QuickBooks Online price increase 2026: what Essentials, Plus and Advanced cost now
Intuit raised QuickBooks Online Essentials, Plus and Advanced for renewals from August 1, 2026. The new US and Canadian list prices, payroll, and what it adds up to.
6 min read · October 24, 2026
What Intuit changed
Intuit announced that the monthly prices of QuickBooks Online Essentials, Plus and Advanced change for renewals on or after August 1, 2026. Free, Lite, Ledger and Simple Start kept their prices. The trade publication Insightful Accountant reported that customers were told at least 30 days ahead, and that the prices on Intuit's website changed on August 3.
- Not on one day for everyone. The new price starts at your next billing date on or after August 1. If you prepaid for a year, it generally starts when that term ends.
- Newer subscribers keep the price they signed up at for their first six months. Intuit says the new price applies from the seventh invoice.
- What Intuit added: Advanced now includes Bill Pay Elite, which Intuit values at $540 a year, and US-only tools for construction and professional services, valued at $900 a year. Enhanced Inventory is included in Plus and Advanced. On the other plans, Bill Pay Elite is a $45 a month add-on and Enhanced Inventory is $40 a month.
US prices, before and after
Intuit's announcement does not print the dollar amounts. The new prices below are the list prices on Intuit's US pricing page in October 2026. The earlier prices are the ones Intuit set in July 2025, as reported by Intuit reseller Fourlane and others.
| Plan (per month) | Users | Before Aug 2026 | From Aug 1, 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Simple Start | 1 | $38 | $38 | None |
| Essentials | 3 | $75 | $85 | +13% |
| Plus | 5 | $115 | $140 | +22% |
| Advanced | 25 | $275 | $340 | +24% |
Some blogs quote other "before" figures or an extra increase in May 2026. We found nothing from Intuit to support those, so we have left them out. Intuit's page also shows a "50% off for 3 months" offer for new customers; after that, the list price applies.
Over two summers the change is bigger. In June 2025 Plus was $99 a month and Advanced $235. A year at today's prices is $1,680 for Plus and $4,080 for Advanced, before payroll or add-ons.
Payroll on top
Intuit's US payroll page now sells payroll bundled with an accounting plan, at these list prices in October 2026:
| Bundle (per month) | Base | Per employee |
|---|---|---|
| Workforce Payroll + Simple Start | $88 | $6.50 |
| Workforce Payroll + Essentials | $125 | $6.50 |
| Workforce Premium + Plus | $203 | $10 |
For a business with five employees on Workforce Premium + Plus, that is $203 + (5 × $10) = $253 a month, or $3,036 a year, at list price.
Canada
Intuit's August notice does not mention Canada, and we found no Intuit announcement of a 2026 Canadian increase. Intuit's Canadian pricing page lists these plans in October 2026, in Canadian dollars before tax:
| Plan (per month) | Users | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Lite | 1 | $20 |
| EasyStart | 1 | $30 |
| Plus | Up to 5 | $110 |
| Advanced | Up to 25 | $220 |
Payroll is an add-on from EasyStart up: Core $30 a month plus $5 per employee, Premium $55 plus $8, and Elite $80 plus $15. Plus with Payroll Core for five employees is $110 + $30 + $25 = $165 a month, or $1,980 a year, before GST/HST. The page also shows a "save 90% for 6 months" offer for new customers.
What to do before you renew
- Find your real bill. Check the subscription page in QuickBooks (gear icon, Subscriptions and billing) for your plan, your next billing date and any discount that is about to end.
- Count what you actually use. If you moved up a plan for users or inventory, price what you need now, including payroll per employee.
- Price five years, not one month. QuickBooks Online has gone up in each of the last two summers. Our five-year cost comparison and cost calculator do the arithmetic.
- If you leave, export first. Intuit keeps a cancelled company read-only for one year, but export your reports and lists before you cancel, while everything still works. Our look at QuickBooks Online's data handling covers what stays with Intuit.
AcboBooks is a different kind of product: a Windows desktop program, bought once for $399.99, with the company file encrypted on your own PC. It has no phone app and imports your bank's statement file rather than connecting live, so it is not for everyone. The QuickBooks Online comparison sets out the differences honestly.
QuickBooks® is a registered trademark of Intuit Inc. AcboBooks is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Intuit.
One payment of $399.99
AcboBooks is a Windows desktop program with payroll, inventory and multi-user on the office network included, and 12 months of updates. It keeps working after that; renewing updates is optional, though payroll users need it for new tax tables.
This article is general information, not tax, legal or accounting advice. Rules and dates change; check the official source or ask your accountant before acting.
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