Payroll compared
QuickBooks Payroll vs AcboBooks payroll
What each one does for US and Canadian employers, what it costs, and which kind of business each suits. Checked against Intuit's own pages, November 2026.
The short answer
QuickBooks Payroll is a service.AcboBooks Payroll is software you own.
QuickBooks Payroll does the filing and paying.
QuickBooks Online payroll is a monthly subscription with a fee for every employee. Intuit moves the pay, pays the payroll taxes and files the returns.
AcboBooks does the calculating and the paperwork.
It works out every paycheck, posts it to your books, and prepares the tax forms and the direct deposit file. You or your accountant file, pay and upload.
The difference in cost is the monthly fee.
Intuit's payroll with QuickBooks Online starts at $88 a month plus $6.50 per employee. AcboBooks, accounting and payroll together, is $399.99 once.
The desktop program you still buy once
AcboBooks is Windows desktop accounting for US and Canadian small businesses, with payroll included and no per-employee fee. Your encrypted company file stays on your PC.
No card, no account for the trial. Windows 10 and 11.
United States
Side by side for US employers
QuickBooks Online payroll is what Intuit sells to new customers today. QuickBooks Desktop payroll (Enhanced) is shown for businesses that already subscribe to it.
| QuickBooks Online payroll | QuickBooks Desktop payroll | AcboBooks | |
|---|---|---|---|
| How you pay | Monthly subscription plus a fee for every employee | Yearly subscription plus a fee for every employee; closed to new customers | Included in $399.99 once, no per-employee fee |
| Federal withholding, Social Security, Medicare | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| State income tax withholding | Calculated, every state | Calculated, every state | Entered by you from the state's tables |
| Local taxes | Calculated and filed | Calculated for supported localities | Entered by you |
| Paychecks and pay stubs | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Direct deposit | Intuit moves the money, next-day or same-day | Intuit moves the money, fee per deposit | AcboBooks writes the bank file (NACHA); you upload it to your bank |
| Paying payroll taxes | Intuit pays them for you | You start each payment from QuickBooks (Enhanced) | You pay through EFTPS and your state; Pay Liabilities shows what is due |
| Forms 941 and 940 | Intuit files them for you | Filled in; you e-file from QuickBooks | Worksheets from your paychecks; you file them |
| W-2s | Intuit files them; employees see them online | Printed, and e-filed from QuickBooks | W-2s printed and the SSA's EFW2 file to upload |
| 1099-NEC for contractors | E-filed | Printed or e-filed | Prepared and printed; you file them |
| Employee self-service portal | Yes | No | No |
| Time tracking | Higher plans | Timesheets | Timesheets |
| Health benefits, 401(k), workers' comp | Add-on services at extra cost | Tracked; some add-on services | Deductions and workers' comp tracked; no benefits provider |
| Tax penalty protection | Up to $25,000, top plan | No | No |
| Where your payroll data lives | Intuit's cloud | Your PC, with Intuit's payroll service online | Your PC only, encrypted |
How you pay
QuickBooks Online payroll
Monthly subscription plus a fee for every employeeQuickBooks Desktop payroll
Yearly subscription plus a fee for every employee; closed to new customersAcboBooks
Included in $399.99 once, no per-employee feeFederal withholding, Social Security, Medicare
QuickBooks Online payroll
QuickBooks Desktop payroll
AcboBooks
State income tax withholding
QuickBooks Online payroll
Calculated, every stateQuickBooks Desktop payroll
Calculated, every stateAcboBooks
Entered by you from the state's tablesLocal taxes
QuickBooks Online payroll
Calculated and filedQuickBooks Desktop payroll
Calculated for supported localitiesAcboBooks
Entered by youPaychecks and pay stubs
QuickBooks Online payroll
QuickBooks Desktop payroll
AcboBooks
Direct deposit
QuickBooks Online payroll
Intuit moves the money, next-day or same-dayQuickBooks Desktop payroll
Intuit moves the money, fee per depositAcboBooks
AcboBooks writes the bank file (NACHA); you upload it to your bankPaying payroll taxes
QuickBooks Online payroll
Intuit pays them for youQuickBooks Desktop payroll
You start each payment from QuickBooks (Enhanced)AcboBooks
You pay through EFTPS and your state; Pay Liabilities shows what is dueForms 941 and 940
QuickBooks Online payroll
Intuit files them for youQuickBooks Desktop payroll
Filled in; you e-file from QuickBooksAcboBooks
Worksheets from your paychecks; you file themW-2s
QuickBooks Online payroll
Intuit files them; employees see them onlineQuickBooks Desktop payroll
Printed, and e-filed from QuickBooksAcboBooks
W-2s printed and the SSA's EFW2 file to upload1099-NEC for contractors
QuickBooks Online payroll
E-filedQuickBooks Desktop payroll
Printed or e-filedAcboBooks
Prepared and printed; you file themEmployee self-service portal
QuickBooks Online payroll
QuickBooks Desktop payroll
NoAcboBooks
NoTime tracking
QuickBooks Online payroll
Higher plansQuickBooks Desktop payroll
TimesheetsAcboBooks
TimesheetsHealth benefits, 401(k), workers' comp
QuickBooks Online payroll
Add-on services at extra costQuickBooks Desktop payroll
Tracked; some add-on servicesAcboBooks
Deductions and workers' comp tracked; no benefits providerTax penalty protection
QuickBooks Online payroll
Up to $25,000, top planQuickBooks Desktop payroll
NoAcboBooks
NoWhere your payroll data lives
QuickBooks Online payroll
Intuit's cloudQuickBooks Desktop payroll
Your PC, with Intuit's payroll service onlineAcboBooks
Your PC only, encryptedCanada
Side by side for Canadian employers
| QuickBooks Online payroll | QuickBooks Desktop payroll | AcboBooks | |
|---|---|---|---|
| How you pay | Monthly subscription plus a fee for every employee | Closed to new Canadian customers since April 15, 2025 | Included in $399.99 once, no per-employee fee |
| CPP, EI, federal and provincial tax | Yes | Yes | Yes, from the CRA's T4127 formulas, every province and territory |
| Quebec: QPP, QPIP, Quebec tax | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Remitting source deductions (PD7A) | Remitted to the CRA for you | You remit | You remit; the app shows the amount and due date for your remitter type |
| Direct deposit | Intuit moves the money | Intuit moves the money | AcboBooks writes the bank file (CPA 005); you upload it to your bank |
| T4 and T4A | E-filed for eligible employers | Prepared; you file | Prepared, plus the T4 XML file for the CRA's Internet File Transfer |
| RL-1 (Quebec) | Yes | Yes | Worksheets with every box; you file with Revenu Québec |
| Record of Employment | ROE file for Service Canada | ROE file for Service Canada | ROE worksheet and the ROE Web file (.BLK), uploaded as a draft for you to submit |
| Employee self-service portal | Yes | No | No |
How you pay
QuickBooks Online payroll
Monthly subscription plus a fee for every employeeQuickBooks Desktop payroll
Closed to new Canadian customers since April 15, 2025AcboBooks
Included in $399.99 once, no per-employee feeCPP, EI, federal and provincial tax
QuickBooks Online payroll
QuickBooks Desktop payroll
AcboBooks
Yes, from the CRA's T4127 formulas, every province and territoryQuebec: QPP, QPIP, Quebec tax
QuickBooks Online payroll
QuickBooks Desktop payroll
AcboBooks
Remitting source deductions (PD7A)
QuickBooks Online payroll
Remitted to the CRA for youQuickBooks Desktop payroll
You remitAcboBooks
You remit; the app shows the amount and due date for your remitter typeDirect deposit
QuickBooks Online payroll
Intuit moves the moneyQuickBooks Desktop payroll
Intuit moves the moneyAcboBooks
AcboBooks writes the bank file (CPA 005); you upload it to your bankT4 and T4A
QuickBooks Online payroll
E-filed for eligible employersQuickBooks Desktop payroll
Prepared; you fileAcboBooks
Prepared, plus the T4 XML file for the CRA's Internet File TransferRL-1 (Quebec)
QuickBooks Online payroll
QuickBooks Desktop payroll
AcboBooks
Worksheets with every box; you file with Revenu QuébecRecord of Employment
QuickBooks Online payroll
ROE file for Service CanadaQuickBooks Desktop payroll
ROE file for Service CanadaAcboBooks
ROE worksheet and the ROE Web file (.BLK), uploaded as a draft for you to submitEmployee self-service portal
QuickBooks Online payroll
QuickBooks Desktop payroll
NoAcboBooks
NoWhat QuickBooks Payroll does that AcboBooks does not
- Files and pays your payroll taxes. This is the main reason to pay for a payroll service: deposits and returns happen without you.
- Moves the money. Intuit debits your account and pays your employees. With AcboBooks you upload a file to your own bank, which releases the money.
- Employee portal, benefits and HR. Employees see pay stubs and W-2s online, and benefits, 401(k) and workers' comp can be bought through Intuit.
- State and local taxes. AcboBooks takes state withholding and local taxes as amounts you enter from the official tables.
- A penalty guarantee on Intuit's top plan.
What AcboBooks does that QuickBooks Payroll does not
- No monthly fee and no charge per employee. Payroll is part of the $399.99 licence.
- Your payroll data stays on your PC, encrypted with your own password, in the same file as your books.
- Every figure in front of you before anything is paid. You can check and override any amount before posting, and the direct deposit file is read back and matched to the paychecks before it is saved.
- Year-end files you control: the SSA's EFW2 file for W-2s, the CRA's T4 XML and the ROE Web file, ready for you or your accountant to submit.
Cost
What it costs
Intuit's list price for payroll with QuickBooks Online Simple Start, on its pricing page on November 1, 2026, is $88 a month plus $6.50 per employee, with 50% off the base price for the first three months. Higher plans cost more per employee.
| Five employees | QuickBooks Online payroll + Simple Start | AcboBooks |
|---|---|---|
| First year | About $1,446 | $399.99 |
| Three years | About $4,338 | $399.99, plus optional update renewals |
Five employees: First year
QuickBooks Online payroll + Simple Start
About $1,446AcboBooks
$399.99Five employees: Three years
QuickBooks Online payroll + Simple Start
About $4,338AcboBooks
$399.99, plus optional update renewalsExisting QuickBooks Desktop Enhanced Payroll subscribers were reported to renew at $870 a year from October 1, 2026, plus $7 per employee per month: about $1,290 a year for five employees, on top of the Desktop subscription. See QuickBooks price history for the sources, or put in your own numbers with the cost calculator.
Which one suits you
- Choose a full-service payroll subscription if you never want to make a tax deposit or file a payroll return yourself, or you pay employees in many states.
- Choose AcboBooks if you already file your own payroll taxes, or your accountant does, and you want payroll in the same desktop program as your books without a monthly bill per employee.
You can run a full payroll in the 15-day free trial, or try a paycheck in the free US paycheck calculator or Canadian payroll calculator, which use the same code as the program.
Questions
Does AcboBooks file and pay my payroll taxes like QuickBooks Payroll?
No. QuickBooks Online payroll is a full-service subscription: Intuit files the returns and pays the taxes from your account. AcboBooks calculates every paycheck, posts it to your books and prepares the forms and files, and then you or your accountant file and pay. That is how QuickBooks Desktop's do-it-yourself payroll worked.
How much does QuickBooks Payroll cost compared with AcboBooks?
On November 1, 2026, Intuit's pricing page listed payroll with QuickBooks Online Simple Start at $88 a month plus $6.50 per employee. For five employees that is $120.50 a month, about $1,446 a year. AcboBooks, with accounting and payroll for any number of employees, is $399.99 once, with 12 months of updates included.
Can I still buy QuickBooks Desktop Payroll?
Not as a new customer. Intuit stopped selling Enhanced Payroll to new US customers after September 30, 2024, and Desktop Payroll to new Canadian customers from April 15, 2025. Existing subscribers can keep renewing, and Desktop Enterprise still includes payroll at an extra per-employee charge.
Who is AcboBooks payroll right for?
Small businesses that are happy to run payroll themselves, or that have an accountant or bookkeeper who files for them, and want to stop paying a monthly fee per employee. If you want someone else to deposit and file every payroll tax for you, a full-service payroll subscription is the better fit.
Are the tax tables kept up to date?
Yes, while your updates are current. Each January AcboBooks updates to the new IRS Publication 15-T and the CRA's T4127 tables. Twelve months of updates come with the licence; renewing after that is optional, but payroll users will want each year's tables.
Can I bring my payroll history from QuickBooks?
Yes. AcboBooks imports employees from QuickBooks Desktop and QuickBooks Online, and payroll history from QuickBooks Online's payroll reports, so year-to-date totals carry on. See Move from QuickBooks.
Related
- AcboBooks payroll (US)
- AcboBooks payroll (Canada)
- Move from QuickBooks
- Is QuickBooks Desktop discontinued?
QuickBooks® and QuickBooks Desktop® are registered trademarks of Intuit Inc. AcboBooks is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Intuit. Dates and services are quoted from Intuit's published help pages and community answers as of November 1, 2026 and may change.
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Payroll included. No monthly fee per employee.
AcboBooks is Windows desktop accounting with US and Canadian payroll for $399.99 once. Try a full payroll run free for 15 days.
No card. No account. Nothing to cancel.