Learn how QuickBooks is simplifying accounting, CRM, and cash flow management with all-new AI-powered upgrades.
QuickBooks has long been the go-to accounting solution for small businesses. But starting July 1st, 2025, the platform is stepping into a new era—one defined by intelligent automation, AI-powered insights, and tools that promise to save you time and money at every level of business. Whether you’re a freelancer just getting started or a growing enterprise managing multiple clients and teams, QuickBooks’ latest update is its most significant yet.
In this guide, we’ll walk through the major updates across every QuickBooks Online (QBO) tier—Simple Start, Essentials, Plus, and Advanced—so you can decide if it’s time to upgrade your plan, explore new tools, or start fresh with a smarter approach to accounting.
Simple Start: Smarter Search, Automation & Onboarding for Solopreneurs
If you’re a solo business owner, freelancer, or starting your first business, Simple Start just became a lot more powerful and intuitive.
Smart Search
The new smart search function lets users quickly locate anything: transactions, accounts, reports, contacts, and even help topics. You can customize filters and columns within the advanced search panel, giving you more control over what shows up and how it's displayed. No more scrolling or digging through menus—QuickBooks now finds what you need, fast.
Business Feed
QuickBooks now actively updates you on what your AI agents have been doing behind the scenes. The new Business Feed surfaces a clean, scrollable list showing tasks that have already been done for you—like categorizing expenses or flagging inconsistencies—and recommends what to review or do next.
Suite of Apps
An integrated app suite now supports Simple Start users, extending its functionality without needing to leave the QBO ecosystem. Expect tools that help you with expense tracking, invoicing, compliance, and more.
Progressive Onboarding
Onboarding is now personalized and modular, helping new users understand how to get the most out of QuickBooks, based on their industry or use case.
Basic Automation + Tax Readiness
Simple Start also introduces foundational automation—like recurring expenses or scheduled invoices—and tax prep readiness features to help you stay compliant from day one.
Bottom line: For small businesses just starting out, Simple Start now functions more like a smart assistant than a static bookkeeping tool.
Essentials: AI-Powered CRM & Payments Automation for Growing Teams
With Essentials, QuickBooks begins to feel more like a full operational system, not just a financial tracker. It now includes all the features from Simple Start, plus serious upgrades in payments, customer relationship management (CRM), and real-time collaboration.
Accounting & Payments Agent
This AI-powered assistant automates expense categorization, expense tracking, and even accountant collaboration. By integrating with QuickBooks Payments, it actively suggests faster ways to get paid, helping users collect revenue an average of five days faster.
You’ll also get proactive tips to improve invoicing, optimize your payment collection flow, and maintain better visibility into your cash position.
Customer Hub (CRM)
One of the biggest updates in this tier is the launch of Customer Hub—a light CRM embedded into QBO. Users can now:
Schedule appointments
Capture customer referrals
Track follow-ups and tasks
Gather feedback and manage reputation
This is especially powerful for service-based businesses like coaches, consultants, or medical practices.
Purchase Notifications + Context-Aware Collaboration
You’ll now receive real-time alerts on purchases and can collaborate within transactions, keeping teams in sync and audits tight.
Recurring Invoices + Notes & Task Management
Build recurring billing workflows and assign internal tasks or notes to customers and transactions. A huge time-saver for businesses with ongoing client relationships.
Who it’s for: Essentials is now ideal for businesses managing customers and payments at scale, without needing a full enterprise system.
Plus: Reconciliation, Anomaly Detection, and Full CRM Expansion
QuickBooks Plus introduces deeper intelligence, particularly around lead nurturing, anomaly spotting, and financial insights.
Customer Agent (Beta)
This tool pulls in email leads from your inbox, ranks them by importance, drafts follow-up messages, and tracks progress automatically. It’s like having a virtual sales assistant who never sleeps.
Accounting Agent (Enhanced)
This version goes deeper than the Essentials tier, handling not just categorization but also AI-powered reconciliation and anomaly detection. It flags anything suspicious in your books and suggests corrective actions.
Reconciliation (Beta) & Anomaly Detection
Fewer errors, less time reviewing transactions. This feature helps prevent fraud and keeps your books investor-ready with minimal manual effort.
Insights: P&L and Balance Sheet Visualizations
New dashboards now surface AI-generated profit & loss and balance sheet insights. Users are alerted to trends, anomalies, or shifts in spending patterns, so you can course-correct before problems escalate.
Expanded Customer Hub
CRM features now include:
Contract storage
eSignatures
Full lead and client lifecycle management
Perfect for: Business owners juggling customers, contractors, and cash flow who need smart tools—but aren’t quite ready for enterprise pricing.
Advanced: Financial Agents, KPI Dashboards & Pro-Level Features
The Advanced plan has always targeted mid-size to larger businesses, but the July 2025 update makes it even more appealing for CFOs and operations teams.
Finance & Projects Agent (Beta)
Two AI agents now work together to:
Track project profitability
Maintain accurate books
Automate project-based accounting workflows
Ideal for agencies, construction firms, or anyone juggling multiple revenue streams.
KPI Scorecard
See your business’s most important metrics at a glance. From cash flow to customer acquisition cost, this new feature gives decision-makers real-time insights for faster decisions.
Forecasting, Batch Transactions & Backup
Long-requested tools like forecasting, spreadsheet sync, batch processing, and Backup & Restore are now built in. You can now scale confidently while maintaining accuracy and compliance.
Live Priority Support
Get faster help when you need it most—with exclusive access to QuickBooks experts.
Designed for: Businesses that demand power, visibility, and support in every function of their financial workflow.
Why This Update Matters
QuickBooks has taken a significant step toward becoming more than just accounting software. By embedding smart agents, integrated CRM features, and powerful automation across every tier, it now functions more like a full-scale business operating system.
Whether you’re just launching your freelance practice or running a multi-location operation, there’s a version of QuickBooks that can meet you where you are—and grow with you.
Ready to Experience the New QuickBooks?
QuickBooks’ July 2025 update is rolling out across all Online tiers starting July 1. To explore which plan is right for you, visit their site and discover what smarter accounting looks like.
