Tool matchup
QuickBooks Online vs Wethos — which is better for consultants? Side-by-side scoring on workflow fit, pricing, setup speed, and 3 more dimensions. See the winner.
Cloud accounting for small businesses. Invoicing, expense tracking, tax preparation, and financial reports. The accounting backbone most consultants eventually need.
Prices checked October 17, 2026
Proposals, contracts, invoicing, and payments in one workflow. Crowd-sourced pricing data helps you scope projects at market rates. Scope → Sign → Invoice → Get paid.
Prices checked October 22, 2026wethos.co pricing page
QuickBooks Online leads by 4 points (close call).
Decision shortcuts
Client-ready brief
Send a concise summary of winner, trade-offs, and rollout recommendation.
Best fit
Best for: Consultants earning $100K+ annually who need real accounting, not just invoicing.
Why pick it: Your accountant already knows it. Automatic bank feeds, tax categorization, and P&L reports mean less time on bookkeeping and cleaner tax filing.
Watch for: If you are just starting out and send fewer than 5 invoices per month, Bonsai or Wave (free) cover basic invoicing without the complexity.
Best for: Solo consultants who want proposal-to-payment without context switching.
Why pick it: Proposals, contracts, invoicing, and payments in one workflow. Crowd-sourced pricing data helps you scope projects at market rates. Scope → Sign → Invoice → Get paid.
Watch for: Main trade-off: Weaker on pricing.
Swipe sideways to compare all columns.
QuickBooks Online | Wethos | |
|---|---|---|
| Quick facts | ||
| Pricing sanity | Free, paid from $38/mo | Free, paid from $12/mo |
| Integrations | 4+ | 3+ |
| Score breakdown | ||
| Outcome fit | 22/25 | 20/25 |
| Setup speed | 14/20 | 14/20 |
| Pricing sanity | 9/15 | 9/15 |
| Integrations | 12/15 | 12/15 |
| UX polish | 11/15 | 11/15 |
| Trust & support | 10/10 | 8/10 |
| Summary | ||
| Best for | Consultants earning $100K+ annually who need real accounting, not just invoicing. | Solo consultants who want proposal-to-payment without context switching. |
| Key strength | Strong on trust | Strong on outcomes |
Pricing
| Plan | Price |
|---|---|
| QuickBooks Free | Free |
| Simple Start | $38 per account / month, billed monthly |
Prices checked October 17, 2026
| Plan | Price | Limits (vendor's wording) |
|---|---|---|
| Starter | Free | 1 active project; basic invoicing; basic branding |
| Professional | $12 per account / month, billed annually$15 per account / month, billed monthly | Unlimited projects and proposals; advanced invoicing; flexible payment methods |
Prices checked October 22, 2026wethos.co pricing page
Cost calculator
No paid plan with a listed Annual price fits this team size. Contact sales or check the vendor's page.
$12 per month · $144 per year
Cheapest plan that fits: Professional, $12 per seat or user
Uses list prices from each vendor's pricing page, before tax and discounts. Free plans and custom-quote plans are left out.
Method
Common questions
QuickBooks Online scores 78/100 and Wethos scores 74/100 on Curalo's consultant rubric. The biggest gap is Trust & support: QuickBooks Online 10/10 vs 8/10.
QuickBooks Online's cheapest paid plan is Simple Start at $38 per account / month, billed monthly. Wethos's cheapest paid plan is Professional at $12 per account / month, billed annually.
QuickBooks Online has a free plan (QuickBooks Free). Wethos has a free plan (Starter): 1 active project; basic invoicing; basic branding.
QuickBooks Online: $38 a month on Simple Start. Wethos: $12 a month on Professional. Annual list prices where available, before tax.
If you are just starting out and send fewer than 5 invoices per month, Bonsai or Wave (free) cover basic invoicing without the complexity.
Guides
A framework to evaluate five pricing models, calculate what to charge, and build tiered packages — with formulas, scripts, and sourced benchmarks for solo consultants.
Ops and Finance Automation GuideA complete operations and finance stack for independent consultants — scheduling, invoicing, bookkeeping, and time tracking with budget tiers, setup sprints, and weekly cadences.
From Solo to Firm: Scaling Your Consulting PracticeYour tool needs change at every growth stage. A practical guide to the technology, processes, and decisions that take you from solo consultant to small firm — without losing what made you great.
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