Handl vs QuickBooks: Built for Billing, Not Bookkeeping
They Work Better Together
If you are comparing Handl and QuickBooks, the short answer is the same as the Xero comparison: do not choose. Use both. QuickBooks handles your accounting — general ledger, tax reports, payroll, bank reconciliation. Handl handles the client-facing billing — proposals, milestone invoices, automated payment reminders, scope change management, and a portal your clients can actually use.
QuickBooks is the most popular accounting software in the US and for good reason. It is mature, well-supported, and your accountant almost certainly knows it. But it was never built to manage how agencies bill for project work. There is no milestone billing, no change order workflow, no PM tool integration, and the payment reminders are basic at best.
Handl fills that gap. It sits between you and your clients, handles the money conversation, and pushes clean data into QuickBooks so your books stay accurate without manual entry.
How they stack up
An honest look at where each tool wins.
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Simple pricing vs. per-seat costs
One flat price for your whole team, or pay more for every person who touches an invoice.
- Simple Start: 1 user
- Essentials: 3 users
- Plus: 5 users
- Advanced: 25 users
- Full double-entry accounting
- Payroll add-on available
What are our strengths?
Both tools do some things really well. Here's where each one shines.
- Milestone billing built in. Bill clients when project phases complete, not just on arbitrary dates. QuickBooks has no concept of project milestones tied to invoicing.
- AI-driven payment reminders. Handl figures out when to nudge clients and does it automatically. QuickBooks has basic scheduled reminders that you set up manually.
- Client portal. Clients see their proposals, invoices, and project status in one place. QuickBooks has no equivalent client-facing view.
- Change order management. Document and get approval for scope changes before they become disputes. QuickBooks has no scope management at all.
- PM tool integrations. Connect Jira, Asana, Monday, ClickUp directly. QuickBooks connects to time trackers but not project management tools.
- Digital signatures on proposals. Send a quote, get it signed, start work. No PDF back-and-forth or third-party e-sign tools needed.
- Flat pricing. $29/month for your whole team. QuickBooks limits users per plan and gets expensive fast at higher tiers.
- Project health scoring. AI flags projects drifting off-budget before they become problems. QuickBooks shows you what already happened, not what is about to.
- Full double-entry accounting. Proper general ledger, chart of accounts, and financial statements. This is real accounting software, not a billing layer.
- Tax preparation. Quarterly tax estimates, 1099 contractor management, and direct integration with TurboTax. Tax time is genuinely easier.
- Payroll. Built-in payroll with direct deposit, tax filing, and benefits management. No need for a separate payroll provider.
- Bank reconciliation. Automatic bank feed imports with smart categorisation that improves over time. Bookkeeping that mostly does itself.
- Accountant access. Your accountant almost certainly knows QuickBooks. The accountant portal lets them access your books directly without you exporting anything.
- Massive ecosystem. 750+ integrations covering virtually every business tool. Whatever you use, it probably connects to QuickBooks.
- Expense tracking. Receipt scanning, mileage tracking, and automatic expense categorisation. Solid for businesses with significant operating expenses.
- Industry trust. 30+ years in the market, used by millions of businesses. Lenders, investors, and auditors all recognise QuickBooks financials.
When to choose each tool
Choose the right tool based on how your agency bills and what problems you're solving.
When to choose
Handl
Handl makes sense if your main frustration is the gap between delivering work and getting paid. If you are writing proposals, managing milestones, dealing with scope changes, or spending too much time chasing overdue invoices — that is exactly what Handl automates.
The integration with QuickBooks means you do not have to choose one over the other. Handl handles the client-facing workflow — proposals, milestone invoicing, payment reminders, client portal — and pushes the financial data into QuickBooks automatically. Your accountant sees clean books without you doing manual data entry.
For agencies with teams, the flat $29/month pricing is significantly cheaper than QuickBooks Plus ($90/month) or Advanced ($200/month). And if you are already using Jira, Asana, or Monday for project management, Handl connects your billing to your actual delivery workflow in a way QuickBooks simply cannot.
When to choose
QuickBooks
QuickBooks is the right choice if you need actual accounting software. If your primary need is bookkeeping, tax preparation, payroll, or financial reporting for your accountant or investors — QuickBooks does that job better than almost anything else on the market. It has earned its position as the default for a reason.
It is also worth choosing if your billing is simple. If you send the same invoice to the same clients every month, or if your work is purely hourly with no project complexity, QuickBooks handles that workflow fine. Not every business needs milestone billing or scope management — if yours does not, you do not need Handl.
And if your accountant is already on QuickBooks, there is real value in staying in their ecosystem. Tax time, audit prep, and financial reviews are all smoother when your accountant works in the tool they know best. The switching cost is not just software — it is the relationship with your financial advisor.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use Handl and QuickBooks together?
Yes — they are designed to work together. Handl handles client-facing billing and pushes invoice and payment data into QuickBooks automatically. Your accountant sees clean, accurate books.
Does Handl replace QuickBooks?
No. Handl is a billing automation layer, not accounting software. It handles proposals, milestone invoicing, payment reminders, and client portals. QuickBooks handles your general ledger, tax prep, and payroll. Use both.
Is Handl cheaper than QuickBooks?
Handl is $29/month flat for unlimited users. QuickBooks starts at $30/month but the plans most agencies need (Plus at $90/month or Advanced at $200/month) are significantly more expensive. Many agencies use both — $29 + $30-90 for complete billing and accounting.
Does QuickBooks have milestone billing?
No. QuickBooks has standard line-item invoicing. You cannot tie an invoice to a project phase or trigger billing when a deliverable is completed. That is what Handl adds.
What if my accountant only uses QuickBooks?
That is fine — Handl pushes data into QuickBooks. Your accountant sees the same financial data they are used to, in the tool they already know. They do not need a Handl login.
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