QuickBooks vs Nexa
The Real Comparison for Locksmiths

QuickBooks
$55/mo ($660/yr)
VS
Nexa
$279 once — own forever
or 3 payments of $99
Break even: 5.1 months. Save $1,935 over 3 years.
"I compared QuickBooks and Nexa side by side. The math wasn't even close. $2,214 over 3 years vs $279 once. Switched and never looked back."
— Locksmith, Nexa customer

The verdict for locksmiths: QuickBooks is solid software, but at $55/month it costs $2,214 over 3 years. Nexa does most of what QuickBooks does for $279 once. For solo locksmiths and small teams, Nexa is the better deal.

Choose Nexa if:

  • You're done paying monthly forever
  • You're a solo operator or small team (1-5)
  • You need Invoicing, scheduler, Connect CRM in one purchase in one tool
  • You're tired of price increases
  • You want to own your tools like you own your equipment

Choose QuickBooks if:

  • You have a large team (10+) needing enterprise features
  • You're deeply invested in QuickBooks's specific workflow
  • You need a feature Nexa doesn't have yet

What QuickBooks Actually Costs Locksmiths

The 3-Year Damage

Year 1$660
Year 2 (+11.4% inflation)$735
Year 3$819
Total lost to QuickBooks$2,214

Nexa: $279. Once. You keep $1,935. And you own it — no more "we're updating our pricing" emails.

Your QuickBooks subscription has cost you $0.00 since you opened this page.

Feature-by-Feature

FeatureQuickBooksNexa
Invoicing
Scheduling
CRM
Time Tracking
Full Accounting✓ (SIMPL)
Task Management
Price$55/mo$279 once
or 3 × $99
3-Year Total$2,214$279
You own it?No — stop paying, lose accessYes — forever
"The feature comparison convinced me. Nexa does 90% of what QuickBooks does — for 10% of the 3-year cost. And I actually own it."
— Locksmith

Calculate Your Full Stack

QuickBooks plus whatever else you're paying for:

Email yourself this comparison?

Switching from QuickBooks

1
Export your data — Go to Reports → export to CSV. Download clients, invoices, expenses.
2
Set up Nexa — 15-minute setup. Import your clients and expense categories.
3
Parallel run — Run both for 1-2 weeks. Verify everything transferred.
4
Cancel QuickBooks — Cancel subscription. Download final backup. You're done.
✓ 30-day money-back guarantee. Zero risk.
Locksmiths are switching from QuickBooks every week.

The math doesn't lie.

What This Means for Locksmiths

It's 10pm and someone's locked out of their car at a gas station. You drive 25 minutes, pop the lock in 3 minutes, and they complain about the $85 fee. Tomorrow you have three rekeying appointments and a commercial access control estimate. You need to invoice tonight's emergency call, track your mileage, and figure out why last week's commercial client still hasn't paid. Your software costs more per month than most of tonight's service calls.

Locksmiths deal with unique challenges that generic software was not built for: Emergency calls at 2am that need immediate response. Quoting over the phone without seeing the lock. Customers balking at pricing after you've already driven 30 minutes. Managing automotive, residential, and commercial as different service lines. QuickBooks charges $55/month on top of these daily realities. The median locksmith earns $45,000/year — $660/year in software subscriptions is a significant percentage of that income, paid every year, forever.

Nexa is $279 once. Invoicing, scheduling, CRM, time tracking, accounting — all connected, built for locksmiths. You own it like you own your Key cutting machine (manual and electronic).

What locksmiths actually deal with

A day in the life of a locksmith

It's 10pm and someone's locked out of their car at a gas station. You drive 25 minutes, pop the lock in 3 minutes, and they complain about the $85 fee. Tomorrow you have three rekeying appointments and a commercial access control estimate. You need to invoice tonight's emergency call, track your mileage, and figure out why last week's commercial client still hasn't paid. Your software costs more per month than most of tonight's service calls.

The tools a working locksmith actually owns

Why locksmiths leave the big platforms

Where locksmiths actually talk shop

Local locksmiths on Nexa

Real locksmiths near you who run their business on Nexa — book directly, no platform fee. Are you a locksmith? Post your business and get found in your area — $2.99 one-time. Or browse every locksmith on Nexa →

FAQ

Is Nexa really a QuickBooks replacement?

For solo locksmiths and small teams, yes. invoicing, scheduling, CRM, time tracking, task management, and full accounting — all for $279 once. QuickBooks may be better if you have a large team (10+) or need enterprise-specific features.

What does QuickBooks do that Nexa doesn't?

QuickBooks has features like Industry standard - accountants know it and 800+ app integrations that some businesses rely on. For most solo locksmiths, these aren't dealbreakers.

How fast does Nexa pay for itself?

At $55/month, Nexa pays for itself in 5.1 months. After that: $660 saved every year.

Can I pay in installments?

Yes. Nexa is $279 as a one-time payment, or 3 payments of $99 ($297 total). Either way it's a one-time purchase — no subscription, no recurring fees ever.

"$2,214 over 3 years to QuickBooks. Or $279 once for Nexa. I own my tools now. No more renting software."
— Locksmith, Nexa owner

$2,214 Over 3 Years. Or $279 Once (or 3 × $99).

Own your tools. Stop renting your software.

Get Nexa — $279 Once
or 3 payments of $99
✓ 30-day money-back — save $500 or full refund

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