Business and Personal

Question

I'm looking for a cloud based program that I can download to my desktop.  I may or may not use my mobile to access the program on occassion.  However, when asking if the Business and Personal, mobile version is cloud based, I get this answer……..Yes, Quicken on the Web works on desktop computers through web browsers and you can also use the mobile app. However, Quicken isn't fully cloud-based - it remains a desktop program with your data stored on your computer.The web and mobile versions are companion apps that sync with the desktop software, so you'd still need Quicken Desktop as your primary program. You can access your synced data from any computer via web browsers or your phone when needed.Quicken Business & Personal subscription includes these web/mobile features, so you'd have the business functionality you need on desktop with occasional mobile access.

I don’t understand how I can access the program anywhere, if it’s not cloud based.  If I sign in on another computer, will all my data be there, since the data is stored on my computer?    I’d appreciate some further clarification.

Thanks in advance.

Boatnmaniac · Answer

https://community.quicken.com/discussion/comment/20537017#Comment_20537017

Yes, from a marketing perspective it sure does seem like their right hand and left hand are not coordinating.  The apparently disjointed marketing approach seems to be accelerating down separate paths at a faster and faster rate while the products differentiation lines are getting increasingly blurred causing confusion and, as is evidenced by posts in this forum, resulting in more and more people ordering one product when they thought they were ordering the other.  I must confess that I am baffled by their product offerings website, as well.

mistertheplague · Answer

https://community.quicken.com/discussion/comment/20534243#Comment_20534243

Quicken's current marketing presentation is as baffling as a Chinese crossword puzzle. Sometimes the Simplifi platform is called Simplifi (or Quicken Simplifi to compound the confusion); sometimes it's called "Web & Mobile" — as opposed to "Classic Desktop."

Fair enough, except that Classic Desktop has a web viewer and a mobile app.

If you go to the quicken.com landing page, after scrolling through the various features under the heading "Do more with Quicken," you get to the bottom and realize they've been describing Simplifi/Web & Mobile and you're presented with a tab to visit another page to browse the Quicken Classic platform.

If you're interested in the Business & Personal products, Quicken Inc. offers feature comparisons between what I'm just going to call Simplifi vs Simplifi Business & Personal, as well as between Quicken Classic Deluxe/Premier vs Quicken Classic Business & Personal, but not between Simplifi Business & Personal vs Quicken Classic Business & Personal. People who ask in this forum are told to ask in the Simplifi forum. People who ask in the Simplifi forum are told they don't know.

I've been using desktop Quicken on Mac and Windows since Moses parted the Red Sea. I also beta tested the original Simplifi app before it was released; it was a nifty little app but it didn't meet my needs at the time. Recently I've been interested in maybe upgrading to Business & Personal either on the desktop platform or the Simplifi platform. But there's no way to tell what the different feature sets are so for now I'm just standing pat.

Boatnmaniac · Answer

Hi @GailMScarfino.  Quicken's product names and feature names can be somewhat confusing.  There are 2 base platforms:

* Quicken Classic:  This is a desktop/laptop program that resides on the local computer drive.  The data file also is designed to reside on the local computer drive, not on a Cloud (saving/running on a Cloud can cause permanent data loss and/or program functionality issues).  There are 4 editions of it….Starter, Deluxe, Premier and Business & Personal.  They all use the same program.  It is the subscription is what determines which edition features will be turned on.
* Quicken Personal and Quicken Business & Personal:  Previously marketed as Quicken Simplify.  These apps are 100% Cloud-based.  They are not as full-featured (yet) as Quicken Classic is.  They are accessed via a browser…no special apps are required.  If you have questions about these you should post them in the Simplify Community forum…

https://community.simplifimoney.com/

…since that is where the users knowledge base is located.

What you posted above refers to Quicken Mobile and Quicken on the Web.  These are optional companion apps (no additional cost) to Quicken Classic.  With these a subset of the data in Quicken Classic is saved in a Cloud Account that is securely linked to the originating data file.  When they are set up, the user is able to access (view and manage) that subset of data via an app on their mobile devices or via any web browser when the data file in Quicken Classic is closed.   But it is important to note that one must have and use Quicken Classic on their computer in order to be able to use Quicken Mobile and Quicken on the Web since they are companion apps and not standalone apps that do need to be regularly synced with Quicken Classic.

With either of these platforms there is a free trial period of sorts.  You can order the annual subscription and if within 30 days you decide it does not meet your needs or you do not like it you can request a full no-questions-asked refund.