QuickFile vs QuickBooks Online
Verified ratings, real UK pricing and the compliance detail, weighed side by side — with a written verdict at the end.
QuickFile
Accounting Software
- United Kingdom
- Knowledge Base
- Forum
QuickBooks Online
Accounting Software
- United Kingdom
- Ireland
- United States
- Canada
- Australia
- Phone
- Live Chat
- Knowledge Base
- Forum
Evenly matched on verified reviews — 4.0 against 4.1. Price and fit will decide this one, not the score.
The short version
What each one costs and how each one rates, side by side. Only the rows where leading means something are marked; vendor and availability are in the overview above.
| Detail | QuickFile | QuickBooks Online |
|---|---|---|
| What it costs | ||
| Starting priceLowest paid tier, excluding VAT | Free | £14.33/mo |
| Free version | YesYes | NoNo |
| Free trial | NoNo | YesYes |
| How it rates | ||
| Overall ratingMean of verified Assaylist reviews | 4.0 | 4.1 |
| Verified reviewsVolume is evidence, not a score — this row is not a contest | 259 reviews | 262 reviews |
Highlighted where one clearly leads. Rows without a highlight are not a contest.
How reviewers score them
Across the four dimensions we ask every reviewer about — and, below, the star split each average is built from.
- QuickFile
- QuickBooks Online
| Dimension | QuickFile | QuickBooks Online | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ease of use | 3.9 | 4.0 | 0.1 to QuickBooks Online |
| Value for money | 3.9 | 4.0 | 0.1 to QuickBooks Online |
| Customer support | 3.9 | 4.0 | 0.1 to QuickBooks Online |
| Functionality | 3.9 | 4.0 | 0.1 to QuickBooks Online |
What each average is made of
Two products can share an average and not share a reputation. These bars show the star split behind each score.
| Product | 5 star | 4 star | 3 star | 2 star | 1 star |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| QuickFile | 37% (97 reviews) | 37% (96 reviews) | 14% (36 reviews) | 7% (18 reviews) | 5% (12 reviews) |
| QuickBooks Online | 44% (115 reviews) | 35% (93 reviews) | 13% (34 reviews) | 6% (17 reviews) | 1% (3 reviews) |
Feature by feature
Everything either vendor publishes, split into what separates them and what they share.
- Both products
- 14%
- Only QuickFile
- 1348%
- Only QuickBooks Online
- 1348%
27 features listed across both products.
What only one of them does
QuickFile
13- API access on every plan
- Automated backups
- Banking automation
- Branded client area
+ 9 more in the table below
QuickBooks Online
13- Automated bank feeds
- Batch invoicing
- Budgets
- Calculate and submit CIS
+ 9 more in the table below
Showing 27 of 27 features
| Detail | QuickFile | QuickBooks Online |
|---|---|---|
| Where they differ · 26 | ||
| API access on every plan | YesYes | NoNo |
| Automated backups | YesYes | NoNo |
| Banking automation | YesYes | NoNo |
| Branded client area | YesYes | NoNo |
| Estimates and quotations | YesYes | NoNo |
| MTD compatible VAT returns | YesYes | NoNo |
| MTD VAT bridging | YesYes | NoNo |
| Multi currency support | YesYes | NoNo |
| Over 400 integrations | YesYes | NoNo |
| Professional invoicing | YesYes | NoNo |
| Purchase and receipt management | YesYes | NoNo |
| Two factor authentication | YesYes | NoNo |
| Unlimited users | YesYes | NoNo |
| Automated bank feeds | NoNo | YesYes |
| Batch invoicing | NoNo | YesYes |
| Budgets | NoNo | YesYes |
| Calculate and submit CIS | NoNo | YesYes |
| Class and location tracking | NoNo | YesYes |
| Custom reporting | NoNo | YesYes |
| Inventory management | NoNo | YesYes |
| Making Tax Digital for VAT | NoNo | YesYes |
| Multiple currencies | NoNo | YesYes |
| Project profitability tracking | NoNo | YesYes |
| Receipt capture and mileage tracking | NoNo | YesYes |
| Role based access control | NoNo | YesYes |
| Workflow automation | NoNo | YesYes |
| Where they match · 1 | ||
| MTD for Income Tax ready | YesYes | YesYes |
A dash means the vendor has not published a feature list — which is not the same as the feature being unavailable.
How they handle UK obligations
Checked against the vendor's own documentation or HMRC's published list. A dash means we have not verified it — never that it is missing.
| Detail | QuickFile | QuickBooks Online |
|---|---|---|
| Verified against vendor documentation | ||
| HMRC-recognised for MTD for VAT | YesYes | YesYes |
| HMRC-recognised for MTD for ITSA | Not listedNot listed | YesYes |
| Making Tax Digital ready | YesYes | YesYes |
| CIS support | Not listedNot listed | YesYes |
| Open Banking bank feeds | Not listedNot listed | YesYes |
| Data residency | United Kingdom | Not stated |
| UK-based support | Not stated | Telephone and chat support |
What each tier costs
Both line-ups on one ladder, so the middle tier on one side sits next to the middle tier on the other.
QuickFile
QuickBooks Online
XS, S and M
FreeLower
- Free up to 1,000 ledger entries a year
- MTD compatible VAT returns
- Unlimited users
Simple Start
£14.33/mo
- 1 user plus accountant
- Making Tax Digital for VAT
- Calculate and submit CIS
L and XL
£60/yr
- 1,001 entries and above
- All Power User features
- Advanced customisation
Essentials
£34.20/moLower
- 3 users plus accountant
- Multiple currencies
- Employee time tracking
Automated bank feeds
£15/yrLower
- Optional add on
- Connects supported UK banks
Plus
£50.40/mo
- 5 users plus accountant
- Inventory management
- Budgets
Rungs are matched by position in each vendor’s own line-up, not by what the tiers include — an entry plan on one side may cover more than the other. Prices exclude VAT unless stated, and per-seat plans are quoted per seat. Always confirm on the vendor’s own site.
Which should you choose?
Two answers, because there are two right ones depending on what you need.
Choose QuickFile if
- It costs less to get started — Free against £14.33/mo.
- There is a free tier you can stay on, which QuickBooks Online does not offer.
- It lists 13 features QuickBooks Online does not, including api access on every plan.
Choose QuickBooks Online if
- You can trial it before paying — QuickFile lists no free trial.
- It lists 13 features QuickFile does not, including automated bank feeds.
- It covers more of the UK obligations we check — 5 of them against 2.
On verified Assaylist reviews, QuickBooks Online currently rates 4.1 against 4.0 for QuickFile. That gap is not the whole story: QuickFile starts at Free and QuickBooks Online at £14.33/mo, so the right answer depends on the tier you actually need and on which one handles your UK obligations. Read both profiles before you commit, and confirm current pricing on the vendor's own site.
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