How to Use QuickBooks for Chromebook?

Nearly three decades of its existence, QuickBooks has evolved to become the firm favorite accounting software, especially for small and medium businesses. With new releases and regular updates, it is one of the most powerful yet simple accounting platforms available in the market yet. It is available in three variants, namely QuickBooks Online, QuickBooks Desktop, and QuickBooks Enterprise.

These are further available as different plans and products to cater to the needs of businesses. While users can access QuickBooks from several different platforms including PC, Mac, smartphone, and tablet, there is a growing number of users of QuickBooks on Chromebook.

If you are looking for an accounting solution for a business that is super tight on its budget, QuickBooks for Chromebook might just be the perfect solution for you.

QuickBooks for Chromebook – Why to Use?

Chromebooks are some of the most affordable systems with hardware components of a laptop. What distinguishes them from the regular machines is the fact that these are primarily designed to operate with an internet connection. The applications and documents that Chromebooks access and run are mostly on the cloud as opposed to regular machines that are designed to perform a majority of their operations locally.

Chromebooks typically have much less processing power, storage space, and weight. This is because they only run light applications. Everything is operated in the cloud. Thus, it does not need much processing power or storage space as most of the information is stored on the cloud and not the devices. Consequently, Chromebooks have longer battery life and are very affordable making them ideal for netizens who spend most of their time on the Google Chrome web browser.

Benefits of Using QuickBooks on a Chromebook

Chromebooks allow lightweight accounting applications to operate on their systems. This might mean desktop applications might either not be supported or could experience issues operating on Chromebooks.

The lighter online versions tend to support basic accounting operations. Certain features like advanced reporting, organization level customization, inventory management, and workflow management are available only on desktop or enterprise-level accounting software. Thus, they will not be available on these lite applications. Also, they might lack the offline support that businesses might require as they grow and expand.

These challenges can be overcome for some software using alternate access methods like in the case of QuickBooks for Chromebooks.

System Requirements for QuickBooks – Including Use on a Chromebook

The system requirements for QuickBooks would depend on the version of the software. The bare minimum requirements for the QuickBooks Online version are a 1.5 Mbps internet connection, 2 GB RAM, and a compatible Windows, Android, or Mac OS along with supported browser versions. It is however recommended that there should be 3 Mbps internet access and 4 GB RAM. QuickBooks Online does not work on Linux systems.

The hardware and Operating System requirements vary for Desktop and Enterprise solutions depending upon the number of users, servers, and application integration. While there are no specific QuickBooks for Chromebook versions, it is recommended that you use a Chromebook with at least 4 GB of RAM for optimal performance.

Will QuickBooks Work on a Chromebook?

QuickBooks can work on Chromebooks. But there are limitations. QuickBooks Online can be accessed on the Google Chrome web browser. But the desktop and enterprise versions like QuickBooks Pro, Premier, and Enterprise Solutions need to be used with the native Windows operating system. Also, QuickBooks for Mac is used on the macOS. That leaves us with two other methods to access QuickBooks on Chromebook users.

The first method is the use of remote access. In this method, QuickBooks has to be installed on a Windows or Mac machine which can then be accessed from a Chromebook. The disadvantage of this method is that only one user can access the QuickBooks software.

Besides, there is a capital cost involved in acquiring both the QuickBooks software as well as the Windows or Mac system. This method is useful for occasional use but not for regular access.

The second method is to use hosted QuickBooks. This is a more pragmatic approach. Each user gets access to QuickBooks installed on a Windows desktop. With this method, users get access to all the features available on QuickBooks.

The control is more natural, and resource consumption is comparatively less. More importantly, businesses do not have to spend capital resources on dedicated servers, Windows machines, or QuickBooks software.

Is Chromebook Better for QuickBooks?

While QuickBooks has not yet been customized to specifically operate on Chromebooks, it can still meet the requirements of small business owners. At the very least QuickBooks for Chromebooks users allows them to optimize their finances and time with simple reporting tools. Users can even create and manage invoices from the platform. With a remote desktop connection, you have even greater control and flexibility.

Users get access to the full set of features at a much lower cost. Even the most resource-intensive version of the application can function seamlessly on the Chromebook as it does not compromise on the processing power of the Chromebook while running the application. So, a Chromebook is good for QuickBooks so long as it is accessed correctly.

How Should We Use QuickBooks on Chromebook?

The answer is pretty simple. Let’s summarize our discussion in a nutshell.

QuickBooks Online is, without doubt, a versatile service that can be used on a range of devices including Chromebooks. However, there are glaring deficiencies in it vis a vis the Enterprise and Desktop variants. Some of these can be mitigated with the use of QuickBooks remote access. It is still not a very reliable solution for Chromebook users and should only be used occasionally if at all, especially for security reasons.

The last method of accessing QuickBooks on Chromebooks is using a remote desktop. This is the most efficient, reliable, and secure method of accessing QuickBooks. Apps4Rent is a trusted QuickBooks cloud hosting service provider with a proven track record.

Apps4Rent is one of the few Intuit Authorized Hosting Providers that offer 24/7 support via phone, email, and chat for all QuickBooks plans hosted with us. For any questions, feel free to start a live chat right away!