COMPARISON | 4 MIN READ
Sage Intacct vs. QuickBooks
A mid-market vs. a small business accounting software comparison.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Sage Intacct and QuickBooks Enterprise are leading business accounting solutions for small to mid-sized businesses. Based on your financial management needs, budget, and accessibility requirements, you may see one option as a better fit than the other for your business.
Mid-Market vs. Small Business
Ask small business owners what accounting system they use, and you’ll most likely hear “QuickBooks,” a solution often touted as the #1 small business software. On the other hand, Sage Intacct is a viable software solution for mid-market companies and startups looking to scale. Plus, it is the only financial management software endorsed by the AICPA.
You’ll want to identify a solution that allows you to add users, entities, locations, and modules as you scale. QuickBooks Enterprise puts a cap on its user count at 30, a steal for small businesses. Sage Intacct has no user limits, making it a good option for fast-growing mid-market companies.
Software that has some scalability is beneficial, and QuickBooks Enterprise offers just the right amount of flexibility for new businesses and startups. From its low price point to its vast integration options, QuickBooks provides small businesses with a great starting point for organizing financial and accounting information. And with its broad applications, QuickBooks covers several bases for companies just starting out.
As businesses scale, they require more customizable and, often, more specialized accounting features. In such instances, Sage Intacct is a logical choice for such a software upgrade. For businesses hoping to streamline and customize their financial management system, Sage Intacct is an AICPA-endorsed option with vast integrations and personalized dashboards and reporting. Sage Intacct is also GAAP compliant, so it is an excellent option for growing businesses that need to follow regulatory requirements or have more audit-ready financials. While QuickBooks is not GAAP compliant, this gives it more flexibility in organizing, storing, and presenting information.
Features
Both Sage Intacct and QuickBooks offer a strong set of tools to help businesses manage their finances, but the right fit often comes down to which features are included out of the box—and which ones require additional investment. Compare the core features included in each solution’s base pricing, as well as popular advanced features that can be added to each solution for an additional cost.
Sage Intacct Core Features:
- General Ledger
- Accounts Payable
- Accounts Receivable
- Purchasing
- Order Management
- Cash Management
- Reporting & Dashboards
- Collaborate
QuickBooks Core Features:
- Inventory Management
- Pricing
- Reporting
- Hosting
- Field Service Management
- Order Management
- Job Costing
Suppose you’re eager to explore additional core and advanced module features offered by Sage Intacct and QuickBooks. In that case, our comparison report is the perfect resource for you. Explore a detailed side-by-side comparison report.
Pricing
The broad capabilities and low price point of QuickBooks Enterprise make it an excellent option for smaller businesses with limited budgets. Business owners looking for ways to save money often eliminate their external accounting services in favor of QuickBooks’ affordable entry point—starting at just $185 per month or $2,200 annually for the Gold edition with one user. Intuit designed QuickBooks to be user-friendly, and the system speeds up accounting processes by automating bill payments, enabling banking capabilities, and processing customer payments.
Companies can also purchase access for up to 30 users, with additional users costing $116 per month. Remote access hosting is available at a small additional cost, making QuickBooks Enterprise a flexible and cost-effective option for growing small businesses.
Sage Intacct offers similar automation opportunities to QuickBooks Enterprise, but it comes at a higher price point. This is largely due to Sage Intacct’s specialized accounting features and broader user scalability. While specialization narrows Sage Intacct’s out-of-the-box functionality, it easily integrates with third-party software to expand a company’s financial management capabilities.
As for the price, Sage Intacct doesn’t follow a fixed pricing tier model. Instead, it customizes pricing based on the customer’s needs, the extent of configuration, and implementation complexity. However, standard pricing for the Core Financials module—covering one business entity and one business user—starts at approximately $910 per month or $10,920 annually. Additional business users can be added for $290 per user per month. These costs reflect the platform’s robust capabilities and flexibility for businesses that need greater control and compliance.
Implementation Timeline
Implementation timelines for accounting software can vary based on the size of your business, the complexity of your needs, and whether you require custom integrations or advanced modules.
For smaller businesses with straightforward requirements, QuickBooks Enterprise can be up and running in as little as 1.5 to 2 months. Its familiar interface and streamlined setup process make it an approachable option for companies looking to get started quickly.
Sage Intacct, on the other hand, typically takes 2 to 3 months to implement. While the longer timeline reflects its broader capabilities and customization potential, it also ensures that businesses get a tailored solution aligned with their processes and goals. Whether you’re choosing QuickBooks or Sage Intacct, planning ahead for a smooth implementation is essential to getting the most out of your new system.
Integrations
Both QuickBooks Enterprise and Sage Intacct offer integration options to help businesses connect their accounting system with other essential tools. QuickBooks integrates with hundreds of third-party applications, including popular options like PayPal, Shopify, and Square. These integrations are often plug-and-play, making them accessible for small business owners who don’t have dedicated IT support. For businesses with basic integration needs—such as syncing with payroll, inventory, or e-commerce platforms—QuickBooks covers a wide range of use cases right out of the box.
Sage Intacct, by contrast, is built for companies with more complex integration requirements. It supports open APIs, allowing businesses to connect with CRM systems like Salesforce, industry-specific software, and other custom solutions. These deeper integrations allow finance teams to automate more of their workflows and pull data from multiple departments into one centralized platform. While Sage Intacct may require more technical setup, the result is a tightly integrated system that supports advanced business processes across departments.
Sum It Up
QuickBooks is a simple, affordable solution for small or new businesses hoping to streamline their accounting processes. However, rapidly-growing companies may find that QuickBooks isn’t flexible enough for rapid scalability. In such cases, it may be time to graduate to Sage Intacct.
As a best-in-class solution with an open API, Sage Intacct can integrate with other software your organization uses, allowing for advanced reporting, automation of manual tasks, full cloud capabilities, and improved financial processes that mitigate data entry errors.
At Cargas, our expert consulting team specializes in ERP and financial management solutions, including Sage Intacct. As a Sage Intacct Premier Partner, Cargas has been recognized for its exceptional growth, customer satisfaction, and strategic expertise. If you’re struggling to determine which of these solutions is the best fit for your business, we’d love to help. Let’s connect to talk about your needs and what you’re looking for in a software solution.
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