ExpenseDuck opens early access for former QuickBooks Self-Employed users

ExpenseDuck opened early access sign-up for solo freelancers who used QuickBooks Self-Employed, with the beta starting Oct. 1 and a public launch slated for October 2026. The app imports QBSE transactions and mileage, shows a federal quarterly tax set-aside and costs $14.99 a month after a free trial.

Why it matters: - Former QuickBooks Self-Employed users are looking for a replacement as Intuit pushes new customers to QuickBooks Solopreneur. - ExpenseDuck is built to help solo freelancers on Schedule C keep tracking expenses, mileage and federal estimated taxes in one place. - The timing matters because the next federal estimated tax deadline for 2026 is Sept. 15.

What happened: - ExpenseDuck opened early access sign-up on Sept. 10, 2026. - Early access begins Oct. 1, 2026. - A public launch is planned for October 2026. - The app targets solo U.S. freelancers who file Schedule C. - The company is based in Littleton, Colorado.

The details: - ExpenseDuck imports QuickBooks Self-Employed transactions and mileage. - Invoices, clients and receipts do not transfer from QuickBooks Self-Employed because QBSE does not export them. - The company’s migration guide explains what transfers, what does not and how long the move takes. - The app automatically records business drives at the IRS standard mileage rate and stores the date and route of each drive. - For 2026, the IRS mileage rate is 72.5 cents a mile through June 30 and 76 cents from July 1. - ExpenseDuck sorts expenses into Schedule C categories and shows why each category was chosen. - Receipts sent by photo or email are matched to transactions. - Bank feeds bring in new activity. - The app exports a Schedule C at year end. - Users can create, send and track invoices, and clients pay the user directly. - The app does not move money. - The federal quarterly estimate includes the minimum payment that avoids an underpayment penalty. - The estimate also accounts for household W-2 wages and withholding. - The app estimates federal taxes only. - State and local taxes are outside its scope. - ExpenseDuck does not file a return or give tax advice. - The app is not double-entry accounting software. - It runs in a web browser on a phone or desktop. - iPhone support is coming soon, pending App Store approval. - After a 30-day free trial, the single plan costs $14.99 a month. - The company does not ask for a credit card during the trial. - The app is not affiliated with Intuit, QuickBooks or TurboTax. - More information is available on the company’s announcement.

Between the lines: - The product is trying to capture users displaced by QuickBooks Self-Employed rather than compete as broad accounting software. - The feature set is narrow on purpose: mileage, expense categorization, federal estimated taxes and Schedule C export. - Dave Rodenbaugh said he built ExpenseDuck for freelancers left out when Intuit wound down QuickBooks Self-Employed. - Rodenbaugh said three decades of filing his own Schedule C shaped what to build first. - Rodenbaugh is a serial entrepreneur and founder of DeductibleDuck, ExpenseDuck and Recapture. - Rodenbaugh has more than 30 years of freelance experience and tracks his own Schedule C expenses. - Rodenbaugh and a team of three build and support the products from Littleton, Colorado.

What's next: - Early access members will receive an email on Oct. 1, 2026 and start a 30-day free trial. - The public launch is expected in October 2026. - iPhone support will follow once App Store approval is granted. - Users needing their third-quarter estimated tax payment must meet the Sept. 15, 2026 deadline.