Downgrading question

Bob.
Bob. Quicken Windows Subscription Member ✭✭✭✭
edited December 2025 in Installing and Updating (Mac)

I am considering downgrading to Premier from Home and Business as I use less and less of the H&B features.

I have 180 days left today on H&B. If I buy and activate a Premier license today, when will my H&B change? On day 181 or immediately?

And any caveats on downgrading? Loss of anything other than business categories, some reports and rental properties?

Thanks!

Tagged:

Answers

  • Jon
    Jon Quicken Mac Subscription SuperUser, Mac Beta Beta

    Years ago I did a downgrade from Premiere to Deluxe, and IIRC the change in subscription level was immediate.

  • Bob.
    Bob. Quicken Windows Subscription Member ✭✭✭✭

    Thanks Jon. I'll see if a mod replies to see if that has changed. If not, I'll wait until last minute perhaps.

  • Quicken Kristina
    Quicken Kristina Quicken Windows Subscription Moderator mod

    Hello @Bob.,

    Thank you for reaching out! To answer your question, when you downgrade, it takes effect immediately, and the difference in cost is made up as a prorated extension on your subscription. See this article for more information: https://www.quicken.com/support/managemyaccount/#section-windows-2 .

    If I buy and activate a Premier license today, when will my H&B change?

    You would want to manage your account and change your plan. Buying a Premier license could result in you having 2 Quicken subscriptions, instead of changing your Business and Personal subscription to Premier. Here are the instructions from the article I linked above:

    Instructions:

    You can downgrade your Quicken membership in the My Account section of Quicken.com.

    1. Log in with your Quicken ID (email address).
    2. On the left, select Subscriptions. image.png
    3. Select Manage Subscription.
    4. Select Change Plan.  image.png
    5. Follow the on-screen prompts to complete the change. 

    And any caveats on downgrading? Loss of anything other than business categories, some reports and rental properties?

    You would no longer be able to assign business specific categories, create invoices, mark accounts as business accounts, run business-related reports, and track mileage.

    I hope this helps!

    Quicken Kristina

    Make sure to sign up for the email digest to see a round up of your top posts.

  • Bob.
    Bob. Quicken Windows Subscription Member ✭✭✭✭

    Thanks @Quicken Kristina . Glad I asked.

    So, I first change plans online. Then can enter a new license code purchased elsewhere in the program, yes? When does the prorate happen? In other words, if on Jan 1 I change plans and the prorate happens and moves things to more than 180 days, I would not be able to enter the license key until it decrements down to less than 180 days. Correct?

    I think you know me by now I try to be cautious when making major changes, so want to be sure.

    I think at this point of retirement I'll get by without those features.

    Thanks.

  • Quicken Kristina
    Quicken Kristina Quicken Windows Subscription Moderator mod

    Thank you for your reply,

    Based on the article, the prorate should happen immediately. You are correct; if the prorate pushes your subscription past 180 days out, then you would not be able to extend it until you're back in the last 6 months of your subscription again. See the Extend section of our article for more information: https://www.quicken.com/support/managemyaccount/#section-windows-3 .

    Thank you!

    Quicken Kristina

    Make sure to sign up for the email digest to see a round up of your top posts.

  • Bob.
    Bob. Quicken Windows Subscription Member ✭✭✭✭

    Gotcha. Thanks.

    Last 2 questions, not covered in the article.

    If I ever need to restore from a H&B backup to a now downgraded Premier, will it work? And, although I expect to discontinue using Windows I might not. Would I have to do this separately for each platform or only in one?

    I think that will have me covered to plan my moves.

    Thanks.

  • Bob.
    Bob. Quicken Windows Subscription Member ✭✭✭✭

    @Quicken Kristina Comments on above? Since posting, I thought downgrading must affect both platforms so I would expect both to change on changing subscription.

    But what about backups? Hopefully never needed, but just in case I'd like to know what to expect.

  • Quicken Kristina
    Quicken Kristina Quicken Windows Subscription Moderator mod

    Thank you for your replies,

    https://community.quicken.com/discussion/comment/20528854#Comment_20528854

    When you downgrade, it just removes access to the Business and Personal specific features. Your backups would still work; they'd just have any business features that you had been using disabled (so you wouldn't be able to view invoices or specific reports, for instance).

    Quicken Classic for Mac and Quicken Classic for Windows are both covered under the same subscription. Downgrading one downgrades both.

    Thank you!

    Quicken Kristina

    Make sure to sign up for the email digest to see a round up of your top posts.

  • Bob.
    Bob. Quicken Windows Subscription Member ✭✭✭✭

    Perfect and better than expected :) Thanks Kristina.

  • mmpunch
    mmpunch Quicken Windows Subscription Member ✭✭✭

    Bob, I have used Quicken “deluxe” for many many years. I also track all my investments (3 separate Brokers) with the Deluxe version.

  • Bob.
    Bob. Quicken Windows Subscription Member ✭✭✭✭

    Thanks. I have been Home and Business for many years as I had side businesses I paid taxes on and kept deductions. Been two years, maybe three since I had to itemize. So I think Premier will do everything I need. Just going to cut over clean for 2026. Needed a few questions answered so I didn't have issues.

  • Bob.
    Bob. Quicken Windows Subscription Member ✭✭✭✭

    Sent a DM to Kristina, but just in case someone has a solution before she replies or suggests calling support tomorrow, I cannot downgrade. It appears without a credit card on file, you cannot change plans. And I do not wish to have anyone auto renew me and hold a credit card.

    Ideas?

    quicken subscription.jpg
  • Bob.
    Bob. Quicken Windows Subscription Member ✭✭✭✭

    Called to downgrade. Agent said that renewal date would not change and wanted me to buy a new subscription. I asked to be transferred.

    Tried to explain that as mentioned here: https://www.quicken.com/support/managemyaccount/#section-windows-2

    When you downgrade, the prorate for your original subscription value is added on as additional time to the new subscription. 

    The Supervisor says I cannot downgrade and extend my time without buying a new subscription! He offered a one time courtesy, but no, I want things to be done right. His name, supervisor is Louis and he added notes to my account. I did nothing. He claims the words above "new subscription" means I am required to buy a new subscription to downgrade.

    @Quicken Kristina we both agreed I could downgrade, have the renewal date extended. NOWHERE does it say to do that I need to buy a new subscription. Quicken support is adamant I do - unless I take advantage of their one-time courtesy that should not be required.

  • Jon
    Jon Quicken Mac Subscription SuperUser, Mac Beta Beta
    edited January 2

    When I did my downgrade years ago it was by buying a lower level subscription renewal & adding it to my account. I’ve never heard of someone being able to just change subscription levels partway through the way you are suggesting.

  • Bob.
    Bob. Quicken Windows Subscription Member ✭✭✭✭

    it appears that Kristina was describing exactly that - downgrading and extending by prorating. No mention of buying a new subscription. If you note, Jon, even talk of renewing with a key code after the NEW renewal date. No talk of having to buy a new subscription. I, like others, always wait for the Black Friday or other deals.

  • Quicken Kristina
    Quicken Kristina Quicken Windows Subscription Moderator mod

    Thank you for your reply,

    I reached out internally to our teams for clarification.

    Thank you!

    Quicken Kristina

    Make sure to sign up for the email digest to see a round up of your top posts.

  • Bob.
    Bob. Quicken Windows Subscription Member ✭✭✭✭

    None of the above seems true and accurate, no fault of Kristina's. Neither the Knowledge page, nor support, nor support supervisor understood this. If I am to believe the latest CS Support person to jump in in messages who has an entirely different take on when, how and what in regards to a downgrade. Which I think should have been one click with a thank you for less to support. But nope.

    Makes me question anything in the knowledge base on Quicken.

    And makes me want to back away from being concerned and trying to be informative and helpful reporting all the bugs that continue unfixed and continually increase rather than get fixed in anything that can be described as a timely manner.

    Need a break.

Categories