A note before you read: ABFI doesn't sell QuickBooks subscriptions and earns nothing from your plan choice. Intuit changes plans and prices often, so confirm everything on Intuit's pricing page [1].
Side by side
| Plus | Advanced | |
|---|---|---|
| Users (billable) | Up to 5 | Up to 25 [1][2] |
| Projects (job costing) | Yes | Yes |
| Classes and locations | Yes | Yes |
| Inventory tracking | Yes | Yes, with more features |
| Budgets | Yes | Yes |
| Custom user roles and permissions | Standard roles | Custom roles [2] |
| Workflow automation (for example, bill approvals) | No | Yes [3] |
| Batch invoices and expenses | No | Yes [2] |
| Advanced reporting | Standard reports | Deeper reporting and customization [2] |
| Support | Standard | Priority support [2] |
| Price | Lower | Higher; check Intuit's page [1] |
Who Plus is right for
- Up to 5 people need to log in (your accountant doesn't count toward the limit when invited as an accountant user [4])
- You need job costing, classes or simple inventory
- One person enters bills and the owner approves them outside QuickBooks
- Standard reports, plus a few customized ones, answer your questions
That describes most small businesses. Plus with a good setup beats Advanced with a messy one.
Who should upgrade to Advanced
- More than 5 users need their own logins.
- You need tighter controls. Custom roles let you allow someone to enter bills but not pay them, or see sales but not payroll. See internal controls.
- Approvals inside QuickBooks. Bill approval workflows are an Advanced feature [3]. See how to set up a bill approval workflow.
- High volume. Batch-entering dozens of invoices or expenses saves real time.
- Reporting that standard reports can't do without spreadsheets.
A quick test
Add up the hours a month your team spends on things Advanced would automate: entering batches, chasing approvals by email, building reports in spreadsheets. Multiply by an hourly cost. If that's more than the price difference between the plans, upgrade. If not, stay on Plus and spend the money on setup.
Common mixed-up questions
- Job costing? Both plans. See how to set up job costing in QuickBooks Online.
- Classes and locations? Both. See classes vs locations.
- Multiple companies? Neither plan consolidates several companies in one file. See best accounting software for multiple entities.
- Still on Desktop? See QuickBooks Online vs Desktop.
Giving people access the right way: how to give your bookkeeper access safely. How QuickBooks fits with your other tools: the small business accounting tech stack.
Keep reading
- How to set up a bill approval workflow
- How to set up job costing in QuickBooks Online
- QuickBooks Online vs Desktop
Sources
- Intuit, QuickBooks Online plans and pricing, quickbooks.intuit.com/pricing. Checked November 6, 2026.
- Capterra, "QuickBooks Online Advanced vs QuickBooks Online: Features and Cost Comparison 2026", www.capterra.com/compare/189398-190778/QuickBooks-Online-vs-QuickBooks-Online. Checked November 6, 2026.
- Intuit, "How to set up and use bill approval and payment release workflows", quickbooks.intuit.com/learn-support/en-us/help-article/manage-workflows/set-use-bill-approval-payment-release-workflows/L1IOLL9hv_US_en_US. Checked November 6, 2026.
- Intuit, "Invite accountant users to your QuickBooks Online company", quickbooks.intuit.com/learn-support/en-us/manage-subscription-and-users/invite-or-remove-an-accountant/00/262158. Checked November 6, 2026.
Questions owners ask
What's the main difference between QuickBooks Plus and Advanced?
Advanced allows more users (up to 25 vs 5), custom roles, workflow automation like bill approvals, batch transactions and deeper reporting.
Does my accountant count as a user?
Not when invited through the Accountants tab, according to Intuit.
Can I do job costing on Plus?
Yes. Projects are available on both Plus and Advanced.
Is QuickBooks Advanced worth it?
When you need more than 5 users, custom permissions, approvals inside QuickBooks, or automation that saves more time than the price difference.
Can I switch plans later?
Yes. You can upgrade or downgrade, though downgrading may remove features and users you rely on. Check Intuit's rules first.
Want your QuickBooks set up so the plan you pay for actually works?
ABFI sets up and runs QuickBooks Online for growing businesses. Start with a complimentary Business Accounting Diagnostic.