Stairkey vs QuickBooks
They start from opposite ends: QuickBooks Online is the accounting standard that leaves job management to other tools; Stairkey is a job tool (estimates, takeoff, scheduling, portals) with real double-entry accounting built in. Small contractors usually end up pairing QBO with a field app — Stairkey's case is replacing that pair with one subscription.
Almost every small contractor asks this question backwards at first. QuickBooks Online is not job-management software: it will keep a clean ledger, invoice, and satisfy your accountant, but it won't do measured takeoffs, schedule crews, run a client portal, or turn a site photo into tasks. So the real-world comparison is rarely 'Stairkey or QuickBooks' — it's 'Stairkey' versus 'QuickBooks plus a field tool like Jobber or Buildertrend', which is two subscriptions and a sync between them.
Bias declared up front: this page is written by the Stairkey team. QuickBooks is the industry default for a reason, and there are cases below where we'll tell you plainly to keep it. Every price here matches Intuit's published US tiers as of our last verification.
At a glance
| QuickBooks Online | Stairkey | |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $38/mo (Simple Start) | $20/mo, capped at $100 |
| What it is | General-purpose accounting | Contractor workspace with accounting built in |
| Double-entry ledger | Yes — the industry standard | Yes — native GL, trial balance, bank rec (+$20/mo) |
| Job costing | Plus tier ($115/mo) and up | Built into projects and estimates |
| Estimating & takeoff | Basic estimates, no takeoff | Line items OR measured takeoff + approvals |
| Scheduling & crew management | No | Yes — calendar, tasks, phone-first crew portal |
| Client portal | No | Yes |
| Payroll | Yes — paid add-on | No — contractor tax slips & year-end only |
| Accountant familiarity | Universal | Newer — exportable reports/statements |
| Real estate / deal module | No | Yes — buying, listing, deal P&L |
| Best for | Businesses whose accountant runs the show | Small contractors wanting one tool, books included |
Who each one is for
your accountant or bookkeeper drives your finances and expects QBO, you need integrated payroll, or your business is complex enough (inventory, multiple entities, heavy app-stack) that the accounting ecosystem matters more than job workflow.
you're a small contractor currently paying for QuickBooks PLUS a field-service or construction app (or juggling spreadsheets), and you'd rather have estimates, scheduling, portals, and a real double-entry ledger with native HST/GST in one capped-price tool.
Pricing
Prices verified July 2, 2026. Quote-gated vendors change pricing without notice — confirm before you buy.
Essentials $75/mo, Plus $115/mo (job costing lives here), Advanced $275/mo. Payroll is extra — and it still does no scheduling, takeoff, or portals, so most contractors add a field app on top.
Accounting add-on +$20/mo (=$40/mo) for the full double-entry ledger with HST/GST and year-end. Usage capped at $100/mo; first month free, no credit card.
Where the others win
QuickBooks wins big in places Stairkey doesn't try to compete. It is the accounting lingua franca — virtually every accountant and bookkeeper in North America works in it daily, and handing over a QBO file at year-end is frictionless in a way no newer ledger can match. It runs real payroll; Stairkey doesn't (we handle contractor tax slips, year-end packages, and mileage — not pay runs). Its app ecosystem is enormous, its bank-feed coverage is deeper, and for US sales-tax complexity across many states it has more machinery than our HST/GST-strongest engine. If your accountant insists on QuickBooks, that alone can be a good enough reason to keep it — Stairkey's reports and statements export cleanly, but we're honest that 'my accountant already knows it' is QuickBooks' strongest feature.
Common questions
Is Stairkey a real accounting system or just invoicing?
Real double-entry: general ledger, chart of accounts, trial balance, bank reconciliation, HST/GST handling, and financial reports, as a +$20/mo add-on on the $20/mo core. Invoices and expenses post from your job records into the ledger, so there's no sync step. It is not, however, a payroll system.
Can my accountant work with Stairkey at year-end?
Stairkey produces the standard exports — trial balance, general ledger, financial statements, and a year-end package — that an accountant needs to file. What we can't give you is the universal familiarity of QuickBooks; if your accountant will only accept a QBO file, that's a genuine reason to stay.
I already pay for QuickBooks and Jobber. What would switching save?
That pair typically runs $87/mo and up ($38 Simple Start + $49 Jobber Core, both monthly, before seats or payroll). Stairkey with accounting is a flat $40/mo, capped at $100/mo — and one login instead of a sync. The trade: you give up QuickBooks' ecosystem and payroll, and Jobber's marketplace and built-in payments.