QuickBooks API Fees & Partner Pricing Model: Costs, Tiers and What It Means for Your Integration
- Melanie Eckl
- 2 days ago
- 5 min read
QuickBooks is one of the leading accounting software vendors and stands out with a strong app marketplace. Through this ecosystem, they promote a wide range of third-party integrations, an impressive example of partner-led growth in action.
Recently, QuickBooks launched its new App Partner Program, introducing significant changes to the commercial terms for partners. Most notably, certain API endpoints are now subject to usage-based fees.
This raises an important question for every software vendor integrating with QuickBooks:
How does the new QuickBooks App Partner Program impact my revenue model and growth strategy within the QuickBooks ecosystem?
Key Takeaways
Offering an integration with QuickBooks requires becoming a QuickBooks App Partner.
QuickBooks provides four partner tiers: Builder, Silver, Gold, and Platinum, with Builder serving as the free entry-level tier.
QuickBooks differentiates between Core APIs (which are always included and uncapped) and CorePlus APIs, which are usage-based and subject to additional fees.
The four tiers primarily differ in the number of included CorePlus API calls, as well as in marketplace listing and visibility benefits.
Each tier (except Builder) comes with a fixed monthly fee, a defined volume of included API calls, and additional usage fees based on a tiered pricing structure.
Understanding the Basics of the QuickBooks App Partner Program
QuickBooks strongly believes in the power of its ecosystem and ecosystem-led growth. The company follows an open platform strategy that enables software vendors to offer third-party solutions and integrations as official app partners. This comes with certain requirements and benefits, including listing in the QuickBooks Marketplace and participation in co-marketing initiatives.
The Partner Program supports vendors across three core areas:
Build focuses on everything related to development. It provides tools, resources, documentation, and analytics to support your integration journey. Whether you are building a new integration or enhancing an existing one with additional features.
Engage defines how QuickBooks partners more closely with you. This includes account management, technical consultation, ongoing support, and broader collaboration opportunities with Intuit.
Grow is designed to help you expand your customer base and increase market reach. Benefits include marketplace badging, access to the Partner Resource Center, promotional opportunities, and additional go-to-market support.
QuickBooks Introduces Two API Categories: Core and CorePlus
API calls to the QuickBooks platform are classified into one of two categories: Core and CorePlus. Whether a request falls into one category or the other depends on the specific endpoint being called and the HTTP method used.
Core APIs are free and unlimited
Core API calls primarily cover data-in operations, such as creating or updating invoices, bills, customers, or vendors. Core API usage is unmetered and free of charge.
CorePlus APIs are charged volume based
CorePlus API calls mainly include data-out operations, such as reading account data, querying company information, or retrieving reports.
CorePlus API usage is metered, and additional charges may apply depending on your partner tier and usage volume. See the full list of CorePlus APIs here.
Sandbox Endpoints and Unsuccessful Calls Are Not Metered
Only successful API calls - specifically those returning a 2xx HTTP status code - are counted toward metered usage. API calls executed within the sandbox environment are not included in the new fee structure and therefore are not subject to usage-based charges. Source: Quickbooks
QuickBooks’ New Partner App Pricing Model Is Based on a Fixed Fee and Variable API Usage Fees
QuickBooks’ updated Partner App pricing model combines a fixed monthly subscription fee with a variable usage-based API fee. The table below outlines the four QuickBooks Partner tiers, including their respective monthly fees, the number of included API calls, and the pricing for additional API usage. (Source: Quickbooks)
Builder | Silver | Gold | Platinum | |
Minimum Active Connections | - | - | 500 | 3.000 |
Prerequisites | Approved Assessment | Approved Assessment | Approved Assessment | Approved Assessment |
App Marketplace Listing | - | Optional | Required | Required |
Monthly Fee | Free | 300 USD | 1.700 USD | 4.500 USD |
Core API Credits | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited |
CorePlus API Credits per month | 500.000 | 1 Mio | 10 Mio | 75 Mio. |
CorePlus API Rates for calls (Price per 1.000 calls) | ||||
0-500k | Included | Included | Included | Included |
500k - 1 Mio | N/A | Included | Included | Included |
1 Mio - 10 Mio | N/A | 3.50 USD | Included | Included |
10 Mio - 75 Mio | N/A | 1.75 USD | 1.40 USD | Included |
75 Mio+ | N/A | 0.35 USD | 0.28 USD | 0.25 USD |
A prerequisite for joining the program is completing an approved assessment, which includes submitting an Intuit-approved app assessment questionnaire, accepting the updated Intuit Developer Terms of Service, and complying with the Intuit App Partner Program requirements.
What Is the Impact of QuickBooks’ Partner Pricing Model If You Integrate via Maesn?
Maesn customers can continue to build and scale integrations with QuickBooks - as well as dozens of other ERP and accounting systems - without any changes to their existing setup.
Maesn’s Common Data Model remains fully applicable, enabling consistent and scalable integrations across multiple systems. As before, setting up a dedicated QuickBooks app, is still required to ensure a seamless and native end-customer experience.
What has changed with the updated QuickBooks App Partner Program is the partner setup itself: Additional QuickBooks-specific costs may now apply independently of Maesn and will be charged directly by QuickBooks.
We actively support our customers in navigating these changes and in selecting the optimal partner tier and app configuration to minimize complexity and ensure cost efficiency.
Frequently Asked Questions Regarding the new Quickbooks App Partner Program
What is the QuickBooks App Partner Program?
The QuickBooks App Partner Program is Intuit’s official ecosystem framework for software vendors integrating with QuickBooks. To offer a native integration and list your app in the QuickBooks Marketplace, you must enroll as an App Partner, complete the required assessment, and comply with Intuit’s Developer Terms.
How does QuickBooks’ new API pricing model work?
QuickBooks’ updated pricing model combines:
A fixed monthly partner fee (depending on tier)
A variable usage-based fee for certain API calls
Each paid tier includes a defined volume of API calls. Additional usage is charged based on a tiered pricing structure.
What is the difference between Core and CorePlus APIs in QuickBooks?
Core APIs mainly cover data-in operations such as creating or updating invoices, bills, customers, and vendors. Core API calls are unmetered and free.
CorePlus APIs mainly cover data-out operations such as retrieving account data, querying company information, and generating reports. CorePlus API calls are metered and may incur additional charges.
Are all QuickBooks API calls charged?
No. Only successful API calls returning a 2xx HTTP status code are counted toward metered usage.
Additionally:
Sandbox API calls are not metered
Unsuccessful API calls are not charged
How much does it cost to integrate with QuickBooks?
The total cost depends on:
Your selected partner tier (Builder, Silver, Gold, Platinum)
Your monthly CorePlus API usage volume
Marketplace participation and partner benefits
The Builder tier is free, but scaling integrations typically require a paid tier.
How does the Quickbooks Partner Program impact integrating with Maesn?
Integrating with Maesn remains technically unchanged. However, additional QuickBooks-specific costs may apply independently of Maesn and are charged directly by QuickBooks under the App Partner Program and CorePlus API pricing structure.
