Your QuickBooks Desktop 2021 software will be discontinued

[Diluted Waters]

Here we go again...

I received this message today:

We want to inform you that your QuickBooks Desktop 2021 software will be discontinued on May 31, 2024.
...
Let us help you choose a new QuickBooks plan, so you can avoid service interruptions and continue getting the latest security updates and features.
We recommend switching to QuickBooks Online for greater flexibility and collaboration.

I've seen discussions of the potential discontinuation of the desktop software in the past. This message, however, is not clear that no desktop software will be available on my Mac going forward.

It's only clear that the "...Desktop 2021..." will be discontinued, and that they "recommend" switching to "Online" to give QB control over my ability to maintain my books and enable QB to maintain continuous access to my money. Er, I mean, "...for greater flexibility and collaboration."

Riiiiiight.

I don't want "a plan." I don't want to rent software. I don't want to grant access to my attributable personal financial information to a company with no accountability to me. I don't want some company and its people, or people who hack that company's systems, the ability to corrupt my information, disable my access to my data anytime they feel like and extort rate increases anytime they feel like doing so. I own a "personal" computer for a reason.

Does anyone here have clear, unambiguous information and/or references to such information about whether QuickBooks Desktop Mac as a stand-alone software product is going to be discontinued entirely and only their online product will be available going forward?

Thank you!
-DW

[rossington]

Here we go again...

I received this message today:

We want to inform you that your QuickBooks Desktop 2021 software will be discontinued on May 31, 2024.
...
Let us help you choose a new QuickBooks plan, so you can avoid service interruptions and continue getting the latest security updates and features.
We recommend switching to QuickBooks Online for greater flexibility and collaboration.

I've seen discussions of the potential discontinuation of the desktop software in the past. This message, however, is not clear that no desktop software will be available on my Mac going forward.

It's only clear that the "...Desktop 2021..." will be discontinued, and that they "recommend" switching to "Online" to give QB control over my ability to maintain my books and enable QB to maintain continuous access to my money. Er, I mean, "...for greater flexibility and collaboration."

Riiiiiight.

I don't want "a plan." I don't want to rent software. I don't want to grant access to my attributable personal financial information to a company with no accountability to me. I don't want some company and its people, or people who hack that company's systems, the ability to corrupt my information, disable my access to my data anytime they feel like and extort rate increases anytime they feel like doing so. I own a "personal" computer for a reason.

Does anyone here have clear, unambiguous information and/or references to such information about whether QuickBooks Desktop Mac as a stand-alone software product is going to be discontinued entirely and only their online product will be available going forward?

Thank you!
-DW

Are you using QB for a business?
If so are you using it for payroll?

[doobiedoo]

I used several versions of QuickBooks from 2004-2012 for my Scorp business.
Every 3 years I would have to buy a new version.

The old version of QuickBooks doesn't "stop working", but you will no longer get updates to the software.
And if you are using QuickBooks for payroll, those software updates are mandatory.

[Gryphon]

When I go to the Quickbooks site & start looking around, the only option for desktop software I can find is an Enterprise version that has a subscription fee starting at just over $1100 per year without payroll, everything else is online. I see no option at all to buy the software for a one time payment & use it without paying an ongoing subscription.

So that tells me they no longer offer the product you want at the pricing you want; you're going to have to either compromise on something or move on to a different program altogether.

Edit: There is a 2024 version of the Quickbooks Mac software, so it doesn't seem that the Mac software has been discontinued. But when I check around at various online stores I don't see any options to buy anything other than a 1 year subscription for the online service.

[theplayer11]

You will be able to still use but no online features like payroll. I use desktop pro 2020 that was discontinued in May. I did use QB payroll and switched to OnPay who I'm satisfied with. They do all the filings for about the same price QB charged without the filings.

[BuddyJet]

When I go to the Quickbooks site & start looking around, the only option for desktop software I can find is an Enterprise version that has a subscription fee starting at just over $1100 per year without payroll, everything else is online. I see no option at all to buy the software for a one time payment & use it without paying an ongoing subscription.

So that tells me they no longer offer the product you want at the pricing you want; you're going to have to either compromise on something or move on to a different program altogether.

Edit: There is a 2024 version of the Quickbooks Mac software, so it doesn't seem that the Mac software has been discontinued. But when I check around at various online stores I don't see any options to buy anything other than a 1 year subscription for the online service.

Not a full answer but here is a link to download Pro 2024 for Mac. Once installed, I’d assume there is a registration/purchase path.

https://downloads.quickbooks.com/app/qb ... country=us

[8foot7]

The Quickbooks Desktop product has moved to subscription-only, and that includes the Mac version. I don't believe there is any public information on the future of the Mac desktop product in terms of availability.

[Boots4ever]

I have been using QuickBooks Pro2013 since 2013 (Windows version). I no longer use the payroll service but enter it manually into QB.

Like you, I do not want to use the subscription-only service. I just ignore all the alerts that QB sends out. So far I have been able to send year-end data to our CPA with no issues.

[Diluted Waters]

Thank you all for the detailed responses.

I don't use payroll functions, so it appears I could run 2021 indefinitely or maybe download the 2024 version and pay for something I've paid for already.

At this stage, I'm concerned that when it's time to switch to an Arm-processor based Mac, my 2021 software will not work or even if it works in the Intel compatibility mode eventually it will stop. I guess I'll cross, or burn, that bridge when I get there.

Thanks again for the help.

[talzara]

Not a full answer but here is a link to download Pro 2024 for Mac. Once installed, I’d assume there is a registration/purchase path.

https://downloads.quickbooks.com/app/qb ... country=us

What if the registration link takes you to the same page that shows only the $1,000 software?

It's not worth the risk to a working installation. If you have a second computer, you can try it on the second computer to see what it does.

[Gryphon]

At this stage, I'm concerned that when it's time to switch to an Arm-processor based Mac, my 2021 software will not work or even if it works in the Intel compatibility mode eventually it will stop. I guess I'll cross, or burn, that bridge when I get there.

The most recent version of the 2021 Quickbooks Mac software (available here) is Universal.

Not a full answer but here is a link to download Pro 2024 for Mac. Once installed, I’d assume there is a registration/purchase path.

What if the registration link takes you to the same page that shows only the $1,000 software?

I can't find any link within the software to purchase a license, just the option to enter a license code already obtained elsewhere.

[fullham]

You will be able to still use but no online features like payroll. I use desktop pro 2020 that was discontinued in May. I did use QB payroll and switched to OnPay who I'm satisfied with. They do all the filings for about the same price QB charged without the filings.

Is it easy to import the payroll data from OnPay into Quickbooks? I am looking to switch from QB Payroll but continue using the desktop QB for as long as I am able to.

[rossington]

Thank you all for the detailed responses.

I don't use payroll functions, so it appears I could run 2021 indefinitely or maybe download the 2024 version and pay for something I've paid for already.

At this stage, I'm concerned that when it's time to switch to an Arm-processor based Mac, my 2021 software will not work or even if it works in the Intel compatibility mode eventually it will stop. I guess I'll cross, or burn, that bridge when I get there.

Thanks again for the help.

What we did when our older version of QB no longer worked with a newer operating system we downloaded a free virtual machine software and installed the older operating system within that on new machine. Then we installed the older QB within the vm.
The old key worked fine. Still works today. (No payroll).

[BuddyJet]

At this stage, I'm concerned that when it's time to switch to an Arm-processor based Mac, my 2021 software will not work or even if it works in the Intel compatibility mode eventually it will stop. I guess I'll cross, or burn, that bridge when I get there.

The most recent version of the 2021 Quickbooks Mac software (available here) is Universal.

Not a full answer but here is a link to download Pro 2024 for Mac. Once installed, I’d assume there is a registration/purchase path.

What if the registration link takes you to the same page that shows only the $1,000 software?

I can't find any link within the software to purchase a license, just the option to enter a license code already obtained elsewhere.

My next step would be to call Intuit, say you have installed 2024 Pro for Mac and ask how to buy a license.

If they have it available for download, there must be a way to buy a license.

[Gryphon]

This reddit discussion from last year might be of interest. Apparently desktop licenses are still available if you call Intuit, they're just not available online anymore.

[theplayer11]

You will be able to still use but no online features like payroll. I use desktop pro 2020 that was discontinued in May. I did use QB payroll and switched to OnPay who I'm satisfied with. They do all the filings for about the same price QB charged without the filings.

Is it easy to import the payroll data from OnPay into Quickbooks? I am looking to switch from QB Payroll but continue using the desktop QB for as long as I am able to.

I wouldn't say easy, but not too difficult. I save a file with Onpay, then input from QB.

[talzara]

My next step would be to call Intuit, say you have installed 2024 Pro for Mac and ask how to buy a license.

This reddit discussion from last year might be of interest. Apparently desktop licenses are still available if you call Intuit, they're just not available online anymore.

According to that Reddit thread, it is a "miserable experience" to call Intuit customer service since most representatives do not know how to sell you a desktop license.

The person who started the thread had to call three times. Another person had to call four times. Both of them report that the price is now $550 for one year, which is a 370% increase from the old price of $350 for three years.

[yankees60]

Today I was using QuickBooks Desktop 2021 (Windows) for a business I do work for.

A few years ago the business was forced to also get QuickBooks online as that was the only software that the business's web site could interact with. So we've been using the online software strictly for sales and once a month make a journal entry into the desktop software to capture that sales activity in the online software.

Today As soon as I was using the online software I was again telling myself that it is an excruciatingly painful product to use compared to the desktop software.

Since we are not using the desktop software in any online way it should be good for as long as it continues to work with future Windows operating system software.

I was happy to read in a prior response that setting up a Virtual Machine could be a way of dealing with that problem when / if it arises.

[8foot7]

Unfortunately it looks like the hammer has dropped.
https://www.reddit.com/r/msp/comments/1 ... lly_dying/

After July 31, 2024, Intuit will no longer sell new subscriptions of the following Desktop products in the US:
• QuickBooks Desktop Pro Plus
• QuickBooks Desktop Premier Plus
• QuickBooks Desktop Mac Plus
• QuickBooks Desktop Enhanced Payroll

What is not changing:
• Existing Desktop Pro Plus, Premier Plus, Mac Plus, and Enhanced Payroll subscribers can continue to renew their subscription after July 31, 2024*. We will continue to provide security updates, product updates, and support for existing subscribers.
• All QuickBooks Desktop Enterprise subscriptions (Silver, Gold, Platinum, and Diamond) will continue to be available for purchase for new subscribers after July 31, 2024. Enterprise Gold, Platinum, and Diamond include integrated payroll.
• Accountants can continue purchasing QuickBooks Accountant Desktop Solutions, including ProAdvisor bundles, through our Accountant Sales team after July 31, 2024.

In case you're wondering, the lowest Enterprise cost is $1,464 per year. Not a credible alternative.

[sigmadave_2000]

I spoke with a Quickbooks Tech Expert. He said that your software will continue running; but will not be updated. So if you upgrade your Operating System your "stand alone" quickbooks software (that you've already paid for) will stop working. So you have a few options all of which are not good if you're a small business owner:

• Buy the new "Stand Alone" or Desktop version of the software. Something comparable to my version (Quickbooks Pro) costs 649$/year. (I'm guessing the price will keep going up.)

• Buy a subscription to their online version. The price of this is currently 360$-2,400$/year. I use classes to separate out income/expenses for different Schedule E's and to do reports based on each segment. So I will need the PRO or ADVANCED version, 1,080$ and 2,400$ respectively.

• If you've purchased and paid for an older version of Quickbooks, downgrade your operating system, and use the version of Quickbooks you've paid for. But the newer versions of all your other software might not work.

• Buy a computer only for Quickbooks and run the older version of the operating system that's compatible with the Desktop version you've paid for. Use your other computer for everything else.

--From what he told me Intuit is no longer selling Quickbooks 2019 and Quickbooks 2021 the latest desktop versions that don't need a subscription. It's my understanding that you can download a version of the software if you bought it online from Intuit; or install from disk if you purchased it that way.

Seems like fourth option is the best. A desktop/laptop would last for at least six or seven years and cost about the same as one year of their online service.

Not sure why intuit is doing this to us, I've been using Quickbooks for over 30 years.

Basically Quickbooks is just a database with a nice GUI that prints on a check. I am surprised that no one else has come out with anything comparable for small businesses and Non-Profit Organizations that need to track expenses and income. Does anyone know of a good quickbook MAC alternative?

[yankees60]

Not sure why intuit is doing this to us, I've been using Quickbooks for over 30 years.

I will give you one guess.

Way back, about 25 years ago, in the 90s, I was spending $300 a year to buy their individual and business tax softwares.

Then they did something to get them more money and I abandoned them since, going to H&R Block tax software.

At the time I declared them to me the most money hungry, most greedy corporation anywhere.

[jameskay]

Dang. I have still been happily using QuickBooks Pro Desktop 2016 and not upgraded since that time - doing very straightforward usage, running simple monthly payroll elsewhere and typing in the results for 2 minutes each month.
Been getting the discontinued warning for many months - hadnt chosen to install the latest updates for long time, and had been humming along nicely. Message changed to grow more urgent in recent months. Now, from today, I have found that some features are no longer working. Like trying to open checking account register is giving "Unrecoverable Error" and software shuts down. It feels like Intuit has ramped it up a notch trying to get me off of this. Did it happen to anyone else? Like others of you, I dont want a subscription - but not clear if there is any other choice.

[theplayer11]

Dang. I have still been happily using QuickBooks Pro Desktop 2016 and not upgraded since that time - doing very straightforward usage, running simple monthly payroll elsewhere and typing in the results for 2 minutes each month.
Been getting the discontinued warning for many months - hadnt chosen to install the latest updates for long time, and had been humming along nicely. Message changed to grow more urgent in recent months. Now, from today, I have found that some features are no longer working. Like trying to open checking account register is giving "Unrecoverable Error" and software shuts down. It feels like Intuit has ramped it up a notch trying to get me off of this. Did it happen to anyone else? Like others of you, I dont want a subscription - but not clear if there is any other choice.

My desktop pro 2020 still working properly.

[yankees60]

Anyone have any updates on this.

[CalPoppy]

Anyone have any updates on this.

I received a recent email from Intuit that included the following (references to Intuit’s webpages and phone numbers for product sales removed):

“After September 30, 2024, Intuit will no longer sell new subscriptions of the following Desktop products in the US:

QuickBooks Desktop Enhanced Payroll
QuickBooks Desktop Pro Plus
QuickBooks Desktop Premier Plus
QuickBooks Desktop Mac Plus

What is not changing:

Existing customers, like yourself, of our Desktop Pro Plus, Premier Plus, Mac Plus, and Enhanced Payroll subscriptions, can continue to renew their subscription after September 30, 2024*. We will continue to provide security updates, product updates, and customer support for existing subscribers as per the subscription terms.

All QuickBooks Desktop Enterprise subscriptions (Silver, Gold, Platinum, and Diamond) will continue to be available for purchase for new subscribers after September 30, 2024. Enterprise Gold, Platinum, and Diamond include integrated payroll.

What actions you can take now:

We encourage you to consider our QuickBooks Desktop Plus alternatives such as QuickBooks Desktop Enterprise or QuickBooks Online:

QuickBooks Enterprise, our leading Desktop solution, can be customized to help solve your specific business concerns. Get additional benefits such as 14x the user roles and 6x the capacity plus faster payroll, 200+ industry reports, and editions for your industry.

QuickBooks Online offers the benefits of a cloud-based program, including automatically syncing with your mobile app, to offer you flexibility anywhere your business takes you!”

[River in Sight]

I’m still using quickbooks 2018 for my s-corp. I recently got an ARM-based computer which I worried would be an issue, but quickbooks continues to work flawlessly. I now use Square for payroll. There’s no way I’m moving to QB’s subscription product.

[lillycat]

+1. I am using QB desktop 2014 for my simple s-corp LLCs. I do not want to rent QB either.
It’s on a separate windows machine and I think I can no longer upgrade the Microsoft operating system on it.

I am paranoid about the machine going down, and losing all the data.
I backup the QB data now and then to Dropbox. And I am praying that I never
have to restore the data and old software to a new computer!

But - I am saddened to hear that I do not have any updated desktop alternatives.
I don’t need payroll. Any one else worried about computers breaking down and losing
their data or software?

What if anything should I do? Thanks!

[CalPoppy]

+1. I am using QB desktop 2014 for my simple s-corp LLCs. I do not want to rent QB either.
It’s on a separate windows machine and I think I can no longer upgrade the Microsoft operating system on it.

I am paranoid about the machine going down, and losing all the data.
I backup the QB data now and then to Dropbox. And I am praying that I never
have to restore the data and old software to a new computer!

But - I am saddened to hear that I do not have any updated desktop alternatives.
I don’t need payroll. Any one else worried about computers breaking down and losing
their data or software?

What if anything should I do? Thanks!

You could clone your hard drive on a regular basis (like once a week). If something happens, you will have everything.

[yankees60]

+1. I am using QB desktop 2014 for my simple s-corp LLCs. I do not want to rent QB either.
It’s on a separate windows machine and I think I can no longer upgrade the Microsoft operating system on it.

I am paranoid about the machine going down, and losing all the data.
I backup the QB data now and then to Dropbox. And I am praying that I never
have to restore the data and old software to a new computer!

But - I am saddened to hear that I do not have any updated desktop alternatives.
I don’t need payroll. Any one else worried about computers breaking down and losing
their data or software?

What if anything should I do? Thanks!

You could clone your hard drive on a regular basis (like once a week). If something happens, you will have everything.

What do you recommend using to accomplish the mission?

[lillycat]

YES! Great idea. What is the easiest way to back up the hard drive?
Thanks!

[yankees60]

YES! Great idea. What is the easiest way to back up the hard drive?
Thanks!

Are not backing up a hard drive and making a clone of it two different things?

[lillycat]

I’m a blank slate.
You tell me the best way to protect myself from loss if the computer breaks, ok?
Whatever you say, make it simple! Thanks.

[CalPoppy]

YES! Great idea. What is the easiest way to back up the hard drive?
Thanks!

Are not backing up a hard drive and making a clone of it two different things?

Yes. Backups often only contain some of what is on your computer's hard drive. Some backup software will also keep multiple versions of files. So if a particular file gets corrupted, for example your Quickbooks company file, you can restore an older version of that file.

A clone is essentially a copy of your computer's hard drive. Think of it as a full snapshot in time. It will not contain any older versions of files. But it will containing everything to get a new computer up and running exactly like your old computer (all files, programs, operating system, etc.).

Pro Tip: The clone can also be made "bootable" - meaning you can use it in a pinch with another computer to have full access to everything that was on the cloned drive (a good temporary option, but not for long term use).

[yankees60]

YES! Great idea. What is the easiest way to back up the hard drive?
Thanks!

Are not backing up a hard drive and making a clone of it two different things?

Yes. Backups often only contain some of what is on your computer's hard drive. Some backup software will also keep multiple versions of files. So if a particular file gets corrupted, for example your Quickbooks company file, you can restore an older version of that file.

A clone is essentially a copy of your computer's hard drive. Think of it as a full snapshot in time. It will not contain any older versions of files. But it will containing everything to get a new computer up and running exactly like your old computer (all files, programs, operating system, etc.).

Pro Tip: The clone can also be made "bootable" - meaning you can use it in a pinch with another computer to have full access to everything that was on the cloned drive (a good temporary option, but not for long term use).

I have five or six drives several times a day backing up various data portions of hard drives.

But I've never cloned a hard drive, which I'd like to do for the reasons cited above.

What are recommended ways to do this?

[CalPoppy]

I’m a blank slate.
You tell me the best way to protect myself from loss if the computer breaks, ok?
Whatever you say, make it simple! Thanks.

I'm a Mac user. The process is the same for PCs, but the software you use will be different.

For clones:

• Buy an external drive equal in capacity to your Mac's internal drive
• Buy a cloning software, like SuperDuper! https://shirt-pocket.com/SuperDuper/Sup ... ption.html
• Plug in the drive and set up the software to create regularly scheduled clones

For backups:

• Buy an external drive, with enough space to hold about 2-4 times the amount of space that is being used on your Mac's drive
• Use the backup software that came with your Mac, Time Machine, If you instead buy backup software, get one that will backup versions of files as they change
• Plug in the drive and set up Time Machine to create regularly scheduled backups

Note: Most computers now come with solid-state drives (SSD) which fail much less often than the old hard disk drives. Due to that and the cloud, I know many who have backed off and/or modified their perfectionist backup routines. Given the age our your Quickbooks program, I made the assumption your computer is also old (well, in computer years )

[CalPoppy]

I have five or six drives several times a day backing up various data portions of hard drives.

But I've never cloned a hard drive, which I'd like to do for the reasons cited above.

What are recommended ways to do this?

See my above post

[yankees60]

I’m a blank slate.
You tell me the best way to protect myself from loss if the computer breaks, ok?
Whatever you say, make it simple! Thanks.

I'm a Mac user. The process is the same for PCs, but the software you use will be different.

For clones:

• Buy an external drive equal in capacity to your Mac's internal drive
• Buy a cloning software, like SuperDuper! https://shirt-pocket.com/SuperDuper/Sup ... ption.html
• Plug in the drive and set up the software to create regularly scheduled clones

For backups:

• Buy an external drive, with enough space to hold about 2-4 times the amount of space that is being used on your Mac's drive
• Use the backup software that came with your Mac, Time Machine, If you instead buy backup software, get one that will backup versions of files as they change
• Plug in the drive and set up Time Machine to create regularly scheduled backups

Note: Most computers now come with solid-state drives (SSD) which fail much less often than the old hard disk drives. Due to that and the cloud, I know many who have backed off and/or modified their perfectionist backup routines. Given the age our your Quickbooks program, I made the assumption your computer is also old (well, in computer years )

1. SuperDuper seems to be Apple only? No Windows? If so, do you have a Windows recommendation? I go heavily by others' recommendations rather than having to go into the vast wilderness and make a decision on my own.

2. At first I groaned about how large a drive I had to get. But then I realized that my data is many, many, many times well backed up. What is not backed up is the internal drive with the Windows operating system and all the installed software. That is only 500 GB rather than many TB's.

I assume I can clone on to several different hard drives? I don't like to rely upon one of anything. The more I have the same information on, the safer I feel.

[CalPoppy]

I’m a blank slate.
You tell me the best way to protect myself from loss if the computer breaks, ok?
Whatever you say, make it simple! Thanks.

I'm a Mac user. The process is the same for PCs, but the software you use will be different.

For clones:

• Buy an external drive equal in capacity to your Mac's internal drive
• Buy a cloning software, like SuperDuper! https://shirt-pocket.com/SuperDuper/Sup ... ption.html
• Plug in the drive and set up the software to create regularly scheduled clones

For backups:

• Buy an external drive, with enough space to hold about 2-4 times the amount of space that is being used on your Mac's drive
• Use the backup software that came with your Mac, Time Machine, If you instead buy backup software, get one that will backup versions of files as they change
• Plug in the drive and set up Time Machine to create regularly scheduled backups

Note: Most computers now come with solid-state drives (SSD) which fail much less often than the old hard disk drives. Due to that and the cloud, I know many who have backed off and/or modified their perfectionist backup routines. Given the age our your Quickbooks program, I made the assumption your computer is also old (well, in computer years )

1. SuperDuper seems to be Apple only? No Windows? If so, do you have a Windows recommendation? I go heavily by others' recommendations rather than having to go into the vast wilderness and make a decision on my own.

2. At first I groaned about how large a drive I had to get. But then I realized that my data is many, many, many times well backed up. What is not backed up is the internal drive with the Windows operating system and all the installed software. That is only 500 GB rather than many TB's.

I assume I can clone on to several different hard drives? I don't like to rely upon one of anything. The more I have the same information on, the safer I feel.

Sorry, I don't have any recommendation for Windows.