Intuit discontinued QuickBooks Self-Employed Canada in 2024 — the app was removed from app stores, new signups were closed, and the upgrade path Intuit offered (QuickBooks Online EasyStart at ~$28 CAD/month) is business software built for companies with employees, not for self-employed individuals. Here is an honest look at what is actually available to replace it.
What QBSE did that you'll need to replace
QBSE was purpose-built for sole proprietors: mileage tracking, receipt scanning, basic expense categorization, and a rough tax estimate. It was not a full accounting system, but it was affordable (~$10 CAD/month) and enough for many self-employed Canadians who just needed to stay organized through tax season.
To replace it, you need a tool that handles at minimum: invoicing or income tracking, expense categorization, and some form of tax preparation output (ideally T2125-ready).
The alternatives — compared honestly
Wave (free + payment fees)
Wave offers unlimited invoicing and basic double-entry accounting at no monthly charge. It is the most common first stop for displaced QBSE users because it costs nothing to start. The catch: Wave's payment processing has a well-documented reliability problem. The Better Business Bureau shows a pattern of funds held for 6-7 months with no notification, and automatic refunds to clients without merchant consent. For service businesses that rely on online payments, this is a serious risk. Wave also has no contracts, no T2125 export, and no GST/HST threshold tracking.
Best for: Businesses that invoice by email and collect by e-transfer or cheque, and do not need online payment processing.
FreshBooks ($17–$30 CAD/month)
FreshBooks is a Canadian company (founded in Toronto) with genuine GST/HST and PST support, time tracking, project management, and a polished client portal. The Lite plan caps clients at five, which forces most growing businesses to the Plus plan at ~$30/month. FreshBooks does not export a T2125 — you still need to manually transfer your numbers to tax software at year end.
Best for: Service businesses that need time tracking and project management alongside invoicing.
NorthOS ($12 CAD/month)
NorthOS is a newer Canadian product focused specifically on bookkeeping and tax compliance for sole proprietors. It has T2125 mapping, GST/HST threshold tracking, and receipt scanning. What it does not have is invoicing, contracts, or payment processing — it is a pure bookkeeping tool. Users of NorthOS still need a separate invoicing solution.
Best for: Self-employed individuals who already have an invoicing workflow and just need bookkeeping and tax prep.
SoloDeck ($19 CAD/month)
SoloDeck was built specifically because QBSE left a gap that no existing Canadian tool fills completely. It combines invoicing (with automatic GST/HST calculation by client province), contract creation and e-signature, expense scanning that maps receipts to T2125 line numbers, online payment processing via Stripe Connect with 2-business-day payouts, and a GST/HST dashboard that tracks collected tax, input tax credits, and shows your remittance countdown. T2125 exports directly to a CRA-ready PDF.
Best for: Service businesses that want invoicing, contracts, tax tracking, and online payments in one tool — at a price that makes sense for a sole proprietor.
The decision matrix
- I just need to track expenses and file taxes: NorthOS or Wave (free tier)
- I mainly invoice by e-transfer and need time tracking: FreshBooks
- I want online payments, contracts, and Canadian tax in one place: SoloDeck
- I have a team and need full accounting with payroll: QuickBooks Online (not QBSE), Xero, or Sage
Frequently asked questions
Can I export my QBSE data?
Intuit allows you to export a CSV of your transactions before the service shuts down fully. Most alternatives can import a CSV of historical transactions. Keep your export before access ends.
Will I lose my historical data when I switch?
Your tax history is separate from whatever invoicing tool you use — your prior T1 returns and T2125 forms are filed with CRA regardless. Historical invoices and receipts should be exported from QBSE in CSV or PDF form and saved locally as a backup.
Is there a free trial before committing?
Wave is free indefinitely. SoloDeck, FreshBooks, and NorthOS all offer free trials — you can create invoices and explore the tools before paying.