Mercury vs QuickBooks Online
Mercury and QuickBooks Online are both accounting & finance tools. Mercury is aimed at small businesses and developers, while QuickBooks Online is aimed at small businesses. Mercury costs less, from $29.90/mo versus $38/mo for QuickBooks Online. Both have a free plan.
Banking built for startups
Small-business accounting standard in the US
| Pricing | Freemium · $30 | Freemium · $38 |
| Starting price | $29.90/mo | $38/mo |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | 30 days |
| Built for | Small businesses, Developers | Small businesses |
| Platforms | web, ios, android | web, ios, android |
| Country | US · 2017 | US · 2001 |
| Rating | — | — |
Choose Mercury if
US-incorporated startups.
- Fast, founder-friendly onboarding
- No monthly fees on core
- Excellent UI
Look elsewhere if: Non-US entities.
Choose QuickBooks Online if
US small and mid-size businesses that work with an accountant.
- Most accountants in the US know it
- Huge integration ecosystem
- Comprehensive feature set
Look elsewhere if: Businesses outside the US/UK or with local e-invoicing rules (Xero, Paraşüt).
Mercury vs QuickBooks Online pricing
Mercury
- Mercury$0Banking, cards, invoicing, bill pay, expense management
- Plus$29.90/moRecurring invoices, ACH debit invoicing; 15% off annually
- Pro$299/moRelationship manager, NetSuite categorizations
QuickBooks Online
- Free$01 user
- Simple Start$38/mo1 user; promo 50% off for 3 months
- Essentials$85/mo3 users
- Plus$140/mo5 users
- Advanced$340/mo25 users
Mercury · Key features
- Business checking and savings
- Debit and credit cards
- Treasury and yield
- Invoicing and bill pay
- International wires
- API and integrations
Cons
- US entities only
- Cash deposits limited
- Not a full-service bank
QuickBooks Online · Key features
- Invoicing, estimates and online payments
- Bank feeds with rules and AI categorization
- Bills, expenses and receipt capture
- Sales tax tracking and reports
- Inventory and project profitability (Plus)
- Payroll add-on and accountant collaboration
Cons
- Repeated price increases
- User limits per tier
- Support quality is inconsistent
Mercury vs QuickBooks Online: FAQ
Which is cheaper, Mercury or QuickBooks Online?
Mercury starts at $29.90/mo and QuickBooks Online at $38/mo. Both prices are checked on the vendors' own pricing pages.
Do Mercury and QuickBooks Online have a free plan?
Yes, both Mercury and QuickBooks Online have a free plan; paid plans add more usage and features.