For any business, the process of adopting new technology and tools has to pass several sceptical tests. Whether it is about starting to use new software or an online software access method, it has to pass a business-specific checklist, a crucial element of which is pricing.
Irrespective of the technology business owners wish to implement, the cost element often acts as a bottleneck. Switching from QuickBooks desktop software to QuickBooks cloud is no different.
Whether it is about a small business or an established organization, the decision to adopt cloud solutions must involve QuickBooks hosting price discussion. A QuickBooks user cannot accept any price quoted by QB hosting providers nor can he avoid questioning the service quality if the services are available at very low rates. All this may make you wonder:
- What does QuickBooks cloud hosting pricing cover?
- Do you need to pay anything in addition to buying a QuickBooks hosting plan?
- Why do cloud hosting providers offer QuickBooks hosting at different rates?
This complete guide will answer various sides of the cost factor related to hosting QuickBooks on the cloud.
Elements of QuickBooks Hosting Cost
At its core, two elements determine the overall QuickBooks hosting price:
- Cost of purchasing the license of a suitable QuickBooks desktop version (QuickBooks Pro, Premier, etc.)
- Cost of buying a suitable QB hosting plan
If a user has already purchased the license, it means a portion of the total price payable is already paid. He is left with paying for the QuickBooks hosting plan. Otherwise, he has to pay for both of these elements. Now the pricing story does not end here.
While the parent company – Intuit can keep the cost of the QuickBooks desktop license intact, it is up to the cloud hosting provider to decide the cost of cloud solutions. Most QuickBooks hosting providers ask for a nominal fee for these plans, others may ask for higher pricing based on the service quality, benefits, and features they provide.
Explaining it further, several other factors also play a crucial role in determining QuickBooks cloud hosting pricing, such as:
- Reputation of the cloud hosting provider – A service provider who knows well about the ins and outs of the cloud industry may ask for a higher price for its cloud hosting plans based on the experience.
- Shared or dedicated server hosting – While some hosting providers offer both shared and dedicated QB hosting plans, others only provide dedicated servers to their clients. In both these types of cloud solutions, the price will vary.
If you have also heard about QuickBooks Online and have comparative questions rising in mind by now, let’s cover them too.
How is QuickBooks Online Different?
QuickBooks Online is a cloud-based version that Intuit (QuickBooks’ parent company) offers under the Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) model. There is no local system installation required and you need not worry much about the system configuration. This is what cloud-hosted QuickBooks also offer, right? There is a thin line of difference between the two.
- QuickBooks Online is cloud-based but the underlying cloud server belongs to Intuit. On the other hand, QuickBooks hosting involves a third-party cloud server that is owned and managed by the chosen cloud solution provider.
- QuickBooks Online features are not the same as in the case of using QuickBooks desktop software. Even the interface is slightly different from the desktop counterpart.
- QuickBooks hosting price is much different than selecting a suitable QuickBooks Online plan.
- QuickBooks Online does not require buying the license of the software first. The cost of the QBO plan includes that part.
- QuickBooks desktop versions – Pro, Premier, etc. or their industry-specific editions can only be hosted on a third-party cloud server. Switching to the cloud via QuickBooks Online also implies losing access to the features of these versions/editions.
Now, let’s look at a significant side of QuickBooks cloud pricing –
Should You Only Consider QuickBooks Cloud Hosting Pricing?
In terms of decision-making, consider this to be analogous to any other valuable buying decision to be made in life. Whether it is about buying essentials for the family, a personal vehicle, or apparel, we do not look at the price tag associated but the value for the money we pay. Apply the same logic to selecting a QuickBooks hosting plan and think twice if the decision is to be made based on the pricing alone.
The ideal way to look at QuickBooks cloud hosting pricing is to consider it as one of the parameters taken into account to select a suitable hosting plan. However, it should never be the only parameter determining your decision. The search for the cheapest QuickBooks hosting plan often makes individuals select the one that does not fulfil their expectations. On the other hand, if you focus on selecting the best plan that is highly beneficial for your business, paying a competitive price for it won’t hurt.
Now if pricing alone cannot determine the value of a QuickBooks hosting plan, what else do you need to consider? Let’s shed some light on that too.
What Should You Check Before Selecting a QuickBooks Hosting Plan?
- Supported QuickBooks versions – A QuickBooks user has purchased a QB Pro desktop license but the cloud provider only hosts QuickBooks Premier and above versions. Will it work? Obviously, it won’t, which is why it is important to double-check the versions supported by the select cloud hosting provider. You can simply check their website for such information.
- Round-the-clock customer support – Since cloud-based software access issues can arise anytime, it is important that one can get the required assistance without much delay. Not having 24×7 support available undermines the very benefit of the cloud around remote accessibility. Along with the QuickBooks hosting price, this should be checked beforehand. Also, look at the modes of communication offered to the clients, which should include phone, email, and/or chat.
- Cloud server accessibility – If licensed QuickBooks desktop software is hosted on a cloud server and that server is inaccessible, the situation becomes similar to facing a technical issue in a local-hosted environment. This is why it is important to check server uptime guarantee as a deciding factor before selecting a cloud service provider.
- Add-ons integration – Although QuickBooks is a full-fledged business software, it works even better when integrated with several third-party add-ons. While it is possible to add as many add-ons as you want in a local setup, double-check on the same possibility in the cloud environment. Ask the hired cloud solution provider about add-on support and decide accordingly.
- Data security checks in place – Whether you invest in top-rated data security measures for an on-premise environment or not, you would agree to take responsibility for security breaches if they occur. Cloud servers, on the other hand, are located far away from the end-user location and most users do not know what kind of security setup is in existence. This is why you must check the worth of QuickBooks cloud hosting pricing payable in terms of data security measures deployed.
Why Selecting a Renowned QB Hosting Provider Matters?
Irrespective of the cloud hosting provider selected, one cannot avoid paying for the cost of chosen hosting plan. At one place, you might end up paying a little less than others. But if that cost savings results in a significant compromise in service quality, it is not worth paying for. This is why it is advisable to select a renowned QuickBooks hosting provider who is trustworthy and reliable in terms of service quality. Here’s what you can expect:
- Remote QuickBooks accessibility from anywhere and anytime
- Server uptime guarantee of up to 99.999% (varies from one service provider to another)
- Advanced security of data backed by firewalls, IDPS, encryption, and more
- Cloud-backed team collaboration to eliminate redundant tasks at work
- Uninterrupted software performance based on SSD-backed servers, and more
Conclusion
QuickBooks hosting price alone cannot determine the benefits of switching to the cloud environment. Hence, it makes to follow a comprehensive comparison approach before making any final decision.
