QuickBooks Review: How to Make Money as an Affiliate

Disclosure: some links in this post are affiliate links. If you buy through them, I may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

What Is QuickBooks?

QuickBooks Online is accounting software from Intuit. It lives in your browser, connects to your bank, and keeps track of the money coming in and the money going out.

That's really the heart of it. Instead of a shoebox of receipts and a messy spreadsheet, you get one place that sorts your transactions, sends your invoices, and builds the reports your accountant asks for at tax time.

It's one of the best-known names in small business accounting. That matters for you as an affiliate, because people already search for it by name.

Here's what you get with QuickBooks Online:

• Income and expense tracking with bank connections
• Invoicing, with online payments through QuickBooks Payments
• Automated bookkeeping that categorizes transactions
• Reports like profit and loss and balance sheet
• Free ACH bill pay on paid plans
• Budgeting, project profitability and inventory on higher plans
• Access for your accountant (2 accountants on most paid plans, 3 on Advanced)

How Does QuickBooks Work?

For Users

1. Pick a plan, or start with the free plan or the 30-day free trial.
2. Connect your business bank account.
3. Let QuickBooks pull in and categorize your transactions.
4. Send invoices and get paid online.
5. Run reports, or invite your accountant to log in and review your books.

For Affiliates

1. Apply to the Intuit Product Referrals program on the QuickBooks partner referrals page.
2. Complete onboarding and a compliance review (you need a U.S. EIN, U.S. address and U.S. bank account).
3. Get your unique referral link from the Intuit Partner Portal.
4. Share it on your website, in email, on social media and in other approved channels.
5. Earn a one-time payout when a new customer subscribes and stays active and paid for 60 days.

QuickBooks Pricing

QuickBooks Online has a free plan and four paid plans. At the time of writing, paid plans show 50% off for the first 3 months, with no annual contract.

There's also a 30-day free trial listed on the pricing page. Check the details there, because trial and promo offers can't always be combined.

Always check QuickBooks's pricing page for current numbers. Plans change.

Who Should Use QuickBooks?

Users

QuickBooks is a good fit for small business owners who want real books, not just a list of invoices. Freelancers, consultants, online sellers, agencies and service businesses all use it.

It's especially handy if you work with an accountant. Most accountants already know QuickBooks, so handing over your books is easy.

If all you need is to send a few invoices a month, the free plan or a simpler invoicing tool might be enough. And that's okay.

Affiliates

This program suits U.S.-based publishers who write about small business, freelancing, ecommerce, bookkeeping or starting a company. If your readers are opening a business, they need accounting. Simple as that.

Because of the U.S. requirements (EIN, address and bank account), publishers outside the U.S. can't join this one directly.

Pros and Cons of QuickBooks

Pros

• A trusted, well-known brand that people already search for
• Free plan and a 30-day trial lower the barrier to trying it
• Plans that grow from one person to 25 users
• Accountants know it, which makes tax time smoother
• Strong reporting, budgeting and inventory on higher plans
• Generous one-time referral payouts, up to $300

Cons

• Regular prices are high once the 3-month promo ends
• The free plan is limited (2 invoices per month, 1 bank connection)
• There's a learning curve if you've never done bookkeeping
• Referral payouts are one-time, not recurring
• Affiliates need a U.S. EIN, address and bank account to join
• The program terms don't state a cookie length

QuickBooks vs Alternatives

If your readers are freelancers who mostly send invoices and track time, read my FreshBooks review. FreshBooks often feels simpler, while QuickBooks goes deeper on accounting.

QuickBooks also pairs well with other tools. If your readers are just forming a company, my doola review covers getting set up. If they're paid in different currencies, see my Airwallex review.

How to Make Money with QuickBooks as an Affiliate

The Commission

QuickBooks runs its own program, called Intuit Product Referrals. It isn't on a third-party network like CJ or Impact. You track everything in the Intuit Partner Portal.

You earn a one-time payout per net-new paid subscription, based on the plan your referral picks:

• QBO Solopreneur: $25
• QBO Simple Start: $75
• QBO Essentials: $100
• QBO Plus: $150
• QBO Advanced: $300

Here are the key rules:

• Qualifying: the customer must be new and keep an active, paid subscription for 60 days or more.
• Cookie: a browser cookie tracks clicks with last-touch attribution. The length isn't stated, so check their terms.
• Payout: monthly, by bank transfer to the account in your Partner Portal. No minimum is stated.
• Customer offer: your referrals get up to 50% off for 3 months.
• Eligibility: U.S. EIN, U.S. address and U.S. bank account, plus a compliance review.
• Rules: use your link exactly as provided, no self-referrals, no spam. Paid search rules aren't spelled out, so ask Intuit before running ads.

Notice the contrast here. One referral to Simple Start pays $75. One referral to Advanced pays $300. So who you write for matters a lot.

Content Angles That Work

1. "Which QuickBooks plan do I need?" Walk beginners through each plan in plain English. People searching this are close to buying.
2. Comparison posts. QuickBooks vs FreshBooks, QuickBooks vs Xero. Comparisons attract readers who have already decided they need software.
3. "Starting a business" stacks. Show the tools a new business needs: a company formation service, a payments tool like the ones in my Lemon Squeezy review or my Payhip review, and accounting with QuickBooks.

Keyword Ideas

• quickbooks online review
• quickbooks online pricing
• quickbooks simple start vs essentials
• quickbooks vs freshbooks
• quickbooks vs xero
• best accounting software for small business
• accounting software for freelancers
• is quickbooks worth it

Common Questions About QuickBooks

Is there a free version of QuickBooks Online?
Yes. The free plan covers 1 user, tracks income and expenses, sends 2 invoices a month and connects 1 bank. There's also a 30-day free trial of the paid features.

How much does QuickBooks Online cost?
Regular prices run from $38/mo for Simple Start to $340/mo for Advanced. Paid plans showed 50% off for 3 months when I checked.

How much do QuickBooks affiliates earn?
Between $25 and $300 per new paid subscription, depending on the plan. It's a one-time payout, not recurring.

When do QuickBooks referral payouts happen?
Monthly, after the customer has stayed active and paid for 60 days.

Can I join the QuickBooks affiliate program from outside the U.S.?
Not under the current requirements. You need a U.S. EIN, U.S. address and U.S. bank account.

Final Thoughts

QuickBooks isn't the cheapest option, and it isn't the simplest. But it's trusted, it's thorough, and it grows with a business.

For affiliates, the math is simple. People already search for QuickBooks by name. The payouts are solid. And every new business needs accounting.

If you're in the U.S. and you write for small business owners, this is a program worth adding. Start with a helpful plan comparison and build from there.

Try QuickBooks here.

Want to Turn Affiliate Promotions into a Job-Replacing Income?

If you're serious about earning a job-replacing income promoting offers like QuickBooks, you'll love my step-by-step training, SEO Affiliate Domination.

Inside, I show you exactly how to rank simple affiliate websites in Google and build passive, predictable income, even if you're starting from scratch.