NetSuite vs. QuickBooks: Which one wins?

This page is sponsored by NetSuite, a cloud-based management software that helps businesses unlock their full potential and level up.

As your business grows, so too will your financial software needs. We pit software providers NetSuite and QuickBooks head to head to help you decide which is the better pick for your business.

Which one is better?

• • Choose NetSuite if you’re seeking enterprise resource planning (ERP) software.
    • Customizable and extensive feature set
    • Typically requires in-house or third-party developer support

• • Choose QuickBooks if you’re a startup in need of accounting software.
    • Easy to learn and navigate
    • Limited capabilities

NetSuite and QuickBooks have plenty in common. They’re equipped with accounting software, can help you handle payroll, offer business analytics and can track and manage inventory across multiple locations. But don’t be fooled: These software providers are designed with two very different types of businesses in mind.

Now, before I explain, I need to clarify: NetSuite versus QuickBooks is something of an apples to oranges comparison. And that’s because these software providers have unique perks and features that make them difficult to evaluate when you place them toe to toe.

Nevertheless, I’ve done the digging and here’s the bottom line:

• • NetSuite is better-equipped, customizable and offers more sophisticated and scalable software.
    • It’s ideal for small- and mid-sized companies that are quickly growing.

• • QuickBooks is less expensive, easier to navigate and offers a beginner-friendly interface.
    • It’s more practical for budding startups thanks to its low-cost pricing structure.

NetSuite vs. Quickbooks at a glance

They have a handful of features in common, but NetSuite and QuickBooks each have a unique profile of offerings. Here’s a quick look at where these software overlap and diverge.

Pricing

It’s tough to talk about how the prices of these two software stack up because NetSuite doesn’t offer any information about its pricing structure on its website. When I spoke to a NetSuite rep, they explained that pricing is determined on a business-by-business basis. This means that what you pay for your NetSuite subscription will depend on the customized setup you select for your business.

Based on information from third-party review sites like Capterra and PCMag, monthly subscription fees for NetSuite’s software seem to fall in the $499 to $999 range. And this doesn’t include added monthly costs per user.

QuickBooks, on the other hand, is more transparent about its pricing structure:

• • • $15 to $150 per month, depending on your service tier

QuickBooks also offers a free 30-day trial of its software — NetSuite doesn’t. Once your QuickBooks trial is up, you’ll be asked to enter your payment information to be billed monthly.

All told, QuickBooks is likely the cheaper option, but it doesn’t offer the same deep functionality or customization options as NetSuite.

Features

Both NetSuite and Quickbooks have much to offer. They’re both equipped with accounting support, payroll services, e-commerce integration and business analytics. But that’s where the similarities end. And that’s because NetSuite is primarily designed as an enterprise resource management platform, while QuickBooks is advertised as a scalable accounting software solution for small- to medium-sized businesses.

NetSuite

Powerfully equipped and built for customization, NetSuite has a comprehensive lineup of features and services.

• • • Enterprise resource planning. Manage finances, supply chains, end-to-end inventory, production, order-to-cash processes and more with the bread and butter of NetSuite’s core services.
    • Accounting. Oversee financial reporting, billing, budgeting, forecasting and revenue through a single cloud-based platform.
    • Global business management. Manage international e-commerce transactions with NetSuite OneWorld: a global business management platform designed to support multiple-language and multiple-currency transactions for global organizations.
    • Inventory management. Track inbound and outbound logistics from production through fulfillment and on-time delivery to optimize cash flow. Plus, automate inventory tracking across multiple locations and get real-time, company-wide inventory visibility. This is a robust system that all works together, rather than piecemeal systems that don’t talk to each other.
    • Customer relationship management. Automate your marketing strategies, forecast sales, draft quotes and deliver consistent customer support with customer data in real time.
    • HR and payroll management. Take control of payment processing, time-off requests, employee onboarding and more.
    • Project and resource management. Analyze the performance and profitability of projects in real time as you allocate company resources, manage expenses, review timesheets and tackle milestones.
    • Integrated e-commerce. Accept payments in person and online through SuiteCommerce: NetSuite’s omnichannel e-commerce solutions
    • Reporting and analytics. Review data insights and company performance from transaction to summary level data across various departments and teams.

QuickBooks

This software platform has all of the essentials to help you organize and manage your business’s finances.

• • • Invoicing. Create estimates, customize invoices and send payment reminders.
    • Payment processing. Accept credit card and bank transfer payments with QuickBooks Payments.
    • Reporting. Draft profit and loss statements and balance sheets, create custom tags and track cash flow.
    • Receipts and mileage. Capture receipts, track miles and generate sharable reports to track your expenses.
    • Inventory management. Create purchase orders, track stock levels and receive low inventory alerts.
    • Payroll. Monitor labor costs, hours worked and manage your payroll.
    • Business analytics. Track KPIs across multiple business locations, clients or franchisees.

Customer feedback

You may be tempted to perform a quick, cursory scan of the ratings, but consider the following context:

• • Reviews of QuickBooks far outnumber feedback left for NetSuite.
    • So what? This makes it challenging to gauge customer sentiment toward NetSuite.

• • A lukewarm TrustScore or stack of Better Business Bureau (BBB) complaints doesn’t necessarily indicate that a service or provider isn’t worth its salt.
    • Why? In our experience, a frustrated customer is more likely to make their voice heard than a satisfied one.

All that said, feedback for both of these software providers is mixed. NetSuite’s parent company, Oracle, has a stronger Trustpilot profile, but QuickBooks’ mobile app scores are far higher than NetSuite’s — especially among Apple users.

^{*Ratings as of September 9, 2021}

Customer support

NetSuite wins this category handily — and that’s because QuickBooks doesn’t offer 24-hour tech support.

All NetSuite subscriptions come with Basic support, which includes 24-hour online or telephone case submissions for critical concerns as well as a personal account manager. You have the option to update to Premium support at any time, which includes priority queuing and access to the SuiteAnswers Technical Support Portal.

QuickBooks’ tech support is limited. You can contact a tech support rep weekdays from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. PT and Saturdays from 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. PT. This support is available no matter which QuickBooks plan you sign up for.

Bottom line

Both NetSuite and Quickbooks can help you streamline your business’s finances. But QuickBooks is the more practical option for budding startups that don’t need a lot of bells and whistles. Meanwhile, NetSuite’s comprehensive enterprise resource planning hub is better suited to small- and mid-sized businesses that are rapidly growing.

Before you sign up for either service, review your accounting software options across multiple providers. Compare features, fees and customer feedback to pinpoint the software best positioned to support your business.