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Key Takeaways
- QuickBooks Desktop is on its way out. Pro, Premier, and Mac are being discontinued for new sales, but renewals are still allowed.
- Staying on old versions carries risks. Without updates or support, you’ll face compliance, security, and feature issues.
- Enterprise offers powerful inventory tools. It supports barcode scanning, multi-location tracking,bins, and lots, but it’s costly and complex.
- QuickBooks Online offers cloud flexibility but limited inventory depth. You’ll need third-party apps like HandiFox Online for advanced inventory features.
- Plan your next move now. Decide whether to stay on Desktop, move to Enterprise, or migrate to QBO with help from tools like HandiFox.
As QuickBooks Desktop is being discontinued, users are now faced with a pressing question: what’s next? If you're asking that, you’re in the right place. We’ll explore the facts, QuickBooks Desktop alternatives, and how to preserve the functionality you’ve come to rely on without disruption.
You didn’t choose to leave QuickBooks Desktop, but you can choose what comes next. There are three main options:
- Ride QuickBooks Desktop to the end of the line (then pivot fast)
- Upgrade to QuickBooks Desktop Enterprise
- Migrate to QuickBooks Online
Let’s take a closer look at each.
Will QuickBooks Desktop Be Discontinued in 2025?
Not really, but there are too many signs that it won’t stay for too long.
QuickBooks Desktop has long been a go-to solution for small businesses that rely on advanced inventory management tools. It was fast, local, powerful, and for many, irreplaceable.
Many users had workflows and teams trained around HandiFox Desktop. Shifting to a cloud-based environment and adjusting to a new interface can feel disruptive, especially for small businesses that have optimized their operations around a desktop setup.
At the time of writing (May 2025), these products are no longer available to new customers in the US:
- QuickBooks Desktop Pro Plus
- QuickBooks Desktop Premier Plus
- QuickBooks Desktop Mac Plus
- QuickBooks Desktop Enhanced Payroll
Despite the stop-sell, the current users of these products can still renew their subscriptions and get support.
Meanwhile, QuickBooks Desktop Enterprise remains the only desktop version still for sale for everyone. It supports inventory-related features, like multi-location tracking, bins, serial and lot number tracking, sales and purchase management, reorder points, assemblies, and BOMs.
QuickBooks Desktop users feel cornered, and rightfully so. While Desktop is still technically usable, Intuit is removing support and updates critical to compliance, performance, and security.
That means now is the time to evaluate your options, especially if you use it to manage inventory.
Alternatives to QuickBooks Desktop for Inventory Management
It’s not like your hands are tied. There are still at least three viable options that can salvage the situation for small businesses with inventory management needs.
Option 1: Stay on QuickBooks Desktop for a little longer
As of May 2025, despite Intuit discontinuing the sale of new subscriptions for several QuickBooks Desktop products, many versions remain technically usable. Here's a breakdown of which versions you can still use and the considerations involved:
QuickBooks Desktop 2022 and Earlier (Pro, Premier, Mac, Enterprise)
Although these are already discontinued, they are usable offline with perpetual licenses for basic tasks (e.g., transaction recording, company file access).
If you haven’t upgraded to a higher version by May 31, 2025, there’ll be no support, security updates, or online services (payroll, banking, payments).
QuickBooks Desktop 2023, 2024 (Pro Plus, Premier Plus, Mac Plus, Enterprise)
The 2023 version is expected to sunset by May 31, 2026, whilst the 2024 one by May 31, 2027. As of now, both are fully supported with active subscriptions and include online services (payroll, payments, banking) and updates. However, if you decide to upgrade to 2023, it’s impossible (the stop-sell started in September 2024).
In the meantime, QuickBooks Desktop Pro Plus users can upgrade to 2024 and get a whole year for free.
QuickBooks Desktop Pro and Premier’s Limitations in Inventory Control
QuickBooks Desktop Pro provides essential inventory management tools that are adequate for many SMBs with straightforward inventory needs:
- Inventory tracking
- Purchase orders
- Low stock alerts
- Inventory reports
QuickBooks Desktop Premier builds upon the Pro version by offering more advanced inventory management capabilities, like:
- Sales order fulfillment worksheet
- Batch picklist printing
- Product categories
- Reorder points
- Inventory assemblies
- Price levels
Neither QuickBooks Desktop Pro nor QuickBooks Desktop Premier natively supports multi-location inventory tracking, barcoding, picking and packing, or bin location tracking. Third-party apps like HandiFox Deskop have been filling these gaps, adding pick & pack and mobile functionality on top of it.
Option 2: Upgrade to QuickBooks Desktop Enterprise
QuickBooks Desktop Enterprise continues to be available and supported to all users. It isn’t impacted by the QuickBooks Desktop stop-sell decision. If you have a larger business with more complex needs, like deeper inventory management and advanced functionality, upgrading to a QuickBooks Enterprise subscription may be worth considering.
To access the inventory functionality, you must have either the Platinum or Diamond subscription plans. Platinum starts at $2717 for the first year and includes:
- Multiple inventory locations
- Barcode scanning
- FIFO costing method
- Bin or lot tracking
- Serial or lot number tracking
- Sales order fulfillment
- Landed cost calculation
- Inventory turnover reporting
- Expiration date tracking
- Advanced pricing rules
QuickBooks Desktop Enterprise is powerful, especially with the Advanced Inventory module, but it comes with cost, complexity, and infrastructure tradeoffs:
- It’s a desktop installation. For cloud access, it requires third-party hosting for cloud access or VPNs, with extra cost and complexity.
- Unless hosted by Intuit or a third-party provider, data security and backups are your responsibility.
- Moving away from Enterprise in the future can be cumbersome and may involve data loss during migration.
Option 3: Migrating from QuickBooks Desktop to QuickBooks Online
Intuit is encouraging users to move to QuickBooks Online. It provides cloud-based access, regular updates, and compatibility with a whole ecosystem of third-party apps, including a plethora of solutions for businesses that rely on inventory workflows.
QuickBooks Online is a less upfront payment option that offers several tiers of functionality. Inventory-based companies wind up getting one of the highest-tier plans, QuickBooks Plus or Advanced, because only these two offer inventory features.
When making the switch to a different version of the same software, there’s always something you’re gaining and something you have to compromise on. In terms of inventory functionality, QuickBooks Online pales in comparison with QuickBooks Desktop Enterprise and can offer only so much:
- Support of inventory, non-inventory, and service products
- View quantity on hand
- Set up reorder points
- Bundles
- Inventory reports
- FIFO
- Purchase Order Management
How to migrate from QuickBooks Desktop to Online
Migrating from QuickBooks Desktop to QuickBooks Online involves exporting your company file from Desktop and importing it into your Online account using QuickBooks’ built-in migration tool. The process typically includes verifying your data, choosing what to bring over (like customers, vendors, chart of accounts, etc.), and reviewing the results in QuickBooks Online to ensure everything transferred correctly. More on how to migrate is here.
Inventory Software to Boost QuickBooks Online
The inventory management shortcomings of QuickBooks Online can be mitigated by dedicated inventory tracking systems, like HandiFox Online. If sticking with QuickBooks Desktop is not a hill you’re willing to die on, let’s explore what a third-party app can do for you.
For small businesses looking to preserve the inventory powers of QuickBooks Desktop in 2025, HandiFox Online delivers the continuity they need.
HandiFox has been supporting the inventory processes of QuickBooks Desktop users for over 15 years. Over the last 3 years, we’ve seen a surge in migration to QuickBooks Online.
HandiFox Online has taken in the advanced inventory workflows of Desktop and added a few significant features of its own, including:
- 1D & 2D barcode scanning and printing
- Multi-location tracking
- Serial, lot, and expiration date tracking
- Bin locations & reorder points
- Vendor management (preferred & alternate vendors)
- Automated replenishment
- Multiple units of measure
- Picking and Packing
- Real-time stock visibility & mobile access
Moving to QuickBooks Online doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Thousands of businesses are going through the same transition, and there’s a growing network of tools and people to help.
We’re happy to walk you through how HandiFox Online fits into your new setup.
