Found vs QuickBooks: Which Is Right for Your Small Business?

TL;DR: Found vs QuickBooks

Found is the better choice if you’re a small or growing business that wants banking, bookkeeping, and tax tools in one place — with no required monthly fees¹. Found supports sole proprietors, LLCs, and businesses with growing teams by replacing the need for separate bank accounts, accounting software, and tax estimation tools with a single platform. With Found Pro¹, established businesses get 2.50% APY (variable) on all balances, no cap², a dedicated account manager, and a metal business card³ — along with team card sharing, accountant access, and multi-business management for up to five entities under one login. QuickBooks is the better choice if your accountant requires it, you need multi-state sales tax tracking, or your business has grown to require accrual accounting or inventory management.

Here’s the key difference: QuickBooks is accounting software that connects to your bank. Found is a business banking solution with accounting and tax tools built in. That means your transactions are tracked, categorized, and ready for tax time — no syncing, no imports, no reconciliation. And whether you’re a solo owner or a multi-member LLC with a growing team, Found scales with you.

Found vs QuickBooks: Feature comparison

Data compiled October 2026. Features, pricing, and availability may vary. Always confirm current details directly with each provider.

Feature	Found ($0/mo)	Found Plus ($35/mo)	Found Pro ($80/mo)	QB Solopreneur Lite ($20/mo)	QB Simple Start ($38/mo)
Monthly cost⁴	$0	$35/mo or $315/yr	$80/mo or $720/yr	$20/mo	$38/mo
Business checking⁵	Included	Included	Included	Not stated	Optional (QuickBooks Checking; Green Dot Bank)
Business debit card	Included (Mastercard⁶)	Included (Mastercard⁶)	Included (Metal Mastercard⁶)	Not stated	With QuickBooks Checking
APY²	—	1.50% APY on balances up to $20K	2.50% APY on balances, no cap	—	3.00% APY on savings-envelope balances in QuickBooks Checking (variable; balances outside envelopes earn no interest)
Real-time sync	Automatic	Automatic	Automatic	Via bank connection	Via bank connection
Tap to Pay	Included	Included	Included	Not stated	In-person payments
Expense tracking	Included	Included	Included	Included	Included
Receipt capture	Included	Included	Included	Included	Included
Mileage tracking	Included	Included	Included	Included	Included
Tax estimates	Included	Included	Included	Not stated	Not stated (quarterly estimates start at Essentials)
Tax form generation	Schedule C, 1120-S, and 1120	Schedule C, 1120-S, and 1120	Schedule C, 1120-S, and 1120	Schedule C mapping	Schedule C mapping
Auto tax savings	Included	Included	Included	Not included	Not included
Quarterly tax payments⁷	—	Included	Included	Not stated	Not stated
Unlimited invoicing	Included	Included	Included	Included	Included
Pay 1099 contractors⁸	Included	Included	Included	$25/mo add-on	$25/mo add-on
Collect W-9s	Included	Included	Included	Additional fee	Additional fee
1099-NEC e-file	Included	Included	Included	Limited by plan (unlimited with $25/mo add-on)	Included with $25/mo add-on
Financial reports	Included	Included	Included	P&L, balance sheet	P&L, expenses, balance sheet
Team card sharing	Virtual + physical for team	Virtual + physical for team	Virtual + physical for team	Not stated	Not stated
Multi-business mgmt	Up to 5 businesses	Up to 5 businesses	Up to 5 businesses	—	—
Accountant access	Included	Included	Included	Not included	Included (2 accountants)
Dedicated account mgr	—	—	Included	—	—
Priority support⁹	—	Included	Included	—	—
Mobile app ratings	4.8 / 4.7	4.8 / 4.7	4.8 / 4.7	4.7 / 4.7	4.7 / 4.7

How Found and QuickBooks compare on cost

For most small business owners, Found’s $0 per month plan includes features that would cost $45 or more per month with QuickBooks once you add contractor payments and 1099 filing.

Here’s how the math works. QuickBooks Solopreneur Lite costs $20 per month for accounting software alone (regular list price; promotional intro pricing may be lower). You still need a business bank account (which may charge its own monthly fee), and adding QuickBooks Contractor Payments costs another $25 per month. That puts you at $45 per month minimum — before you’ve added Schedule C generation or automatic tax savings, which QuickBooks doesn’t offer.

Found offers three tiers that scale with your business. The $0 per month plan includes a business checking account, automated bookkeeping, tax form generation (Schedule C, Form 1120-S, and Form 1120), contractor payments, 1099 filing, invoicing, and team card sharing. New customers (accounts opened on or after November 1, 2025) can also earn a 2.00% APY bonus (variable) on balances up to $20,000 in months with $5,000+ in qualifying card spend¹⁰. Found Plus at $35 per month adds 1.50% APY (variable) on balances up to $20,000, in-app quarterly tax payments, and priority support. Found Pro at $80 per month is built for more established businesses — it includes 2.50% APY on all balances with no cap, a metal³ Mastercard business debit card⁶, and a dedicated account manager for personalized support.

Cost comparison for a small business owner who pays three contractors:

	Found ($0/mo)	Found Plus	Found Pro	QB Solopreneur Lite + add-ons
Plan price (bookkeeping included on every Found plan)⁴	$0	$35/month	$80/month	$20/month
Business bank account⁵	$0 (included)	$0 (included)	$0 (included)	$0–$15/mo (separate account; QuickBooks Checking requires QuickBooks Online)
Contractor payments + 1099s	$0 (included)	$0 (included)	$0 (included)	$25/mo (includes 20 contractors)
Tax form generation	$0 (included)	$0 (included)	$0 (included)	Not available
APY on balances²	—	1.50% APY on balances up to $20K	2.50% APY uncapped	—
Priority / dedicated support⁹	—	Priority support	Dedicated acct mgr	—
Total	$0/month	$35/month	$80/month	$45+/month

¹⁰Customers who have signed up for an account on or after November 1, 2025 will earn a bonus equal to 2.00% Annual Percentage Yield (APY) on the portion of their account balance up to $20,000 for a given month only if they spend $5,000 in qualifying debit card transactions during the month and satisfy other eligibility requirements as described in the Card Spend Bonus Terms. No bonus will be earned on the portion of account balances over $20,000.

Where Found wins

Banking and bookkeeping in one place

Found’s business checking account is the foundation of the platform. When you spend with your Found debit card or receive a deposit, that transaction is automatically logged, categorized, and reflected in your bookkeeping — in real time. There’s no waiting for bank imports, no manual reconciliation, and no syncing delays.

QuickBooks is accounting software first. Its optional QuickBooks Checking account requires a QuickBooks Online account and approval for online payments (QuickBooks and Intuit are a technology company, not a bank. Banking services provided by our partner, Green Dot Bank.); otherwise you connect a bank account from another provider, and that connection can lag, break, or miscategorize transactions. With Found, your banking data and your bookkeeping data are the same data.

Found also offers Pockets — subaccounts, each with its own account number that help you set aside money for taxes, operating expenses, or specific projects. You can automate allocations so a percentage of every deposit goes directly into your tax savings.

Tax estimates and forms without add-ons or extra fees

Found provides real-time tax estimates that update automatically as you earn income and log expenses. For Schedule C filers — including freelancers, sole proprietors, and single-member LLCs taxed as sole proprietorships — Found auto-generates your Schedule C form based on your categorized transactions. Found also generates Form 1120-S for LLCs and corporations taxed as S-corps, and Form 1120 for C-corps.

QuickBooks Solopreneur organizes your data into Schedule C categories, but it doesn’t generate the form itself. You still need to manually enter the numbers into your tax return or pay for a separate filing service.

With Found Plus¹, eligible filers can also make quarterly federal tax payments directly from the app — turning tax compliance from a quarterly scramble into a built-in part of your workflow.

Contractor payments and 1099 filing at no extra cost

Found includes end-to-end contractor management in every plan. You can onboard contractors, collect and store W-9 forms, pay them through multiple methods (including free instant Found-to-Found payments), and at tax time, Found automatically generates 1099-NEC forms for any contractor you’ve paid $2,000 or more, which you can e-file through the app for free.

QuickBooks charges a separate add-on for contractor payments — $25 per month as a base (including 20 contractors), plus $2 per month for each additional contractor beyond the first 20. That adds up quickly if you work with freelancers and subcontractors regularly.

Built for one person or a growing team

Found was designed for business owners who manage their own finances — but it doesn’t stop there. Solo owners get a platform that automates expense categorization, tracks mileage, captures receipts, sends invoices, and keeps you organized for tax time, all without requiring accounting knowledge. Everything lives in one app, and the mobile experience is rated 4.8 stars on the App Store.

As your business grows, Found grows with you. Multi-member LLCs and corporations can give co-owners their own Admin login. You can share virtual debit cards with team members so their spending is automatically tracked and categorized as deductions. Found’s accountant access feature lets your CPA or bookkeeper view your activity, review reports, and access your auto-generated tax forms directly within the platform — no exports or screen shares required.

If you run more than one business, Found lets you manage up to five separate entities under a single login. Each business gets its own account number, tax tools, and financial reporting, and payments between Found accounts are free and instant⁸.

Found Pro¹: Premium tools for established businesses

For business owners who want more from their banking relationship, Found Pro¹ offers benefits that go beyond what traditional accounting software can provide. Found Pro¹ subscribers earn 2.50% APY (variable) on all balances with no cap². You also get a metal³ Mastercard business debit card⁶, a dedicated account manager for personalized support, and all the features of Found Plus¹ including in-app quarterly tax payments and priority support.

At $80 per month, Found Pro is priced above QuickBooks Simple Start ($38/month) — but it combines bookkeeping tools and a business bank account in one place and adds premium banking benefits. Found’s reporting and P&L statements are for cash-based businesses only and aren’t compatible with accrual accounting, and Found does not replace an accountant or provide tax or legal advice. Depending on your balance, earnings from Found Pro’s 2.50% APY (variable) can offset part of the monthly cost. Compare Found’s plans to see what Found Plus and Found Pro include.

Where QuickBooks wins

Your accountant already uses QuickBooks

If you have an established relationship with a CPA or bookkeeper who has built your financial workflows in QuickBooks, switching platforms could create friction. QuickBooks is one of the most widely used small business accounting tools, and many accountants have deep expertise with it. Found does offer accountant access, letting your CPA view your bookkeeping activity within the platform, but if your accountant explicitly requires QuickBooks, staying on it may be the path of least resistance.

You need multi-state sales tax tracking

If your business sells physical products or taxable services across multiple states, QuickBooks Simple Start offers built-in sales tax calculation, jurisdiction-specific rate setup, and tracking for what you’ve collected and owe. This is essential for businesses with multi-state tax obligations. Found doesn’t currently offer dedicated sales tax features.

You need accrual accounting or inventory management

QuickBooks supports accrual-based accounting — recognizing revenue when earned and expenses when incurred, regardless of when cash changes hands. This matters for businesses with significant accounts receivable or payable, those required to use accrual methods for tax purposes, or companies seeking investment where accrual accounting provides a clearer financial picture. QuickBooks Online Plus also offers integrated inventory tracking with purchase orders, cost of goods sold calculations, and stock level alerts. Found is designed for cash-basis financial management, which is the standard for most small and service-based businesses.

Which should you choose?

Choose Found if you:

• Want a business bank account with bookkeeping and tax tools built in — at no required monthly cost¹
• Are a sole proprietor, LLC, or small business owner who wants everything in one platform
• Run a multi-member LLC or have team members who need their own cards for tracked spending
• Work with contractors and want 1099 payments and filing included at no extra charge
• Want your expenses tracked and categorized automatically as you spend
• File a Schedule C, Form 1120-S, or Form 1120 and want tax estimates updated in real time and your tax forms auto-generated
• Manage multiple businesses and want them all under one login with separate accounts and reporting
• Value having one app instead of juggling separate banking, bookkeeping, and tax tools

Choose Found Pro¹if you:

• Want premium APY (2.50% on all balances, uncapped) to earn more on your operating cash
• Need a dedicated account manager for personalized support
• Want all the benefits of Found Plus¹ plus premium banking features

Choose QuickBooks if you:

• Work with an accountant or bookkeeper who requires QuickBooks for your financial workflows
• Need to calculate and track sales tax across multiple states
• Are required to use accrual-based accounting for tax or investment purposes
• Need inventory management with purchase orders and COGS tracking
• Need a more customizable chart of accounts than Found’s category-based bookkeeping

Bottom line: For small and growing businesses, Found gives you more — banking, bookkeeping, contractor payments, invoicing, and tax tools — for less. Found Pro¹ takes it further with premium banking benefits for established businesses. QuickBooks is the better fit if your business has outgrown cash-basis accounting or your accountant requires it.

Switching from QuickBooks to Found

If you’re currently using QuickBooks and considering Found, here’s what the transition looks like:

• Open your Found account. Sign up in as little as 5 minutes. You’ll get a business checking account, debit card, and access to our core bookkeeping and tax tools immediately. If you have a multi-member LLC or corporation, you can give co-owners their own Admin login.
• Move your banking. Redirect deposits and update payment methods to your new Found account. Found supports ACH transfers, wire transfers, mobile check deposit, and direct deposit.
• Set up your bookkeeping. Found automatically categorizes transactions going forward. You can customize categories to match your business and adjust any auto-categorizations.
• Share access with your team. Set up virtual cards for co-owners or team members, and grant accountant access to your CPA or bookkeeper so they can view your activity and reports.
• Invite your contractors. If you pay 1099 contractors, onboard them in Found to collect W-9s and start paying them directly from the platform.
• Keep QuickBooks for historical records. You don’t need to delete your QuickBooks account. Many business owners keep it for reference while using Found going forward.

You don’t need to migrate historical data to get value from Found. The platform starts working the moment your first transaction hits.

Frequently asked questions

Is Found or QuickBooks cheaper for small businesses?

Found’s free plan includes a business checking account, automated bookkeeping, tax form generation (Schedule C, Form 1120-S, and Form 1120), contractor payments, 1099 filing, and invoicing — all at no monthly cost. QuickBooks Solopreneur Lite costs $20 per month for accounting software alone, doesn’t include a built-in bank account, and charges an additional $25 per month for its Contractor Payments add-on. For most small businesses, Found’s free plan includes more of these features at $0/month. Found Plus at $35 per month adds quarterly tax payments, 1.50% APY (variable) on balances up to $20,000, and priority support — roughly the same price as QuickBooks alone, but with a bank account and contractor tools included. Even Found Pro at $80 per month can be more cost-effective than QuickBooks when you factor in the included business bank account, contractor tools, and 2.50% uncapped APY on your operating balance.

Can Found replace QuickBooks for my small business?

Yes, for many small businesses — from solo owners to multi-member LLCs with team members. Found offers automatic expense tracking, categorization, receipt capture, mileage tracking, invoicing, contractor payments, 1099 filing, and comprehensive financial reports including profit and loss statements. It’s especially effective if your primary business transactions flow through your Found checking account, since your banking and bookkeeping data sync automatically. For growing businesses, Found Pro¹ adds a dedicated account manager and 2.50% APY. Team card features—like virtual and physical card sharing, accountant access, and multi-business management—are available across all Found tiers.

Does Found work for LLCs and multi-member businesses?

Yes. Found supports sole proprietors, single-member LLCs, multi-member LLCs, and corporations. Single-member LLCs taxed as sole proprietorships get an auto-generated Schedule C based on categorized transactions. LLCs taxed as S-corps are supported with Form 1120-S generation. C-corps can open Found accounts and get Form 1120 generated from their categorized transactions. Multi-member LLCs can give co-owners their own Admin login, share virtual debit cards with team members, and grant accountant access to their CPA or bookkeeper.

Can multiple team members use Found?

Yes. Found supports team-based workflows in several ways. You can share virtual debit cards with co-owners and team members, and their spending is automatically tracked. You can also order additional physical cards for team use. Found’s accountant access feature gives your CPA or bookkeeper a secure view of your activity, reports, and tax documents. With Found Pro¹, you get a dedicated account manager who can support your team’s needs directly.

Can I manage multiple businesses on Found?

Yes. Found lets you create accounts for up to five separate business entities under a single login. Each business gets its own account number, tax tools, and financial reporting — completely separate from your other businesses. This is ideal if you operate multiple LLCs, a sole proprietorship alongside an LLC, or any combination of business structures. Payments between Found accounts are free and instant⁸.

What is Found Pro¹?

Found Pro is Found’s premium plan at $80 per month (or $720 per year). It includes everything in Found Plus¹, plus 2.50% APY on all balances with no cap, a metal³ Mastercard business debit card⁶, and a dedicated account manager. Found Pro is designed for established businesses that want premium banking benefits alongside their bookkeeping and tax tools. It comes with a 30-day free trial, and you can cancel anytime and keep the free Found plan.

Can I switch from QuickBooks to Found?

Yes. You can sign up for a Found account in as little as 5 minutes and start using it immediately. Found doesn’t require you to migrate historical data from QuickBooks — the platform begins tracking and categorizing transactions as soon as your first deposit or purchase is made. You can also bulk-import past transactions via CSV, and every Found plan lets you connect your other bank, card, and payment app accounts to import transactions.

Is Found a real bank?

Found is a financial technology company, not a bank. Banking services are provided by Lead Bank, Member FDIC. Deposits are FDIC-insured up to $250,000 per depositor through Lead Bank. FDIC insurance only covers the failure of an FDIC-insured depository institution.

Does Found help with taxes?

Yes. Found provides real-time tax estimates that update as you earn and spend, helps you identify deductible expenses, and auto-generates your Schedule C, Form 1120-S, or Form 1120 based on your categorized transactions and business structure. With Found Plus, eligible filers can make quarterly federal tax payments directly from the app. Found does not file tax returns — it helps with estimates, savings, and quarterly payments. You can also grant your accountant access to view your bookkeeping and download your auto-generated tax forms.

Can I still work with my accountant if I use Found?

Yes. Found’s accountant access feature lets your accountant or bookkeeper securely view your bookkeeping activity, review financial reports, and access your auto-generated tax forms directly within the platform. You can also export your financial data to share with them.

What’s the difference between Found and QuickBooks Self-Employed?

QuickBooks Self-Employed was discontinued by Intuit and replaced with QuickBooks Solopreneur. Found is an active, fully supported platform that combines business banking with bookkeeping and tax tools. Unlike QuickBooks Solopreneur, Found includes a built-in business checking account, debit card, automatic tax savings, contractor payments, and 1099 filing at no additional cost.

Does Found support invoicing and payment collection?

Yes. Found includes unlimited invoicing on every plan. You can create and customize invoices, send them to clients, set up recurring invoices, and send automatic payment reminders. Found also offers Tap to Pay for in-person contactless payments directly from your smartphone.

How does Found compare to QuickBooks for contractor payments?

Found includes contractor payments and 1099 filing in every plan at no extra charge. You can onboard contractors, collect W-9 forms, pay them via multiple methods, and Found auto-generates 1099-NEC forms that you can e-file in the app at tax time. QuickBooks charges an additional $25 per month base fee for contractor payments, plus $2 per month per contractor beyond the first 20.

Disclaimer: The information on this website is not intended to provide, and should not be relied on for, tax, legal, or accounting advice. Users are advised to consult with professionals for specific advice.

Data compiled October 2026 and subject to change. Features, pricing, and availability may vary. Always confirm current details with providers directly.