QuickBooks Desktop for Mac vs. QuickBooks Desktop Pro

Overview
ProductRatingMost Used ByProduct SummaryStarting Price
QuickBooks Desktop for Mac
Score 7.5 out of 10
N/A
Quickbooks Desktop for Mac is an accounting software designed for Mac users. It is designed to integrate with Apple iCloud. It provides core accounting features in line with the rest of the Quickbooks Desktop product line.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
QuickBooks Desktop for MacQuickBooks Desktop Pro
Editions & Modules
No answers on this topic
No answers on this topic
Offerings
Pricing Offerings
QuickBooks Desktop for MacQuickBooks Desktop Pro
Free Trial
NoNo
Free/Freemium Version
NoNo
Premium Consulting/Integration Services
NoNo
Entry-level Setup FeeNo setup feeNo setup fee
Additional Details
More Pricing Information
Community Pulse
QuickBooks Desktop for MacQuickBooks Desktop Pro
Considered Both Products
QuickBooks Desktop for Mac
Chose QuickBooks Desktop for Mac
Xero has tried copying what Quickbooks offers but it is missing a lot of features and it is not as easy to navigate through.
Chose QuickBooks Desktop for Mac
QuickBooks for Mac definitely outshines other competitors mainly due to its ability to sync seamlessly with all mac products, which other programs have continual problems with. Although the Mac version isn't quite as powerful as the Microsoft counterpart, it is still one of the …
Chose QuickBooks Desktop for Mac
QuickBooks Mac really is incredible. As a mac user for 10 years, I found this software easy to use and understand. It has a beautiful layout without sacrificing any of the ample features that made me fall in love with QuickBooks Pro.

  • Scheduled Reports: The ability to automate …
Chose QuickBooks Desktop for Mac
It's not that I necessarily choose QuickBooks for Mac over the standard QuickBooks for PC, but I want to be flexible and be able to give my client the service that he or she is looking for. That being said, QuickBooks for PC is definitely the superior product that I would …
Chose QuickBooks Desktop for Mac
QuickBooks for Mac is roughly equivalent in functionality to QuickBooks Pro for Windows. It has better job costing than QuickBooks Online with roughly equivalent inventory functionality. QuickBooks Online, Xero, and Wave offer anytime, anywhere functionality for multiple users …
Chose QuickBooks Desktop for Mac
I did not select the Mac version for my own business. I don't use a Mac but I have access to one. I do know how to use and support the Mac version. I use all of the various QB versions as necessary to support my clients on a regular basis. I still feel that QB for Mac is not …
QuickBooks Desktop Pro

No answer on this topic

Top Pros
Top Cons
Features
QuickBooks Desktop for MacQuickBooks Desktop Pro
Payroll Management
Comparison of Payroll Management features of Product A and Product B
QuickBooks Desktop for Mac
10.0
11 Ratings
29% above category average
QuickBooks Desktop Pro
9.3
65 Ratings
22% above category average
Pay calculation10.09 Ratings9.961 Ratings
Benefit plan administration10.06 Ratings9.835 Ratings
Direct deposit files10.08 Ratings9.853 Ratings
Salary revision and increment management10.05 Ratings9.949 Ratings
Reimbursement management10.07 Ratings7.350 Ratings
Customization
Comparison of Customization features of Product A and Product B
QuickBooks Desktop for Mac
6.0
11 Ratings
16% below category average
QuickBooks Desktop Pro
7.9
39 Ratings
11% above category average
API for custom integration6.07 Ratings8.032 Ratings
Plug-ins6.010 Ratings7.836 Ratings
Security
Comparison of Security features of Product A and Product B
QuickBooks Desktop for Mac
10.0
20 Ratings
24% above category average
QuickBooks Desktop Pro
8.5
93 Ratings
8% above category average
Single sign-on capability10.020 Ratings8.975 Ratings
Role-based user permissions10.017 Ratings8.188 Ratings
Reporting & Analytics
Comparison of Reporting & Analytics features of Product A and Product B
QuickBooks Desktop for Mac
10.0
22 Ratings
27% above category average
QuickBooks Desktop Pro
8.4
108 Ratings
10% above category average
Dashboards10.019 Ratings9.593 Ratings
Standard reports10.022 Ratings7.6108 Ratings
Custom reports10.022 Ratings8.2106 Ratings
General Ledger and Configurable Accounting
Comparison of General Ledger and Configurable Accounting features of Product A and Product B
QuickBooks Desktop for Mac
5.8
24 Ratings
24% below category average
QuickBooks Desktop Pro
8.0
112 Ratings
8% above category average
Accounts payable8.124 Ratings9.7107 Ratings
Accounts receivable8.123 Ratings7.6109 Ratings
Cash management6.218 Ratings2.697 Ratings
Bank reconciliation8.824 Ratings9.7108 Ratings
Expense management6.220 Ratings8.899 Ratings
Time tracking6.212 Ratings8.747 Ratings
Fixed asset management6.214 Ratings6.064 Ratings
Multi-currency support1.010 Ratings7.927 Ratings
Multi-division support6.211 Ratings5.752 Ratings
Regulations compliance6.210 Ratings7.239 Ratings
Electronic tax filing8.115 Ratings8.050 Ratings
Self-service portal6.213 Ratings9.738 Ratings
Global Financial Support1.07 Ratings7.015 Ratings
Primary and Secondary Ledgers6.213 Ratings8.837 Ratings
Intercompany Accounting6.214 Ratings7.438 Ratings
Localizations1.06 Ratings8.517 Ratings
Journals and Reconciliations6.217 Ratings9.665 Ratings
Enterprise Accounting6.25 Ratings9.733 Ratings
Configurable Accounting6.29 Ratings8.141 Ratings
Centralized Rules Framework6.29 Ratings7.824 Ratings
Standardized Processes6.213 Ratings9.748 Ratings
Inventory Management
Comparison of Inventory Management features of Product A and Product B
QuickBooks Desktop for Mac
7.7
15 Ratings
9% above category average
QuickBooks Desktop Pro
6.7
56 Ratings
5% below category average
Inventory tracking6.214 Ratings6.553 Ratings
Automatic reordering7.810 Ratings6.132 Ratings
Location management7.09 Ratings6.229 Ratings
Manufacturing module10.08 Ratings8.216 Ratings
Order Management
Comparison of Order Management features of Product A and Product B
QuickBooks Desktop for Mac
8.3
18 Ratings
11% above category average
QuickBooks Desktop Pro
7.4
70 Ratings
0% below category average
Pricing10.017 Ratings6.750 Ratings
Order entry10.016 Ratings7.549 Ratings
Credit card processing10.017 Ratings7.148 Ratings
Cost of goods sold10.016 Ratings9.058 Ratings
Order Orchestration5.76 Ratings9.018 Ratings
End-to-end order visibility6.77 Ratings9.021 Ratings
Order exception Resolution5.66 Ratings3.216 Ratings
Best Alternatives
QuickBooks Desktop for MacQuickBooks 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
QuickBooks Desktop for MacQuickBooks Desktop Pro
Likelihood to Recommend
8.8
(32 ratings)
5.6
(124 ratings)
Likelihood to Renew
8.0
(9 ratings)
10.0
(18 ratings)
Usability
5.4
(6 ratings)
8.2
(31 ratings)
Availability
9.0
(1 ratings)
8.3
(2 ratings)
Support Rating
6.9
(4 ratings)
2.6
(29 ratings)
In-Person Training
-
(0 ratings)
10.0
(1 ratings)
Implementation Rating
5.0
(1 ratings)
9.0
(6 ratings)
Product Scalability
-
(0 ratings)
8.0
(1 ratings)
User Testimonials
QuickBooks Desktop for MacQuickBooks Desktop Pro
Likelihood to Recommend
Intuit
If you're a freelancer or running a very small business where you do your own bookkeeping I think this is a great option, especially if you're familiar with accounting and bookkeeping in general. If you're not so familiar with bookkeeping, I would say that the learning curve is too steep and you might want to look elsewhere for a more intuitive solution
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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
Intuit
  • The program is very easy to learn, the interface is incredibly user-friendly and there are tons of free resources and tutorials available
  • It makes managing payroll really easy for the employee and accountant on staff. No more lost time sheets or late paychecks!
  • Managing bills and paying them has become streamlined and it's great having everything in one place so we don't lose track of things.
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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.
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Cons
Intuit
  • The #1 complaint is that setting it up right is a challenge. People waste time trying to figure it out only to realize that they don't know accounting so of course they don't know how an accounting program should be set up. Like any time you are in over your head, reach out to your network and find someone who can log onto your computer and walk you through it.
  • If you need to track the cost of wages to jobs you can't do it with the online payroll, but check for yourself because it's a function that landscaping companies and construction businesses usually need, so maybe they have added it by now. That would really help!
  • It's premise-based software and that means you take on the role of hardware admin, and it's a lot of work for what is increasingly becoming a smaller gap in the functionality between QuickBooks for Mac and QuickBooks Online.
  • QuickBooks for Mac 2015 has been updated consistently over the last 3 years and continues to provide for the bookkeeping needs of small companies using Macs in their offices. However, it has limited job costing functionality. It is similar in functionality to the 2010 version of QuickBooksPro which runs on Windows.
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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
Intuit
I haven't spent that much time with the newer versions of QuickBooks for Mac, but I think I'm seeing it make the much-needed improvements. For example, something as simple as undoing the previous reconciliation was a terrible chore, and I'm glad that feature has been included in the newer versions of QuickBooks for Mac
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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
Intuit
The Mac version is OK overall. I find the Windows versions to be much more robust but Mac is quite good for Mac users. Though I think die hard Mac users should consider QuickBooks Online instead as there is a new QB for Mac app that makes using QBO much better!
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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
Intuit
I've been using the QuickBooks online version for a little over 6 months now (upgraded from Mac desktop) and I haven't had any access issues. There have been times when it was down for service/upgrade however there is always plenty of notification time given by the Quick Books Online Support team. These upgrade maintenance time frames are always over night hours and on the weekends so everything can be worked around very easily.
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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
Intuit
Fortunately, I haven't had to reach out much for support.
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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
Intuit
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
Intuit
No answers on this topic
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
Intuit
I love using Quickbooks compared to other software we've tried. QuickBooks Online and TSheets interface. Customer service and problem resolution are generally excellent, with well-trained and proficient agents taking calls or on chat. Ease of use and accessibility via the mobile app. Great courses were available to help with learning the basics and some advanced accounting background. I love learning! Online accessibility - it can work anywhere with an internet connection. Linking to bank and credit card accounts is handy.
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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
Intuit
  • The ROI was good for when we were a smaller company because it is a lot cheaper than other more sophisticated programs.
  • The negative impact is that it caused a lot of extra manual entering and data entry that too often resulted in mistakes.
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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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