QuickBooks nonprofit pricing (& how to pay less)

When you’re juggling expenses and diverse needs, the accounting software you choose has to not only work for you but be budget-friendly too. The last thing you want is to sign up for a plan that seems attractive at first but quickly costs you more than you’d planned for.

QuickBooks is one of the most popular accounting software tools for businesses, but is it an affordable option for nonprofit organizations? Let’s explore their approach to nonprofit pricing, the plans they offer, and how you can unlock generous nonprofit discounts.

Key takeaways

• QuickBooks is one of the most popular accounting tools for nonprofits, but it isn’t free—plans start at $38/month.
• Eligible nonprofits can unlock steep discounts through TechSoup, reducing costs from hundreds per month to low annual admin fees.
• QuickBooks offers multiple plans (Simple Start, Essentials, Plus, Advanced, and Desktop) to fit different nonprofit sizes and accounting needs.
• Most nonprofits find that QuickBooks Online Plus offers the best balance of affordability and features like grant and program management.
• To qualify for TechSoup discounts, nonprofits must meet Intuit’s eligibility requirements (e.g., 501(c)(3) status, <$10M budget).
• Using QuickBooks with Givebutter Plus makes life easier; nonprofits can automatically sync donations and transactions, cut down on manual admin, and reduce accounting errors.

Is QuickBooks free for nonprofits?

While QuickBooks isn’t permanently free, you can enjoy a 30-day trial of QuickBooks for nonprofits for free. After that, you’ll need a credit card to continue using the software.

QuickBooks pricing starts at $38 per month for the entry-level plan, or you can opt for a higher-tier plan for more users and extra features. For eligible nonprofits—especially small or new organizations—discounts can make the software more affordable. 

Does QuickBooks offer a discount for nonprofits?

Intuit doesn’t offer nonprofit discounts for QuickBooks directly, but that’s where TechSoup—the long-standing nonprofit tech marketplace—comes in.

Instead of paying monthly for QuickBooks, eligible nonprofits pay a yearly admin fee—often less than the cost of a single month’s subscription.

For example, purchasing a QuickBooks Online Plus subscription directly costs $115 per month. With TechSoup, the admin fee is just $80. The value-for-money is even greater with the QuickBooks Advanced subscription. Available directly for $275 per month, the annual admin fee with TechSoup is only $170. 

Not every QuickBooks plan is available through TechSoup, but both Online Plus and Online Advanced (the most popular models) are, as well as a legacy desktop version. 

These discounted QuickBooks software plans don’t include payroll functionality, but this add-on is available directly from Intuit for an additional cost. Payroll plans start at $50 per month plus $6.50 per team member.

How to qualify for the TechSoup QuickBooks discount

TechSoup’s generous QuickBooks discounts are only available to nonprofits that meet Intuit’s eligibility requirements.

Eligible organizations must: 

• Be a 501(c)(3) nonprofit or an eligible public library
• Have an annual operating budget of less than $10 million
• Be willing to provide information for a case study or testimonial 

The following organizations are not eligible for the program: 

• Some health services and related organizations
• Advocacy groups
• Legislative and political activity organizations (with limited exceptions)

Once eligible, nonprofits can only receive one Intuit product per fiscal year. You’re also limited to one subscription product within the lifetime of the organization.

Nonprofits must apply for a TechSoup membership to access these discounts. For new accounts, qualification reviews can take up to 10 days to process, but many are completed within two days. Once validated, you can apply for the QuickBooks program of your choice.

QuickBooks nonprofit pricing plans at a glance

QuickBooks offers several plans, ranging from basic to advanced options with extra capacity and functionality. Here’s a breakdown of QuickBooks nonprofit pricing: 

QuickBooks Simple Start ✅

Simple Start is the entry-level plan, designed for small nonprofits that don’t have any complex accounting needs.

⭐ Best for: New and smaller nonprofit organizations

🧰 Key features:

• Income and expenses tracking
• Bookkeeping automation
• Invoicing and payments
• Automated invoice reminders
• Cash flow
• Sales and sales tax
• Mileage tracking
• Bill management

💰 Full price: $38 per month (includes one user)

💚 TechSoup discounted price: N/A

QuickBooks Online Essentials 📊

The Essentials plan includes everything in Simple Start, plus added functionality like connecting more sales channels and supporting multiple currencies.

⭐ Best for: Growing nonprofit organizations that work across multiple locations

🧰 Key features:

• Connect up to three sales channels
• Multiple currency support
• Employee time tracking

💰 Full price: $75 per month (includes three users)

💚 TechSoup discounted price: N/A

QuickBooks Online Plus ➕

The Plus plan builds on Essentials with greater capacity—both in the number of users and sales channels. It also adds the ability to track inventory, monitor project costs and profitability, and create budgets and financial plans.

⭐ Best for: Medium-to-large nonprofits needing more robust financial reporting or grant tracking

🧰 Key features:

• Donor and grant management
• Connect all sales channels
• Inventory management
• Project profitability tracking
• Financial planning and reporting

💰 Full price: $115 per month (includes five users)

💚 TechSoup discounted price: $80 annual admin fee

QuickBooks Online Advanced ⭐

Advanced is QuickBooks’ most comprehensive plan. In addition to the features from the previous plans, it offers automation and data syncing for time-saving processes and more comprehensive insights.

⭐ Best for: Large and established nonprofit organizations with complex accounting and reporting needs

🧰 Key features:

• Auto-track fixed assets
• Batch invoicing and expenses
• Workflow automation
• Custom access controls
• Data restoration 
• Excel data sync
• Priority customer support and training

💰 Full price: $275 per month (includes 25 users)

💚 TechSoup discounted price: $170 annual admin fee

QuickBooks Desktop Premier ✨

Support for Desktop editions was discontinued in 2022, which limits the functionality. You won’t have access to features like online banking, payroll, or online backup. Only existing desktop users can request this version via TechSoup.

⭐ Best for: Legacy nonprofits already using QuickBooks Desktop

💰 Full price: N/A — available only to legacy desktop users

💚 TechSoup discounted price: $20 annual admin fee

Dive deeper

Your no-nonsense guide to nonprofit accounting (free cheat sheet!) →

Which QuickBooks plan is best for my nonprofit?

Intuit has organized its QuickBooks plans to give nonprofits choice and flexibility when it comes to features and pricing. 

All QuickBooks plans include key functionality like the ability to accept donations, sync with bank accounts, organize expenses, and run specialized reports. The best plan for your organization depends on your overall goals, size, feature needs, and reporting requirements: 

• New nonprofits or local community groups with a small staff and volunteer team often do well using the Simple Start or Essentials plans.
• For scaling nonprofits with multiple programs and grants, Plus is a more appropriate plan.
• Large and legacy organizations benefit most from the extra automation, processing, and reporting power in the Advanced plan.

Most nonprofits choose QuickBooks Online Plus since it hits the sweet spot—offering program and grant management capability without the potentially overwhelming features (and higher price tag) of the Advanced plan. 

While some legacy users may still rely on desktop versions, these are no longer widely available (unless you’re already subscribed via TechSoup). For most organizations, QuickBooks Online is the way to go. 

Make the most of QuickBooks with Givebutter

QuickBooks is one of the most popular choices for nonprofit accounting software, and the generous discounts available through TechSoup make it an attractive option for eligible organizations. 

With affordable access to a top-tier accounting solution, changemakers can streamline financial processes and confidently manage the necessary admin—leaving more headspace for all the other tasks on your to-do list. 

The benefits are even greater when you use QuickBooks and Givebutter together. Thanks to the native QuickBooks Online integration available with Givebutter Plus, changemakers can automatically sync donations and other transactions to their accounting software. This reduces manual admin and improves financial accuracy. 

On top of that, Givebutter Plus unlocks best-in-class fundraising, engagement, and reporting features—like task management, workflow automation, enhanced email tools, and detailed donor insights. 

Sign up today to bring your accounting and fundraising together for an even smoother way to attract, manage, and report on donations.