to-end order visibility00 Ratings9.021 Ratings
Order exception Resolution00 Ratings3.216 Ratings
Customization
Comparison of Customization features of Product A and Product B
Priority AccountEdge
5.0
3 Ratings
34% below category average
QuickBooks Desktop Pro
7.9
39 Ratings
11% above category average
Plug-ins5.03 Ratings7.836 Ratings
API for custom integration00 Ratings8.032 Ratings
Best Alternatives
Priority AccountEdgeQuickBooks Desktop Pro
Small Businesses
Dext Prepare (with Receipt Bank)
Dext Prepare (with Receipt Bank)
Score 9.1 out of 10
Dext Prepare (with Receipt Bank)
Dext Prepare (with Receipt Bank)
Score 9.1 out of 10
Medium-sized Companies
Accounting Seed
Accounting Seed
Score 8.3 out of 10
Accounting Seed
Accounting Seed
Score 8.3 out of 10
Enterprises
Oracle Fusion Cloud ERP
Oracle Fusion Cloud ERP
Score 8.2 out of 10
Oracle Fusion Cloud ERP
Oracle Fusion Cloud ERP
Score 8.2 out of 10
All AlternativesView all alternativesView all alternatives
User Ratings
Priority AccountEdgeQuickBooks Desktop Pro
Likelihood to Recommend
6.0
(18 ratings)
5.6
(124 ratings)
Likelihood to Renew
8.8
(10 ratings)
10.0
(18 ratings)
Usability
9.0
(3 ratings)
8.2
(31 ratings)
Availability
9.1
(1 ratings)
8.3
(2 ratings)
Support Rating
9.0
(3 ratings)
2.6
(29 ratings)
In-Person Training
-
(0 ratings)
10.0
(1 ratings)
Implementation Rating
7.0
(1 ratings)
9.0
(6 ratings)
Product Scalability
-
(0 ratings)
8.0
(1 ratings)
User Testimonials
Priority AccountEdgeQuickBooks Desktop Pro
Likelihood to Recommend
Priority Software
If you are handling a large client list, and are selling services, it is dead easy. If you are managing/selling a physical inventory, it seems like it has great options to do that quite well (disclaimer, I do not use those functions, but I have paid attention as that functionality was built into the software). If you want to link your bank account to a bookkeeping platform, this is not the software for you (at least so far).
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Intuit
I am only going to recommend it because it is currently ubiquitous, and most accountants prefer it at the moment. I do not stand by the company, and will not use the product any longer than I have to. [I believe] the support is lousy, the product is overpriced, but it does the basics of what we need. I'm very happy for all those outside Intuit who make their living supporting QuickBooks Desktop Pro; third-party support is desperately needed. They also doubled their prices for software upgrades this year, and require those who don't pay double what the last upgrade cost, to subscribe every year for $200. If one does not subscribe beyond the first year, one will not be able to use the software beyond the first year. They are moving to a rental model even for those who refuse to use the LOUSY QuickBooks online. They were good company once. Now they just turn out bloatware that everyone uses, so the rest of us have to. I look forward to the day that an honest, better-priced competitor wipes the floor with Intuit.
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Pros
Priority Software
  • AccountEdge has a robust report menu that allows a user to slice and dice data for analysis. Report on projects for the life of the project across fiscal years. Report on different departments with segregated income statements.
  • For users who want to run payroll in house that is easily done through the payroll module. Print physical checks or direct deposit to employee's account, process payroll taxes and file year end W2s.
  • My personal favorites are time billing and retainers. As a service based business I can at my fingertips review how much money a client has on deposit with me and how much of that will be billed out at the end of the month. The integration with AccountEdge Mobile rounds it all out with being able to log my time on-site.
  • Last but not least AccountEdge Mobile in general, as the companion app for the desktop software is invaluable. My heaviest use is the spend money feature. Excellent for logging travel receipts & cash expenses while they are fresh on the brain. Really cuts back the data entry at the end of a trip and trying to recall what something may have been for.
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Intuit
  • It is easy to manage and adjust inventory on hand.
  • It is easy to make reports and customize them to your needs.
  • We also use it to pay our employees directly.
  • It is easy to make year-to-year comparisons to see where we can make improvements and the current financial situation.
Read full review
Cons
Priority Software
  • My biggest frustration, and one that I've mentioned to Acclivity for many years, is that it only permits opening nine windows at a time (plus the home window). I hit that limit almost daily, and then I have to decide what do I close so I can complete the transaction that needed the "9th" window.
  • The Accounts section includes two quick reports, "Analyze Profit and Loss" and "Analyze Balance Sheet. These can be filtered for the current month or any prior month in the current fiscal year. And that's fine most of the year, but at the beginning of the next year, when I haven't yet started the new fiscal year, these only go to December of the prior year. The regular reports for these can select "next year;" why can't these?
  • It would be helpful if the journal entry number would have one or two additional digits available. For example, when I am entering journal entries for a client, I would like to use a number such as CPA2014001, CPA2014002, etc. to distinguish what I enter from the "automatic" entries that AccountEdge does. But that's one more digit than AccountEdge allows, so if I had over 100 adjustments, I would run out of entry numbers.
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Intuit
  • QuickBooks Desktop Pro has been around for a few years and after an update[,] they force you to look at the changes/updates before you can use [them] after updating.
  • QuickBooks Desktop Pro does not have 2FA.
  • QuickBooks Desktop Pro should offer a way to store backups to a personal cloud without having to map a local network drive.
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Likelihood to Renew
Priority Software
Without a doubt, when you need to do accounting use the program that will get the job done in the least amount of time with the least amount of errors. Once you are using a program that works you stay with it year after year and you will find yourself even excited about the updates
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Intuit
We've used the program for more than 20 years in our firm both with clients and as our software. For the cost and value of the program it works well for our firms needs and desires for an accounting software program. At this point to switch would not make sense.
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Usability
Priority Software
The intuitive interface does all the tasks we need our accounting software to do. Some tasks are slower to process than I would like but overall very usable. Customizable forms let us choose to either go with the easy ready-made out-of-the-box options or retool them to better fit our specific needs.
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Intuit
It is a great software that does everything a small business needs it to do, but there are just a few bugs and quirks that make additional software necessary. The slowness of the software occasionally might eventually be overshadowed by the quickness of cloud-based software though.
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Reliability and Availability
Priority Software
One of the finer advantages of desktop software, it's always available. AccountEdge doesn't suffer from outages or sluggish internet like web based applications do. It's always there when you power on your device!
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Intuit
I haven't experienced a time when QuickBooks Pro was unavailable when I needed it in the entire 20 years of using the software
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Support Rating
Priority Software
On the few occasions we have needed tech support over the years, they were responsive and worked to get to the root of the issues. However, even though Checkout POS is a separate application, it was pitched to us as a natural extension of the functionality of our AE software that would integrate seamlessly. The company's support for Checkout has been minimal at best, and now totally abandoned. That colors our view of Priority's support unfortunately. And to be honest, that's why it's a 9 instead of a 10. So to be fair, AccountEdge's support itself has been very good over the years.
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Intuit
The support team is not always easy to use or able to understand the problems. There are some difficulties understanding [...] the issues the purchaser has and the solutions are sometimes hard to implement. A lot can be avoided if the users have adequate training and security is set up correctly at implementation.
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In-Person Training
Priority Software
No answers on this topic
Intuit
Best thing I ever did was to attend a two day training seminar on QuickBooks, I learned an immense amount in a short time with hands on training by experts. I strongly recommend such training for anyone using any part of the software. It will pay for itself in the first month.
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Implementation Rating
Priority Software
unfortunately no.
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Intuit
We implemented the software ourselves. The training we received on the software was done by taking a community course teaching us how to use QuickBooks. It allowed me to get started with some basics of how to use the program and have not needed much assistance since completing the course work.
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Alternatives Considered
Priority Software
For Mac enthusiasts, AccountEdge is the complete installed software solution for small to medium-sized businesses, as it has so many capabilities that QuickBooks for Mac lacks. However, it holds your hand less than QuickBooks for Mac does, so you ought to know what your are doing in keeping business books properly. If your needs are simple, QuickBooks for Mac may be a better solution. QuickBooks Online and Xero are excellent cloud accounting solutions that can be used on the Mac equally well as on Windows. QuickBooks Online offers a similar set of features as QuickBooks for Mac, with the addition of anywhere, anytime access. Xero is a great basic accounting solution in the cloud that can also be used equally well on Macs and WIndows, and offers endless customization and flexibility through its extensive third-party app integration for almost any need.
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Intuit
Zoho had great end-user support and it was almost as simple to learn and was as easy to use. But its reports were not as [customizable] as QuickBooks Desktop Pro, and its job cost and department accounting [were] more cumbersome than QuickBooks Desktop Pro was. In addition, while I like an underdog (Zoho) the fact is that it is easier to find staff that [is] comfortable with QuickBooks Desktop Pro than anything else on the market.
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Return on Investment
Priority Software
  • Increased employee efficiency - Time is no longer spent switching between programs because all of the information can be found in one place.
  • Customer service has also improved because employees find the program much easier to use, even at the point of sale.
  • Better record keeping - AccountEdge has a very simple invoicing application that allows us to keep track of and balance our accounts.
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Intuit
  • QuickBooks Desktop Pro is a no hassle accounting solution that ticks a lot of boxes. It almost never disappoints and organizations will usually keep using it for many years. If anything, the only time I've seen an organization migrate away from it is if they have specific accounting needs, or if the organization has grown to the point that they need a more robust accounting solution. Even then, QuickBooks can usually be maintained within another accounting software system for specific functions, like A/R & A/P for example.
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ScreenShots

Priority AccountEdge Screenshots

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