Simple Start
Build your financial foundation. One user plus your accountant.
R322/mo
per month
- Income and expenses
- Invoices and quotes
- VAT tracking at 15%
- AI transaction categorisation
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Powerful small business accounting with smart automation
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Overview
QuickBooks Online pairs an approachable interface with some of the deepest reporting in its class. South African businesses get VAT tracking at the standard 15% rate, reports that line up with VAT201 periods, and automated bank feeds with transaction categorisation that gets smarter over time. Intuit now sells directly into South Africa with rand pricing, a toll free local sales line and a 30 day free trial on every plan.
Receipt capture, recurring invoices, project profitability and a custom report builder round out a package that suits service businesses and product sellers alike. Every plan includes free access for your accountant, and the newer Intuit Intelligence features handle transaction categorisation and bookkeeping cleanup automatically.
Four plans cover the range: Simple Start at R322 per month for one user, Essentials at R508 for three users with bill management and multiple currencies, Plus at R708 for five users with inventory and project profitability, and Advanced at R1,144 for twenty five users with workflow automation and custom reporting. Each tier is also listed separately on SoftGids if you want plan specific detail and reviews.
Pricing
What South African teams actually pay each month. Every plan is listed below, and the feature table shows exactly where they differ.
Build your financial foundation. One user plus your accountant.
R322/mo
per month
Three users, bills and multiple currencies.
R508/mo
per month
The customer favourite. Five users with stock and projects.
R708/mo
per month
Twenty five users with automation and custom reporting.
R1 144/mo
per month
Straight from the vendor
These are list prices in rand and vendors adjust them from time to time. Check with Intuit for the figure you'll actually pay.
| Plan features | Simple StartR322/mo | EssentialsR508/mo | PlusR708/mo | AdvancedR1 144/mo |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Income and expenses | ||||
| Invoices and quotes | ||||
| VAT tracking at 15% | ||||
| AI transaction categorisation | ||||
| Everything in Simple Start | ||||
| Bill management | ||||
| Multiple currencies | ||||
| Time entry | ||||
| Everything in Essentials | ||||
| Inventory tracking | ||||
| Project profitability | ||||
| Class and location tracking | ||||
| Everything in Plus | ||||
| Custom report builder | ||||
| Workflow automation | ||||
| Role based access | ||||
| Backup and restore |
Features
The headline features first, then the full list as the vendor states it.
Smart bank transaction categorisation
Deep, customisable reporting
Receipt capture on mobile
VAT tracking aligned to VAT201 periods
Integrations the vendor lists for QuickBooks Online. Check the fine print for plan limits before you rely on one.
Screenshots
A look at the screens you'll spend your day in.
Ratings
Every score below comes from verified reviews. Nothing is weighted or edited.
205 verified reviews
Head to head
QuickBooks Online against QuickBooks Online Accountant, side by side. Same verified review data, no weighting.
Starting price
R322/mo
Starting price
Freeplan
Pricing options
Pricing options
Ease of use
Ease of use
Value for money
Value for money
Customer service
Customer service
Functionality
Functionality
Reviews
205 verified reviews from people who use QuickBooks Online in their own business.
Sarah September
Office Manager · September Digital Studio
30 September 2024
It does the accounting brilliantly and the localisation adequately. There is no local payroll, so we pair it with a SA payroll product and post journals across. The VAT configuration needed our accountant's help, the defaults are not South African.
Cons
Promo to full price jump surprises
Lwazi Smith
Bookkeeper
9 April 2025
The core experience is superb, the periphery is patchy. The price has climbed every year and the promo to full price jump surprises people.
Pros
Excellent mobile app with receipt capture
Sanjay Kruger
Sole Proprietor
22 February 2026
As a Polokwane business we hesitated over an American product, and the rand pricing plus VAT support settled it. It scaled from two of us to a proper finance function without changing systems. The books run themselves now, mostly.
Pros
Huge app marketplace for integrations; no installs or version upgrades ever
Cons
Promo to full price jump surprises
The full archive, unedited. Or add your own and help the next buyer.
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FAQ
The questions South African buyers ask most about QuickBooks Online, answered from the data on this page.
QuickBooks Online pricing starts at R322/mo.
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