Is QuickBooks good for tradespeople?

QuickBooks is designed for accountants and small business owners who need full double-entry bookkeeping. Most tradespeople (plumbers, electricians, builders) only need quoting, invoicing, VAT calculations, and CIS deductions — QuickBooks does all of these, but buries them under layers of accounting features most trades never use. PriceWork focuses only on what tradespeople need, making it faster to use on the job.

Does QuickBooks handle CIS deductions?

QuickBooks supports CIS through its payroll and contractor features, but it requires setup and configuration. PriceWork has CIS deductions built directly into the quote and invoice flow — toggle it on in Settings, enter your UTR, and CIS is automatically calculated on labour items at 0%, 20%, or 30%.

What's the best QuickBooks alternative for UK tradespeople?

For UK tradespeople who need mobile quoting, instant invoicing, Stripe card payments, and CIS deductions — PriceWork is the simplest alternative to QuickBooks. It's free to start, takes 30 seconds to create a quote on site, and converts quotes to invoices in one tap. No accounting degree required.

📊 QuickBooks alternative — UK tradespeople

PriceWork vs QuickBooks
Built for tradespeople,
not accountants

QuickBooks is powerful accounting software — for accountants. If you're a plumber, electrician, or builder who just needs to quote, invoice, and get paid, you're paying for features you'll never open.

Try PriceWork Free → 5 quotes/month free · No card required

What You Pay

£0 vs £12–35/month

QuickBooks starts at £12/month (Simple Start) and goes to £35/month (Plus). PriceWork is free for 5 quotes per month — most sole traders never need more.

QuickBooks Simple Start

QuickBooks £12/mo

PriceWork £0/mo

Save £144/year on free tier

QuickBooks Essentials ⭐

QuickBooks £22/mo

PriceWork Pro £15/mo

Save £84/year on Pro

QuickBooks Plus

QuickBooks £35/mo

PriceWork Pro £15/mo

Save £240/year on Pro

Why Tradespeople Switch

QuickBooks is built for accountants

UK tradespeople consistently cite the same three reasons for leaving QuickBooks.

📚

Too complicated for the job

Double-entry accounting, chart of accounts, bank reconciliation, journal entries — QuickBooks assumes you know what these mean. Most tradespeople just want to send a quote and get paid.

💸

Expensive for what you actually use

QuickBooks charges £12–35/month for software you use 10% of. If invoicing is all you need, you're subsidising features built for someone else's business.

📱

Not built for mobile on site

QuickBooks has a mobile app, but it's an afterthought. PriceWork is built mobile-first — create a quote in 30 seconds standing in a customer's kitchen, before you've left the driveway.

Side-by-Side

PriceWork vs QuickBooks

Feature-by-feature comparison for UK tradespeople. Every tick matters — every row is something you'll actually use on the job.

Feature	QuickBooks	PriceWork Trades-First
Pricing	£12–35per month	£0–15free tier included
Free Tier	×	✓
Mobile Quoting on Site	~	✓
One-Tap Invoice Conversion	×	✓
UK VAT Calculations	✓	✓
CIS Deductions (Native)	~	✓
Stripe Card Payments	✓	✓
No Setup or Learning Curve	×	✓
PDF Quotes & Invoices	✓	✓
Overdue Payment Reminders	✓	✓
Full Bookkeeping / P&L	✓	×
Payroll	✓	×

~ = available but requires configuration or add-ons

Who It's For

Pick the right tool for your business

QuickBooksStick with QuickBooks if you...

✓Need full double-entry bookkeeping
✓Have an accountant who relies on QuickBooks reports
✓Run payroll for employees
✓Need VAT returns filed directly from the software
×Are paying for features you never open
×Find the interface overwhelming for simple quoting

PriceWorkSwitch to PriceWork if you...

✓Create quotes and invoices on the job
✓Are a sole trader or small team (1–5 people)
✓Need CIS deductions without configuring payroll
✓Want card payments via Stripe out of the box
✓Want to start free, no card required
✓Want something that takes 5 minutes, not 5 hours

What You Get

Built for the job, not the office

PriceWork does one thing well: gets quotes out fast and money in the bank faster.

⚡

30-Second Quotes on Site

Build and send a professional quote from your phone before you've left the customer's driveway. No desktop required.

→

One-Tap Invoice Conversion

Customer accepted the quote? Tap once to convert to an invoice with a payment link. No retyping. No admin.

Stripe Card Payments

Customers pay by card online. Money lands in your account the same day. No more chasing bank transfers.

⚖

CIS Built Into Every Invoice

Toggle CIS on in Settings. Enter your UTR. PriceWork automatically calculates deductions on labour at 0%, 20%, or 30% — the Stripe payment link adjusts automatically.

💳

Free to Start

5 quotes/month on the free tier, no card needed. Upgrade to Pro (£15/month) when you're ready. Most sole traders never need to.

📋

PDF Quotes & Invoices

Professional branded PDFs — business name, address, line items, VAT breakdown, payment terms. Download or share a link.

Common Questions

QuickBooks vs PriceWork — FAQ

QuickBooks is designed for accountants and small business owners who need full double-entry bookkeeping. Most tradespeople only need quoting, invoicing, VAT, and CIS — QuickBooks does all of these, but buries them under layers of accounting features most trades never use. PriceWork focuses only on what tradespeople need, making it faster to use on the job.

QuickBooks costs £12/month (Simple Start) to £35/month (Plus) in the UK. PriceWork is free for up to 5 quotes/month — no card required. The Pro plan is £15/month with unlimited quotes and invoices. For a sole trader who just needs quoting and invoicing, PriceWork is significantly cheaper.

QuickBooks supports CIS through its contractor and payroll features, but it requires setup and configuration. PriceWork has CIS built directly into the quote and invoice flow — toggle it on in Settings, enter your UTR, and CIS is automatically calculated on labour items at 0%, 20%, or 30%. The Stripe payment link reflects the post-deduction amount automatically.

For UK tradespeople who need mobile quoting, instant invoicing, Stripe card payments, and CIS deductions — PriceWork is the simplest alternative. It's free to start, takes 30 seconds to create a quote on site, and converts quotes to invoices in one tap. No accounting degree required.

Yes. PriceWork has a free tier (5 quotes/month) so you can run both in parallel before committing. Most tradespeople are up and running in under 10 minutes. If you need full bookkeeping, you can use PriceWork for quoting and invoicing and export data to your accountant separately.

PriceWork replaces QuickBooks for quoting, invoicing, VAT, CIS, and card payments — the core daily workflow for most tradespeople. It doesn't do payroll, full bookkeeping, or tax filing. If you're a sole trader who doesn't need double-entry accounting, PriceWork covers everything you actually use QuickBooks for, at a fraction of the cost.

PriceWork vs QuickBooksBuilt for tradespeople,not accountants