SoloBid vs QuickBooks
QuickBooks is accounting software — not a contractor quoting and invoicing tool. Yes, it can send invoices. But it's overkill for a solo contractor who just needs to quote jobs, send invoices, and get paid. You end up paying for a full accounting system to use 10% of what it does.
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QuickBooks is built for small businesses that need full bookkeeping and accounting. If you're a one-person shop, here's what that means:
It's accounting software first, invoicing second. The interface assumes you're a bookkeeper.
No trade-specific templates. Quotes and estimates are generic.
E-signatures cost extra (QuickBooks Payments fees on top of the subscription).
Setting up takes hours — chart of accounts, tax mapping, item lists, etc.
The phone app is clunky for sending quotes on a job site.
Side by side — what you actually get.
Monthly cost
SoloBid
$19/month
QuickBooks
$35–$235/month
Setup time
SoloBid
2 minutes
QuickBooks
Hours
Learning curve
SoloBid
None
QuickBooks
Steep (accounting basics required)
Trade templates
SoloBid
Yes
QuickBooks
No
Quotes & estimates
SoloBid
Built for it
QuickBooks
Basic
E-signatures
SoloBid
Included
QuickBooks
Extra fee
Online payments
SoloBid
Yes (Stripe)
QuickBooks
Yes (QuickBooks Payments)
SMS invoice sending
SoloBid
Yes
QuickBooks
No
Price book (materials + labor)
SoloBid
Yes
QuickBooks
Item list (generic)
Recurring invoices
SoloBid
Yes
QuickBooks
Yes
Full accounting
SoloBid
No (use with accountant)
QuickBooks
Yes
Tax prep & 1099s
SoloBid
No
QuickBooks
Yes
Best for
SoloBid
Quoting, invoicing, getting paid
QuickBooks
Full bookkeeping
We're not trying to replace QuickBooks. If you run a big operation, use QuickBooks. But if you're a solo contractor, here's why SoloBid makes more sense.
Great features — for companies with employees.
Built for the one-person shop.
QuickBooks: $35–$235/month (Simple Start to Advanced).
SoloBid: $19/month. Everything included.
Pro
$19/month
or $149/year (save 37%)
14-day free trial · No credit card required
Quote it. Send it. Get paid. That's it. Start your free trial and see why solo contractors are switching to SoloBid.
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