Can I Use QuickBooks with Linux?

While most of the workforce today prefer Windows on their desktop, there is a small but growing minority that prefers Linux over Windows, Mac OS, and other operating systems (OS) However, for all practical purposes, even these businesses have had to use dedicated Windows machines for running their office tasks. Realistically, many of the widely used desktop applications are still not supported on Linux. Among these are applications is QuickBooks.

QuickBooks cannot be run on Linux directly. However, that shouldn’t be a reason for you to purchase Windows desktops for running QuickBooks. Let us explore the options available for users to run QuickBooks on Linux.

How Can QuickBooks Run on Linux Systems?

Linux users are paranoid about safety and enjoy the flexibility that the operating system provides when compared to other operating systems. Unfortunately, that also means that it is better suited to run open-source applications making it impossible to run a proprietary software like QuickBooks directly as .deb and source packages are not available. Here are the alternatives for running QuickBooks on Ubuntu and other Linux distributions.

Using Windows Emulator

The most popular method to run QuickBooks Desktop on Linux machines is using a Windows emulator. These are typically compatibility layers that simulate Windows internal logic or translate Windows applications API calls in real-time to mimic the application’s functioning on Linux.

There are a few disadvantages of using emulators.

• Not all QuickBooks Desktop versions are fully compatible with this setup.
• Security risks are introduced into the systems Windows applications running on it can corrupt files, alter startup scripts, and provide a gateway for attacks.
• Windows updates can break workflows and are much harder to rectify.

Using QuickBooks on Linux Servers

The top-of-the-line QuickBooks Enterprise accounting solution can work with Linux servers. But the caveat here is that only the QuickBooks Desktop Enterprise database server storing the company files can run on them. Users will still have to access their company files using Windows client computers.

Although it is a native solution provided by Intuit for compatibility with Linux systems, there are stringent configuration requirements for optimal performance.

• Linux Database Server Manager for QuickBooks is only compatible with Fedora, OpenSuse Leap, and Red Hat Enterprise distributions.
• There is performance attrition with networks running less than 100 Mbps.
• You will still require Windows machines or at least a thin client (like Citrix Windows desktop) to access company files.

Using Hosted Solutions

Hosted solutions are the last, but arguably, the most comprehensive solutions for accessing QuickBooks on Linux. This method does not require any changes to your existing Linux OS. You can continue to use the same “non-broken Linux machines” that do not use any Windows components.

With hosted QuickBooks, you can access remote desktop protocols or simply a supported web-browser to access QuickBooks Desktop hosted on a server. The entire setup is available as a software as a service (SaaS) solution that can be accessed not just with your Linux machine, but from any device including mobiles and tablets.

Apps4Rent Can Help You Access QuickBooks with Linux

Although you can use QuickBooks with Linux, the performance is not as satisfactory as deploying it on Windows or Mac OS systems. Users have experienced memory and command line issues while working directly on Linux machines. As an Intuit Authorized Hosting Provider, Apps4Rent provides virtualized QuickBooks solutions on virtual machines provided by Citrix and Windows Virtual Desktops apart from our own infrastructure running in SSAE-16 level datacenters. Contact our QuickBooks experts available 24/7 via phone, chat, and email for the best QuickBooks hosting plans.