QuickBooks Self-Employed alternatives for 2027

Updated 2026-10-18 · Not tax advice

Figures used: Competitor prices and features were read on each company's own pricing or help pages on October 15, 2026. Prices are list prices before introductory discounts. They change often, so check the linked page before you buy.

Free: the one-page Q4 2026 estimated tax worksheet (printable, Excel or Google Sheets) and the quarterly estimated tax calculator.

QuickBooks Self-Employed (QBSE) gave freelancers bank sync, mileage, Schedule C categories and a quarterly tax estimate in one app. Intuit has stopped selling it to new customers. Here is what changed, what each replacement costs, and which one fits which kind of business.

What happened to QuickBooks Self-Employed?

As of October 15, 2026, Intuit’s help pages say:

• New customers can’t buy QBSE. Intuit suggests QuickBooks Solopreneur instead. Current subscribers can keep their subscription (Intuit, updated Aug 5, 2026).
• The QBSE mobile app stopped being available for download after March 24, 2024. If you installed it before then, you can still use it. The web version still works.
• Switching to Solopreneur moves customers, invoices (only if your QBSE account uses Intuit’s new invoice experience; otherwise save or recreate them first), trips, products and services, bank connections, receipts and up to 3 years of transactions. Rules and quarterly tax estimates don’t move over yet, and third-party connections (Etsy, Uber, Amazon), tags and vendors can’t be moved at all. After an automatic switch you lose access to the old account, so Intuit tells you to download reports, transactions, mileage logs, receipts and invoices first (Intuit, updated Aug 5, 2026).
• Quarterly estimates: Intuit’s feature comparison marks “Quarterly tax estimation” and “Export to TurboTax” for QBSE only. It marks “Embedded tax filing” for Solopreneur instead.
• Pricing: Intuit’s products page lists QuickBooks Solopreneur at $20 a month, or $10 a month for the first 3 months. Its solopreneur sales page now offers QuickBooks Free ($0, with limits such as 2 invoices a month) and QuickBooks Lite ($10 a month promotional price). On Intuit’s pricing page, quarterly payment estimates appear under QuickBooks Online Essentials, listed at $85 a month.

QuickBooks Self-Employed alternatives compared

“Not listed” means we didn’t see the feature on that company’s pricing page. It doesn’t mean the product can’t do it.

What does each cost over 3 years?

Monthly list price × 36, or the yearly price × 3 for plans sold only yearly, without introductory discounts, payment-processing fees or tax-filing fees. Where a company lists a yearly price too, its 3-year total is shown in brackets. Solopreneur and FreshBooks advertise yearly discounts we didn’t price:

Keeper Standard includes a filed federal return and up to 2 state returns, so compare it with an app plus what you pay a preparer.

Who is each option best for?

QuickBooks Solopreneur

Pick it if you liked QBSE’s bank sync and want the least effort to switch: Intuit moves most of your data for you. It adds customer estimates and embedded tax filing. Check the quarterly estimate before you commit, and plan to rebuild rules and any Etsy, Uber or Amazon connections.

Wave

Pick it if you mainly send invoices and want to pay nothing. Starter is $0. Bank import, auto-categorizing and unlimited receipt capture are on Pro ($19 a month or $190 a year). Wave’s pricing page doesn’t list mileage tracking or tax estimates.

FreshBooks

Pick it if billing clients is the hard part. Plans cover estimates, invoices, time tracking and payments. Lite ($23 a month) caps you at 5 billable clients. Receipt scanning and accountant access start on Plus ($43 a month).

Keeper

Pick it if you want write-offs found for you and a return filed in the same app. Standard ($199 a year) includes a federal return and up to 2 states, reviewed by a tax pro. Scheduling quarterly payments is on Premium ($399 a year). Mileage and income tracking are marked “coming soon” on Keeper’s pricing page.

Hurdlr

Pick it if you drive for work. The free version has unlimited semi-automatic mileage tracking, manual income and expense tracking, and real-time tax estimates. Premium ($9.99 a month or $99.99 a year) adds automatic mileage, bank and card tracking, and tax payment tracking.

Found

Pick it if you are happy to open a new business account. The free plan includes real-time tax estimates, a Taxes Pocket that saves for tax as money comes in, expense categories and receipt scanning. In-app quarterly federal payments and importing transactions from other banks are on Found Plus ($35 a month or $315 a year).

Keelsheet spreadsheet

Pick it if you want to pay once and keep your numbers in your own Excel or Google Sheets file. The Calculator Spreadsheet ($14) turns year-to-date profit into each 1040-ES payment, checks the safe harbor and logs all four payments. The Tax Bundle ($22) adds a Schedule C ledger. There is no bank sync, receipt capture, mileage tracking or invoicing: you type or paste your numbers. The workbooks use 2026 IRS figures today. Launch buyers get the 2027 update free, and later updates are an optional $19 a year.

When is a subscription app the better choice?

Be honest with yourself about how you work. A subscription app is worth it if:

• You have dozens of transactions a month and won’t enter them by hand.
• You need automatic mileage. Hurdlr, Solopreneur and QBSE did this from your phone. A spreadsheet can’t.
• You send invoices and want card payments and reminders built in (Wave, FreshBooks, Solopreneur).
• You want someone else to prepare and file the return (Keeper Standard includes a filed return). Solopreneur’s assisted tax service is different: you prepare the return yourself with live expert help and an expert review before filing, with separate federal and state filing fees on top of the subscription (Intuit).

A spreadsheet is the better fit if you have a few clients, a handful of expenses a month, and mostly need to know what to pay each quarter. You can also pair a free mileage app with a spreadsheet for the tax math.

How do you handle quarterly estimated taxes without QBSE?

QBSE showed a running quarterly estimate. If you move to a tool without one, the payment rules don’t change. You generally owe quarterly payments if you expect to owe $1,000 or more for the year after withholding and refundable credits, and your withholding and credits will cover less than the smaller of 90% of this year’s tax or 100% of last year’s (110% if last year’s AGI was over $150,000). If you owed no tax last year (and were a U.S. citizen or resident all year, with a 12-month tax year), or a W-2 job’s withholding already covers that target, you may not need them (IRS estimated tax FAQ). Federal estimates are due four times a year, and the next one, for the last part of 2026, is due January 15, 2027 (due dates).

1. Find your number. Estimate this year’s profit, then work out self-employment tax plus income tax. Our free quarterly estimated tax calculator does this in your browser.
2. Check the safe harbor. Paying at least 100% of last year’s tax (110% if last year’s AGI was over $150,000, or $75,000 if married filing separately) in timely installments generally avoids the underpayment penalty (safe harbor guide).
3. Save as you earn. Move a share of each payment to a separate account. The 1099 set-aside calculator suggests a percentage.
4. Pay and log it. Pay through IRS Direct Pay or your IRS Online Account (how to pay online) and record the date and amount.

How do you switch from QuickBooks Self-Employed?

1. Export everything first. Download your transactions, reports (including your tax summary), mileage log, receipts and invoices from QBSE. Intuit says you lose access to the old account after an automatic switch to Solopreneur.
2. Keep last year’s tax figure. You need your prior-year total tax for the safe-harbor check.
3. Write down your rules and estimates. Neither moves to Solopreneur yet, so note your categorization rules and quarterly payments made this year.
4. Switch after a deadline. Moving right after a quarterly payment, or after you file, leaves the most time to check the new books.
5. Cancel QBSE last, once your data is in the new tool, so you aren’t billed twice.

See how a spreadsheet compares with QuickBooks and Keeper for bookkeeping in our Schedule C spreadsheet comparison, or build a Schedule C template in Excel or Google Sheets.

Only need the quarterly estimate? Compare free and paid templates in the best quarterly estimated tax spreadsheet for freelancers.

Sources

Checked October 15, 2026. QuickBooks, QuickBooks Self-Employed, QuickBooks Solopreneur, Wave, FreshBooks, Keeper, Hurdlr and Found are trademarks of their respective owners. Keelsheet isn’t affiliated with any of them, and we earn nothing from links to them.

• Intuit: Introduction to QuickBooks Solopreneur (updated Aug 5, 2026)
• Intuit: Switch from QuickBooks Self-Employed to QuickBooks Solopreneur (updated Aug 5, 2026)
• Intuit: Compare QuickBooks products
• Intuit: QuickBooks for solopreneurs (Free and Lite plans)
• Intuit: QuickBooks Online pricing
• Wave pricing
• FreshBooks pricing
• Keeper pricing
• Hurdlr on the App Store
• Hurdlr University: Premium features and cost
• Found pricing
• Keelsheet pricing

This guide is general information, not tax advice. Confirm figures with IRS.gov or a qualified tax professional.

FAQ

Is QuickBooks Self-Employed discontinued?

For new customers, yes. Intuit says new customers can't buy it and suggests QuickBooks Solopreneur. Existing subscribers can keep their subscription and use the web version. The mobile app stopped being available for download after March 24, 2024.

Does QuickBooks Solopreneur calculate quarterly estimated taxes?

Intuit's feature comparison, updated August 5, 2026, lists quarterly tax estimation for QuickBooks Self-Employed and not for Solopreneur. Intuit's migration guide also says quarterly tax estimates don't move over yet. Test the current plan during a trial before you rely on it.

What is the cheapest QuickBooks Self-Employed alternative?

Wave Starter, Hurdlr's free version, Found's free plan and QuickBooks Free all cost $0 a month, each with limits. If you want a quarterly estimate without a subscription, the Keelsheet calculator is a one-time $14.

Can I keep using QuickBooks Self-Employed?

Yes, if you already subscribe. Intuit says current subscribers can continue. Export your data before you cancel or switch.

Which alternative is closest to QuickBooks Self-Employed?

QuickBooks Solopreneur is Intuit's own replacement and can import most of your data automatically. Hurdlr and Found are closest on quarterly tax estimates, which Intuit's comparison doesn't list for Solopreneur.