We want the flexibility to control our subscriptions, and now we can upgrade our QBO subscriptions and "Downgrade" our QBO subscriptions. This is great news for clients who need change and want to explore possibilities never before possible.
We'll explore the potential changes your subscription allows and illustrate the limitations in this brief outline.
Essentially, all the accounting integrity is kept, but there are some feature restrictions. This means some features will not be included in the downgraded subscription or will need to be recreated in the downgraded subscription.

Examples of QBO Downgrade Options
Downgrades
If you decide to Downgrade, currently you must call support at 888-333-3451 for help. It appears that in the future we may have the ability to perform this downgrade ourselves.
Interrupters means less features or recreate features when downgrading
- Need to delete all recurring transaction/templates
- Number of users: plus five, essentials three, simple start one
- Loss of inventory – inventory items must be made “inactive” Quantity on hand = 0 (only Plus can track Inventory)
- Loss of 1099 vendor tracking (only Plus has this ability)
- Third party apps – will be disconnected – will not sync with downgraded version of QBO
- Loss of all current discounts -> current standard price
Show Stopping Blockers – if you're using any of the features on this list you can not downgrade
- Multi-currency – can’t be turned off
- Annual billing
- Wholesale billing special rates (lose five for $25)
- Global – USA only

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Warning messages for things to fix before converting
Since all versions of QBO subscriptions differ in features, warning messages are displayed during conversion to remind you to turn off or delete the feature since the downgraded version may not have the same ability.
For example, below the warning message is a display for a QBO plus downgrade to QBO simple start. All Recurring Transactions and Inventory need to be deleted or made inactive.

Typical things to fix
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It’s important to note that downgrading is perfect for QBO users who are using the accounting features in QBO such as the back feeds, invoicing and the check books. There are many of these types of users. QBO Plus is not necessary for them, so downgrading is a fantastic option.
The opposite is still true, too. Users can also opt in for more QBO. Upgrading for more features like 1099 tracking is still possible by Upgrading a QBO subscription.
- Gear Icon
- Selecting Account and Settings
- Billing and Subscriptions
- Select upgraded QBO subscription

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I realize this is an overview and that you may want more information about the various QBO levels and what's included. You can compare QBO subscriptions HERE.