What happens to my data if I cancel QuickBooks?

After cancellation, you have read-only access to your data for 1 year. After that, Intuit deletes everything. Export your Profit & Loss, Balance Sheet, and transaction history before canceling.

Will QuickBooks offer me a discount if I try to cancel?

Yes. QuickBooks has one of the most aggressive retention flows — expect up to 75% off for 6 months. If you want to stay but pay less, the cancellation flow is actually the best way to get a discount.

How to Cancel QuickBooks Online in 2026

Updated February 2026 · Difficulty: Hard · $30-200/mo

🚨 Export Your Data BEFORE Canceling

After cancellation, you get read-only access for 1 year, then Intuit deletes everything. Your invoices, expense reports, tax documents, payroll records — gone forever. Export first. Cancel second.

Step 1: Export Everything

Before you touch the cancel button, download:

✅ Profit & Loss Statement (Reports > P&L > Export to Excel)
✅ Balance Sheet (Reports > Balance Sheet > Export)
✅ Transaction List (Reports > Transaction List by Date > All Time > Export)
✅ Customer/Vendor List (Sales > Customers > Export / Expenses > Vendors > Export)
✅ Chart of Accounts (Settings > Chart of Accounts > Export)
✅ All invoices as PDFs (batch download if available)
✅ Payroll reports (if using QBO Payroll — tax filings, W-2s, pay history)
✅ Receipt attachments (not included in standard exports)

Step 2: Cancel the Subscription

Log in to QuickBooks Online
Click the gear icon (⚙️) in the top right
Select Account and Settings
Click Cancel Subscription (or Cancel Trial)
Retention Screen #1: "Here's what you'll lose..." — click Continue
Retention Screen #2: "How about 50% off for 3 months?" — click No Thanks
Retention Screen #3: "Would 75% off for 6 months change your mind?" — click No Thanks
Retention Screen #4: "Take a survey before you go" — fill out or skip
Confirm cancellation

QuickBooks Pricing Has Gotten Ridiculous

QuickBooks has increased prices steadily while locking features behind higher tiers:

Simple Start: $30/mo (was $15/mo in 2020)
Essentials: $60/mo (was $40/mo)
Plus: $90/mo (was $70/mo)
Advanced: $200/mo (was $150/mo)
Add QuickBooks Payroll: +$45-125/mo + $6/employee
Add QuickBooks Payments: 2.9% + $0.25 per transaction

A small business on Plus with Payroll can easily spend $150-250/month — $1,800-$3,000/year on accounting software alone.

Free & Cheaper Alternatives

Wave (free): Invoicing, accounting, receipt scanning — truly free for most features. Best for freelancers and small businesses
Zoho Books (free tier): Free for businesses under $50K annual revenue. Full double-entry accounting
GnuCash (free): Open-source desktop accounting. No subscription. Steep learning curve but powerful
Xero ($15-78/mo): QuickBooks' main competitor. Often cheaper, better UX, strong ecosystem
FreshBooks ($19-60/mo): Great for service businesses and freelancers. Simpler than QBO
Spreadsheets: For very small operations, a well-structured Google Sheet works fine. Free forever

The "Cancel to Get a Discount" Play

If you want to stay with QuickBooks but pay less, the cancellation flow is your best negotiating tool. QuickBooks routinely offers 50-75% off for 3-6 months during the cancellation process. That's $30/mo becoming $7.50/mo. Accept the offer, set a calendar reminder for when it expires, and repeat the process. Many small business owners have been doing this for years.

💰 The QuickBooks Tax

Switching from QuickBooks Plus ($90/mo) to Wave (free) saves $1,080/year. That's money that goes back into your business. The migration takes a weekend — export from QBO, import to Wave — and most businesses find Wave handles their needs perfectly.

🔍 Find all your business software charges

Upload your bank statement to JustCancel and we'll identify every SaaS charge — QuickBooks, Mailchimp, Zoom, Slack, and the 10 other tools you forgot you're paying for. Takes 30 seconds.