What Does QuickBooks Desktop Going Subscription Mean?

Question: I recently read that QuickBooks Desktop products are going to be available only by subscription beginning in 2022. What does that mean?

Answer: You are correct. Intuit will be offering QB Desktop products via subscription-only beginning with the 2022 releases. They (except for QB Accountant) will no longer be available by way of a one-time payment as they have in the past. QB Desktop products include QB Pro, Premier and Enterprise. Enterprise was converted to a subscription product two years ago.

Subscription, of course, means a monthly or annual payment will be required to use the product. As of now, these payment amounts have not been announced. And one word of caution with subscription software, should you stop paying, you will lose access to the product and your data.

As of writing, there are a few one-time-purchase-licenses for QB Premier 2021 still available. With a one-time purchase, you pay a single fee to buy the program. Download it to your PC for permanent access, and you will receive updates from Intuit at no additional charge through May 2024.

Further, the one-time purchase product allows you to create multiple company files at no additional charge, which is especially cost-effective if you run more than one business. The subscription model will likely have an additional fee for each company you set up.

Please contact me if you want to know if and how the one-time purchase products might still be available. Once they are gone, it’s too late and if you see Premier 2021 at unbelievably low prices, you are likely looking at a subscription product. Read the fine print.

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