What’s the Difference Between a Bill and an Expense?
Connie Wolf • February 2, 2026

When you’re managing your business in QuickBooks Online®, it’s easy to get confused between Bills and Expenses. Both seem to record money going out, but they serve very different purposes — and using the wrong one can mess up your books, cash flow, and reporting.
The key difference comes down to timing and payment method.
Refer to the
cheat sheet below to help you next time!


