Anyone here familiar with Quickbooks for iMac that is not subscription?

[Turnpike]

I'm looking to help out a family member who has a business, and they use Quickbooks (not sure what version) and a Windows computer.

If I learn Quickbooks, I'm not going to pay a subscription, I'd rather buy it outright if possible, and only want to work on a Mac if possible.

My intention is to buy a designated iMac and Quickbooks, and learn it, so I can step in and do the book keeping.

Is there anyone here who is familiar with a version of Quickbooks for Mac that's not subscription based? I'm happy to pay $500+ but a buck a month is like water torture for me. Most places I can find for info on this is from a sales site online, and the other half of "Quickbooks" search results come up as complaints about repeat charges and so on.

Any advice for someone familiar with the different versions available that aren't a subscription, and with a recommendation would be appreciated. The business is a 3 person family business with a lot of purchases and so on that are tracked for the accountant, and I don't mind paying for a version higher of the software than I actually need if it's a for-always purchase, like my Adobe CS6, where I buy it and then I own it. I'm not a fan of cloud based stuff, and definitely want to avoid subscriptions.

Thank you!

 

[sgtaylor5]

I use QuickBooks for Mac 2016 (the desktop version) and it works well for me. My financial data for my business is mine; it’s not Intuit’s. I don’t want to have to rely on an Internet connection or the whims of some marketing department to determine if my browser is going to work with their latest iteration of QB Online so I can get to my data or not. I’ll switch to spreadsheets before that happens!

Much better than the Windows version. One company file, and not six files that make a company file. Emailing invoices and sales receipts needs Apple Mail or Outlook; i’d use Apple Mail. Office365 Outlook may not work. PDF export is much better, as it utilizes Mac-native PDF services.

If you have employees, you’ll have to buy QuickBooks for Mac 2019. You can usually get it for about $250 full price or $200 if you get it on sale.

 

[mikehalloran]

If I learn Quickbooks, I'm not going to pay a subscription, and only want to work on a Mac if possible.

Good for you. There's a problem with that approach. It costs a lot more money and doesn't give most people what they need. In addition, the desktop version sometimes goes for years without an update though the tax laws keep changing—nice to see a 2019 version out, however.

Here are the three comparison charts you need to see to pick the right version.

https://quickbooks.intuit.com/oa/get-quickbooks-mac/?cid=ppc_G_e_US_.QBDT_US_GGL_Brand_Ancillary-MAC_Exact_Search_Desktop._quickbooks mac_txt&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIgZjxjODz4gIV3rfACh3T8gDqEAAYASAAEgJgtPD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds#/

https://quickbooks.intuit.com/oa/get-quickbooks-mac/?cid=ppc_G_e_US_.QBDT_US_GGL_Brand_Ancillary-MAC_Exact_Search_Desktop._quickbooks mac_txt&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIgZjxjODz4gIV3rfACh3T8gDqEAAYASAAEgJgtPD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds#/

https://quickbooks.intuit.com/oa/get-quickbooks-mac/?cid=ppc_G_e_US_.QBDT_US_GGL_Brand_Ancillary-MAC_Exact_Search_Desktop._quickbooks mac_txt&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIgZjxjODz4gIV3rfACh3T8gDqEAAYASAAEgJgtPD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds#/self-employed

I'm not a fan of cloud based stuff, and definitely want to avoid subscriptions.

Having been an Intuit customer since MacInTax in 1986, one thing that I can assure you: Intuit does not give a damn what you want.

Last I checked — and this may have changed — you couldn't automatically export the QB Desktop data to TurboTax—only the online versions. WTF?

 

[sgtaylor5]

Good for you. There's a problem with that approach. It costs a lot more money and doesn't give most people what they need. In addition, the desktop version sometimes goes for years without an update though the tax laws keep changing—nice to see a 2019 version out, however.

Here are the three comparison charts you need to see to pick the right version.

https://quickbooks.intuit.com/oa/get-quickbooks-mac/?cid=ppc_G_e_US_.QBDT_US_GGL_Brand_Ancillary-MAC_Exact_Search_Desktop._quickbooks mac_txt&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIgZjxjODz4gIV3rfACh3T8gDqEAAYASAAEgJgtPD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds#/

https://quickbooks.intuit.com/oa/get-quickbooks-mac/?cid=ppc_G_e_US_.QBDT_US_GGL_Brand_Ancillary-MAC_Exact_Search_Desktop._quickbooks mac_txt&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIgZjxjODz4gIV3rfACh3T8gDqEAAYASAAEgJgtPD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds#/

https://quickbooks.intuit.com/oa/get-quickbooks-mac/?cid=ppc_G_e_US_.QBDT_US_GGL_Brand_Ancillary-MAC_Exact_Search_Desktop._quickbooks mac_txt&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIgZjxjODz4gIV3rfACh3T8gDqEAAYASAAEgJgtPD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds#/self-employed



Having been an Intuit customer since MacInTax in 1986, one thing that I can assure you: Intuit does not give a damn what you want.

Last I checked — and this may have changed — you couldn't automatically export the QB Desktop data to TurboTax—only the online versions. WTF?

My accountant saves me so much money at tax time I don’t want to use a program for that. Each to their own. If the OP doesn’t want a subscription then the desktop version is the only option. Stability is good for an accounting program.

 

[mikehalloran]

My accountant saves me so much money at tax time I don’t want to use a program for that. Each to their own. If the OP doesn’t want a subscription then the desktop version is the only option. Stability is good for an accounting program.

You didn't understand my post, then.

That's ok.

 

[sgtaylor5]

You didn't understand my post, then.

That's ok.

Oh, I get it; you're saying that subscriptions are inevitable.

 

[Turnpike]

.... There's a problem with that approach......

Oh, you're probably right, especially since you are familiar with it and I'm not, but they already have/use the download version so I'd be using what they have but will get it for a Mac at my expense, mainly so I can enjoy the better screen on an iMac and avoid Windows 10, and also they're out in the country and have nearly no internet connection as well.

 

[mikehalloran]

Oh, you're probably right, especially since you are familiar with it and I'm not, but they already have/use the download version so I'd be using what they have but will get it for a Mac at my expense, mainly so I can enjoy the better screen on an iMac and avoid Windows 10, and also they're out in the country and have nearly no internet connection as well.

If the goal is simply to learn it, say for a class, that’s one thing. You plan to use it to keep books for a business. If the download version does the job, that’s great. If it doesn’t, that settles the matter.

And then there’s next year. Intuit released a 2019 desktop version but the last one was 2016. There were enough changes in 2017 that many had to move over.

Intuit really wants you on the subscription model and, for most businesses, that’s the one that works best. Like it; don’t like it... not their issue.

 

[Turnpike]

Yep, this Intuit stuff...along with Microsoft Office (a version of it so far) and things like Adobe Photoshop... everything is moving to subscriptions and I dislike it. It's all about profits, info snooping and nothing to do with performance. SO frustrating.