For those considering why they should pay for QuickBooks, here is why most CPA firms recommend it:
QuickBooks is a mainstream product that a lot of people know how to use. Other software is out there, but it is nice to be able to call a friend who uses QuickBooks and ask questions.
QuickBooks has another feature called accountants copy. This allows you to send your company file to your CPA as of a certain date. With this you can continue to work in QuickBooks while your CPA cleans up older transactions. Once done the CPA can import the changes to update and sync all the files.
QuickBooks saves you time by being able to upload transactions directly from your bank account, and also export reports to Excel.
Lastly, QuickBooks is not as expensive as you think. There is no need to buy the new version every year. You can wait 3-5 years and upgrade when useful features are added.